Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Assessment Brief: Profile Of Online Sophomore Inquiry Students, Nicholas Osborn, Rowanna L. Carpenter

University Studies Assessment Research

This report presents an academic and demographic profile of online SINQ students compared with students enrolled in face-to-face courses.

A Monte Carlo Study: The Consequences Of The Misspecification Of The Level-1 Error Structure, Merlande Petit-Bois

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Single-case interventions allow for the repeated measurement of a case or participant across multiple time points, to assess the treatment¡͞s effect on one specific case or participant. The basic interrupted time series design includes two phases: baseline and treatment. Raudenbush and Byrk (2002) demonstrated that a meta-analysis of large group designs can be seen as a special case of multi-level analysis with participants (level-one) nested within studies (level-two). Raw data from a set of single case design studies have a similar structure. Van den Noortgate and Onghena (2003) illustrated the use of a two-level model to analyze data in primary …

What Role Does Mathematical Preparedness Play For Engineering Students Who Transfer From And Ordinary Degree Into An Honours Degree?, Michael Carr, Marisa Llorens, Susan O'Shaughnessy, Anne Marie Mccarrick, Domhnall Sheridan

Conference papers

Students who have not achieved a high level of mathematics at secondary school but have a pass in ordinary level mathematics have the option of entering onto a 3-year Ordinary degree (Level 7). Upon successful completion of this award students may apply to progress to the third year of the Honours degree. Up until relatively recently an upper merit (60%) was the minimum required to make this transition. In recent years this requirement has been reduced with many students with lower marks being offered the possibility of transferring.

Relatively little work has been done on the transition from an Ordinary …

Giving Students An Informed Choice When Selecting Teams For Group Work, Yuwanuch Gulatee, Martin Masek

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Most large scale software projects require team work. However, it is a common problem that, when forming teams in a university setting, students know little about each other, resulting in dysfunctional teams. To help alleviate this, we ran three small preliminary assignments before students formed a team for the last major project. The idea was to encourage students to work with a variety of group members before they could choose their final team. The results showed that half of the final groups had a makeup that changed from their first initial group

Development Of A Student Self-Reported Instrument To Assess Course Reform, R.C. Morris, Loran Carleton Parker, David Nelson, Matthew D. Pistilli, Adam Hagen, Chantal Levesque-Bristol, Gabriela Weaver

IMPACT Publications

This study examines the development and implementation of a survey-based instrument assessing the effectiveness of a course redesign initiative focused on student centeredness at a large midwestern university in the United States. Given the scope of the reform initiative under investigation in this study, researchers developed an instrument called the Classroom Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), which was administered to students enrolled in redesigned courses. Early findings demonstrate strong construct validity and internal reliability of the CEQ instrument as well as concurrent validity between the CEQ and observation data gathered in concert with self-report data. The authors conclude that in the absence …

Influence Of Target Population Misspecification On Employee Perceptions At A, Joe Lee Smith

Wayne State University Dissertations

Numerous researchers have conducted qualitative and quantitative studies examining employee perceptions related to changes in their work environment based upon management/top-down (deductive) communication of vision, mission, and envisioned organization goals Hofstede, Neuijen, Daval, Ohayv, & Sanders (1990), but research on the influence of subgroup/identity types on workforce perception is sparse Dutton, Dukerich, & Harquail (1994). Data on subgroup identification with the mission and strategic goals envisioned by management/administration is limited. Also limited is knowledge of the influence they have over their members, which places management at a disadvantage in planning strategic organization objectives Albert & Whetten, (1985). These subgroups have …

The Impact Of Nested Testing On Experiment-Wise Type I Error Rate, Jack Sawilowsky

Wayne State University Dissertations

When conducting a statistical test the initial risk that must be considered is a Type I error, also known as a false positive. The Type I error rate is set by nominal alpha, assuming all underlying conditions of the statistic are met. Experiment-wise Type I error inflation occurs when multiple tests are conducted overall for a single experiment. There is a growing trend in the social and behavioral sciences utilizing nested designs. A Monte Carlo study was conducted using a two layer design. Five theoretical distributions and four real datasets taken from Micceri (1989) were used, each with five different …

Validity Of The Educator Evaluation Instrument In The State Of West Virginia, Carla Howe

Wayne State University Dissertations

In the state of West Virginia, the educator evaluation system was implemented in 2010 as part of a comprehensive system of support to increase teacher effectiveness and student learning. As part of the system, the Educator Evaluation Instrument was developed to measure teachers' effectiveness. This study was conducted to determine whether the Educator Evaluation Instrument was valid for use in measuring effectiveness.

