Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

An Overview Of The Every Student Succeeds Act, Charles J. Russo

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

Controversial since becoming law in 2002 as the re-authorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has been portrayed by critics as federal overreach in education, even as supporters viewed the bill as a necessary reform to improve the academic performance of students in K–12 schools. Regardless, NCLB proved so unwieldy that 43 states and the District of Columbia received waivers from many of its accountability provisions in return for adopting policies favored by the U.S. Department of Education (Layton 2015).

The recent seven-year-overdue re-authorization of the law received widespread bipartisan support …

Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics: Audit Of Curricula, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Assessment and Reporting

An early step in developing an assessment framework for the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM) was determining how to design and construct a single assessment program across all ASEAN member countries. This step needed to take account of the similarities and differences in the curriculum frameworks in each country for the four domains to be assessed through SEA-PLM: Mathematics, Reading, Writing and Global Citizenship. This account was achieved through an audit of the curriculum materials from 11 ASEAN countries, comprising those countries already participating in the SEA-PLM field trial, and others likely to join SEAPLM in the future. The …

Pre-College Deaf Students’ Understanding Of Fractional Concepts: What We Know And What We Do Not Know, Keith Mousley, Christopher Kurz

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

Mathematical knowledge and skills are crucial to success in academics and the workplace. The Common Core State Standards emphasizes fraction teaching and learning in elementary school. This mixed-method study explores fraction concept understanding among 14 deaf and hard of hearing participants between the ages of 8 and 16, as quantitatively measured by their ability to describe the properties of fractional numbers, convert between fractional numbers and their visual representations, and determine the order and equivalence of fractional numbers. Furthermore, the qualitative study was supplemented by interviews with the deaf participants and surveys with their parents and teachers to examine use …

The Head Of The Holler: Guided Place-Based Digital Education In Rural Appalachia, Bruce Parsons

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Bruce Parsons on February 22, 2016.

Transgressive Acts In An Era Of Accountability: Narratives Of New Jersey's Public School Teachers, Gary Daniel Scavette

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the transgressive responses that have emerged in the wake of AchieveNJ, New Jersey’s new teacher evaluation system. Ten teachers, each with five or more years of teaching experience, all of which had demonstrated manifestations of transgression, were selected from random schools throughout the state based upon surveyed response. Through the use of graphic elicitation and narrative interviews, the teachers in this study revealed a variety of responses ranging from open acts of defiance, to more subtle performances, enacted on the spot, while under the surveillance of inspectors. Findings suggest that the …

The Development Of School Psychology Assessment Centers As Training, Service Delivery, And Research Sites, Nina M. Ellis-Hervey Ph.D., Ashley N. Doss B.S., Deshae C. Davis B.S., Alison Wilhite-Bradford M.A.

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

School Psychologists have an ongoing responsibility to promote and support healthy schools, families, and communities, while contributing to knowledge, research, teaching, and supervision. Consequently, School Psychology programs should seek to meet these goals by providing their students with opportunities to engage in research and effective service delivery, participate in outreach services, and continued professional development. During Fall of 2013, faculty, students, and personnel of the School Psychology Program at Stephen F. Austin State University successfully developed a School Psychology Assessment Center, which is maintained on the university’s campus. The primary objective of this university-approved Center is the enhancement of service …

Womanism And Snowball Sampling: Engaging Marginalized Populations In Holistic Research, Xeturah M. Woodley, Megan Lockard

The Qualitative Report

Womanist and feminist qualitative researchers continue to identify research methods and techniques that harness the power of social networking and personal connections while engaging with marginalized populations. Many have found that the use of snowball sampling allows increased access to individuals and groups that may otherwise remain inaccessible. The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of snowball sampling techniques within womanist and feminist research. The authors offer critical reflections of the use of this sampling technique as a tool that allows researchers access to “hidden” and marginalized populations. An example of the use of snowball sampling in …

Coding By Choice: A Transitional Analysis Of Social Participation Patterns And Programming Contributions In The Online Scratch Community, Deborah A. Fields, Yasmin B. Kafai, Michael T. Giang

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

While massive online communities have drawn the attention of researchers and educators on their potential to support active collaborative work, knowledge sharing, and user-generated content, few studies examine participation in these communities at scale. The little research that does exist attends almost solely to adults rather than communities to support youths’ learning and identity development. In this chapter, we tackle two challenges related to understanding social practices that support learning in massive social networking forums where users engage in design. We examined a youth programmer community, called Scratch.mit.edu, that garners the voluntary participation of millions of young people worldwide. We …

Reflexively Conducting Research With Ethnically Diverse Children With Disabilities, Amanda Ajodhia-Andrews

The Qualitative Report

This reflexive paper explores the process of engaging ethnically diverse children with disabilities within participatory and narrative research concerning their school life via a multi-method qualitative approach. It contemplates the use of participatory research methods, involving children with disabilities as co-researchers, establishing relaxed research environments, and maintaining qualitative rigour while supporting children’s voice and agency. This paper addresses possibilities of qualitative research to access and amplify voices and differing social experiences of children with disabilities, whilst underscoring their capacity and right to contribute to research regarding their lives. The author advocates re-envisioning ways to conduct ethical research with children with …

Faculty Achievements, February 2016, Otterbein University

Faculty Achievement Reports

No abstract provided.

