Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Searching For Equity Within Children's Literature: A Professor And Students' Journey Of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion And Belonging, Beth Lattanzi

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Children's literature, books written specifically for children ages birth through fourth grade, is a core resource in early childhood education and is heavily used as part of the instruction of pre-service students. Many professors of early childhood educators take great pride in their personal classroom libraries, often including favorite books from their schooling and pre-service days. A professor's personal classroom library consists of children's books used within the classroom, books used as examples, and books loaned to students for assignments. Pre-service students get excited to share their favorite books in class and in their field placements. After years of teaching …

Gathering Nuanced Data For Understanding Student Withdrawals, Beverly Wood, Emily Faulconer, Darryl Chamberlain

Publications

This white paper argues that the current system for collecting data on student withdrawals at their university is inadequate. The current withdrawal form lacks detail and makes it difficult to understand the reasons why students leave courses. This is a problem because it hinders efforts to improve student persistence (completion of courses).

Key Points:

• The university's strategic plan emphasizes student experience, enrollment management, and academic excellence. High withdrawal rates undermine these goals.
• Researchers developed a research-based nuanced framework for understanding withdrawal reasons.
• The current withdrawal form offers limited options for students to explain why they are withdrawing; the current form …

Who Picks Where A Student Sits In A Classroom?, Kathryn Kummer

Honors Projects

This ACTION research study aims to explore who should pick where students sit in a classroom. Disruptive behavior is a common issue in managing a classroom, so in this study, the results of each arrangement will be done by observing how often disruptive behavior happens in the classroom due to the seating arrangement. Student preference for seating arrangement will also be noted to determine if that affects disruptive behavior. The three arrangements to explore are: student choice, teacher choice, and random selection. By the end, the study will provide the arrangements effect as it relates to disruptive behavior and if …

Restorative Practices In English Language Arts: My Journey Towards Linguistic Justice, Ariana Skeese

Master of Arts in English Plan II Graduate Projects

In this final portfolio, I examine anti-racist pedagogy in English Language Arts Education.

An Exploration Of Educator Experiences Making Data-Driven Decisions Within A Multi-Tiered System Of Support, Jennifer L. D'Angelo

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

School districts across the country often face challenges using data to implement a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) to meet the needs of all learners through high quality educational opportunities. This qualitative investigation explored how educators in a public school district in the northeastern United States experience the collection and analysis of data to inform decision-making within a MTSS. Guided by the theory of planned behavior and employing a phenomenological analysis, this study addressed the inconsistencies in educator training along with a lack of existing literature focused on the foundational elements of data literacy. The research questions focused on understanding …

Learning Through Play At School Ukraine: Final Research Report, Rachel Parker, Amy Berry, Kellie Picker, David Jeffries, Prue Anderson, Oksana Zabolotna

Student learning processes

The Learning Through Play (LTP) at School Research Study Ukraine was a four-year intervention study funded by the LEGO Foundation and implemented by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and the Ukrainian Educational Research Association (UERA). The intervention was a two-year professional learning program that blended online, and face-to-face learning called the Teacher Innovative Play Program (TIPP). The TIPP was designed based on documented evidence that reports that teachers need opportunities to experiment and reflect to change practice. The study was guided by three research questions which were revised following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces …

Input And Output In An English Classroom: A Young Learner Corpus Of English (Yolecore), Thomas Zapounidis, Marina Mattheoudakis

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

This article highlights the need for a new type of corpus that will combine both a learner and a pedagogic corpus. The need for such a type of corpus is underlined by the interaction between input and output and the expected impact of the former on the latter within all instructional settings. Such a corpus will allow us to collect data, including teacher language, learner language, coursebook content, etc. and relate it to students’ output at specific points in time. Our study aims to present and describe the Young Learner Corpus of English (henceforth,YoLeCorE), which is an …

The Inclusion Of Classroom-Related Dispositions In Teacher Evaluations, David K. Griffin

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

This paper examines various approaches to evaluating the classroom teacher and discusses the inclusion of dispositions in the evaluation process. A random sample of 150 teachers were asked to complete an online survey focusing on the inclusion of dispositions in their formal evaluations. They were asked to report what specific dispositions were evaluated, and if the specific dispositions were operationally defined. A summary of their responses to the survey items is discussed.

