Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Impacts Of Open Educational Resources On Enrollment Rates, Withdrawal Rates, And Academic Performance In The Virginia Community College System, Marcella Milhous Gale

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to evaluate the enrollment rates and academic performance of students in courses at Central Virginia Community College (CVCC) that utilize Open Educational Resources (OER) to help determine if the use of such materials should be encouraged and expanded in the Virginia Community College System. The population for this study consisted of students enrolled in at least one course at CVCC during the Fall 2015 and Spring 2016 semester, where there were courses that used OER as the course textbook. At the end of each semester, CVCC records enrollment, drop, and academic performance information for …

Defining The Competencies, Programming Languages, And Assessments For An Introductory Computer Science Course, Simon Sultana

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to define the competencies, programming languages, and assessments for an introductory computer science course at a small private liberal arts university. Three research questions were addressed that involved identifying the competencies, programming languages, and assessments that academic and industry experts in California’s Central Valley felt most important and appropriate for an introduction to computer science course.

The Delphi methodology was used to collect data from the two groups of experts with various backgrounds related to computing. The goal was to find consensus among the individual groups to best define aspects that would best comprise …

Alternative Assessment And Accountability: A Case Study Of Policy Reform And Teacher Practice At The District Level, Amy Lynn Abbott

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Deliberations on the topic of alternatives to standardized assessments spurred the 2014 Virginia General Assembly legislation (House Bill 930/Senate Bill 306) that removed five, end-of-year Virginia Standards of Learning tests from select elementary and middle school subjects and supplant them with alternative measures (Virginia Department of Education, 2014). In light of the reform, the purpose of this study was to develop a descriptive account of one large Virginia school district’s implementation of alternative, locally developed assessments designed as an intervention to enhance teaching and learning. Emphasis was on the impact of policy change in social studies practice to capture teachers’ …

Two-Year College Faculty Perspectives On Developmental Student Persistence: A Case Study, Mary Colleen Patterson

All Theses And Dissertations

This study sought to understand the perspectives of two-year college composition faculty concerning the persistence of students in their developmental composition courses. Research has shown that developmental students are a population at risk for leaving college before completing their degree programs and that students are more likely to persist to reach their goals when they’ve built meaningful connections with faculty. Many factors affect faculty ability to connect with developmental students such as faculty history, teaching preparation, and work load.

This study answered four research questions: 1) how do faculty describe and perceive their experience in encouraging developmental students to persist? …

A Phenomenological Investigation Of Rural Central Office Administrators’ Experiences In Supporting Marginal Special Education Teachers, Lawrence Randolph

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the life experiences of 11 central office administrators from rural school divisions in Virginia, and investigate their shared experiences when assisting and supporting marginal special education teachers. The four theories guiding this study were Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, Collins, Brown and Newman’s cognitive apprenticeship theory, Evans’ path-goal leadership theory, and Burns’ transformational leadership theory. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory discusses the environment of a child impacts their growth and development. Collins, Brown, and Newman’s cognitive apprenticeships theory in context of this study describes how master teachers or administrators must train …

The Effect Of Gamification On Elementary Students’ Spanish Language Achievement And Academic Self-Efficacy, Jason Rachels

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design was used to examine the effect of gamification on third and fourth grade students’ Spanish language achievement and student academic self-efficacy. In this study, the primary means of incorporating gamification into the experimental group’s Spanish language instruction was through the use of Duolingo®, a computer and mobile app that uses gamification and adaptive learning technology to teach foreign languages. Students in the control group received their regularly scheduled English L1/Spanish L2 class learning activities. The study was 12 weeks in duration. Students were assessed with a 50 question, multiple-choice English to Spanish and …

A Collaborative Approach To National Assessment In Saudi Arabia

International Developments

A collaborative assessment project involving the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and Saudi Arabia’s Public Education Evaluation Commission (PEEC) has involved the rapid development of national sample assessments of students in Grades 3 and 6 in Mathematics and Science.

