Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

The Effects Of Student Choice On Motivation And Writing Skills, Laura Annunziata

Master's Theses

This mixed methods action research study investigates the potential effects of student choice on motivation and academic performance in writing-based assignments in a fourth-grade classroom. Baseline data was collected prior to implementation of student choice writing activities and then used to compare writing samples collected post intervention. The baseline data suggests that students’ attitudes towards autonomy are positive. Having choices was important to them and helped them learn better. However, data also indicates that while students were motivated to write using choice, many of the reading and writing competency scores dropped during journal entry writing samples. Data shows that while …

The Impact Of Online Tools On Student Writing, Rebekah Probst

Master's Theses

Our classrooms today are vastly different from those just a few years ago. Many students are foreign to learning without any technology. In light of this drastic change in our classrooms, it is important to understand the new age's impacts on our students and their learning abilities. This research study used a mixed-methods design to explore online tools' effects on student writing. The research examines data collected from a fifth grade over two months, which included student writing samples and survey responses. This research compared outcomes between handwritten responses and those with access to tools such as automatic correction features. …

Key Benefits Of Small Group Instruction For Diverse Learners, Lydia Mcevoy

Master's Theses

Utilizing a mixed method approach this research study investigated the effects of small group instruction on the learning of diverse learners. Informed by a preliminary literature review that supports the use of small-group instruction, the researcher conducted a small-scale action research project to focus on three diverse learners in a 1st-grade classroom over four weeks. One of the findings of this project shows that small group instruction helps promote social and emotional skills as students feel more comfortable interacting with peers in a small group rather than in a whole group. Another finding indicates that students feel more encouraged by …

Implementing Music To Increase Elementary Student Focus, Kathryn Garceau

Master's Theses

This action research project used a mixed methods design to address the effect of different types of music on student focus while performing an independent task. Despite its success with memorization, does music work equally as well on student focus? Data was collected over a period of three weeks for 30 minutes each morning for 5 days each week. The music played while students completed the task changed each week. This included lyrical songs during week one, classical music during week two, and instrumental versions of songs students knew the lyrics to during week three. Four behavior markers were observed …

Examining How Agricultural Education Programs Place Student Teaching Interns In School Based Programs, Mckenna Sairls

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study investigates the criteria and procedures involved in placing student teaching interns within school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs across land-grant universities within the United States, employing a Modified Delphi survey design. By examining factors that influence placement decisions, this research aims to address a gap in literature as few comprehensive studies on internship placement processes in agricultural education exist. The findings highlight the significance of factors such as program quality, mentorship abilities, and preservice teacher traits in the placement process.

Hospitality Highway Career Fair: An Exploratory Study, Lilly Miller

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The goal of this creative project is to conduct research on career fairs and hospitality events to successfully host the first ever Hospitality Career Fair at the University of Arkansas. The lack of career advancement opportunities on the campus for hospitality management students continued to increase despite the rapidly growing industry across the community, so the creation of the career fair would allow improvement for the students and the companies. With a creative project, it allows more creativity and research to develop the overall plan for the event.

The project studies hospitality career events hosted at other universities to gain …

Music Education: Right From The Start. Primary Teachers Survey - South Australia, Rachel Felgate, Toby Carslake, Tanya Vaughan

School and system improvement

A broad-ranging survey of teachers and representatives from 115 South Australian government primary schools. The research in South Australia underscores overwhelming support among teachers for the benefits of music learning. However, it also highlights widespread concerns regarding inadequate investment in teacher training, dedicated facilities, and necessary resources.65% of respondents indicated that less than nine hours were allocated to music learning within their initial teaching degrees. Additionally, only about half (53%) said their school has appropriate musical equipment, with just 7% reporting having a purpose-built building to conduct music learning.

Elementary Science Essential Elements Curriculum Map & Progress Monitoring With Evidence-Based Teaching Strategies, Tasha Jenkins

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Little research has explored the field of science instruction tailored to students with significant disabilities. However, research studies have begun to emerge that suggest, with specific instructional strategies, these students can be successful in learning science curriculum. This project evaluated literature to find evidence-based instructional strategies for teaching science to students with significant cognitive disabilities. Six strategies were consistently found across multiple studies. The six strategies include (1) time delay, (2) systematic instruction, (3) multiple exemplar training, (4) task analysis, (5) graphic organizers, and (6) guided inquiry-based learning. These strategies were shared with a team of nine special education teachers …