Teachers' Experiences Of Using Play And Al's Pals To Teach Socio-Emotional Skills Through Coaching Support Models, Deborah Tamakloe, Elizabeth Powers, Alisa Landis, Lori Mccracken

Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Interactive teaching strategies provide opportunities for engaging children in discussing difficult concepts such as socio-emotional wellbeing and wide range of ideas about their social and personal lives. However, few studies have explored preschool teachers’ efficacy of using coaching through ‘Play and puppetry programs as approaches to developing children’s emotional regulation, socio-emotional learning and wellbeing. This paper reports on a “Labyrinth Project” aimed to gain in-depth understandings of preschool teachers’ experiences and perspectives pertaining to their efficacy of using play and puppetry as tools to promote children’s emotional learning and development. The results showed that despite early challenges with the use …

The Role Of Emotions In Qualitative Analysis: Researchers’ Perspectives, Hilary Lustick, Xiaoye Yang, Abeer Hakouz

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative research is an inherently social and relational endeavor that relies on and engages our emotions. Yet, researchers receive little guidance on how to engage emotions without being swayed by personal biases. Lustick (2021) developed a framework called “emotion coding” for systematically engaging thoughts and emotions in qualitative data analysis by asking what a chunk of data can teach us about ourselves, our participants, and our study. In this study, we interviewed 15 researchers who had tried using the emotion coding technique, about their impressions of this technique and the role of emotion in qualitative research overall. Framed by Goffman …

Generational Poverty And Education: Breaking The Cycle Of Ignorance, Leland Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational poverty is a problem that is not limited by race, gender, geography, or any other demographic. It is widespread and found in every state and city in the United States. Currently, over 17% of the population of the United States lives in poverty, based on a 2019 study. Of those, the vast majority are at least second-generation poverty dwellers. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on why a person lives below the poverty line, and many are willing to share them with those they know and those living in poverty. It is not unusual for one living …

Perception Of Emotional Intelligence And Self Efficacy For School Business Officials At K-12 Districts, Agha Mirza

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy in Chief Business Officials (CBOs) working in School Districts in the state of California.

Methodology: The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-efficacy characteristics, employing a quantitative, correlational research design. The study involved a non-experimental approach to establish correlations between the identified variables and an explanatory design to elucidate the relationship between variables. Correlational research has been established as the most effective approach for examining correlations between phenomena and distinct population samples, which made …

Connecting Culturally Relevant And Sustaining Education Competencies In Teacher Preparation Programs To The Experiences Of Mixed-Race Learners In K-12 Settings: A Mixed Methods Study, Marissa Wallace

Education Doctorate Dissertations

Mixed-race individuals are increasing in number within the United States population. There is limited research on mixed-race learners in K-12 school settings. This study delves into the unique educational experiences of this group of learners and provides implications for future teachers. With a focus on the Pennsylvania Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education (CR-SE) competencies, the researcher incorporates the competencies into course work and field experiences for pre-service teachers taking a course focused on literacy instruction and intervention. Quantitative, pre- and post- surveys, and qualitative data, open-ended responses, observations, and end of semester reflections were collected from pre-service teachers. Qualitative data, …

Associations Between Learning Environment And Study Satisfaction Across Time: Two Cross-Sectional Analyses Of Occupational Therapy Students, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson, Astrid Gramstad, Linda Stigen, Tove Carstensen, Tore Bonsaksen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

There is increasing attention toward students’ satisfaction and how they perceive the quality of the program they attend. This study examined stability and change across time with regard to the relationships between learning environment factors and occupational therapy students’ satisfaction with the program. In the two consecutive cross-sectional analyses performed in this study, 163 second-year students and 193 third-year students from all six occupational therapy education programs in Norway participated. The Course Experience Questionnaire was used to assess learning environment factors and study satisfaction. The data were analyzed with Pearson’s correlation coefficient r and with hierarchical linear regression. Bivariate associations …

Teaching Citation Politics Through Literature Review Topographies: Towards Cultivating Relational Writing Practices, Mairi Mcdermott

Feminist Pedagogy

Feminism teaches how power works and circulates through our often-unquestioned everyday practices. Since becoming a professor, I have committed myself to this feminist teaching by demystifying--and reimagining--habituated practices, relations, and expectations in higher education that produce and are produced through cis-hetero-patriarchal capitalist White supremacy. Since literature reviews and citation practices are core materials scholars work with, I invite doctoral students to consider different ways these materials can be engaged in efforts to craft transgressive knowledges and worlds through our research. In this article, I describe an assignment designed to disrupt hegemonic patriarchal inheritances in the conventions of writing literature reviews …

The Development Of Identity, Self-Efficacy, And Persistence Intentions Among Frontline Healthcare Apprentices, Amber Gallup Ph.D.

