Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Experiences Of Teaching Controversial And Emotive Issues In Terrorism Studies Courses In The Politically-Charged Classroom: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Blake Devolld

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the phenomenon experienced by faculty members in higher education who teach courses in terrorism studies with curriculum containing controversial and emotive issues in a politically-charged classroom. The study included 12 college faculty members who taught courses in terrorism studies from several institutions of higher learning throughout the United States. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, participant questionnaires and the collection of course materials. The data collected through these methods were analyzed using the process suggested by Moustakas (1994) to write a composite description of the phenomenon using textural and structural …

Experiencing Success: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Successful Remedial Mathematics Students, Kyle Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe how students experience success in mathematics remediation at a four-year private institution in the central United States. Success in a remedial mathematics course was defined as one’s completion of a required remedial mathematics course having earned an overall grade of 90% or higher. The theories guiding this study were achievement goal theory and expectancy-value theory grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory. This theoretical framework provided a motivational framework for student success in a post-secondary, remedial mathematics course based on individual goals for completing the task, student self-efficacy beliefs, and the …

Tapping The Voices Of Learners For Authentic Student Engagement, Bryan Bronn

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the problem of practice of the decline in student engagement from the perceptions of secondary school learners as they proceed throughout their educational experience. According to researchers, learners who are engaged—meaning those who are committed and connected in active relationships with teachers, other learners, the learning environment, learning interests and ideas, the curriculum, and learning goals, are more likely to enjoy and be in control of their own learning [student agency]. This study is significant because of its potential to provide new understandings of the problem of a decline in student engagement …

Program Evaluation Of Magnet Program Implementation, Tionanatasha Kairecia Harris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the fidelity of the implementation of a magnet program at an area intermediate rural school. A case study approach was used to conduct the study, based on observations and perceptual information. The following research questions were developed to address the problem of this study: (a) How does the magnet curriculum affect the delivery of magnet instruction in core content areas? (b) How do participants perceive the strengths and weaknesses of how the magnet program was implemented? The quantitative research consisted of classroom observations to determine if magnet curriculum was being implemented in …

Teacher And Administrator Perspectives From Experiences In The Teacher Leadership Initiative, Leslie Lynne Sharp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Teacher leadership, has been defined by many researchers as the answer to school improvement through the use of teacher leaders leading the effort in schools and districts. This qualitative dissertation takes a deep look into the experiences of teachers and administrators that participated in a nation-wide teacher leadership pilot, the Teacher Leadership Initiative (TLI), and the effects that this year-long event had on leadership, school improvement and teacher and administrator professional practices. Unifying outcomes from the participants as a result of their involvement in this initiative included changes in thinking about leadership that directly improved professional efficacy, collaborative and leadership …

Exacerbating Inequality: Public Schooling In The Era Of Neoliberal Standardization, Johanna Panetti Barnhart

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This work is inspired by Jean Anyon’s (1981) landmark ethnographic study, “Social Class and School Knowledge” in which she detailed the differential and class-based constructions of knowledge across five elementary schools. While this research study in no way aims to be a revision of Anyon’s work, it uses her findings to set a foundational premise that curriculum and instruction often work to contribute to the reproduction of social class. Further, this research builds on these findings to examine and analyze social class reproduction in the current neoliberal policy context of standards-based reform. A key policy shift since Anyon’s research is …

Using Data Science And Predictive Analytics To Understand 4-Year University Student Churn, Joshua Lee Whitlock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover factors about first-time freshmen that began at one of the six 4-year universities in the former Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) system, transferred to any other institution after their first year, and graduated with a degree or certificate. These factors would be used with predictive models to identify these students prior to their initial departure. Thirty-four variables about students and the institutions that they attended and graduated from were used to perform principal component analysis to examine the factors involved in their decisions. A subset of 18 variables about these students in …

