Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Inclusion Of Non-Formal "Certificates" In The Qualifications Framework In Hungary, Erzebet Szlamka, Zoltan Loboda, Eva Tot

Level 3

This article describes the findings of empirical research conducted in Hungary in 2017 for a Country Report under the EU Erasmus+ Project: NQF-IN - developing organisational and financial models for including non-formal sector qualifications in national qualifications frameworks. The research involved interviews with non-formal training providers focused on the possibilities and obstacles of inclusion of ‘certifications’ issued by non-formal training providers into the Hungarian Qualifications Framework. According to the interviewees, current regulation requires a lot of administration thereby hindering the flexible organisation of training, limiting the tailoring of training to customers’ needs, and resulting in the loss of ownership of …

Teacher And Administrator Perspectives On Formative Student Assessment In Career And Technical Education: For Career And Technical Teachers And Administrators, Ryan K. Haught

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate career and technical education teachers’ level of knowledge and use of formative student assessment practices in the classrooms and laboratories of comprehensive high schools and technical education centers across West Virginia. In addition, this study examined factors identified by teachers as supports or barriers to implementation of formative student assessment. Finally, this study described administrator perspectives on teachers’ knowledge and use of formative student assessment practices and explore administrator perspectives on identified supports and barriers to their teachers’ implementation of formative student assessment practices.

A researcher-developed survey was used to collect data …

Impact Of Educator Preparation Routes And Teacher Characteristics On Student Academic Achievement, Robert Hagerman

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study investigated the effect of traditional and alternative teacher preparation, years of service, and type of licensure held and teacher quality on English language arts and mathematics summative assessment scaled scores and performance levels among West Virginia students in grades 5 and 11. Specifically, this research analyzed the existing assessment data in West Virginia’s 55 counties, regarding teacher preparation routes, teacher experience, teacher licensure, and the teacher’s Highly Qualified (HQ) designation to determine the effect on student achievement. The study was designed with the aforementioned variables and applied a standardized summative content assessment outcome to the two grade levels …

Approach To Developing Basic And Scientific Writing Competency In Dnp Students At Samuel Merritt University, Michelle Hampton

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of 21st Century Student Learning In A One-To-One Instructional Environment, Laura Michelle Brooks

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine teacher perceptions of the extent to which they promoted student acquisition of 21st century skills in a one-to-one laptop program. Many proponents of one-to-one learning suggest that 21st century learning skills are best acquired in a student-centered, constructivist learning environment; therefore, constructivist learning theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The researcher also sought to discover any benefits or challenges that teachers encountered while implementing the laptop program. Eighty-six teachers at a southeastern state public high school responded to a survey, and 10 of those teachers were interviewed. The researcher …

A Study Of Staff Development And Teacher Efficacy In Implementing Standards-Based Grading At The Elementary Schools In A Rural School District In North Carolina, Brayton Alan Leonhardt

Education Dissertations and Projects

Standards-based grading is still in its infancy within North Carolina. At this time, only 12 of the 115 school districts have incorporated the standards-based form of grading into their system. As school districts across North Carolina look to implement different forms of grading to assess student learning, it will be important to look at the effectiveness of the professional development that accompanies the shift. The research questions that guided this work center around the support needed by teachers during the transition period and the impact of the professional development on their understanding of how to successfully implement standards-based grading. The …

A Study Of Rigor, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Student Achievement In Three High Schools In A Rural School District In Eastern North Carolina, Katrina Hannon Cobb

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the importance of rigor and teacher efficacy in relation to student achievement. There are several definitions of the word rigor. Blackburn (2008) defined rigor as “An environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels” (p. 16). ACT/SAT data, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and the High School Reform and Work all conclude that students who are college and career ready have graduated …

A Study Of Staff Development And Teacher Efficacy In Implementing Standards-Based Grading At The Elementary Schools In A Rural School District In North Carolina, Brayton Alan Leonhardt

Education Dissertations and Projects

Standards-based grading is still in its infancy within North Carolina. At this time, only 12 of the 115 school districts have incorporated the standards-based form of grading into their system. As school districts across North Carolina look to implement different forms of grading to assess student learning, it will be important to look at the effectiveness of the professional development that accompanies the shift. The research questions that guided this work center around the support needed by teachers during the transition period and the impact of the professional development on their understanding of how to successfully implement standards-based grading.