Mapping Progress : Using Data For Teaching And Learning, Geoff N. Masters

International Developments

In a world of rapidly expanding data, it is important to keep in mind that there are three central uses of data in school education. Geoff Masters explains.

International Developments (No.6) 2016

International Developments

In this issue of International Developments we look at the purposeful collection of educational data through progressive achievement testing to enable teachers to establish where students are in their long-term learning, diagnose individual strengths and weaknesses, identify the best next steps for action, decide on appropriate evidence-based interventions, monitor the progress students make over time, and evaluate the effectiveness of their own teaching decisions and approaches. We also explore how a new primary years assessment is helping teachers, curriculum designers and policymakers to better measure the learning achievement of students in South East Asia; investigate the impact of a professional …

Longitudinal Success Of Calculus I Reform, Doug Bullock, Kathrine E. Johnson, Janet Callahan

Mathematics Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper describes the second year of an ongoing project to transform calculus instruction at Boise State University. Over the past several years, Calculus I has undergone a complete overhaul that has involved a movement from a collection of independent, uncoordinated, personalized, lecture-based sections, into a single coherent multi-section course with an activelearning pedagogical approach. The overhaul also significantly impacted the course content and learning objectives. The project is now in its fifth semester and has reached a steady state where the reformed practices are normative within the subset of instructors who might be called upon to teach Calculus I. …

Front Matter And Editors' Notes, Helen Freidus, Mollie Welsh Kruger, Steven Goss

Occasional Paper Series

Cover page, table of contents, editors' notes.

Open Educational Resources (Oer) Pilot Program, Fall 2015 Final Report, Catherine Overson

Open Educational Resources

Assessments Conducted by Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)

Assessments Targeted Four Central Areas:

1. Textbook Cost Savings
2. Student Perceptions of the OER Materials
3. Student Learning Outcomes
4. Faculty Perceptions of the OER Pilot Program

Assessing The Relevance Of Statistics And Crime Analysis Courses For Working Crime Analysts, Jonathan A. Kringen, Christopher M. Sedelmaier, Elink-Schuurman-Laura

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Crime analysts study criminal activity and police function to improve performance. Analysts inform operations, aid resource allocation, and evaluate programs. These tasks require high levels of statistical literacy. Given that most analysts are college-educated civilians, college coursework in statistics and/or crime analysis may represent the foundational knowledgebase within the profession. However, little research has attempted to determine if coursework teaches the skills needed by analysts. Underlying this issue is a limited understanding about what technical skills crime analysts regularly use. Analyzing parallel surveys of 98 criminal justice educators and 146 crime analysts, this study compares the skills taught in undergraduate-level …

The Influence Of An Extended School Day On Middle School English Language Arts And Mathematics Achievement In A New Jersey Suburban School District, Davida Lindsay-Harewood

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This study examined the influence of an extended school day, reported in instruction minutes, on academic achievement of general and special education middle school students in one public suburban New Jersey school district using English Language Arts and Mathematics data from the 2014 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK). The sample was selected using Propensity Score Matching, a statistical technique employed to reduce the influence of selection bias. The final sample consisted of 238 students in Grade 6, 238 in Grade 7, and 238 in Grade 8 in the New Jersey suburban, upper middle-income school district during …

Ice (Interactive Curricula Experience) Platform & App Adoption, Use & Evaluation Across Thomas Jefferson University, Julie Phillips, Phd, Martha Langley Ankeny, Med.

Thomas Jefferson University Faculty Days

iCE or the Interactive Curricula Experience Platform and App is a content delivery system designed specifically for the iPad but available to any learner with a web-enabled device.

Poster presented at 2016 8th Annual Faculty Days at Thomas Jefferson University.

Using A Smartphone App To Teach Students Practical Epidemiological Skills, Russell K. Mcintire, Mph, Phd, Kathleen Day, Ms, Sean Dyer, Bs

Thomas Jefferson University Faculty Days

Background:

Despite the evidence that shows the pedagogical benefits of experiential education, epidemiology instructors rarely utlize experiential activities to teach epidemiological concepts and skills.

