Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Refining Effective Instructional Strategies Through Professional Learning Communities, James Kevin Hancock

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of professional learning communities by comparing practices and strategies of content and grade level teams in middle schools. Utilizing data from student assessment, comparison of teams in this middle school was conducted to determine practices and conversations that have an impact on teachers’ decisions about student learning. Understanding phenomenon that drives effective decision-making processes in teams of teachers creates an environment where shared leadership produces professional learning communities that are sustainable and systemic.

A qualitative approach was conducted in the form of a case study to capture themes relevant to …

Why Career And Technical Education Teachers Contribute Intellectual Capital To Open Education Repositories: A Case Study, Kelley J. Manley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

High quality Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers are necessary in order to prepare students to fill the gap in the nation’s technical workforce. Technical skills taught by high school CTE teachers assist students as they continue their education in post-secondary technical schools. Post-secondary CTE teachers assist students in their preparation for future high-wage, high-demand technical careers. One of the many challenges reported by CTE teachers is the time-consuming development of relevant curriculum. The open education resource (OER) movement has been reported in research to alleviate some of these challenges for teachers, but research is lacking in the area of …

Effects Of Task Clarification And An Adaptive Computer Software On Implementation Of Mand Training Using An Ipad® As A Speech Generated Device, Ashley Mckenzie Parnell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mand training is an evidence-based instructional method and a primary focus in behavioral language training for children with autism. A rapidly growing research base supports manding training using hand-held computing technologies (e.g., iPad®, iPod®) as speech generating devices (SGD) for establishing a manding repertoire in children with autism. To ensure optimal learning efficacy and efficiency, procedures must be implemented with high levels of accuracy, which requires that staff be well-trained. However, research evaluating methods for training staff to implement mand training procedures with the iPad® and application Proloquo2Go™ as an SGD has not yet been conducted. Therefore, this study examined …

Exploring School Counselors’ Narratives Of Cacrep Accredited Online Education Programs, Rebecca Van Der Hagen

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Online education is a growing part of academia. The number of online school-counseling programs is also increasing and beginning to include face-to-face and online programs. Little research describes online education and even less discusses online school-counseling programs. The purpose of this study was to examine and interpret participants’ experiences of being trained and graduating from a CACREP online school-counseling master’s program, as well as how their training prepared them for their current role as a school counselor. A qualitative inquiry was conducted to understand online school-counseling programs and reported how six professional school counselors perceived their online program with a …

Teacher Perception And Their Understanding Of Progress Monitoring Throughout A Longitudinal Assessment System, Rena A. Duewel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the phenomenon of teacher perception and their understanding of progress monitoring throughout a longitudinal assessment system. This monitoring of student progress is to enhance their academic skills in mathematics and provide necessary interventions for growth as measured on a longitudinal assessment system through fidelity of implementation of interventions processed through progress monitoring. Data was collected from participant responses through interviews, a demographic survey, and focus groups. Interview respondents participated in a closed-door, face-to-face interview. The survey was used to collect specific demographic data to provide a concise snapshot of each individual …

Higher Education Institutions And The Performance Management, Muhammad Tanveer, Dr. Asif Mahbub Karim

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: The most prominent change that is seen now is that higher education institutions are under pressure prove their usefulness, objectives, and methods of achieving these objectives. They are also asked for details related to the allocation of their resources and priorities and are also asked to fulfill their social responsibilities. Everyone, from prospective students to the general public, now wants data and proof in favor of the effectiveness and necessity of these institutions. Because of this, higher education institutions are now more involved in the race of securing funding and win over potential customers. In this race, they …

Research Mentoring And Scientist Identity: Insights From Undergraduates And Their Mentors, Rachael D. Robnett, Paul A. Nelson, Eileen L. Zurbriggen, Faye J. Crosby, Martin M. Chemers

Psychology Faculty Research

Background Mentored research apprenticeships are a common feature of academic outreach programs that aim to promote diversity in science fields. The current study tests for links between three forms of mentoring (instrumental, socioemotional, and negative) and the degree to which undergraduates psychologically identify with science. Participants were 66 undergraduate-mentor dyads who worked together in a research apprenticeship. The undergraduate sample was predominantly composed of women, first-generation college students, and members of ethnic groups that are historically underrepresented in science. Results Findings illustrated that undergraduates who reported receiving more instrumental and socioemotional mentoring were higher in scientist identity. Further, mentors who …

The Ethics Of Play And Participation In A Tween Virtual World: Cheating Practices And Perspectives In The Whyville Community, Yasmin B. Kafai, Deborah A. Fields, Estee Ellis

Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences Faculty Publications

Much attention has been paid to young people’s increased participation in digital publics and its potential impact on their development and learning. However, few studies have examined the ethics in online play and their interactions as a critical aspect in the development of youth digital culture. In this paper we turn to the issue of cheating, a widely accepted practice in many online communities, including Whyville.net, a virtual world with over 5.5 million registered players ages 8-16. Our analyses focused on culturally-relevant examples such as player-written articles on cheating and player-produced YouTube cheating videos associated with Whyville from 2000 to …

Winning The War On State-Sponsored Propaganda: Results From An Impact Study Of A Ukrainian News Media And Information Literacy Program, Erin Murrock, Joy Amulya, Mehri Druckman, Tetiana Liubyva

Journal of Media Literacy Education

From 2015-2016, IREX implemented a media literacy training program called Learn to Discern (L2D) that trained Ukrainian citizens to critically analyze news media messages and identify misinformation. In 2017, IREX conducted a quasi-experimental impact evaluation of news literacy skills, knowledge, and behavior using a stratified random sample of L2D participants and non-participants (n=412). The groups were matched for gender, age, region and education levels. A news literacy assessment was administered to both groups via an online survey. The assessment required participants to analyze an objective news article and a disinformation-based news article; demonstrate knowledge of the news media environment; and …

Using Rich Pictures To Verify, Contradict, Or Enhance Verbal Data, Carol M. Booton

The Qualitative Report

The problem addressed in this case study stemmed from recognition of qualitative researchers’ desire to triangulate findings with two or more data sources. In this study, I describe the process of using visual data to verify, contradict, or enhance verbal data using a soft systems methodology tool called rich pictures. To date, the process of comparing verbal data and visual data has not been well explored. I use secondary data from a Ph.D. study about faculty members’ perceptions of academic quality to compare two data sources: participants’ verbal definitions of academic quality and participants’ verbal descriptions of rich pictures representing …

Infographic: Preparing Students For The Future Workplace, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

A recent survey asked for people’s views on education in Australia and how they thought it was preparing students for the future workplace. In this infographic, we look at the responses to some of the survey questions.

The Japan University Experience Survey (Jues), Darren Matthews, Leyna Clarke

Higher education research

An overview of the Japan University Experience Survey (JUES) including its background and aims, and the ACER - Kawaijuku Group partnership. The presentation discusses the development, delivery, reporting and results of the survey, and considers Japanese and Australian UES/SES comparisons and the potential for benchmarking.

Measuring Teacher Expectations: A Generalizability Study, Wallis Malone

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

For the last fifty years, researchers have studied teacher expectations and their impact on student achievement. A large body of research supports the hypothesis that teachers form expectations for students, (Brophy & Good, 1970; Dusek & O’Connell, 1973; O’Connell, Dusek & Wheeler, 1974; Rist, 1970), these expectations cause teachers to behave differently, (Braun, 1976; Brophy & Good, 1970; Rothbart, Dalfen, & Barrett, 1971, Good & Nichols, 2001) and the differential treatment can affect student achievement (Brophy & Good, 1970; Jussim & Eccles, 1992; Alvidrez & Weinstein, 1999; Goldenberg, 1992, Madon, Jussim, & Eccles, 1997).

Although teacher expectancy theory is widely …

Metacognitive Reading Strategy And Emerging Reading Comprehension In Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Natasha Cox-Magno, Peter Ross, Kathleen Dimino, Andrea Wilson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This article ventures to address the gap in special education practices by providing a metacognitive reading strategy to support the emerging reading comprehension skills of kindergarten students with intellectual disabilities. Historically, students with intellectual disabilities have low reading comprehension skills that can impede their overall academic success. There is a gap in practice regarding the identification and effective use of evidence-based reading comprehension instructional strategies for students with intellectual disabilities. Guided by Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s constructivist theories, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a metacognitive reading strategy on the emerging reading comprehension (ERC) skills of …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In Transitional Kindergarten Through Second Grade Classrooms: Year Three And Beyond, Anne Driscoll-Mink

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on students in transitional kindergarten (TK) through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools.

Methodology: A mixed-methods study will be used to examine the effects of PBIS on students in TK through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools in southern California. The quantitative method was used to gather archival data on pre PBIS implementation and post PBIS implementation to determine if there was a difference in …

Implementing Nh Child: A Comprehensive Approach To Professional Learning To Reach All New Haven Early Childhood Educators, Emily Sharrock, Courtney Parkerson

All Faculty and Staff Papers and Presentations

New Haven Children’s Learning District (NH ChILD) envisions a city where all children have access to high quality early learning experiences. In order to turn this vision into reality for the 14,800 children ages 0-8 living in New Haven, NH ChILD is working to increase the number of spaces in high quality programs while simultaneously improving the quality of early learning experiences in existing programs. The following paper outlines NH ChILD’s beliefs, commitments, and plan for action with respect to NH ChILD’s citywide efforts for in-service professional learning.

