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Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons™

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2016

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Articles 301 - 330 of 564

Full-Text Articles in Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Challenges And Supports During The Transition From High School To College For Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Michaela M. Kramer, Susan C. Davies May 2016

Challenges And Supports During The Transition From High School To College For Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries, Michaela M. Kramer, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Students who have sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) may experience a number of consequences, all of which can impede the transition from high school to postsecondary educational settings. This study, which relied on interviews with students who had sustained TBIs and who had persistent problems related to their traumas, helped gain an understanding of their postsecondary transition experiences. Students’ parents were also interviewed to provide a point of comparison. The reports of these students—all of whom were enrolled in college at the time of the study—revealed significant challenges with attention and focus, fatigue, short-term memory, and social situations. Comments from …

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The Development Of The Scale Of Contemplative Practice In Higher Education, Maryann Krikorian May 2016

The Development Of The Scale Of Contemplative Practice In Higher Education, Maryann Krikorian

Educational Studies Dissertations

Some scholars have formed a more expansive view of knowledge that moves beyond the cognitive notion of intellect. For example, emotional intelligence (EI) theory posits that human intelligence encompasses both cognitive and emotional competencies, providing a framework for the concept of contemplative practices in an endeavor to support an eclectic understanding of cognition. Contemplative practices may benefit graduate student disposition and inform areas of educator preparation through the use of emotional adeptness in higher education. The purpose of this study was to: (a) develop a self-report measure: Scale of Contemplative Practice in Higher Education (SCOPE); (b) address the issues of …

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An Evaluation Of College Students’ Use Of Social Media In Nutrition Education For Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Cassandra Crawford-Ciglar May 2016

An Evaluation Of College Students’ Use Of Social Media In Nutrition Education For Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Cassandra Crawford-Ciglar

All Theses And Dissertations

Behavior change is a process. College students routinely have poor eating habits during a time of life that can negatively impact health outcomes for the adult years. While knowledge of nutrition is essential to promote health and wellness, other components are required to change behavior. Specifically, nutrition education must be paired with behavior change skills or goal setting strategies in order for a change to occur. In a college classroom setting, many examples of such strategies already exist. Literature supports evidence that interventions combining social media and behavior change techniques incorporating online social networks may be effective. The purpose of …

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Impact Of Mentoring On K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy And Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study, Sandra Mozdzanowski May 2016

Impact Of Mentoring On K-12 Beginning Teachers' Efficacy And Commitment: A Comparative Phenomenological Study, Sandra Mozdzanowski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite a growing body of literature on the needs of beginning teachers, little is known about the impact of mentoring on K-12 beginning teachers’ efficacy and commitment to teaching, and why beginning teachers in special education received less mentoring than their counterparts in general education. This qualitative phenomenological study compared the experiences of nine beginning teachers in general education and special education, factors within the school (e.g., principal, mentor coordinator, mentor), and characteristics of the teaching assignment. The central question was: What are the experiences of K-12 beginning teachers who receive mentoring? The sample consisted of 22 participants (9 teachers, …

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Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin May 2016

Academic Intervention: Acceleration And Remediation, Barbara Franklin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Eighth grade math students must pass a standards based test to be promoted to the next grade. Students who were at risk of failing the state’s annual test faced impending retention. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to see if an intensive nine-week (55 min per day) remedial Math Connection (MC) class for 67 suburban, eighth grade students identified as at risk of failing, could significantly increase the scores; concurrently, at this Title I school, they were compared with 122 eighth grade students who were not identified as at risk of failing. The dependent variable was measured using the …

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The Impact Of The Five Focal Areas Of Research Based Instruction On Student Achievement, John T. Schilawski May 2016

The Impact Of The Five Focal Areas Of Research Based Instruction On Student Achievement, John T. Schilawski

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative inquiry was to determine whether a statistically significant amount of variance existed in the linear combination of collaboration, data use, differentiated instruction, engagement, and feedback and their ability to predict standardized assessment scores. Schools were separated into those of affluence and poverty based on a division using Title I criteria for free-and-reduced lunch rates. This study examined the existence of the linear combination and the impact on student achievement on ISTEP+ English language arts (ELA) and mathematics scores. The link between the five focal areas of research-based instruction and the institutionalization of such practices in …

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Character Assessment: Three Essays, Collin E. Hitt May 2016

