Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

An Analysis Of The Comparison Between Classroom Grades Earned With A Standards- Based Grading System And Grade-Level Assessment Scores As Measured By The Missouri Assessment Program, Gary L. Greene

Dissertations

This study was designed to examine the ability of traditional and standards-based grading practices to predict student performance on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) Grade-Level Assessments at the middle school level. This study also explored the perceptions Missouri middle school teachers and administrators had concerning the use of standards-based grading and identified obstacles educators faced during and after its implementation. The research was conducted in phases to observe two sets of data. Phase One involved the collection and analysis of quantitative data from two schools in Missouri that use standards-based grading in the seventh and eighth grades and two schools …

Extensibility - Validation Of Workplace Learning In Higher Education - Examples And Considerations, Deirdre Goggin, Stephen Cassidy, Irene Sheridan, Phil O'Leary

Conference Papers

The importance of effective curriculum design and development in structuring and supporting learners in their knowledge attainment has been outlined in the writings of Tyler (1949) [1] which supports the approach adopted in European Higher Education stemming from the 1999 Bologna Declaration (European Commission, 2009). These structures are assisted in part by national and European qualification frameworks and the Dublin descriptors which are explicit of the variances in knowledge, skill and competence as one progresses in higher education and training. In addition, the inclusion of learning outcomes and programme objectives in the development of comprehensive curricula has been linked to …

A Mixed-Method Investigation Of The Missouri Pre-Service Teacher Assessment Pilot Program At A Private Midwestern University, Robyne Elder

Dissertations

In order to evaluate the teacher education program for the state of Missouri, the researcher investigated the piloted MoPTA at a private Midwestern university. Through evaluating the piloted MoPTA program, this study aimed to address possible changes needed within the teacher education program itself to better prepare future educators not only for the assessment, but more importantly, the classroom. In order to evaluate the program, the researcher observed scoring sessions for Tasks 1-4 and analyzed feedback from the evaluators of the tasks (university supervisors and faculty) in the fall of 2014 and the spring of 2015. Furthermore, this study examined …

The Impact Of Trio Student Support Services At A Midwestern Institution, Tajuan Rakeem Wilson

Dissertations

First-generation, low-income, and disabled college students are an increasing population (Tinto, 2012). TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is an academic support program funded by the U.S. Department of Education that seeks to support this demographic to overcome challenges and thrive while in college (Coffman, 2011). Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the goal of this study was to examine the student success outcomes of retention and grade point average of TRIO SSS students compared to students who are similarly qualified but not being served by TRIO SSS at a Midwestern, large, public, four-year institution. In addition, TRIO SSS seniors were interviewed …

The Role Of Physical Fitness And Physical Activity On Academic Achievement Among Eighth Grade Students In Alabama, Jessica Baker O'Neal

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the extent of the relationship between physical fitness, body composition, physical activity, and academic achievement. School leaders have justified the reduced time for physical activity and physical education as they take away from classroom instruction time; yet, national assessment outcomes have indicated the condition of education in America has failed to measurably improve student achievement. An additional public health concern, increased sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy-weight conditions have significantly increased in the past 30 years among American children and adolescents.

The researcher incorporated a quantitative design to examine these relationships in an …

2014-2015 Profile, Morehead State University. Institutional Research & Analysis.

Office of Institutional Research & Analysis Publication Archive

2014-2015 issue of Profile Magazine.

Differentiation Revealed: A Multiple-Methods Qualitative Study On The Implementation Of Differentiated Instruction In A Mixed-Ability Elementary Classroom, Curtis James Cunningham

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Differentiated instruction as a philosophical approach to teaching has been around for decades. In recent weeks differentiation has come under fire as being an approach to teaching that is simply too difficult for teachers to implement. While teachers may attend a workshop or take a graduate class on the topic of differentiation and choose not to embrace the philosophy, there are also teachers who have successfully implemented differentiation. The argument against differentiation is based on the amount of effort required to simultaneously implement all components of differentiation.