Easy As Abc?, Allison Bickerstaff

Quest

Professor Introduction: The Profile Essay

Research in progress for English 1301: Composition 1

Faculty Mentor: Lisa Roy-Davis, Ph.D.

The following paper represents research work begun by students in English 1301, the first course in the two-semester composition sequence at Collin College. Students in English 1301 are introduced to the concept of academic research by learning to ask research-focused questions and then use the library resources to find sources that provide answers.

In the following profile essay, Allison Bickerstaff merges her research-based understanding of the elementary education field with her subject’s experiences of teaching at a local elementary school. By focusing …

Constructing The First Year Experience: Improving Retention And Graduation Rates At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Sonia M. Gipson Rankin, Tim Schroeder, Joe Suilmann, Pamela Cheek

Faculty Scholarship

In 2012, UNM teamed up with the Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, to conduct a Foundations of Excellence® (FoE) First College Year Self Study addressing student success. As members of the First Year Steering Committee, we invented, coordinated, measured, and documented programs for linking students to the academic experiences and support that were best attuned to their needs.

Book Review: Towards Inclusion Of All Learners Through Science Teacher Education, Greg Stefanich

Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities

It is a pleasure to receive an invitation to submit a review for the book titled Towards Inclusion of All Learners through Science Teacher Education. The contributors include four wellknown leaders in inclusive science education complemented by a spectrum of authors American and international, in pre-service and graduate science education, pre-service and graduate special education, science research, special education practitioners, classroom teachers, graduate students, and students through case studies and interviews.

The book presents an excellent overview of current practices in schools, descriptions of individual and team efforts to improve practice, and emerging innovations such as the application of Universal …

The Critical Need For Mental Health Education To Be Mandated In New Mexico's Public Schools, Bonnie L. Murphy

Shared Knowledge Conference

Based on a review of research and best practices in mental health awareness and skills, this inquiry project argues for state legislative policies that would require mental health awareness and skills in the K-12 curriculum. Mental health affects individual accomplishments in every stage of people’s lives beginning in early childhood and throughout the life cycle. Prevention and treatment of mental illness plays a key role in the ability of an individual to cope with loss and develop resiliency and perseverance in challenging times and to make better decisions that improve the individual’s life and the lives of those around them. …

Stem: What’S Holding Females Back?, Sue Thomson

Teacher columnist - Sue Thomson

While the 20th century saw women stride ahead in their participation in education and the workforce, there are still gender differences apparent in some areas of education. In particular, females do not enrol in higher mathematics, science, or ICT, or move into STEM-based careers to the same extent as males. We rightly celebrate great achievements for women in science, such as the Nobel Prizes awarded in Physics to Donna Strickland and in Chemistry to Frances Arnold this year, but why are these achievements such a rarity?

School‐Level Body Mass Index Shapes Children's Weight Trajectories, Ashley W. Kranjac

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

BACKGROUND

Embedded within children's weight trajectories are complex environmental contexts that influence obesity risk. As such, the normative environment of body mass index (BMI) within schools may influence children's weight trajectories as they age from kindergarten to fifth grade.

METHODS

I use 5 waves of the ECLS‐K—Kindergarten Class 1998‐1999 data and a series of multilevel growth models to examine whether attending schools with higher overall BMI influences children's weight status over time.

RESULTS

Results show that, net of child, family, and school sociodemographic characteristics, children who attend schools with higher rates of obesity have increased weight compared to children who …

Departmental Action Teams: A Five-Year Update On A Model For Sustainable Change, Daniel Reinholz, Mary Pilgrim, Karen Falkenberg, Courtney Ngai, Gina Quan, Sarah Wise, Chris Geanious, Joel Corbo, Noah Finkelstein

Faculty Publications

Fostering sustainable improvements in undergraduate education remains a formidable challenge. To address this challenge, our team has developed the Departmental Action Team (DAT) model. DATs are small working groups of faculty, students, and staff, that work collaboratively to envision, plan, develop, and build sustainable structures in their department. To support the uptake of such structures, DATs collect and analyze data to reflect on the root causes of an issue, which they use to shift beliefs, values, and practices within their context. This paper provides a five-year status report on the DAT project. We describe the history of the model, its …

Building A Culture Of Collegiality Through Transformative Faculty Support, Rowanna L. Carpenter, Celine Fitzmaurice, Maurice Hamington, Annie Knepler, Vicki Reitenauer

University Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Portland State University’s (PSU) motto Let Knowledge Serve the City identifies a key piece of the University’s DNA as a community-engaged institution. As educators in PSU’s signature general education program, University Studies, we work intentionally as colleagues to catalyze transformative teaching and learning to build--with our students--a just world.