The …

The Relationship Of National Board And Non-National Board Certified Teacher Growth Indexes On Standardized Assessments: A Causal Comparative Study, Pamela D. Porter

Education Dissertations and Projects

The recent demand for schools to respond to accountability measures challenges teachers to increase their proficiency in the classroom in order to develop the unmastered skills of individual students as well as the whole class. There have been several attempts made to establish whether there is a relationship between student growth and teacher National Board Certification; however, opponents argue that National Board Certification may not be an accurate indicator of teacher growth.

The intent of this research was to compare National Board Certified (NBC) and non-NBC teacher mean growth indexes from the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS). The study explored …

Monitoring And Evaluation: Foundation Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

The purpose of this module is to provide introductory information about monitoring and evaluation (M&E), including the purpose, application of M&E frameworks, and key issues in education M&E. It provides a foundation to engage in this topic and apply advice from staff with operational or expert levels of knowledge in education M&E.

Learning Assessment: Foundation Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

The purpose of this module is to provide introductory information about learning assessments – what they are, their purpose, and how the results of learning assessments can influence education policy. It provides a foundation to engage in this topic and apply advice from staff with operational or expert levels of knowledge in education. On successful completion of this module you will gain the ability to apply practical knowledge of learning assessments in order to make valuable contributions to the field.

Learning From Failure: An Action Research Case Study On Developing Growth Mindset Through Academic Risk-Taking In An Athletic Training Program, Sarah B. Rabe

Education Dissertations and Projects

The employment of academic risk-taking and growth mindset instructional practices in educational fields, though supported in literature, is limited and not commonly documented in the classroom. The purpose of this action research case study was to determine the impact of facilitation of growth mindset through modification of instructional practices in athletic training clinical courses at an Institution of Higher Learning. Constructive failure and growth mindset theories supported the mixed-methods research approach and the modification of instructional practices made during the study. Data were collected through growth mindset and academic risk-taking instruments and through semi-structured survey questions. The data analysis was …

Did We Get It Right? A Study Of Process Fidelity In The Response To Intervention Program, Lashanda Wardlow Foust

Education Dissertations and Projects

For valid disability determination to occur, a diagnostic team needs to be able to determine that a student has received appropriate instruction in the general education classroom” (Johnson, Mellard, Fuchs, & McKnight, 2006, p. 4.2).

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a middle school Response to Intervention (RTI) program is being implemented with fidelity. The researcher used the RTI Essential Components Worksheet and the RTI Fidelity of Implementation Rubric as the evaluation tools.

The research focused on how effectively the RTI process was implemented at the focus middle school. A qualitative method design was used in the …

Enhancing School Programs To Support Transient Students, Tiffany R. Lyles

Education Dissertations and Projects

Over the past 5 years, the effects between student achievement and student mobility have increased within the urban communities and school settings across the nation. When analyzing the proficiency levels of students in Grades 3-8, Westerly Hills Academy continues to receive a below average school rating based on North Carolina state requirements. Year after year, Westerly Hills Academy deemed to improve the overall proficiency of the school, yet it was not until 2015 when it became more prevalent that the increase of academic deficiencies stemmed from a population of students within the school setting. This group of students was not …

Building The Foundation: Initiating Assessment Practices For North Carolina Housing Officers, Marinda C. Bliss

Education Dissertations and Projects

Enrollment at institutions of higher education were tight markets with overlapping competition for the same customers in many areas. The typical undergraduate student market was an informed consumer who sought the amenities of home for their student housing. The shift for the student market placed residence hall programs in competition with one another, thus the need for timely assessment of the residence hall facilities, programs, staff, and customers to plan appropriately for the future is appropriate.