The ‘Long Tail’ Of Underachievement, Geoff N. Masters Ao

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

One of the biggest challenges educators face is to find better ways to meet the learning needs of the many students who fall behind in our schools, fail to meet year-level expectations (often year after year) and, as a consequence, become increasingly disengaged, writes Professor Geoff Masters AO.

Imls Sparks Ignite Il Framework Cooperative Project Grant Proposal, Jessame Ferguson

IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges

This is the narrative written for the IMLS Sparks IL Framework Cooperative Project grant proposal. Through a partnership of five institutions led by McDaniel College, including Goucher College, Ursinus College, Washington College, and Washington & Jefferson College, we propose to develop best practices for ensuring information literacy education programs at smaller institutions support success and persistence of at-risk students in their critical first-year. We will use the newly adopted Association of College & Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education to develop and test new assessment methodologies and engaging educational experiences for first-year students. The project will take …

Does Goal Setting With Elementary Students Impact Reading Growth, Ronnie A. Dotson

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Ronnie A. Dotson on February 1, 2016.

Effects Of Traditional And Online Instructional Models On Student Achievement Outcomes, Vanessa Wrenn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although virtual education options have rapidly expanded in recent years, little academic research has examined the effectiveness of these courses. Furthermore, little research has been conducted at the secondary school level for public school students. Policymakers and school leaders need reliable research in order to make informed decisions about online learning and to implement programs, which add value to the quality of instruction and provide students with the support they need to be successful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of instructional model on student achievement for public high school English II students. The high school …

Virtual Laboratories For Training In Industrial Robotics, Jorge-Alberto Ortega-Moody

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

An article written in part by Jorge-Alberto Ortega-Moody and published in the February 2016 issue of IEEE Latin America Transactions, pages 665-672.

Studies In The Creation And Implementation Of School Cultures: Two New York City Stand-Alone Charter Schools, Olivia-Beate A. Franzini

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the last thirty years the United States has seen a rise in charter school education and with that an influx of discussion over the best way to successfully educate college and career ready students. Many of these charter schools have their own unique philosophy on education and disciplinary codes to aid in the attainment of their success. The following case studies were conducted through participant observation in two start-up charter schools. At the time of study both institutions were in their second year of creation. These schools have opposing philosophies on education; the first School “A” is an independent …

Preservice Teachers’ Sense Of Efficacy: Video Vs. Face-To-Face Observations, Debra Chisenhall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined preservice elementary education students’ sense of efficacy regarding student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management based on the type of observations they completed. A total sample size of 64 elementary education students enrolled in four sections of an introductory elementary education course and completed five hours of observation. Students in two sections of the course completed traditional face-to-face observations. Students in the other two sections of the course watched five hours of pre-recorded video observations of elementary education classroom and participated in class discussions regarding the observations. All students completed the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale to …

The Journey To The Top: Stories On The Intersection Of Race And Gender For African American Women In Academia And Business, Deanna R. Davis

Journal of Research Initiatives

This research study was designed to determine how the intersection of race and gender identities contributed to the elements of leadership development as perceived by eight African American female executives in academia and business. The researcher sought to explore strategies future leaders might utilize to address leadership development and career ascendency for African American females who aspire to leadership roles. A phenomenological research method was most appropriate for this research study to capture the lived experiences of individuals from their perspectives and to develop themes that challenged structural or normative assumptions.

This research study examined leadership development of eight African …

The Role Of Black Colleges In The Development Of Mathematicians, Viveka Borum, Adriel Adon Hilton, Erica Walker

Journal of Research Initiatives

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are home to almost 400,000 of the nation’s college and university population and account for nearly 25% of degrees conferred to African Americans, according to Hale (2006). They have been the launching pads for three-fourths of African Americans who hold doctorate degrees, three-fourths of Black officers in the military, and four-fifths of African American federal judges (Hale, 2006). In addition, fifty percent of African American faculty in predominantly White research universities received their bachelor’s degrees at an HBCU (Hale, 2006). These are significant percentages given the relatively small number of Black colleges and universities …

Friendships And Retention At A Historically Black University: A Quantitative Case Study, Mondrail Myrick, John A. Gipson Jr, Donald Mitchell Jr.