Poster presented at 8th annual 2016 Thomas Jefferson University Faculty Days.

Native American College Students: A Group Forgotten, Kristen E. Willmott, Tara Leigh Sands, Melissa Raucci, Stephanie J. Waterman

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

Broadening McClellan’s (2003) study through 2011, the authors utilize qualitative content analysis of over two thousand journal articles, professional association conference programs, and reflective memos, to detail the extent to which Native American college students remain a forgotten group within the literature. The authors’ positionality and Indigenous feminist theory inform the study. The study concludes by exploring the benefits of expanded Native American college student research and the authors propose a research agenda that can guide higher education professionals to better serve the educational needs of this unique group.

Critical Thinking Skills And Academic Maturity: Emerging Results From A Five-Year Quality Enhancement Plan (Qep) Study, Ian N. Toppin, Shadreck Chitsonga

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

The QEP that was implemented in this study focused on enhancing students’ critical thinking skills. A pretest/ posttest approach was used to assess students’ critical thinking progress in freshman level core English and Math courses. An intervention was performed involving intensive instruction and assignments relating to a set of reasoning strategies such as: analytical, analogical, inductive, deductive, and comparative reasoning, among others. When students performed well on assignments by applying the reasoning strategies, it was assumed that critical thinking occurred. However, pre/ posttest results in these classes were often disappointing, and seemed at times to suggest that freshmen are not …

An Investigation Of The Development Of Pre-Service Teacher Assessment Literacy Through Individualized Tutoring And Peer Debriefing, Dennis Murphy Odo

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

Many pre-service teachers lack deep understanding of assessment concepts and have low self-efficacy for using assessments but pre-service on-campus programs have been shown to support their assessment literacy development. Likewise, individualized tutoring has helped pre-service candidates improve instructional practice and peer debriefing has been found to help push their thinking. However, questions remain regarding the usefulness of these techniques to develop candidates’ assessment literacy. The primary aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to describe pre-service teachers’ perceptions of assessment literacy and the process of their assessment literacy development during a literacy assessment class containing an individualized tutoring component. Five …

How Do Open Educational Resources (Oers) Impact Students? A Qualitative Study At New York City College Of Technology, Cuny, Cailean Cooney

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis reports on findings from a study conducted with students using open educational resources as the primary course material in their Health Psychology course. The study took place at New York City College of Technology (City Tech), of the City University of New York (CUNY), a comprehensive college located in Brooklyn. Students were assigned the OER by their course instructor, who developed it as part of a library funded pilot initiative. Two research instruments were employed to collect qualitative data from students: a survey and one-on-one interviews with a smaller student sample. Both survey and interview items asked students …

Translating Stem Education Research Into Practice, Christine Rosicka

Professional learning for teachers and school leaders

This translational research project from the Centre for Education Policy and Practice sought evidence-based practical applications, programs or interventions that can be implemented in the primary classroom to address STEM learning. A literature search for STEM education interventions in primary years was undertaken in order to identify integrated STEM programs that have had a proven impact on student outcomes. This paper outlines the scope and methodology of the review. It then considers the findings in terms of four key themes and translates them into short messages for teachers. The recent literature on STEM education was found to centre around four …

Applying Active Learning Strategy To The Teaching Of History Within A Multigenerational Community College Classroom, Zachary John Zweigle

Dissertations

Community colleges nationwide struggle with retention and completion of students. The role of two-year institutions is further complicated by the multigenerational diversity of learners. Community college instructors should be prepared to educate students ranging from the traditional-age digital native to a life-long learner 80 or more years in age. Creating a learning environment inclusive of generational learners is central to the mission of the community college. This quantitative study was grounded in two theoretical frameworks. First, Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive learning theory provided an understanding for student learning in the social environment. Second, Schön’s (1973) organizational learning theory provided an …

The Federal School Improvement Grant: Telling The Story Through Quantitative Outcomes, Gregg B. Dionne

Dissertations

Student success and the mitigation of achievement gaps has been a focus of the federal government since passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The federal School Improvement Grant (SIG) is the latest in federal policy inducements to address this.