The Perceived Effectiveness Of One-To-One Technology In Smallwood High School, Jason Michael Clemensen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Administrator, teacher, and student perceptions of one-to-one technology were studied in a single case study approach at one rural Midwest high school. Interviews were conducted with six teachers, two administrators, and a survey was given to 185 student participants. The data collected indicated that while participants perceived success with the one-to-one initiative, there were differing opinions on why they perceived the one-to-one initiative to be successful. Teacher and administrator participants discussed implementation strategies, professional development, community and parent involvement, and pedagogical changes in teaching practice. The student participant survey was designed around student perceptions of one-to-one technology and teacher usage …

Educational Groupings In The Middle School Science Classroom, Erica L. Mcneil

All Theses And Dissertations

Grouping students for learning has historically been debated among educational professionals. Twenty-first century skills encourage students to work together within their classrooms in preparation for future careers. Adopting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) has required educators to encourage collaboration among students for science learning. Understanding the implications of student groupings and differentiated instructional strategies on learning requires an important conversation for educators who strive to support all learners needs sufficiently and prepare them for their future. This qualitative study examines and describes the perceptions of teachers regarding the role of educational student groupings on student learning of science concepts. Ten …

What Is 'Equity' In Education, Geoff N. Masters Ao, Ray J. Adams

Teacher columnist – Geoff Masters

Equity in education is often viewed as equivalence or sameness. A more useful way to view equity is through the lens of ‘fairness’.

Infographic: Collaborative Problem Solving, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

The most recent OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) examines student ability in collaborative problem solving. Today's infographic shows the results from some of the 50+ participating countries.

Developing Cultural Intelligence And Transformational Leadership Through Participation In Short-Term Study Abroad Programs, Rebecca Whitham

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

This paper explores the concepts of cultural intelligence (CQ) and transformational leadership in the context of graduate students’ participation in short term study abroad programs offered at a small, private university. While existing literature is explored, the findings discovered through a self-conducted research study, indicate that participation in these particular programs raised levels of motivational and behavioral CQ significantly amongst participants. The author utilized a pre and post-test design to survey two programs, one that traveled to Northern Ireland and the other to Brazil. In connection with the rise of CQ, therein lies the possibility for participants to adopt characteristics …

Segregation Of Student Financial Aid In Higher Education: The Effects On Low-Income Students When Ebt Is Not Accepted At University Campuses In San Diego, Ca., Tanisha-Jean Martin

M.A. in Leadership Studies: Capstone Project Papers

The student bodies of universities are made up of a diverse financial class of students which utilize various methods to cover financial obligations on campus, even with the use of welfare governmental assistance. Low-income students that are involved in government welfare programs are given an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to support them while they are pursuing an education; however, every university in San Diego, CA (and nearly the entire United States), segregate EBT into an unacceptable category and refuse to accept the card at any venues on campus. The EBT card is a plastic card that can be used …

Iterative Design Of A Simulation-Based Module For Teaching Evolution By Natural Selection, Jody Clarke-Midura, Denise S. Pope, Susan Maruca, Joel K. Abraham, Eli Meir

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: This research builds on a previous study that looked at the effectiveness of a simulation-based module for teaching students about the process of evolution by natural selection. While the previous study showed that the module was successful in teaching how natural selection works, the research uncovered some weaknesses in the design. In this paper, we used design-based research to investigate how design changes to the module affected not only students’ understanding of the concepts but also their usage of misconceptions in the assessments. We present results from two studies. In study 1, we looked at gains in understanding …

Learning Progressions As An Inclusive Solution To Global Education Monitoring, Ray J. Adams, Jen Jackson, Ross Turner

Monitoring Learning

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mark a welcome shift in global discussion of education, because now we are talking not only about getting children into school, but also about making sure that they are learning. At the same time, the SDGs introduce a new layer of complexity, because we need to define what quality education means in a way that is meaningful across international contexts.

This short paper describes how the development of global learning progressions provides an innovative solution, to balance the need for flexibility and consistency in global monitoring of learning.

Frontiers, Complete Issue, Volume 6, Issue 1, Fall 2017

Frontiers

Complete digitized issue (volume 6, issue 1, Fall 2017) of Frontiers.

Signs Of Success

Frontiers

Signs of success lists impact statements and information on grants and contracts at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

News Briefs

Frontiers

News briefs from volume 6, issue 1 of Frontiers.