A hierarchical confirmatory factor analysis (HCFA) was conducted on the scores from the demonstration year. The data were not normal, nor was good model fit established based on the current model. Because good model fit could not be …

Assessment Practices Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Lebanese Private Schools: A National Survey, Rasha Elhage

Wayne State University Dissertations

Education is intended to provide diverse students with the skills and competencies needed to enhance their lives (Salvia, Ysseldyke & Bolt, 2011). This includes assessment practices that enable teachers to identify students' current level of skills, their strength and weaknesses, target instruction at student's personal level, monitor student learning and progress and plan and conduct adjustments in instruction, and evaluate the extent to which students have met instructional goals. This study intended to discover, describe, and evaluate the assessment practices of teachers and administrators working with students with learning disabilities in Lebanese private schools via the Context, Input, Process and …

Building Local Skills: The Multitrait-Multimethod Matrix In Practice, Anna Clara Gersh

Wayne State University Dissertations

The potential of expanding the evaluative skills of site-based practitioners is examined in a variety of educational enterprises by introducing a procedure to determine evidence for construct validity of measurement tools. The expectations of administrators of educational enterprises, including school day principals, administrators of after school and extended day programs, camps and other instructional settings to effectively collect and manage data is growing. Research skills are an important part of both accountability and improvement efforts which are frequently tied to funding. The multitrait-multimethod matrix (MTMM) (Campbell & Fiske, 1959) combined with the Sawilowsky I test (Sawilowsky, 2002) may provide a …

Building An Assessment Program In The Liberal Arts College Library, Lucretia Mcculley

University Libraries Faculty and Staff Publications

Now in its fourth year, the Library Assessment Committee at the University of Richmond has made great strides in establishing a sustainable assessment program within Boatwright Library. Prior to 2008, limited staff, time, expertise, and commitment were barriers to establishing an ongoing assessment program. As with many other liberal arts college libraries, most of our assessment efforts had focused on information literacy, since instruction is integral to the library and the university's mission. Library surveys and other assessment methods had only received close attention when the university was embarking on its re-accreditation process. With the growing emphasis on assessment within …

The Relationship Of Collegiate Athletic And Recreational Sports Involvement To Student Success And Persistence, Gregory Joseph Corack

Online Theses and Dissertations

Administrators often scrutinize extracurricular involvement in college as an unnecessary financial strain on dwindling university budgets. Student Affairs practitioners must constantly justify programs as adequate additions to the in-class learning students receive on a daily basis. The experiential education students receive through extracurricular programming is well documented, and an essential part of the college experience. Varsity athletes and intramural participants gain valuable skills through their participation in sports activities and are consequently present some of the highest group success rates on campus.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between involvement in collegiate varsity and recreational sports …

Retaking Summative Assessments At The High School Level, Katherine Gray

Online Theses and Dissertations

In 2010, under President Obama, A Blueprint for Reform: The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was written to reform the No Child Left Behind Act that was signed into law in 2002 by President George W. Bush. The new goal under the reform was that by 2020 all students will graduate from high school and be college and career ready. With a growing emphasis on all students being successful in the classroom, educators had to explore different methods to implement in the classroom to help all students learn the state standards. Allowing summative assessment retakes was one …

Impact Of Career And Technical Education On College And Career Readiness In Kentucky, Linda Smith Floyd

Online Theses and Dissertations

The study examined the college and career readiness (CCR) results of a persistently low achieving (PLA) high school located in rural Kentucky. The study included a quantitative analysis examining the statistical role of career and technical education (CTE) in the Kentucky accountability system for high schools. The study assessed student results on academic and technical assessments required by the state's accountability model for CCR as reported for the 2012 and 2013 school years. Frequencies and independent sample t-tests were utilized.