Character Assessment: Three Essays, Collin E. Hitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

I propose a new approach to measuring character skills. In the following three essays, my co-‎authors and I measure the effort that adolescent students appear to put forward on surveys ‎and tests. First, I examine the extent to which students simply skip questions or plead ‎ignorance on surveys. Second, I develop new methods for detecting careless answers, those ‎instances in which students appear to be "just filling in the bubbles." I show, using ‎longitudinal datasets, that both measures are predictive of educational degree attainment, ‎independent of measured cognitive ability and other demographic factors. Finally, I ‎demonstrate that international differences in …

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Investigating The Factor Structure Of The Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy Scale With Pakistani In-Service And Pre-Service Teachers, Sajid Ali Yousuf Zai May 2016

Investigating The Factor Structure Of The Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy Scale With Pakistani In-Service And Pre-Service Teachers, Sajid Ali Yousuf Zai

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teachers with a high sense of efficacy are motivated to achieve and are generally optimistic about future learning. There is an extensive body of research that indicates a teacher’s self-efficacy beliefs can be a performance indicator for school outcomes. Research on characteristics related to teachers in Pakistan has been increasing over the last decade, however there are a number of instruments being used with this population without any documented validation studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) to determine the latent structure of …

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Exploring Elementary Students’ Agricultural And Scientific Knowledge Using Evidence Centered Design, Molly R. Brandt May 2016

Exploring Elementary Students’ Agricultural And Scientific Knowledge Using Evidence Centered Design, Molly R. Brandt

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The public is more disconnected from agriculture than ever. Americans are two to four generations removed from the farm, and a majority of Americans, even in rural agricultural states have no direct link to agriculture. As a result, the public lacks the knowledge and appreciation of the food, fuel, and fiber it demands. The National Center for Agricultural Literacy (NCAL) uses National Agricultural Learning Objectives (NALOs) to measure student’s agricultural knowledge. The purpose of this project is to develop assessments aligned with the NALOs and to use results from the assessments to further understand students’ agricultural literacy. This study focuses …

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Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives On Promoting Effective Technology Integration, Yona Andrew Rose May 2016

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives On Promoting Effective Technology Integration, Yona Andrew Rose

All Theses And Dissertations

Technology integration reforms in education have increased in number and expectation throughout schools across the United States. Some instructors have experienced barriers with skill sets, attitudes, professional development opportunities, and collaboration time which have impacted their ability to model good practices. Pictures of qualified, confident teachers integrating technology into their classrooms with regularity and fidelity are unclear. Existing literature was reviewed regarding methods of increasing teacher comfort and knowledge related to technology integration so that the 21st Century Skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication can be addressed in public schools. This research study explored what middle school teachers …

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Evaluating College Biology Laboratory Accommodations For Students With Blindness And Visual Impairments, Barbara Rae Heard May 2016

Evaluating College Biology Laboratory Accommodations For Students With Blindness And Visual Impairments, Barbara Rae Heard

All Theses And Dissertations

Studies show that active participation in science laboratory activities promotes student learning. However, students with blindness and visual impairments (BVI) often confront obstacles to active participation in the required activities of the college biology laboratory. Legislation requires institutions of higher education to provide accommodations for students with disabilities, yet the institutions must also maintain the academic integrity of their courses and programs. While college biology instructors provide specific accommodations, such as tactile models and audible devices, to enable active participation by students with BVI, they do so without research-supported guidelines for best practices. This mixed methods study sought to evaluate …

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The Case For Explicit, Skills-Based Resilience Building Instruction, Michael B. Maschi May 2016

The Case For Explicit, Skills-Based Resilience Building Instruction, Michael B. Maschi

All Theses And Dissertations

The study of resilience in young children has captured the attention of many researchers over the last twenty years. A number of research questions about resilience have focused on the definition and use of the term, conditions under which resilience is likely to develop in children, the characteristics/traits associated with resilience, and how to best teach resilience. While there have been considerable advances in the ways that we think about and teach resilience, there is still much debate about how and when to teach resilience (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012). In addition, the procedures and methods used to provide scholarly explanations …

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Total Communication Methods For Preschool Children With Autism: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Parent And Professional Perceptions, Leigh Beesley May 2016

