Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Assessment Brief: Update On Unst Online Course Experience, Portland State University. University Studies Program

University Studies Assessment Research

With a university-wide interest in increasing online course offerings, University Studies has very thoughtfully studied and supported online teaching and learning with the objective of translating our university studies goals and our engaged learning model into online spaces. Our number of online course offerings has gradually increased overall, as have our efforts to research and analyze the student experience and student success in addition to faculty support tools and methods. Through using (course evaluations and the dashboard?), we are able to understand our areas of best practice in online teaching and learning and areas for additional support and energy. This …

Comparison Of Readability Indices With Grades 1-5 Narrative And Expository Texts, Susan Beth Harden

Wayne State University Dissertations

The problem that exists when using one or more readability indexes to ascertain a text grade level is the varied outcomes received on any given text from readability indexes that purport to measure the same construct. This study aims to provide practitioners with data to make informed decisions regarding interchangeability of readability indexes. A total of n = 244 narrative (n = 116) and expository texts (n = 128) passages from grades 1-5 were evaluated using the following readability indexes: Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Fry Graph, Spache, Dale-Chall, Gunning Fog, and Smog. Fifteen (15) comparison sets were analyzed using Bland-Altman method …

A Relational Study Of International General Certificate Of Secondary Education (Igcse) Scores To The American College Test (Act) Scores In A Mississippi Innovative High School, Dane Nicholas Aubé

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract: the purpose of the quantitative, correlational study of expo/facto data was to determine if a relationship exists between the Cambridge international general certificate of Secondary Education College and career readiness PUM scores and the corresponding act subsection scores of eleventh graders at a municipal pubic high school in a southern state. The degree of correlation between the two assessment results illustrated the effectiveness of the Cambridge curriculum in preparing students for the college and achievement on the act. The research is particularly important to Mississippi because Cambridge is a pilot program for the state. Performance data from Corinth school …

A Causal Comparative Study Of Student Success And Retention In An Undergraduate Program Offered Online And On Campus, Daniel David Tudor

Online Theses and Dissertations

Online education has grown significantly both in the number of courses offered and the number of degrees offered. The delivery format is being fueled by a student population that is growing more non-traditional. Work and family obligations dictate that classes are offered in a format that meets the needs of the students. The growth of universities toward online courses and degrees has brought opportunities to students, but it has also given institutions of higher education new income streams. In the case of public universities in Kentucky, this has helped offset reductions in state support. The viability of this format for …

Service-Learning As An Effective Pedagogical Approach For Communication Educators, Sara Chudnovsky Weintraub

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Service-learning combines the learning goals of a course with service to the community. Through service-learning, students engage in action and reflect on their experiences in order to connect what they see and do in the community with what they are learning in their courses. Whether service-learning projects account for part of a course or an entire course is centered on service-learning, service-learning works because it connects theory with practice. Service-learning is an important pedagogy because it offers students a chance to do meaningful work that helps their community and teaches them the importance of civic engagement.

A Platform For Voice And Identity: School Library Standards In Support Of Ya Urban Literature's Transformative Impacts On Youth, Sabrina Carnesi

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this qualitative study of collaboration between an eighth grade English teacher and school librarian, 14 urban youth from a suburban city in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States were interviewed on the impact they experienced from a yearlong study with young adult literature reflective of their lived experiences. Steeped in the language of social justice and inclusive of the American Association of School Librarians’ Standards for the 21st Century Learner (2009) and International Federation of LibraryAssociations’ School Library Guidelines (2015), an analysis of findings bring attention to the impact highly effective partnerships have on implementing literature discussion circles …

College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Their Knowledge Of Self-Determination: A Study To Inform Educational Practices And Policies, Tara Rowe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending postsecondary education has steadily increased in recent years. A need has been identified for campus administrators to better understand the needs of students with ASD (Becker & Palladino, 2016; Oswald, Winder-Patel, Ruder, Xing, Stahmer, & Solomon, 2017). In order to gain insight about students with ASD, research providing a foundation of understanding the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population must take place. By recognizing the need for further education and training, campus administrators may have opportunities to develop professional development trainings that could provide insight into understanding a …

Secondary Student Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Vs. Performance, Jen Spisak

Theses and Dissertations

The amount of information in the world has grown exponentially in the last generation. Students often believe that growing up as digital natives means they have advanced information literacy skills. However, school librarians are not seeing evidence of this in their schools. The purpose of this study was to determine if secondary students overestimate their information literacy (IL) abilities, if relationships exist between IL self-efficacy and performance, and if grade level or self-efficacy level changes those relationships. To accomplish this, data were collected from two middle schools and three high schools from a total of 397 students in grades 6, …