The Experiences Of Postsecondary Students With Disabilities Utilizing One Stop Student Services: A Grounded Theory Approach, Ivan Noe

Education (PhD) Dissertations

The number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions of higher education continues to rise. With it, it is necessary to understand better how they experience their institution beyond curricular spaces. Presently, there exists a gap in the knowledge of how these students experience co-curricular support, including assistance with enrollment services through one stops. This study sought to understand the multiple ways in which this population of students experiences the one stop at one of three four-year public research universities in California. This qualitative research study utilized the constructivist grounded theory methodology and methods to aid in the emergence of …

Moving Beyond Transactions: Understanding The Relationships Between College Access Professionals And Underrepresented College-Bound Families, Stephany Cuevas

Education Faculty Articles and Research

Framed by family engagement frameworks, this study presents four types of interactions college access professionals (CAPs) have with the families of underrepresented college-going students—inconsistent communication, transactional exchanges, student-family mediation, and trusting relationships—to explore the nature of family-educator partnerships for students’ college access. Drawing from in-depth qualitative interviews with a diverse sample of 20 CAPs, this study demonstrates that the nature of these interactions and their corresponding family engagement practices are influenced by CAPs’ job requirements and previous experiences working with families. This ultimately shapes their ability to invest in and develop strong, trusting partnerships with students’ families. By understanding these …

Breaking Through: A Study Of Educators In All-Male Classrooms And The Instructional Decisions They Use To Bridge The Gender Academic Achievement Gap, Kelly M. Clark

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In reviewing academic achievement gaps across United States school districts, educational research samples show deviations between males and females with males statistically outperforming females in math while females typically outperform males in reading and language arts. With strict American educational policies set in place to promote equality and equity in the classroom, research and long-term results on the impact and possible benefits of male, single-sex classrooms in the American educational system are limited. This study seeks to explore educators’ best practices for teaching male students and effective strategies to cater to their different needs. By qualitatively studying the experiences of …

Pilot Evaluation Of Programmatic Elements For First-Generation And Historically Marginalized Doctoral Students And Their Families, Bridget A. Walsh, Sarah Mitchell, Emmanuel Kyeremeh Addai, Matthew Aguirre, Keira Hambrick

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

While research demonstrates that family support is essential for doctoral students, research detailing institutional efforts to involve families is limited. We developed the GAIN Scholars program, consisting of two 3-week-long boot camps for incoming first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students. Quantitative data were collected from 38 doctoral students in the GAIN Scholars program (n = 22) and the control (n = 16). One key component of this program was family support for doctoral students. Family members (n = 15) were invited to the opening ceremony, a day of programming, and online activities. Pre- and post-test measures indicate participants had a …

Voices Of The Holistically Educated: Impacts And Outcomes Beyond Academics, Autumnjoy Felicidade Florencio-Wain

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation engages a multi-step process to identify and articulate the internally defined goals of prominent holistic pedagogies including Montessori, Waldorf, Democratic Free Schooling, homeschooling, and radical/progressive education. It gives voice to adult former students who speak to, and illustrate, the ways in which they were impacted by their holistic educational settings on each of six identified areas of intended holistic development: physical, creative engagement, intrapersonal, interpersonal, cognitive, and transpersonal. Eighteen participants, ages 19 to 71, from various holistic backgrounds in North America, participated in focus group meetings and interviews. They reflected on their current sense of self on each …

Investigating Factors Influencing Chinese Private College Students’ Engagement In Emergency Online Learning, Limei Cao

Education (PhD) Dissertations

Online learning has witnessed a rapid growth following its widespread adoption across global higher education throughout the COVID-19 global pandemic. Although online learning was intended to maintain continuity of education during the public health emergency, the issue of student engagement in emergency online learning (EOL) has risen to prominence. Given the close association between student engagement and academic outcomes, investigating factors influencing student engagement in EOL is crucial for informing effective educational policies and interventions that support student success. In the absence of a comprehensive theoretical model for understanding student engagement in the unique context of EOL, this study proposed …

Defining Experiential: Higher Education Educator Perspectives On Experiential Education Criteria And Experiential Learning Forms, Paul Gaszak

Dissertations

In the field of experiential education, there is a general understanding that concepts and definitions of experiential education and experiential learning differ by individuals, departments, organizations, and institutions. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research study was to gather the perspectives of individual experiential educators across higher education (n = 121) on what they perceive to be experiential education’s criteria and what forms of educational methodologies qualify as experiential learning forms. The findings demonstrated inclusive perspectives regarding both criteria and forms, such as receptiveness to experiential education being able to occur within classrooms, in short durations, and without third-party participation. …