Total Communication Methods For Preschool Children With Autism: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Parent And Professional Perceptions, Leigh Beesley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental, phenomenological study was to explore experiences of using a total communication system with preschoolers diagnosed with autism as explained by their parents and teachers. The research focused on the experience specifically relating to functional communication and social interactions. Determining resources that parents and teachers need that may have made the employment of the strategies more successful, was of importance to this study in order to determine implications, or future needed research. The participants in this study, determined by purposive sampling, included parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, and speech therapist located in an elementary school setting. The study …

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A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Implementation Of Formative Assessment Practices In A Semi-Rural Northwest Georgia District, David Thacker May 2016

A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Implementation Of Formative Assessment Practices In A Semi-Rural Northwest Georgia District, David Thacker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to understand middle school teachers’ implementation of formative assessment (FA) practices. The study used a transcendental phenomenological design to understand these practices, centering on the teachers’ lived experiences with the phenomenon of FA practices. Four essential questions guided the research and concentrated on middle school teachers’ implementation of FA practices, perceptions about FA theory and its practices, the obstacles hindering implementation, and beneficial resources and professional learning experiences. The study focused on the lone concept of FA practices and the shared lived experiences that shaped meaning for the participants, 17 middle school teachers as …

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A Correlational Study Of The Motivation And Engagement In Teachers: Experience And Effectiveness, Cynthia Phillips May 2016

A Correlational Study Of The Motivation And Engagement In Teachers: Experience And Effectiveness, Cynthia Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this correlational study was to determine if there is a relationship between the motivation and engagement level of induction (first four years) teachers as compared to veteran (five or more years) teachers using the overall score on the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES, 2013) and the Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES-W, 2012) developed by Martin (2012). Teachers from four participating districts located in northeast Georgia were divided into two groups based on years of teaching experience. Both groups participated in an online survey (MES-W, 2012), which collected demographic data as well as responses to the MES-W survey. …

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A Phenomelogical Study Of Reclassified Elementary School English Learners’ Perceptions Of Their Educational Experiences, Fernando Betanzos May 2016

A Phenomelogical Study Of Reclassified Elementary School English Learners’ Perceptions Of Their Educational Experiences, Fernando Betanzos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to provide an insight into how former English learners’ educational experiences allowed them to attain English language proficiency and meet grade level standards in English Language Arts. This study was informed by the theoretical frameworks of Albert Bandura’s social learning theory, and Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, as they pertain to English learners. The data collection procedures included student semi-structured interviews, elementary school principal semi-structured interviews, and review of site documents such as student work samples, report cards, attendance records, discipline records, state standardized test scores, Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment scores, and English …

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Exploring Academic Persistence For Nontraditional Business Students At For-Profit Universities, Leroy Purdie May 2016

Exploring Academic Persistence For Nontraditional Business Students At For-Profit Universities, Leroy Purdie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study explored academic persistence for 10 nontraditional students pursuing business degrees at for-profit universities in southern Georgia and northern Virginia. The literature review provides a theoretical framework based on Tinto’s (1975) theory of persistence and Bandura’s (1993) self-efficacy theory. Data was collected through a demographic survey, timeline of significant events, in- depth survey, and a letter of advice. Data analysis included identifying significant statements, utilizing participant feedback to create structural and textural descriptions and ultimately describing the participant essences of their experiences. The decision to pursue a degree themes that emerged were career progression, family security, transferability, and …

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Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of The Under-Representation Of African American Males In Gifted And Talented Education Programs, Roy Sermons May 2016

Teachers’ And Administrators’ Perceptions Of The Under-Representation Of African American Males In Gifted And Talented Education Programs, Roy Sermons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological case study is to explore the reasons for specific perceptions by urban middle and high school teachers and administrators about the underrepresentation of gifted African American male students in educational programs for the gifted and talented. Perceptions about gifted African American male students are generally defined as the views, thoughts, and patterns of educators pertaining to the characteristics of gifted students, recommendations for admission into gifted and talented education programs, and social and psychological factors that impede the enrollment of urban African American males into such programs. The phenomenological case examines social, cultural, and psychological …

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Investigating Relational Aggression And Bullying For Girls’ Of Color In Oklahoma: A Phenomenological Study, Gayle Flynn May 2016