How To Build A Robust Provider Improvement Partnership Program To Enhance Patient Experience – A Case Study, Venkat Iyer, Pamela Prissel, Karee Munson, Jennifer Eide, Rebecca Brustad, Nickie Kranz, Lukas P. Madson, Beverly Frase

Patient Experience Journal

Patient experience is emerging as a key differentiating factor in patients’ choice of healthcare system. Many healthcare organizations are attempting to improve their patient experience by data-driven, patient-centered initiatives. This involves engaging all staff along all the contact points of a patient’s journey in healthcare. Perhaps, the physicians or care providers are most important link in this chain but also the most challenging to engage in improvement efforts. Most healthcare organizations have some training or workshops to educate providers on communication skills and other tools to enhance patient experience. However, there seems to a paucity of a standardized approach or …

Teaching The Civil War With An Interdisciplinary Approach, Megan Riehle

Honors Projects

When creating a unit for middle school students in Social Studies, getting students to do more than memorize facts and dates is always my number one goal. Students need more than memorization of facts to fully grasp and have a handle on historical content that is vastly multifaceted. The Ohio standards have deemed eighth grade as the point when students intensely study the Civil War. However, how teachers instruct students on the Civil War is entirely up to them. There is an immeasurable amount of ways to go about teaching such a heavy and difficult topic; however, I chose to …

Examining Alumni Perceptions Of Social And Cultural Capital Accumulation Through Ursinus’S Summer Fellows Program, Sydney Dickson

Anthropology Honors Papers

A common offering among undergraduate institutions is an intensive summer research program, which allows students to complete a project independently without any other academic obligations. These programs are designed to foster useful skills, valuable relationships, and scholarly work. Ursinus College, a small liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, has such a program: Summer Fellows. With colleges attempting to appeal to a decreasing number of high-achieving applicants, student desire to pursue intellectual interests, and employers looking for skilled job candidates, it is worthwhile to examine the perceived efficacy of this program. This paper utilizes the perspectives of alumni reflecting on what they …

Self-Efficacy Change Associated With A Cognitive Load-Based Intervention In An Undergraduate Biology Course, David F. Feldon, Joana Franco, Jie Chao, James Peugh, Cathy Maahs-Fladung

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Cognitive load theory (CLT) holds that discovery learning and other instructional strategies imposing high levels of extraneous load on novice learners hinder learning. Such learning conditions are also associated with significant drops in persistence, a key measure of motivation. However, research within the CLT framework typically engages motivation as a necessary precursor to learning, rather than as an outcome of instruction. In this study, we examine changes in motivational beliefs as outcomes of learners' cognitive processes through a CLT lens as they engage with instruction. Using a double-blind quasi-experimental design, we manipulate the level of cognitive load imposed on participants …

Motivational Decline And Recovery In Higher Education Stem Courses, Anna M. Young, Paul J. Wendel, Joan M. Esson, Kathryn M. Plank

Education Faculty Scholarship & Creative Works

Decline in student motivation is a concern for STEM education, especially for underrepresented groups in the sciences. Using the Science Motivation Questionnaire II, 41 foundational STEM courses were surveyed at the beginning and end of each semester in an academic year at a small primarily undergraduate university. Significant pre- to post-semester declines were observed in each of five measured motivational factors (Intrinsic motivation, Career motivation, Self determination, Self-efficacy, and Grade motivation), with effect sizes ranging from 0.21 to 0.41. However, in the second semester pre-survey, four motivational factors rebounded, including three returning to initial levels, suggesting that the observed motivational …

Crushing Curiosity: How Information Literacy Can Hinder Or Foster Student Engagement, Rachel Fundator, Clarence Maybee, Michael Flierl

IMPACT Presentations

Cultivating a motivating classroom environment brings a host of benefits to students. By recognizing how information literacy practices can motivate (or demotivate) students, academic librarians can target their information literacy instruction to foster curiosity, creativity, or action within the classroom. In this session, we will present findings from a recent study about the information literacy practices used by disciplinary instructors that can hinder or foster undergraduate student engagement in their classes. Participants will work in small groups to brainstorm ways to redesign information literacy instructional scenarios to promote student engagement, while drawing out student curiosity, creativity, or action.