Journal of Research Initiatives

The retention and graduation rates of underrepresented minority, first-generation and low-income college students persist as problems in U.S. higher education. While researchers have documented the ways in which minority-serving institutions have been successful in serving these students, little is known about how friendships influence retention at these institutions. This study examines retention factors of first-year students who began college with close friends at a historically Black university. The researchers used exploratory factor analysis and binary logistic regressions to determine the factors and significance. In addition, the researchers used linear structural relations to estimate hypothesized causal models. Results of the study …

Realizing The Dream: African American Males’ Narratives That Encouraged The Pursuit Of Doctoral Education, Ted N. Ingram

Journal of Research Initiatives

This article used personal narratives to discover factors affecting the decision of African American males to consider doctoral education. This study was based on qualitative interviews with 18 African American male doctoral students enrolled at predominantly white institutions as they reflected on their reasons for pursuing an advanced degree. The following were found to influence their decision: (a) need for faculty encouragement, (b) motivation to pursue a doctorate, and (c) their personal motivations. Recommendations are offered for increasing the numbers of African American male doctoral students.

Fostering An Inclusive Stem Workforce, Cary A. Supalo Dr.

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

The following keynote address was delivered by Dr. Cary A. Supalo at the 2015 Training Workforce and Development and diversity conference which is one of the divisions that is part of NIH’s general medical sciences. This conference was attended by over 500 program directors from all of the T32 sponsored projects in 2015. This presentation discussed the importance of a full inclusive STEM workforce that includes persons with disabilities

The Development Of Project Grade-Up, Dalin Glenn Williams

MS in Computer Science Theses

The university classroom has greatly evolved from a simple syllabus and in class discussion to the modern online documentation and virtual classrooms. These developments have changed the way students review their grades and balance their workloads. With the plethora of new technologies, students are often burdened with a full school schedule, work, and social events, with few tools to help them effectively understand their grades or manage their time. Current solutions addressing this issue do not present data in an organized way that allows the student to easily comprehend their past performance or up coming work load. Our solution builds …

Web-Based Media Literacy To Prevent Tobacco Use Among High School Students, Jane S. Phelps-Tschang, Elizabeth Miller, Kristen R. Rice, Brian A. Primack

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Facilitator-led smoking media literacy (SML) programs have improved media literacy and reduced intention to smoke. However, these programs face limitations including high costs and barriers to standardization. We examined the efficacy of a Web-based media literacy program in improving smoking media literacy skills among adolescents. Sixty-six 9th grade students participated in a Web-based SML tobacco education program based on health behavior theory. Pre- and post-test assessments demonstrated statistically significant changes in the primary outcome of total SML as well as each of the individual SML items. However, there were inconsistent changes in other theory-based outcomes including attitudes and normative beliefs.

Using Think-Aloud Protocols To Uncover Misconceptions And Improve Developmental Math Instruction: An Exploratory Study, Charles Secolsky, Thomas P. Judd, Eric Magaram, Stephen H. Levy, Bruce Kossar, George Reese

Numeracy

Deficiencies in education continue to escalate around the world. The focus on outcomes assessment has narrowed instructional research and curriculum evaluation to standardized testing in certain subject areas. A prototype for a quantitative literacy assessment instrument was developed with the goal of diagnosing student misconceptions of basic mathematics content and changing instructional practices to undo the misconceptions by applying cognitive psychological theory. Two hundred thirty-eight basic math high school students and 209 remedial community college students in New Jersey and New York were administered the instrument, which had been based on coded data from think-aloud protocols. The instrument asked students …

01. Education, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

No abstract provided.

2016 Oklahoma Research Day Full Program, Northeastern State University

Oklahoma Research Day Abstracts

This document contains all abstracts from the 2016 Oklahoma Research Day held at Northeastern State University.

Impact Of An Eportfolio Faculty Learning Community On Course Design And Student Learning: A Progress Report On A Case Study, Devshikha Bose

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2016

The purpose of this paper is to present a progress report on a case study which documents faculty perceptions regarding the impact of a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) on the pedagogical applications of ePortfolios in course design. The study will also document faculty perceptions on how changes made/planned to course design as a result of participation in the FLC may impact student learning. A post-completion electronic survey and a focus group meeting will be used to collect data from nine research participants. Initial observations made by FLC facilitators are reported and implications for future iterations of a similar FLC are …

Principal Perceptions Of Standards-Based Teacher Evaluation In West Virginia, Brent Douglas Griffith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Standards-based teacher evaluations have become the norm in many states due to an increased focus on student achievement and teacher effectiveness. These evaluations have become integral to the improvement of classroom instruction efforts and the planning of specific professional development for teachers. West Virginia deployed a new standards-based teacher evaluation system in 2014, using the West Virginia Professional Teaching Standards as a basis for measuring teacher performance and growth in certain areas. The new evaluation system also included teacher self-reflection and goal-setting portions. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of school principals as to the effectiveness …

A Study Of Outcomes Based Educational Interventions And Moral Development Of Undergraduate College Students, Jay Christopher Robert Wildt

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Discussions regarding moral development and subsequent behavior are common in political and philosophical arenas. The consensus is that resolutions of moral dilemmas are best accomplished through careful deliberation and the use of principled moral reasoning. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in moral development in undergraduate college students who participated in an outcomes based education program. The study also investigated the influence of certain demographic and attribute variables on moral development within the same population.

This study examined extant data from 295 University of Charleston (UC) students who took the Defining Issues Test as freshmen and then …