To address these concerns the following question provided guidance for the present multi-method …

Using Item Response Theory To Improve Locally-Constructed Multiple Choice Tests: Measuring Knowledge Gains And Curricular Effectiveness, Janie L. Knell, Andea P. Wilhoite, Joshua Z. Fugate, Wilson J. Gonzalez-Espada

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

Current science education reform efforts emphasize teaching K-12 science using hands-on, inquiry activities. For maximum learning and probability of implementation among inservice teachers, these strategies must be modeled in college science courses for preservice teachers. About a decade ago, Morehead State University revised their science content courses to follow an inquiry approach. As part of the courses’ assessment, a locally-made, diagnostic pre- and post-test was prepared. The main purpose of this “ex post facto” study was to demonstrate how concepts from Item Response Theory can be used to detect and remove psychometrically faulty items, and how the remaining items can …

Relationship Between Central Virginia Community College Respiratory Therapy Technology Program Students Entrance Gpa And Their Graduation Success, Wendy Ayers

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine the relationship between Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) Respiratory Therapy Technology Program students entrance GPA and their graduation success to determine if minimum entrance GPA should be increased from 2.0 to 2.5.

Priming Middle School Females’ Engagement In Engineering And Technology, Mary Bonk Isaac

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to validate data collected between 2009-2013 via an instrument used to assess middle school girls’ identification with and interest in engineering and technology following the Society of Women Engineers’ WOW events. Recognizing the importance of measuring the impact of such mentored E & T activities on young females’ attitudes about and interest in STEM, and more specifically, engineering and technology, SWE outreach experts developed a participant survey based on event objectives and domain knowledge, but never rigorously examined whether it produced statistically valid data that could be used to draw inferences about girls’ propensity …

Program Standards For Establishing High Quality Postsecondary Trade And Industrial Education Programs, Beno Rubin

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The problem of this study was to develop standards that can be used as a basis for establishing high quality postsecondary trade and industrial education programs. There were two research objectives. These included: developing a set of program standards to be used to establish high quality postsecondary trade and industrial education programs and developing descriptors that can be used to assess achievement of high quality postsecondary trade and industrial education programs.

The Delphi technique was chosen for this study to generate consensus regarding the program standards. The panel of experts, comprised of postsecondary administrators of trade and industrial programs, was …

No Excuses Charter Schools: A Meta-Analysis Of The Experimental Evidence On Student Achievement, Albert Cheng, Collin Hitt, Brian Kisida, Jonathan N. Mills

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

While charter schools differ widely in philosophy and pedagogical views, the United States’s most famous urban charter schools typically use the No Excuses approach. Enrolling mainly poor and minority students, these schools feature high academic standards, strict disciplinary codes, extended instructional time, and targeted supports for low-performing students. The strenuous and regimented style is controversial amongst some scholars, but others contend that the No Excuses approach is needed to rapidly close the achievement gap. We conduct the first meta-analysis of the achievement impacts of No Excuses charter schools. Focusing on experimental studies, we find that No Excuses charter schools significantly …

Writing On The Margins: Student Experiences In A Learning Support English Course, Tabatha W. Martin

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

This study evaluates the effectiveness of one learning support English program at preparing its students for first-year composition.

Stem Education Research: Useful Ideas For College Instructors Using Ballooning, Stacy A. Wenzel

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

Stratospheric ballooning is a tool of enormous promise to help STEM college faculty foster highly engaged learning of science for a wide range of students at a wide range of institutions. High altitude ballooning offers a platform for investigating science and engineering across many fields. Ballooning has been used in courses and experiences for not just undergraduate science majors, but also all undergraduates—including future teachers who, in turn, are the key to improving K-12 science education. Technological advances are lowering the cost of and expertise levels required to make launches and analyze data.

Ballooning offers a context within which faculty …

Exploring The Use Of Teaching Strategies To Impact The Academic And Social Challenges Faced By First-Generation College Students, Susan Smierciak Lueders

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies have shown that roughly one-third of the total students at four-year universities are the first in their families to attend college. These students are commonly referred to as first-generation college (FGC) students. The percent of total college students who are FGC students is expected to rise as the children of working-class, predominantly “blue collar” baby boomers, and the children of immigrants reach college age and enter the college arena. However, these students often enter college with unique academic and social challenges that result in an attrition rate of almost twice that of non- FGC students. While numerous studies …

Evolution Of A First-Year Engineering Course, Noah Salzman, Janet Callahan, Gary Leroy Hunt, Carol Sevier, Amy J. Moll

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The first-year engineering course at Boise State University has evolved significantly over the past decade as a result of continuous improvement with a particular focus on student retention. The course was originally created in 1999-2001 as an “Introduction to Engineering” course in order to recruit students to one of the fields of engineering, by introducing those fields of engineering as topics across the semester. Over the first ten years, the course continued that introductory-to-field focus while also introducing a significant design element solving openended engineering problems. As a result of a five-year grant aimed toward improving first-year retention, the first-year …

Instructional Technology And Self-Directed Learning For Students' Academic Success, Vincent Demetrious Wiggins

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Student achievement in the public education system of the United States is ranked substantially lower compared to other countries. One of the initiated goals proposed by the United States government is to increase the number of college graduates by partnering with community colleges (Office of the Press Secretary, 2015). Community colleges are open enrollment institutions, which often assist students described as at-risk. To serve the community college population of students, special curricular strategies have been implemented.