Seeing Is Believing: Peer Video Coaching As Professional Development Done With Me And For Me, Kate M. Cassada, Laura Kassner

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

As part of their graduate education, in-service teachers identified an area of instructional focus, video recorded their classroom instruction at two intervals in a semester-long course, formed peer groups, and shared their videos for the purpose of obtaining feedback for professional growth. After the conclusion of the course, participants were contacted and presented with a summary of four benefits of the peer video review process, as identified in a recent professional article. Through online survey, participants were asked to share their perceptions of the peer video review experiences in the course and address any evidence related to the benefits raised …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Online Focus Groups Versus In-Person Focus Groups, Brendan Richard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly researchers are turning to online focus groups as a qualitative research method, yet rigorous methodological studies regarding the quantity, quality and diversity of the data generated relative to traditional in-person focus groups are limited. This study experimentally tests the idea generation capabilities of online text-based focus groups versus traditional in-person focus groups using sustainability in the hospitality industry as the idea generation topic. Participants were purposively sampled from the hospitality program at a large Southeastern university and randomly assigned into one of two treatment groups: online text-based or traditional in-person focus groups. The in-person focus groups resulted in a …

A Quasi-Experiment On The Degree To Which I-Ready Reading Instruction Predicted Florida State Assessment Scores For Low Performing Students Compared To Students On Grade Level, Ashley Pierce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which i-Ready® Reading Instruction (a computer adaptive testing program) predicted Florida Standards Assessment English Language Arts (FSA ELA) scores for low performing students (Level 1) compared to those who are on grade level (Level 3). Participants included students in seventh grade at a central Florida school district who participated in i-Ready® Reading Instruction and who had previously scored a Level 1 or Level 3 on the FSA ELA. A hierarchical multiple regression was run to determine the impact of the interaction effect between prior year FSA performance level and …

Design And Production Of Calculus Assessments, Lorna Wenzel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The AP Calculus program at Green High School was not adequately preparing students for college level calculus as more than 80 percent of the students failed the AP exam. The students were concurrently receiving high marks on in-class assessments. Hence, the in-class assessments were not good indicators of students calculus understanding according to the AP standards. A needs assessment was conducted, focusing on the difference in high school and college calculus, how to assess calculus and where Green High School's assessments were falling short. More research was conducted to examine the college Board expectations of calculus learning. A content matrix …

Reimagining Composition One As A Course In Storytelling Across Disciplines Using New Media, Angel O'Keeffe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the role that College Composition courses can and should play in addressing the digital divide and the literacy divide. For this project, digital divide refers to the space between those students who have opportunity to participate in online discourse communities and to contribute to the collective intelligence described by Henry Jenkins and those who have not had this opportunity even though they do have access to current technology. The literacy divide discussed is created when literacy is defined simply as the ability to read and write. Students need to be visually, digitally, and technologically literate. In …

An Examination Of The Algebra 1 Achievement Of Black And Hispanic Student Participants In A Large Urban School District's Mathematics Intervention Program, Elethia Bronson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The mathematics achievement gap between Black and White as well as Hispanic and White students has been well documented nationwide and in the school district of study. Much has been written in observance of the achievement gap, yet markedly less research has focused on practices and interventions that have improved mathematics performance for Black and Hispanic students. Consequently, this study examined the Algebra 1 achievement (indicated by student scale scores on the Florida Standards Assessments Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam) of Black and Hispanic students participating in a mathematics intervention program as compared to the Algebra 1 achievement of their similar …