In AY 2016-17, through an iterative process involving faculty, administrators, staff, and students, University Studies adopted vision and mission statements to reflect and ground our efforts:

Vision: Challenging us to think holistically, care deeply, and engage courageously in imagining and co-creating a just world.

Mission: University Studies’ inclusive pedagogy

• provokes students …

An Alternative To Violence In Education, Michelle Savard

Peace and Conflict Studies

It is imperative that transformative educators understand how education can be manipulated to serve political and authoritarian agendas and to recognize its subtle manifestations in order to reshape education for the purposes of fostering peace, cooperation and acceptance. Bush and Saltarelli (2000) assert that in its extremes, education can have “two faces”. It can be used as a tool to stimulate political unrest, foster hatred, justify violence and promote inequities; or in the case of peace education, facilitate the reconstruction of fragile states. Yet peace education programs continue to be criticized for their lack of rigorous evaluations largely by those …

Persistent Social-Emotional Symptoms Following A Concussion: Recommendations For School Psychology Practice, Susan C. Davies, Elana R. Bernstein

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

Concussions can result in a constellation of physical, cognitive, and social– emotional symptoms, most of which resolve within 1 to 2 weeks following the injury. In some instances, social–emotional difficulties following concussion persist, causing ongoing distress and psychosocial impairments. It is important that school psychologists understand the nature of these symptoms, as well as ways in which they can support students who are recovering from concussions. As part of a collaborative concussion team, school psychologists can provide valuable insight into the complex interaction of symptoms that may present following a concussion. This article summarizes the existing literature on persistent social–emotional …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Teacher Feedback And Its Effects On Metacognition And Motivation, Jody A. Marberry

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate middle school students’ perceptions of teacher feedback, middle school teachers’ perceptions of the same feedback, and the extent to which those perceptions matched. While research into feedback practices was rich, few studies investigated middle school students’ perceptions and experience with feedback practices. The study aimed to address possible miscommunication between teachers and students which may negatively impact middle school students’ learning trajectories. Middle school students and teachers from a Midwestern Independent school participated in the study. Student data was examined in aggregate and by race, gender, grade level, years of experience at …

A Mixed Method Analysis On The Relationship Between Engagement, Achievement, Satisfaction, And Syllabus Design In A Private Midwest University, Hannah Kohler

Dissertations

Background: Online learning is now at the forefront of education, making a college degree more accessible than ever before. With online enrollments at an all-time high, quality instruction is essential to the sustainability of the institution and ultimately affects student enrollment and retention. Research exists on the effectiveness of syllabus design and the use of inventories, but the gap in the existing literature lies in combining the two. Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to analyze possible relationships between syllabus design and student achievement, student engagement, student satisfaction, faculty instruction, and faculty satisfaction. Research Design: An Online …

Student Retention Matters: A Study Of Community College Student Retention Characteristics, Models, And Programs, Robert Joseph Goltra Iii

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if retention of first-year college students was influenced by specific variables and programs at one Midwest community college. The study was focused on responses from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2013) and peer mentoring program data. Data and retention were measured using Wald chi-square tests and t-tests, respectively. The CCSSE benchmarks were Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Student-Faculty Interactions, and Support for Learners. Benchmarks were analyzed using student variables age, gender, working for pay, student loans, and race/ethnicity. Benchmarks titled …

A Quantitative Comparative Analysis Of Early Learning And Developmental Programs In High Poverty And Low Poverty Counties In Missouri, Tracy Jenkins Pelot

Dissertations

The researcher completed a quantitative comparative content analysis of early childhood developmental programs in high-poverty and low-poverty counties across the state of Missouri. The researcher discussed the importance of early childhood programs in the longevity of academic, professional success and long-term health benefits. Although lawmakers, educators, parents and policy makers emphasized the immense importance of early childhood education, the state of Missouri had not completed an evaluation of early childhood developmental programs for over 15 years. The last study (Fuger et al., 2003), completed in 2003, only evaluated early childhood programs described as part of the state’s Missouri Preschool Project …