Investigating Relational Aggression And Bullying For Girls’ Of Color In Oklahoma: A Phenomenological Study, Gayle Flynn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative research study, applying aspects of van Manen’s framework for hermeneutic phenomenological research, was conducted to investigate the narratives of relationally aggressive girls of color. The study focused on nine adolescent girls of color who were ages 14-17 years old and exhibited aggressive/bullying behaviors representing the ethnic groups of Black/African American, Latina/Hispanic American, Native American, and other, which included two or more racial identities combined. The participants completed online protocol writing prompts, participated in open-ended interviews and an observation to gain insight regarding relationally aggressive issues that took place in the participants’ settings. An interpretational approach to the data …

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Special Education Teachers’ Lived Experiences In The Implementation Of The Ipad As An Instructional Tool For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Takisha Epps May 2016

Special Education Teachers’ Lived Experiences In The Implementation Of The Ipad As An Instructional Tool For Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Takisha Epps

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

he purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experience of 11 special education teachers, who implemented iPads as an instructional tool for elementary students with intellectual disabilities. This study was conducted in a North Carolina school district. The theories, which guided this study were Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory and Piaget’s (1954) cognitive development theory. Within the study, one central question and three sub-questions were used to guide the study. The research questions focused on special education teachers’ experiences, as they implemented the iPad as an instructional tool for students with intellectual disabilities. To address these questions …

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Exploring Attitude Transformation: A Grounded Theory Study Of Romanian Teachers Of Roma Students, Laura Jones May 2016

Exploring Attitude Transformation: A Grounded Theory Study Of Romanian Teachers Of Roma Students, Laura Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this systematic grounded theory study was to explore the process of change in teacher attitudes toward including Roma (“Gypsy”) students in non-segregated schools in Romania. The theories guiding this study included Mezirow’s (1991, 2000) theory of transformation, Gay’s (2002, 2013) theory of culturally responsive teaching, and Bandura’s (1977, 1997) theory of self-efficacy. These three theories guided this research inquiry into how attitudes change, how teacher attitudes affect beliefs and actions, and how self-efficacy affects teacher attitudes. This study sought to answer the following questions: What is the process of transforming Romanian teacher attitudes toward including Roma students? …

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Transitioning First-Career Skills Into A Second Career In Teaching: A Collective Case Study Of Effective Elementary School Teachers, Timothy Simmons May 2016

Transitioning First-Career Skills Into A Second Career In Teaching: A Collective Case Study Of Effective Elementary School Teachers, Timothy Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand how first-career skills were utilized by highly effective second-career elementary school teachers in northeast Tennessee. The guiding research question for the study was: How do the skills acquired in a first career affect second-career elementary school teachers? The theories that guided this study were experiential learning theory developed by David Kolb and transformative learning theory developed by Jack Mezirow as they focus on the importance of experience and perspective in the learning process. The sample for this study was comprised of five second-career elementary school teachers, four elementary school …

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College-Bound Students: A Study Of The Relationship Between Religiosity/Spirituality, And Achievement, William Wright May 2016

College-Bound Students: A Study Of The Relationship Between Religiosity/Spirituality, And Achievement, William Wright

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The achievement gap between private and public school college-bound students has continued to widen each year since 1972. The researcher studied the relationship of Christian school college-bound students’ religiosity/spirituality using a validated survey instrument and their achievement as measured on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The literature implies a relationship, but there is a gap in studying homogeneous religious groups. Therefore, the researcher selected a homogeneous grouping, Texas Christian high school college-bound seniors, as the sample for this study. The researcher obtained permission to use the Religiosity and Spirituality Scale for Youth (RASSY) survey instrument and included demographic and score data …

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The Effect Of Gender On The Attitudes Of Undergraduates Toward Young-Earth Creationism After Enrollment In An Origins Course, Sean Vinaja May 2016

The Effect Of Gender On The Attitudes Of Undergraduates Toward Young-Earth Creationism After Enrollment In An Origins Course, Sean Vinaja

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Christian students graduate from secondary schools and enter Christian colleges with worldviews that are unbiblical or contain unbiblical components, many of which stem from their beliefs regarding origins. Little research has been done to study the effect of gender on the role of a young-earth creationist (YEC) origins course in shaping students’ worldview. Research has shown that males and females respond differently to science and religion instruction; because the origins discussion is an intersection of science and religion, the study of gender’s effect in developing a Bible-based worldview is important so that Christian colleges might more effectively guide their …