The absence of significant statistical differences between preparatory students, those completing two credits and enrolled in the third credit in …

The Relationship Among Principal Instructional Leadership, Collective Teacher Efficacy, Student Academic Achievement, And Socioeconomic Status In Appalachia Eastern Kentucky High Schools, William H. Salazar

Online Theses and Dissertations

Current studies have shown that principal instructional leadership can affect student academic achievement as much as 15% (Hallinger & Murphy, 1982; Hallinger & Heck, 1996; Leithwood & Beatty, 2009). Research studies on collective teacher efficacy have shown that teacher efficacy can significantly affect student academic achievement (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001; Tschannen, Moran &Woolfolk, 2001; Woolfolk; 2004; Goddard, et. al, 2000; Francera, 2009). Previous research has suggested that the effects of socioeconomic status of students can be ameliorated through a combination of principal instructional leadership and collective teacher efficacy (Howley & Howley, 2010; Coleman, 1966). This non-experimental research project developed four …

Exploring The Attitudes Of Criminal Justice And Homeland Security Students Regarding Assessment Techniques In Online Courses, Terry Allen Taylor

Online Theses and Dissertations

Substantial increases in online education since the start of the 21st century requires investigation in to how online courses differ from traditional face-to-face courses. It is particularly important to discover how online students learn and which assessment methods they prefer and see as most beneficial to online learning. Using online assessment techniques that correspond with those rated highly my online students can lead to better student experiences in online courses and improved persistence rates in online courses, which have traditionally be lower compared to face-to-face courses.

The participants for the study sample included online students majoring in Bachelor of Science …

At The College Gates: A Phenomenological Study Of Stem Identity Formation At A Stem Program At A Historical Black University, Maria O'Hearn

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Melguizo and Wolniak (2011) contend that increasing the success of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields is a significant national and state policy issue given the data showing gaps in gender and racial/ethnic bachelors degree completion rates in these fields (Rask, 2010). Recommendations made by the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE, 2013) highlight the importance of school structures as being fundamental for improving the STEM pipeline from high school to college for underrepresented minority students. Thus, the purposes of this study were to describe the lived experiences of African American students attending a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and …

An Investigation Of Work Placement In The Hotel Industry: Perceptions From Hoteliers And Students, Margaret Lenihan, Irene Sheridan

Irish Business Journal

The changing need of higher education to interface more effectively with industry has been widely documented, as has the rising awareness of those attributes which most benefit graduates seeking employment. A key way in which third-level institutions can build stronger partnerships with employers, and assist their students in postgraduate success, is through the provision of work placements. This paper presents research conducted in relation to work placement in the hotel industry, from the perspective of both hoteliers who facilitated the work placements and students who undertook placements. Primary research was conducted with both hoteliers and students. The findings from the …

The Interaction Between Learning Styles, Ethics Education, And Ethical Climate, Leanna Lawter, Tuvana Rua, Chun (Grace) Guo

WCBT Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how learning styles and learning spaces interact to stimulate deep learning. Specifically the paper investigated the interaction of learning styles with ethics education and the ethical climate to influence the likelihood of engaging in ethical behavior.

The Disconnect Between College And Reality, Janice Bell Underwood, Elizabeth Burns

STEMPS Faculty Publications

With formative assessments, teachers can more accurately determine student interests and aptitudes and drive achievement.

Participatory Perspectives: A Photovoice Narrative Study Of Zambian Vulnerable Youth, Lori K. Imasiku

Doctoral Dissertations

The United Nations' Millennium Development Goals aim to meet the needs of the world's poorest people by 2015 through universally agreed upon targets. Goal number two aims to provide universal primary education and states that "by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling" (United Nations, 2010). Zambia, located in Sub-Saharan Africa, in an effort to increase school access and attendance, developed the Free Basic Education Plan which eliminated school tuition up to grade 7 and allowed for a large number of children to enroll in school. While this effort …

Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities: Georgia School Psychologists' Perceptions, Marie T. Underwood