การส่งเสริมระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและชั้นเรียน: การวิจัยพหุวิธีเพื่อพัฒนานโยบาย, อารี อิ่มสมบัติ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์หลักเพื่อ 1) สังเคราะห์การส่งเสริมของรัฐและผลที่เกิดขึ้นจากการส่งเสริมการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและชั้นเรียน 2) ศึกษาและวิเคราะห์ระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและชั้นเรียน การนำนโยบายของรัฐไปสู่การปฏิบัติ และปัจจัยความสำเร็จและปัจจัยอุปสรรคที่มีผลต่อระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและชั้นเรียน และ 3) พัฒนาแนวทางการส่งเสริมระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและชั้นเรียน การวิจัยขั้นตอนแรกใช้การวิจัยเอกสารและการวิเคราะห์อภิมานงานวิจัยเชิงปริมาณเพื่อสังเคราะห์กระบวนการส่งเสริมและผลการส่งเสริมระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและในชั้นเรียน ประกอบด้วยการสังเคราะห์เอกสารและหลักฐานจำนวน 41 ฉบับ และงานวิจัยเชิงปริมาณจำนวน 11 เรื่อง วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยการวิเคราะห์เนื้อหาและการประมาณค่าดัชนีมาตรฐาน เพื่อใช้สนับสนุนการวิจัยขั้นตอนที่สองใน 2 กิจกรรม คือ 1) การสำรวจระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและในชั้นเรียน ตัวอย่างวิจัยประกอบด้วยครูผู้สอน จำนวน 1,260 คน และผู้อำนวยการหรือฝ่ายบริหารจำนวน 255 คน ได้มาโดยวิธีการสุ่มแบบหลายขั้นตอน เครื่องมือวิจัยแบ่งเป็น 2 ชุด คือ เครื่องมือวิจัยสำหรับครูใช้วัดตัวแปรการใช้เทคโนโลยีในชั้นเรียน เครื่องมือวิจัยสำหรับผู้อำนวยการหรือฝ่ายบริหาร ใช้วัดตัวแปรการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียน เครื่องมือดังกล่าวมีคุณภาพด้านความตรงเชิงเนื้อหา ความเที่ยงและความตรงเชิงโครงสร้าง วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลด้วยค่าสถิติพื้นฐาน การวิเคราะห์ความแปรปรวน และการวิเคราะห์องค์ประกอบเชิงยืนยัน ด้วยโปรแกรม Mplus 2) การสัมภาษณ์ครูผู้สอนเรื่องการนำนโยบายของรัฐไปสู่การปฏิบัติ และปัจจัยความสำเร็จและปัจจัยอุปสรรค และใช้การวิจัยอนาคตเพื่อพัฒนาแนวทางการส่งเสริมการใช้เทคโนโลยี ด้วยการประชุมกลุ่มย่อย (focus group) ผลการวิจัยสรุปได้ดังนี้ 1) รัฐบาลมีการส่งเสริมระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและในชั้นเรียนแบ่งออกได้เป็น การสนับสนุนความเสมอภาค การสนับสนุนการเรียนรู้จากความแตกต่างระหว่างบุคคล และการยกระดับมาตรฐานโรงเรียน ผลการวิเคราะห์อภิมาน พบว่ามีการวิจัยนโยบายด้านปฏิรูปการเรียนรู้มากที่สุด งานวิจัยส่วนใหญ่ศึกษาเรื่อง การใช้เทคโนโลยีสารสนเทศเพื่อการเรียนการสอนที่แตกต่างกันตามนโยบาย ซึ่งพบว่างานวิจัยที่มีค่าอิทธิพลสูง คือ งานวิจัยที่ศึกษานโยบายในช่วงปี พ.ศ. 2558 ถึง พ.ศ. 2560 ซึ่งมีนโยบายที่เกี่ยวข้องกับแท็บเล็ตพีซี (one tablet PC per child) สมาร์ทคลาสรูม (smart classroom) 2) ระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนอยู่ในระดับมากทั้งด้านการบริหารจัดการงานโรงเรียน ด้านการบริหารจัดการข้อมูลผู้เรียน ด้านงานงบประมาณ ด้านงานบุคลากร และด้านการกำกับดูแลด้านการเรียนการสอน ส่วนการใช้เทคโนโลยีในชั้นเรียนอยู่ในระดับปานกลางทั้งด้านการทำงานนอกเหนือเวลาสอน ด้านการใช้เทคโนโลยีในคาบเรียน ด้านการใช้เทคโนโลยีเฉพาะ และด้านการใช้เทคโนโลยีเพื่อการสื่อสาร การนำนโยบายไปสู่การปฏิบัติแตกต่างกันตามบริบทขึ้นอยู่กับผู้บริหารและระบบติดตามเป็นสำคัญ ส่วนปัจจัยความสำเร็จของการใช้เทคโนโลยีคือการรับรู้การสนับสนุนจากผู้บังคับบัญชา และปัจจัยอุปสรรคที่สำคัญที่สุดคือความขาดแคลน 3) การวิจัยอนาคตพบภาพอนาคตจำนวน 5 ภาพทั้งที่พึงประสงค์และไม่พึงประสงค์ โดยมีแนวทางการส่งเสริมระดับการใช้เทคโนโลยีในโรงเรียนและในชั้นเรียน จำนวน 8 …

Action Research: Teacher Evaluation And Reflection, Courtney Lynne Landry

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies: Doctoral Research Projects