To tell the story of SIG implementation in one Midwestern state, data was collected from two groups of SIG-eligible schools, one group which received SIG funding and the other group which did not. Data was collected over multiple years and included mathematics and reading outcomes as well as graduation, dropout, and attendance rates. Data was obtained for …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Exploration Of The Shared Perceptions Of Online Adjunct Faculty In The United States Who Have A High Sense Of Community, Tiffany Ferencz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of online adjunct faculty who have a high sense of community within their respective university. Sense of community was generally defined as feelings of connectedness within the university community. The theories that guided this study were McMillan and Chavis’ (1986) sense of community theory and Herzberg’s (1968) motivation-hygiene theory. McMillan and Chavis’ sense of community theory suggests a sense of community is a powerful force that influences people. Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory is used as it identifies guiding principles for why people are motivated to work. The central question …

A Causal-Comparative Study Of The Affects Of Benchmark Assessments On Middle Grades Science Achievement Scores, Melissa Galloway

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal comparative study was to test the theory of assessment that relates benchmark assessments to the Georgia middle grades science Criterion Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) percentages, controlling for schools who do not administer benchmark assessments versus schools who do administer benchmark assessments for all middle school students including those enrolled in Special Education (SPED) and English to Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) programs across the state of Georgia. CRCT pass percentages were collected from fifteen schools that administered benchmark assessments and fifteen schools that did not administer benchmark assessments. The data was collected from The Governor’s …

A Case Study On The Impact Of Reading Strategies On The Comprehension Of Informational Text For Adolescent Readers, Mary Rock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand how students use reading strategies to help them comprehend informational text. Eighteen adolescent, developing readers who participated in a Reading Edge intervention at a suburban junior high school in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania answered interview questions, and 14 students met the criteria to participate in the entire study. Seven adolescents in Grade 9 who did not score proficient on their state tests and seven who scored proficient on the most recent state tests participated in the study. Three research questions developed from the literature guided the study and helped the …

A View Of Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jennifer Reynolds

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Parents of children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encounter many stressors beyond the typical parenting pressures that parents of children without disabilities face. Along with the additional challenges, parents of children with ASD face complex needs that differ from parents of children with other types of disabilities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to consider the needs of parents (N = 10) with children with ASD served in a public school system in North Georgia through the framework of Maslow’s (1943) Theory of Human Motivation. A transcendental phenomenological design was used to provide a voice to parents of children …

Acer 2014-2015 Annual Report, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

ACER Annual Reports

The annual report of the Australian Council for Educational Research 2014-15 includes a spotlight on ACER's work in assessment reform and innovation, digital technologies, understanding the teaching workforce, Indigenous Australians, improving equity, education monitoring, and recognition of success. The report details commissioned research and staff publications.

Victorian Teacher Supply And Demand Report 2012 And 2013, Paul R. Weldon, Chandra Shah, Glenn Rowley

School and system improvement

This report provides forecasts of the supply and demand for teachers in Victoria from 2014 to 2020. The teaching workforce includes all teachers from K to 12. This is the tenth in the series of such reports, the first of which was released in 2001. Unlike previous reports, this one includes a section on Early Childhood and has more extensive analysis of the future demand for teachers in the state.

Systematic Implementation Of Full-Day Kindergarten In A Large Suburban School District: A Change Leadership Plan, Brad Edward Carter Mr

Dissertations

The purpose of this change plan document is to provide a rationale and structure for shifting from half- to full-day kindergarten. Patricia Clark’s (2009) synthesis of multiple research studies on full-day kindergarten outlines the reoccurring findings that implementation of full-day kindergarten prevents long term academic struggles for students. Closing the achievement gaps when at its smallest, which is early in the educational career of a student, ensures long term academic, social, and emotional success.