Semester In The Parks: Engaging Students With Common Intellectual Experiences, Jacqualine B. Grant, John S. Maclean

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

High-impact educational practices (HIP) such as Common Intellectual Experiences (CIE) enhance student engagement and positively affect student learning. At Southern Utah University we created a new HIP-focused program to enrich our students and faculty: Semester in the Parks (SIP). Students lived outside of Bryce Canyon National Park in the gateway community of Bryce Canyon City while they worked for Ruby’s Inn Resort and learned about the national parks. Faculty commuted to this off campus venue and redesigned their courses to incorporate national parks thinking and experiential learning opportunities. The CIE of a national parks-focused semester enhanced student engagement and developed …

Approaches To Evaluating Blended Courses, Mateja R. Savoie-Roskos, Stacy Bevan, Rebecca Charlton, Marlene Israelsen Graf

Journal on Empowering Teaching Excellence

Blended learning, sometimes referred to as hybrid or flexible learning, is becoming increasingly common in higher education. Unfortunately, many instructors receive limited training on how to effectively evaluate blended courses, and as a result, commonly rely solely on end-of-semester evaluations. Due to the more complex nature of how blended courses are designed and implemented, instructors should consider utilizing a variety of course evaluation methods. This article includes researched-based approaches for evaluating blended courses based on feedback from students, peers, and instructional designers. This combination of formalized feedback is offered as one strategy to ensure instructors achieve course learning objectives and …

The Validity Of Validity In Debra P.: Judicial And Psychometric Perspectives On Test Consequences, Charles Olney, Brent Duckor

Faculty Publications

We explore the uses and functions of ‘validity’ as a boundary marker between legal theory and psychometrics. Standardized testing regimes rely on experts to articulate the limits of validity. When challenged in courts, these limits become the subject of contestation, requiring practitioners to litigate the validity of validity. This process generates significant discontinuities, resulting from different conceptual relationships to the idea of validity. Through a qualitative textual analysis of specific case law and a quantitative examination of Lexis-Nexis database archives, we trace how legal reasoning elides new developments in psychometric research that would broaden and enrich judicial treatments while showing …

Balances Of Power Between Ip Creators: Ethical Issues In Scholarly Communication, Kristin Laughtin-Dunker

Library Presentations, Posters, and Audiovisual Materials

Scholarly communications often values free access above all else, but what happens when that drive for openness conflicts with ethical issues of consent and ownership? In this CARL IG Showcase panel, members of SCORE (Scholarly Communication and Open Resources for Education) will discuss some of the thorny issues of ethics and scholarly communication, including: consent (particularly among diverse communities outside of the institution) and digital collections, students as information creators / library as publisher, and decolonizing who we consider scholars and what we consider scholarship. This panel will feature speakers who will share current discussions and personal stories on issues …

The Predictors Of Juvenile Recidivism: Testimonies Of Adult Students 18 Years And Older Exiting From Alternative Education, La Toshia Palmer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative study was to identify and describe the importance of the predictors of juvenile recidivism and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent/avoid juvenile recidivism as perceived by previously detained, arrested, convicted, and/or incarcerated adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education in Northern California. A second purpose was to explore the types of support provided by alternative schools and the perceived importance of the support to avoid recidivism according to adult students 18 years of age and older exiting from alternative education.

Methodology: This qualitative, descriptive research design identified …

Evaluating And Supporting Teacher Practice Of Formative Assessment: Assessing Posing, Pausing, And Probing Moves, Carrie Holmberg, Brent Duckor

Faculty Publications

Decades of research supports that teacher engagement in formative assessment (FA) can powerfully impact student learning outcomes (Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie, 2009, 2012). Yet less is known about teacher development of FA skills on a continuum of practice. This empirical study designed, piloted, and examined test content validity of a performance-based assessment of teachers’ FA practice related to questioning “moves” in the context of six multilingual high needs middle school mathematics classrooms. Qualitative comparative analysis of triangulated evidence of teachers’ planning for, enacting, and reflecting on posing, pausing, and probing “moves” found differences among teachers’ probing in particular, related …