The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to create an improved learning log procedure, based on the theory of action that the use of professional learning logs will improve self-reflection, which will increase teacher self-efficacy. Data collected through interviews, focus groups, and a research action committee have led to the assertions that (a) reflection is a necessary and welcomed part of being a professional; (b) procedures for reflection must be easily accessed and consistent; (c) teachers should have autonomy over their choice of reflection method to gain meaning; (d) though the learning log process allows for autonomy, the …

From The Ground Up: Providing Support To Emergent Bilinguals To Distinguish Language Difference From Disability, Andrea Golloher, David Whitenack, Lisa Simpson, Donna Sacco

Faculty Publications

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data reveal that students with disabilities who are emergent bilinguals (English language learners) have the lowest levels of profficiency in reading and mathematics among all student groups. We consider issues related to the instruction of emergent bilinguals, including those identified as having specific learning disabilities, using a Response to Intervention (RTI)/Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) model. In so doing, we argue that instructional practices consistent with a robust Tier 1 framework are beneficial to emergent bilinguals with and without learning disabilities while differentiating Tier 2 and 3 interventions may improve outcomes for emergent bilingual …

Listening To Our Graduate Students' Feedback: Graduate Student Exit And Alumni Surveys, Alison W. Hong-Novotney

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Student and alumni surveys have become some of the most widely-used methods of assessment of student learning in higher education. While the majority of literature on student surveys and assessment focuses on undergraduate students, this study looks specifically at why graduate student exit and alumni surveys can be valuable tools within a comprehensive assessment plan. Listening to the feedback of current and former graduate students, and then acting upon that feedback, is crucial for the engagement and success of this unique population of students who bring their particular strengths and needs to their educational experiences. This study examined how master’s …

Effects Of Collaborative Teaching Evaluation Process On Teacher/Administrator Collegiality, Gary A. Storts Jr.

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The job of the professional educator is becoming ever more complex. Research has shown that effective teacher evaluation processes and collegial relationships between the teacher and the principal both positively impact student achievement. This study investigates how a collaborative teacher evaluation process effects collegiality between the teacher and the site administrator. Four teachers who had experienced both traditional and collaborative reviews in a small rural school district in Northern California were interviewed to assess the impact that a collaborative evaluation had on their professional relationship with their principal.

The results of this research confirmed that teaching evaluations, however they are …

Assessing Research Productivity From An Institutional Effectiveness Perspective: How Universities Influence Faculty Research Productivity, Michael M. Rawls

Theses and Dissertations

Faculty research productivity studies typically focus on the scholarly performance of the individual researcher, although environmental and organizational conditions that are largely outside of the researcher’s control can significantly impact that performance. From an institutional effectiveness perspective, it is imperative for the higher education administrators and leaders who share the responsibility of managing and supporting their university’s research enterprise to understand how the institutional environment itself impacts the productivity of its research community. In this sequential mixed methods study, a quantitative framework was tested for assessing institutional effectiveness in research administration based on the assertion that this concept can be …

Building Of Causality: A Future For School Librarianship Research And Practice, Marcia A. Mardis, Sue C. Kimmel, Laura A. Pasquini

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article discusses the future trends in school librarianship and its impact on professional practice. Topics discussed include the research study conducted by Colorado Study and funded by the American Association of School Librarians, along with how to respond to the changes technology has brought in engaging learners.

Effectiveness Of Drafting Models For Engineering Technology Students And Impacts On Spatial Visualization Ability: An Analysis And Consideration Of Critical Variables, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Jill E. Stefaniak

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Results from a number of studies indicate that the use of drafting models can positively influence the spatial visualization ability for engineering technology students. However, additional variables such as light, temperature, motion and color can play an important role but research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a set of 5 quasi-experimental studies, was conducted to identify additional critical variables. According to the results, a dynamic, 3Dprinted drafting model, presented with a blue background under lighting conditions between 500–750 lux had the highest impact on spatial visualization ability of engineering technology students.

The Researchers' Perspective: For And By The Community: Processes And Practices From The Development Of National School Library Standards, Elizabeth A. Burns, Marcia A. Mardis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

In this study, we describe the innovative and rigorous phased process used to compose the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) National School Library Standards (AASL, 2018). We begin by recounting previous standards iterations and compared their development processes to the most recent process used during the development of the AASL Standards. After we detail the development timeline and process phases, we conclude with implications for best practices in standards development for school librarians, professional leaders, and practitioners.