One tool identified for meeting the goal of increasing college graduation for the population of students at-risk is utilization of instructional technology. Instructional technology, …

A Study Of The Impact Of Mental Contrasting And Implementation Intentions On Academic Performance, Suzanne Velasquez-Sheehy

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the national high school graduation rate is 81% and only 59% of college enrolled students in 2006 obtained a college degree within ten years of entering 9th grade (U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2014). Studies conclude that high school grades predicted academic performance no matter what type of high school the students attended and that students who had good grades went on to graduate from college as a result of self-efficacy, motivation, and academic goals (Bowen, Chingos, & McPherson, 2011). Limited research suggests that using mental contrasting and implementation …

Imperatives In Schools Funding: Equity, Sustainability And Achievement, Lyndsay Connors, Jim Mcmorrow

Australian Education Review

AER 60 takes the 2011 Gonski Review of Funding for Schooling as a vantage point, from which to consider the national funding of schools in Australia, past and future.

Section 1 outlines the educational values and perspectives that have underpinned school funding policies and programs and describes major themes in the evolution of schools funding – quality, equity and choice – providing a general guide for subsequent analyses. Section 2 provides a policy history of schools funding 1964 – 2011, during which time the Commonwealth government emerged as a significant funding partner. It analyses the political forces and recurring themes, …

Factors Influencing The Integration Of High Fidelity Simulation In Associate Degree Rn And Lpn Nursing Programs, Sheila A. Kaylor

Dissertations

High fidelity human simulation (HFHS) has become a common feature in nursing education in recent years. This case study explored the practices and perceptions of nursing directors, faculty, and students regarding the integration of HFHS in associate degree RN and LPN programs. The course of study in these particular programs is two years or less in length, presenting added challenges for faculty to introduce new pedagogies into an abundantly full curriculum. Multiple data sources were used and included 41 participants through interviews with nursing directors and instructors, observation of instructors and students during HFHS scenarios and debriefing sessions, and student …

Non-Cognitive Abilities And Spanish Regional Differences In Student Performance In Pisa 2009, Ildefonso Mendez, Gema Zamarro, Jose G. Clavel, Collin Hitt

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The goal of this paper is to analyze the role that non-cognitive skills and, in particular, regional differences in those skills, play on the observed differences in 15-year-old student’s academic performance, across Spanish regions, on PISA 2009. Previous research has shown the relevance of differences in student’s personal, family and school characteristics in accounting for academic differences across Spanish regions but it has also found that a sizeable part of the observed differences remained unexplained. We have found that differences in the distribution of certain non-cognitive skills associated to academic performance like focus, perseverance and resilience play a prominent role …

The Accuracy Of Computer-Assisted Feedback And Students’ Responses To It, Elizabeth Lavolette, Charlene Polio, Jimin Kahng

Language Resource Center

Various researchers in second language acquisition have argued for the effectiveness of immediate rather than delayed feedback. In writing, truly immediate feedback is impractical, but computer-assisted feedback provides a quick way of providing feedback that also reduces the teacher’s workload. We explored the accuracy of feedback from Criterion®, a program developed by Educational Testing Service, and students’ responses to it. Thirty-two students received feedback from Criterion on four essays throughout a semester, with 16 receiving the feedback immediately and 16 receiving it several days after writing their essays. Results indicated that 75% of the error codes were correct, but that …

Australian Students In A Digital World, Sue Thomson

Policy Insights

This century has seen continued exponential growth in the use of digital technologies. In Australia, the proportion of students having access to a computer at home rose from about 91 per cent in 2000 to over 99 per cent in 2013, and access to the internet grew from 67 per cent in 2000 to 98 per cent in 2013. According to the 2013 report on the International Association for the Evaluation of Education Achievement’s (IEA) International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS), Australia had the highest percentage of students who used computers at school at least once a week (81%), …