North Carolina Housing Officers, also known as NCHO, served 57 institutions in North Carolina that have residence hall programs for the promotion of idea …

Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Their Current Grading Practices, Shavondra Danyelle Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Traditional grading represents typical grading practices including the traditional way grades have been calculated since the conception of grades. Before traditional grading, there was a time when mastery of content was not measured by grades at all. In recent years, educators have begun to explore other methods of grading in search of better ways to determine student mastery of content. Many educators use standards-based grading methods that focus instruction and grading around the standards students are expected to learn. Although many researchers support the use of standards-based grading, it has not replaced traditional grading methods. Grading practices should yield accurate …

Exploring A Rural School District’S Freshman Academy Program Through Parent And Staff Member Perspectives, Dustin Morehead

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study used a qualitative approach to explore a rural school district’s freshman academy program through parent and staff member perspectives using Stufflebeam’s (2003) CIPP model of program evaluation. Interviews and questionnaire data provided information to answer the following research questions.

1. Context: What is the context within which the freshman academy program was developed and implemented?

2. Input: What alternative resources are available to enhance the structure of the freshman academy program?

3. Process: How are the objectives of the freshman academy program aligned with improving student attendance, academic performance, and promotion?

4. Product: What are the perceptions of …

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Suburban High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Lindsey Ruth Weycker

Education Dissertations and Projects

A common practice in elementary schools is to allow students silent reading time during school. Experts agree this is best practice due to the benefits to students, especially in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, however, this practice tends to decline in favor of activities that are meant to teach vocabulary in isolation and test preparation skills. In addition to these activities, English language arts classes typically read and study novels together as a class for the purpose of studying literary devices and literary analysis. Because of these practices, secondary students tend to read less, which in turn …

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Rural High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Meredith Eubanks Lynch

Education Dissertations and Projects

Experts agree best practice in elementary education allows students time for silent reading during school due to the benefits to students in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, this practice typically declines in favor of activities meant to teach vocabulary, prepare for standardized tests, and study novels together as a class to explore and analyze literature, resulting in less reading and subsequently decreasing reading stamina. -- Teachers at a high poverty South Carolina high school, recognizing reading stamina as an issue, implemented a protocol described by Penny Kittle (2013) in Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in …

The Use Of Response To Intervention With English Learners, Anna Burnley

ECTESOL Review

RTIs assist teachers in adjusting instruction to support ELs in acquiring English and content-area knowledge and learning behaviors. The use of RTIs with ELs can supplement support for ELs as an integrated concept of the sheltered instruction (SI) commonly provided for this student population.

Connecting North And South: Engaging Latin American English Learners, Kenyan Intercultural Communications And American Undergraduate Students Through Reciprocal Service Learning, Laureen Fregeau, Ukaiko A. Bitrus-Ojiambo, Suhana Chikatla, William Cornejo

ECTESOL Review

Reciprocal Service Learning through videoconferencing is an efficient tool for connecting native English speakers of various world Englishes and ELs in other nations for the benefit of all. The authors of this study recognize the reciprocal nature of teaching and learning and the social justice of equalizing power structures through the inclusion of participants and researchers from both North and South as members of a project and research team. Through participant observation and document review the authors examine the experiences of educators and learners in the phenomenon of reciprocal service learning through videoconferencing focused on cultural competence and English language …

From The Editor, Laureen Fregeau

ECTESOL Review

No abstract provided.

Employing Word Study With Spanish-Speaking Els, Timothy Rodriquez

ECTESOL Review

Phonics Instruction has had a controversial history. How to teach phonics to Spanish-speaking ELs is also controversial. Understanding the differences between Spanish and English and how phonics instruction occurs in each language would be insightful. Also, knowing how the nature of the two languages affects instruction would be beneficial. Furthermore, exploiting similarities between English and Spanish and examining differences will bolster instruction. This paper will discuss the reasons for word study and how it may be utilized to teach spelling and decoding to Spanish-speaking ELLs.