Picking Pedagogical Practices Students Prefer: An Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of Teaching Tools In Face-To-Face Versus Online Delivery, Bruce K. Grace, Kenneth Henderson, Barbara Lyons

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

This study explores graduate student perceptions of fourteen commonly used teaching methods. Convenience samples were drawn from a university exclusively delivering its MBA program via the Internet and a university providing traditional face-to-face classroom instruction. Overall, no significant preference differences were found for nine of the fourteen pedagogical methods. Students enrolled in online classes perceive textbooks, tutorials, and Internet activities as significantly more effective in helping them achieve their educational goals than students enrolled in face-to-face classes. Students enrolled in face-to-face classes rated guest speakers and team presentations as more effective learning tools than their online counterparts. The perceived comparative …

A Petri Net Based Reliability Block Diagram Model For Category I Medical Devices Reliability Analysis, Kouroush Jenab

Faculty Research at Morehead State University

The medical industry incorporates technology and breaks different types of equipment into three various categories determined according to the technologies and their usage. The first category, which is the focus of this article, consists of devices that are directly linked to the life of the patients, for example a ventilator. The purpose of this study is to develop a new reliability technique, based on the Reliability Block Diagram (RBD) and Petri Net, for Category 1 equipment. The RBD, focuses on showing how the failure of different parts could affect the sub-systems of the equipment and how those failures could cause …

Interpretative Analysis Of Adult Learners’ Lived Experiences In A Uniquely Designed Higher Education Program, Latonya M. Branham

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The lived and collegiate experiences of adult learners, who are among the fastest growing student population in 21st century higher education, is the essence of this study. The study was conducted using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Fifteen baccalaureate level degree-seeking study participants consented to share their respective journeys. Twenty-one interviews were conducted for the study. Code-listed categories, themes and sub-themes emerged from two interview sessions, and member-checking sessions. Several themes were aligned to two research questions: In what ways, if any, are the distinctive needs and expectations of adult learners fulfilled through a baccalaureate level adult learner program; and, what does …

A Study On Science Achievement And Motivation Using Computer-Based Simulations Compared To Traditional Hands-On Manipulation, Stacey L. Hannel, Joshua Cuevas

Georgia Educational Researcher

This study was conducted to investigate whether or not computer-based simulations had a greater impact on science achievement compared to traditional hands-on methods for middle school students in an on-level science course. The study also sought to determine if either method had an impact on retention as well as motivation. The participants in the study were 6^th grade students attending a public middle school in suburban metro-Atlanta. A variety of statistical analyses were utilized to measure science achievement, retention, and motivation. Results indicated that there was no significant difference on science achievement between the traditional hands-on method and the …

The Poor And Marginalized Among Us: Contingent Faculty In Jesuit Universities, Christina Pawls, Richard D. Clark, Carrie Buchanan

Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications

Faculty of institutions of higher learning have an opportunity to discuss, debate,and discern how to create workplaces that are just and inclusive.As members of Jesuit institutions, wehave a moral obligation to do so. How, then, can Jesuit universities justify the poor treatment of contingent faculty, who are now a majority not just in our institutions but in the country as a whole? Tenure-track employment is a fading tradition in universities throughout the United States. The data also show that non-tenure-track faculty, particularly the growing number of part-time adjunct faculty, constitute a population of marginalized, often poor,employees working alongside more privileged …

Instructional Communication Scholarship: Complementing Communication Pedagogy, Alan K. Goodboy

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

Instructional communication and communication pedagogy are complementary areas of inquiry; that is, communication instructors will not be effective educators without strategically considering--for each course taught in a given semester--both pedagogical techniques (e.g., writing accurate course objectives; choosing or creating activities that align with the objectives; teaching communication skills using proven pedagogical strategies) and instructional communication practices (e.g., communicating with students clearly; confirming students; integrating appropriate humor). These disciplines offer micro (i.e., communication pedagogy) and macro (i.e., instructional communication) perspectives on teaching that both deserve close attention as instructors strive to be the best educators (and communicators) in the communication courses …

Assessing Students’ Writing And Public Speaking Self-Efficacy In A Composition And Communication Course, Terrell K. Frey, Jessalyn I. Vallade

Journal of Communication Pedagogy

One avenue for assessing learning involves evaluating self-efficacy, as this psychological beliefis a strong predictor of academic achievement. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate writing self-efficacy and public speaking self-efficacy in a composition and communication course. This course is structured to develop both writing and public speaking competencies; the research sought to determine whether students believed they were leaving the course feeling more confident in their capabilities within each respective academic domain. Results (N= 380) from pre- and post-test data suggest that students’ reported writing and public speaking self-efficacy significantly increased over the semester. Additionally, students’ …