The Components Necessary In A Clinical Day Program For A Successful Transition To Traditional School, Erica Parker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine what components of academic and therapeutic clinical day programs ensure success for students with mental health diagnoses as they transition back to conventional educational settings. This study focused on the importance of developing students' capabilities to fulfill their own needs within Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs through coping skills, academic skills, and ensuring those skills transition to their traditional home school setting. The research questions guiding this study were: 1. How is “successful reintegration” defined for students with mental health concerns by the students, families, teachers, and other school staff? 2. What program …

The Standards And Expectations Of The Speech-Language Pathology Field, Abbie Summers

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The goal of this project was to provide individuals interested in the field of speech-language pathology with relevant information from professionals in various positions in the field. These sources were to include speech-language pathologists in education, research, academia, and medicine. Interviews were conducted with these professionals covering various questions about their experiences, salary, education, professional development, interprofessional work, and on-the-job skills. From these interviews, data collection occurred based on responses to find commonalities to include in the write-up. The article provides information on personal experiences in the field, professional certification, professional growth and development, salary expectations according to work settings, …

Love One Another! Merging Biblical Teaching And Social-Emotional Learning: A Framework For Introducing Sel In Christian Schools, Nancy Pittard Jones

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) investigated to what extent professional development impacted teacher understanding of social-emotional learning (SEL) and its potential compatibility with Biblical teachings. The dissertation followed an Improvement Science framework to address a specific problem of practice: an increase in student maladaptive behavior. As student coping repertoires diminished following the COVID-19 and racial pandemics, teachers experienced stress and frustration. To bolster teachers' learning and provide new pathways for teachers to address student behavior and build classroom climate, the researcher introduced SEL to a group of teacher volunteers (n=21) in an independent Christian school through six professional …

Bringing Our Folding Chair To The Table: Adopting Social Justice Through The Retention Of Black Women Educational Leaders, Jasmin Osborne

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) qualitative research study aimed to investigate targeted interventions and resources designed to create empowering environments for Black women educational leaders who are impacted by the intersectionality of gender and race. Intersectionality creates additional challenges for these leaders who grapple with additional challenges as Black women which negatively impact their access to leadership positions and their ability to be retained long term in that position. The loss of Black women educational leaders has a detrimental impact on the leadership pipeline for Black women, negative impacts on marginalized students, and continues to widen the gap …

The Education And Generalization Of Educator Social Emotional Learning Capacities To Impact Student Success, Mariel Palombo Pipchinski

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of professional development (PD) on teachers' knowledge of social-emotional learning and their social-emotional competence and determine if PD leads to teacher growth in their ability to support students' social-emotional development and competence. The dissertation followed the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) to address the problem of practice and increase students' social-emotional capacity through teacher implementation. To improve teacher's social-emotional capacity for classroom implementation, the researcher created and instructed a seven-week professional development for teachers (n=7) in a mid-sized suburban school district that focused on building social-emotional capacity and strategies …

Affirming Black Girls: Creating And Sustaining Affirming And More Inclusive Learning Environments For Black Girls Through Professional Learning, Demetria Green Walters

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) qualitative research study aimed to investigate targeted interventions and resources designed to enhance educators' cultural awareness and competence, fostering the creation of identity-affirming learning environments for Black girls as a lever for reducing racial discipline disparities. Identity validation and the provision of inclusive learning environments are necessary elements for promoting academic success while positively impacting the needs of Black girls. The intersectionality of being both Black and female poses an educational challenge that is often misunderstood and overlooked, yet it deserves significant attention to improve outcomes for this student group. Without intervention, racially …

2023-2024 Common Data Set, Systems Intelligence And Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Common Data Sets

The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson’s, and U.S. News & World Report. The combined goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality and accuracy of information provided to all involved in a student’s transition into higher education, as well as to reduce the reporting burden on data providers.