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

An on-line survey was conducted to investigate the assessment practices and perceptions of 366 practicing school psychologist in the state of Georgia concerning various operational components, and the use of RTI when determining SLD eligibility. Results were analyzed using ordinal logistic regression to determine if psychologists’ perceptions could be predicted based on various explanatory variables. Results revealed that a little over half of the respondents preferred assessment of cognitive processing deficits evidenced through patterns of strengths and weaknesses for establishing SLD classification; while well over two-thirds continue to also value analysis of cognitive ability (IQ) scores. Psychologists’ assessment practices were …

Does The Sequence Of Instruction Matter During Simulation?, Jill E. Stefaniak, Carman L. Turkelson

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Introduction: Instructional strategies must be balanced when subjecting students to full-immersion simulation so as not to discourage learning and increase cognitive overload. The purpose of this study was to determine if participating in a simulation exercise before lecture yielded better performance outcomes among novice learners.

Methods: Twenty-nine participants were divided into 2 groups as follows: group 1 participated in simulation exercises followed by a didactic lecture and group 2 participated in the same learning activities presented in the opposite order. Participants were administered a multiple-choice cognitive assessment upon completion of a workshop.

Results: Learners who participated in the simulated exercises …

Food Landscapes: A Case Study Of A Cooking And Art- Focused Program For Teens Living In A Food Desert, Jessica R. Norris

Theses and Dissertations

This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed pre- and post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a …

The Effect Of Habitat For Humanity Homeownership On Student Attendance And Standardized Test Scores In Orange County Florida School District, Charles Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mobility of low-income students who do not have access to stable housing creates numerous challenges both at home and in school. Among these challenges, academic performance certainly is one of the most important. The lack of a more permanent, familiar, and safe environment is presumed to impact home life as well as students' performance in the classroom. This research compares two groups of current and former students of Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) in Florida (1) children of families who are Habitat for Humanity (HFH) homeowners, and (2) a matched socioeconomic control group. The HFH program is designed to …

Investigation Of Strategies To Promote Effective Teacher Professional Development Experiences In Earth Science, Carol A. Engelmann

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

This dissertation serves as a call to geoscientists to share responsibility with K-12 educators for increasing Earth science literacy. When partnerships are created among K-12 educators and geoscientists, the synergy created can promote Earth science literacy in students, teachers, and the broader community. The research described here resulted in development of tools that can support effective professional development for teachers. One tool is used during the planning stages to structure a professional development program, another set of tools supports measurement of the effectiveness of a development program, and the third tool supports sustainability of professional development programs. The Michigan Teacher …

Evaluation Of Student Writing And Its Effects On Motivation, Scott May

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Importance Of Formative Assessment In Science And Engineering Ethics Education: Some Evidence And Practical Advice, Matthew W. Keefer, Sara E. Wilson, Harry Dankowicz, Michael C. Loui

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Recent research in ethics education shows a potentially problematic variation in content, curricular materials, and instruction. While ethics instruction is now widespread, studies have identified significant variation in both the goals and methods of ethics education, leaving researchers to conclude that many approaches may be inappropriately paired with goals that are unachievable. This paper speaks to these concerns by demonstrating the importance of aligning classroom-based assessments to clear ethical learning objectives in order to help students and instructors track their progress toward meeting those objectives. Two studies at two different universities demonstrate the usefulness of classroom-based, formative assessments for improving …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Becoming A Professional Learning Community, Kathleen Theresa Kohl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become popular in schools to help improve student achievement. One local middle school implemented a PLC community, yet experienced problems with sustaining the concept and moving forward. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the current state of the PLC at the middle school under study, how it functioned, and possible areas for improvement. The theoretical framework revolved around constructivist learning and the dimensions of a quality PLC: collaboration, shared mission, values, vision, and goals. Research questions addressed teachers' perceptions of PLC progress and differences in levels of development scores among the 5 …

An Evaluation Of The Penn Resiliency Program For Disruptive Preadolescents In An Elementary School Setting, Mildred Howard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Penn Resiliency Program in decreasing disruptive behavior, modifying negative automatic thoughts and improving academic achievement. Forty-eight students from two Title I schools in Georgia participated in this study. The Behavior Assessment Scale for Children, Second Edition, Progress Monitor, The Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale and report card grades were used to evaluate program effectiveness. Research results suggest the program effectively reduced negative automatic thoughts and improved academic performance.