Context-Focused Grammar Teaching: A Comparison Between English Present Perfect And Past Tenses And Affects On Korean English Learning, Seungheui (Ellie) Lee

ECTESOL Review

Despite massive amounts of time Korean English Learners (KLL) study English grammar, they continue to have problems becoming proficient in verb tenses, especially the present perfect. This study examines this problem through a linguistic comparative analysis of Korean and English present perfect and past tenses. Two possible reasons for KLL difficulty with verb tenses could be mode of instruction and L1 interference.

Not “One China,” Not “One Culture”: Multicultural Exploration Of Differences And Similarities Between Mainland China And Taiwan, Philip J. Ward, Michelle Loo

ECTESOL Review

This study focuses on the outwardly similar cultures of Taiwan and mainland China and the subtle differences within them. The study was conducted as part of the requirements of doctoral program in Instructional Design and Development at a public university in the southeastern United States. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study demonstrates that there are cultural similarities between mainland China and Taiwan, however instructors should also be aware of the differences when developing relationships with students and developing course content. A mini-workshop was developed for the study to help teach instructors about the two cultures. However, the mini-workshop …

What College Presidents Need To Know About College Students And Student Affairs, Jennifer M. Miles

Journal of Research on the College President

The college presidency is filled with challenges and opportunities, ranging from maintaining communication with on-campus and off-campus stakeholders, coordinating work being done across campus, to simply keeping all of the institution’s operations up and running in an efficient manner. These activities are all designed around a specific purpose: providing opportunities for students to learn.

Research And Creative Activity, July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018: Major Sponsored Programs And Faculty Awards For Research And Creative Activity, University Of Nebraska–Lincoln, Office Of Research And Economic Development, University Of Nebraska–Lincoln

Office of Research and Economic Development: Publications

Foreword by Bob Wilhelm, Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development:

This booklet highlights successes in research, scholarship and creative activity by University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty during the fiscal year July 1, 2017– June 30, 2018.

It lists investigators, project titles and funding sources on major grants and sponsored program awards received during the year; fellowships and other recognitions and honors bestowed on our faculty; books published by faculty; performances, exhibitions and other creative activity by our faculty; and patents and licensing agreements issued for products of Nebraska research.

Notably, the university reached a major milestone in FY2017: earning $302 …

Monitoring And Evaluation: Practitioner Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

This Practitioner level module is designed to ensure staff members who manage education investments, can understand the concepts and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices needed for designing and supervising education investments. It is recommended that staff complete the Monitoring and Evaluation: Foundation level module as background information to this Practitioner level module. Topics covered in this module include: monitoring versus evaluation; monitoring and evaluation standards; monitoring and evaluation in practice; evaluation considerations; education indicators; monitoring and evaluation reporting; and gender and social inclusion considerations.

Learning Assessment: Practitioner Level, Australian Council For Educational Research (Acer)

Education Analytics Service

This Practitioner level module is designed to ensure that all staff members who engage with and lead policy dialogue with international and domestic partners are informed about the benefits and risks of participating in learning assessments and the key design and implementation issues. It is recommended that staff complete the Learning Assessment: Foundation level module as background information to this Practitioner level module. Topics covered in this module include the development of learning assessments; the benefits and risks of participating in international or regional assessments; the key design and implementation issues of national assessments; measuring and reporting results; costs; assessment …

Investigating Nce Preservice Candidates And Graduates’ Visual Literacy Practices In Middle And High School Science And Social Studies Classrooms, Xiaoning Chen, Mark Newman, Vito M. Dipinto

NCE Research Residencies

The study investigates whether secondary education science and social studies candidates transferred what they learned about visual literacy in their teacher preparation program to their practicum/student teaching classrooms. The study included qualitative and quantitative methods to document the candidates’ visual literacy knowledge and practices. The findings indicate that the candidates did employ visual literacy strategies as visuals had already been regularly used in their classrooms. But, they had limited success in implementing the strategies learned in their methods courses. In addition, they showed a good working knowledge of what visual literacy is and acknowledged its value in the classroom. They …