Perceptions Of Non-Traditional Programs Within Missouri School Districts, Cherie L. Norman

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze perceptions of Missouri public school administrators regarding twenty-first century learning skills in choice and innovative schools, and to report the research-based best practices those schools are using with students. For this study, qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire and then coded for analysis (Fraenkel et. al, 2014). The questionnaire, used to elicit information from 10 administrators of Missouri public schools housing a choice or innovation program, was the anchor of the research design. The results of this study indicated choice and innovative schools are incorporating a combination of current research-based practices …

A Comparison Study Of Graded Assessments Between Teaching Modalities In Radiologic Technology, Angela M. Lambert

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The research conducted in this study focuses on student learning outcomes for students of Radiologic Technology. A comparison between non-traditional teaching using MOODLE® and traditional lecture delivery as related to written and practical assessment results is the focus. This study is important due to the need for programs of Radiologic Technology to produce competent radiographers upon completion of such programs in order to assure patient care and safety standards are met. The surge in online and non-traditional course delivery methods may jeopardize this necessity. The purpose of this research was to compare the use of non-traditional delivery and traditional delivery …

Researching Mbti Personality Types: Project Management Master’S Degree Students, Thomas G. Henkel, James W. Marion Jr, Debra T. Bourdeau

Publications

The purpose of this research study was twofold: 1) to explore if a university’s Master of Science in Project Management students’ MBTI® personalities differ significantly; 2) to gain a better understanding if the MBTI® personality traits of university students enrolled in a project management degree differ significantly from those MBTI® personalities of the general population. The goodness of fit test was used in order to test the hypotheses that the 177 graduate project management students (observed data) have the same MBTI® distribution as in the general population (expected data). Overall, the present study showed that the student population has 27.18% …

Opportunistic Uses Of The Traditional School Day Through Student Examination Of Fitbit Activity Tracker Data, Victor R. Lee, Joel R. Drake, Ryan Cain, Jeffrey L. Thayne

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

In large part due to the highly prescribed nature of the typical school day for children, efforts to design new interactions with technology have often focused on less-structured after-school clubs and other out-of-school environments. We argue that while the school day imposes serious restrictions, school routines can and should be opportunistically leveraged by designers and by youth. Specifically, wearable activity tracking devices open some new avenues for opportunistic collection of and reflection on data from the school day. To demonstrate this, we present two cases from an elementary statistics classroom unit we designed that intentionally integrated wearable activity trackers and …

Individual Differences In Digital Badging: Do Learner Characteristics Matter?, Joey R. Fanfarelli, Thomas Rudy Mcdaniel

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Badge use has rapidly expanded in recent years and has benefited a variety of applications. However, a large portion of the research has applied a binary useful or not useful approach to badging. Few studies examine the characteristics of the user and the impact of those characteristics on the effectiveness of the badging system. This study takes preliminary steps toward that cause, examining the effectiveness of a badging system across two web-based university courses in relation to the individual differences of the learners. Individual differences are examined through the lens of Long-Dziuban reactive behavior types and traits. Results revealed differences …

Principal Leadership: Communication, Support, Management, And Evaluation In Literacy Education In Michigan Elementary Reward Schools Beating The Odds, Jason Michael Surian

Dissertations

This instrumental case study investigated the instructional leadership role that elementary school principals play in shaping literacy instruction in schools designated as “Reward Schools” through the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) accountability system, explicitly those schools noted as, Beating the Odds; i.e. outperforming predicted student achievement based on school and student demographic variables. The study looks specifically at the principal’s knowledge and application of literacy instruction, his/her mental model for the school’s literacy program, and his or her leadership of the school’s literacy program. The study examined these characteristics of principal leadership in literacy instruction through staff communications, literacy …

Work Integrated Learning In Stem In Australian Universities: Final Report: Submitted To The Office Of The Chief Scientist, Daniel Edwards, Kate Perkins, Jacob Pearce, Jennifer Hong

Higher education research

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) undertook this study for the Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS). It explores the practice and application of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in STEM, with a particular focus on natural and physical sciences, information technology, and agriculture departments in Australian universities. The project involved a detailed ‘stocktake’ of WIL in practice in these disciplines, with collection of information by interview, survey instruments, consultation with stakeholders and literature reviews. Every university in Australia was visited as part of this project, with interviews and consultation sessions gathering insight from more than 120 academics and support …