Reading Fluency Intervention: The Impact Of Integrating Differentiated Instructional Strategies Into Small Group Instruction, Amaya Brodine

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This capstone project will report the effectiveness of three instructional strategies and two assessment strategies integrated into a 11-week reading fluency unit. These strategies were implemented in a small group setting with the goal of improving students’ automaticity reading scores. This small intervention group met four times a week for eleven weeks where students practiced choral reading, buddy reading, and game-based learning strategies. Throughout this reading intervention unit student data was gathered through triannual growth assessment, weekly progress monitoring, formal assessment strategies, and a final project. This capstone will also provide an overview of the data collection methods utilized through …

Implementing Instructional And Assessment Strategies To Improve Student Success In Art, Hayden Thomaier

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

For my honors capstone project, I taught a 3-week unit to my Art III class at a suburban high school in Nebraska. This unit covered concepts such as color theory, composition, and how to create the illusion of depth within a piece of art. This unit ended with the students creating a 24x30 in. painting of a space that was personal to them. The instructional strategies that I used throughout the unit included learning objectives, providing feedback, and nonlinguistic forms of representation. The assessment strategies I used included a pre and post-assessment at the beginning and end of the unit, …

Data Driven Instruction In Teaching Poetry Analysis To Advanced Placement Literature And Composition Seniors, Andrea Reyes

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The goal of the poetry unit was to enhance students’ written ability by analyzing a variety of poetic literature to answer advanced placements practice prompts. I used the following research-based instructional strategies: homework and practice, nonlinguistic representations, and cooperative learning. I used the following research-based assessment strategies: essay writing, Quizizz, exit ticket, and topic, evidence, and analysis responses. The standards that the unit addressed are: LA.12.RP.2 Analyze the development and interaction of literary elements such as characterization, setting, and plot, and how they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole, LA.12.V.2 Interpret an author’s use of figurative, …

(Non)Cognitive Dissonance? A Stakeholder-Based Exploration Of The Consideration Of Graduate Admissions Applicants' Personal Skills And Qualities, Reginald M. Gooch, Joseph H. Paris, Sara B. Haviland, Jose Sotelo

Journal of College Access

Prospective graduate students’ noncognitive attributes are commonly evaluated as a part of a holistic review of their admission applications. Yet it is difficult to determine which noncognitive attributes are considered by those who evaluate graduate admissions applications and what approaches they take to measure applicants’ noncognitive attributes. It is even less clear to what degree prospective graduate students understand how they are evaluated for graduate admissions and how the evaluation of their noncognitive attributes factor into admissions decisions. Drawing on surveys of graduate enrollment management (GEM) professionals and prospective graduate students in the United States, our study investigates the noncognitive …

The Effects Of Text-Based Gaming On Reading Comprehension For Students With Intellectual Disability, Faith Ihrig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, reading comprehension and reading engagement have decreased in the United States. Our world is also becoming increasingly technological, and a large percentage of individuals in the United States, specifically children, are playing video games. There are increasing amounts of video games that target educational skills, such as reading and math, and video games that have been created strictly for entertainment. This study examined the potential effects of playing text-based video games on the comprehension and engagement of 6-8 grade students with intellectual disabilities. A Multiple Baseline Across Participants single case design was used to measure the …

Lost In The Identification Process: Where Are Gifted Blacks And Other Minorities In Gifted And Talented Education?, Tiffany M. Chenier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students in gifted and talented (GT) education has persisted for decades, prompting a need for deeper investigation into the policies and procedures governing GT identification. The aim of this research was to investigate whether variations in practices for GT identification and the definition of giftedness, contribute to this underrepresentation. This qualitative case study used predetermined criteria outlined in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students to examine the contents of each district’s GT identification plan available in electronic or downloadable form using document analysis. I also used …

Teacher Job Satisfaction: Working Conditions, Satisfaction, And Commitment To Stay In The Profession, Mary G. Hicks

College of Education

A nationwide teacher shortage has been a problem in our country for many years. Teacher vacancies continue to be plentiful, but enrollment in teacher preparatory programs continues to decline. The study aimed to investigate low teacher retention in rural Alabama schools. Through the lens of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this study examined teacher perception of job satisfaction and how working conditions and demographic details impacted teachers' intention to remain in the field of education. This quantitative study was completed in three rural North Central Alabama school districts. The data revealed the school administrator's critical impact on her building, the importance …

Dysmorphology Training And Utility In Genetic Counseling, Maria G. Hernandez

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Before the availability of comprehensive genetic testing, dysmorphology was critical for developing a differential for individuals suspected of having a genetic disorder. Literature suggests that the availability of whole exome and whole genome sequencing (ES/GS) has shifted the use of dysmorphology from a forward to backward approach. There is no literature describing the continued use of dysmorphology within the genetic counseling field or the training that genetic counseling students receive. The study aims to describe the dysmorphology training that genetic counselors (GC) and GC students reported receiving, to explore the involvement of GCs in evaluating dysmorphic features and identify factors …