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Uninspired Or Disengaged? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Gifted Middle School Students On Probation, Shanna Baker May 2016

Uninspired Or Disengaged? A Phenomenological Investigation Of Gifted Middle School Students On Probation, Shanna Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the implementation of No Child Left Behind in 2001 and high stakes testing, the focus in education has been on low-achieving students resulting in gifted learners being largely ignored. Gifted underachievers are often identified as bored or apathetic. Researchers are beginning to examine gifted students’ motivation and engagement, but there is a lack of research examining why gifted middle school students are uninspired to achieve. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how gifted middle school students in a Georgia school district and their parents and teachers describe the lack of inspiration to achieve. Within the study, …

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The Effects Of Using Selected Metacognitive Strategies On Act Mathematics Sub-Test Scores, Jeffrey Lemay May 2016

The Effects Of Using Selected Metacognitive Strategies On Act Mathematics Sub-Test Scores, Jeffrey Lemay

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quasi-experimental post-test only control group designed quantitative study examined whether or not members of an experimental group of participants who utilized two metacognitive strategy training regimens experienced a significant increase in their ACT mathematics sub-test scores compared to a group of students who did not utilize either of the study’s metacognitive strategy training regimens. Using a post-test only control group design required 2 groups of participants: 1) the experimental group, and 2) the control group. Participants began the study’s treatment on October 26, 2015, and the study ended on December 12, 2015, when all participants of the study took …

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Comparing The Effects Of Elementary Music And Visual Arts Lessons On Standardized Mathematics Test Scores, Molly King May 2016

Comparing The Effects Of Elementary Music And Visual Arts Lessons On Standardized Mathematics Test Scores, Molly King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to compare the effect elementary music and visual arts lessons had on third through sixth grade standardized mathematics test scores. Inferential statistics were used to compare the differences between test scores of students who took in-school, elementary, music instruction during the same semester state standardized mathematics tests were administered and those who took in-school, elementary visual arts instruction during the same semester standardized mathematics tests were administered. The students attended seven elementary schools in the same North Alabama school district. The research questions were: (a) Does participation in elementary school music lessons …

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The Relationship Between Science Classroom Facility Conditions And Ninth Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Science, Angela Ford May 2016

The Relationship Between Science Classroom Facility Conditions And Ninth Grade Students’ Attitudes Toward Science, Angela Ford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over half of the school facilities in America are in poor condition. Unsatisfactory school facilities have a negative impact on teaching and learning. The purpose of this correlational study was to identify the relationship between high school science teachers’ perceptions of the school science environment (instructional equipment, demonstration equipment, and physical facilities) and ninth grade students’ attitudes about science through their expressed enjoyment of science, importance of time spent on science, and boredom with science. A sample of 11,523 cases was extracted, after a process of data mining, from a databank of over 24,000 nationally representative ninth graders located throughout …

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Relating Administrators’ Training In Technology Integration And Their Attitudes Toward Technology In Southeastern Virginia Schools, Abbie Martin May 2016

Relating Administrators’ Training In Technology Integration And Their Attitudes Toward Technology In Southeastern Virginia Schools, Abbie Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between amount of training administrators receive in technology integration and their attitudes toward technology. Previous research has revealed a relationship between teachers’ attitudes (Shiue, 2007; Shoffner, 2009), training (Adcock, 2008; Donnell, 2009; Lei, 2009; Sadik, 2008), and actual usage of computers. However, a gap in the research exists around the role and influence of administrators’ training and attitudes on the integration technology. A quantitative correlational research design was employed to investigate three hypotheses: the relationship between training and attitude, age and attitude, and years of administrative experience …

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The Effect Of Daily Progress Reports On Parental Academic Support: Paper Versus Electronic Communication, Jonathan Schneider May 2016

The Effect Of Daily Progress Reports On Parental Academic Support: Paper Versus Electronic Communication, Jonathan Schneider

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In this age of data based decision making and accountability, parent involvement and data collection are paramount. This study represents a significant contribution to educational research by extending the understanding of home-school communication media with specific regard to daily progress reports. The purpose of this study was to compare communication scores of parents of student using paper daily progress reports with communication scores of parents of student using electronic daily progress reports. This quasi-experimental posttest only control group design research study compared survey results of parents (N = 45) of middle school students currently using a DPR as part of …

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