Organization, Information and Learning Sciences ETDs

Apprenticeship, an established learning model and workforce development strategy, is increasingly used in frontline healthcare occupations. Through three research papers, this dissertation examined the impacts of U.S. registered apprenticeship and what promotes success. I used qualitative and mixed methods to explore the development of self-efficacy, professional identity, and persistence intentions among frontline healthcare apprentices. After analyzing data from a systematic literature review (n=134), interviews (n=17), and surveys of frontline healthcare apprentices and workers (n=71), I identified themes in registered apprenticeship; revealed gaps in research on the design of apprenticeship that promote learning and success; designed and evaluated a survey to …

Adaptability Of A Vertical Transfer Student, Dylan Barron

Masters Projects

Due to the growing population of transfer students, institutions need to prepare the proper resources to mitigate the feeling of transfer shock. This project explores literature pertaining to transfer students and what resources are offered that can either make this transition smooth or rough. Creating a day-long orientation to promote the resources that different offices offer, as well as providing peer mentors to share their knowledge of the institution. To ensure thorough assessment of the acquired knowledge of transfer students in this program and to determine any necessary program adjustments, surveys are conducted.

An Examination Of The Impediments To Implementing Student-Centered Teaching Methods In Public Schools, Nicole R H Adewale, Robert L. Bloch, Garry D. Gibbs

Dissertations

In education, traditional methods have long relied upon static textbooks and blackboards to impart knowledge to students. Unfortunately, the lack of dynamism with this approach has failed to foster creativity, motivation, inquiry, individualization, and other practices crucial to serving diverse learners, especially Black children. We sought to uncover barriers and potential solutions to this problem by elevating the voices of educators, from classroom teachers to building and district administrators, at a predominantly African-American suburban secondary school in the Midwest.

We designed a qualitative research study to answer a single yet layered research question: What impedes Black students from experiencing and …

Assessment And Validation: An Updated Climate Change Plausibility Perception Measure, Melike Hanedar, Gizem Ozyazici, Gaye Defne Ceyhan

Earth & Environmental Sciences - All Scholarship

Plausibility perceptions about climate change influence learner engagement, motivation, and knowledge acquisition, thereby shaping the effectiveness of climate change education. The Plausibility Perception Measure (PPM) was originally developed following the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007. There was a need to update the scale to measure individuals' plausibility perceptions regarding the current climate crisis. This study updated the PPM scale to reflect the IPCC's 2022 report on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. The updated PPM scale is a ten-point Likert scale consisting of 15 items. Data were collected from 330 pre-service teachers at a public …

Closing The Gap: The Relationship Between School Climate And Student Achievement In The Middle School Sector, Brad Boykin, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer, Summer Pannell, Richard E. Cleveland, Suzanne B. Miller, Mary Josephine Carney

School Leadership Review

School leaders must make decisions and implement strategies to improve a school climate and student achievement, and it benefits them to understand which areas of school climate have the greatest impact on student achievement. The State of Georgia measures school climate and student achievement with its school accountability measure, the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). This study employed a quantitative research design using archival data that was publicly available from CCRPI data for a two year span to examine the relationship between school climate and student achievement statewide in the middle grade sector. Findings revealed that all four …

Sport Management Experiential Learning: Faculty Perceptions Of Opportunities, Benefits, And Support, Janet M. Howes Phd, Cheryl R. Rode Phd

The COSMA Journal

Experiential learning is an important aspect in any learning program, but in sport management programs, it might be considered essential to the learning process and post-graduation career success. There are several types of experiential learning which include in-classroom activities, internships, practicums, cooperatives, and service learning. In many instances, more than one type of experiential learning is being used to enrich the student’s experience and prepare them for post-graduate careers. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiential learning opportunities available in collegiate sport management programs in the United States. This study utilizes interviews and open-ended questionnaire responses to …

Examining Turnover Intention: Preparedness, Retention, And Certification Type, Rachel H. Addison-Miller, Pamela O. Puryear

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Ernst and Sara Lane Volgenau College of Education at Morehead State University by Rachel H. Addison-Miller and Pamela O. Puryear on April 12, 2024.

The Security Of Deep Neural Networks, Jalaya Allen

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Our society has transitioned from our primitive lifestyle to soon, an increasingly automatic one. That idea is further exemplified as we shift into an AI era, better known as Artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence is classified as computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. However, a common thought or question that most might have is, how is this done? How does AI process information the way we want it to and have access to so much information? AI is trained by systems called AI models. These modeling programs are trained on data to recognize patterns or make …

Unpacking Automated Test Assembly: New Findings And Directions For The Future, Ling Tan, Charlotte Waters, Fuchan Huang, Dan Cloney

OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

In large-scale assessments, the manual assembly of tests to meet many competing criteria may become an intractable task. Automated test assembly (ATA) can use optimisation algorithms to achieve optimal assembly outcomes. Since 2018, PISA has been transitioning from fixed test forms to adaptive testing. This transition is driven by the aim of improved test targeting, which increases reliability. Multi-stage adaptive testing (MSAT) has been preferred to item level computer adaptive testing (CAT) as it can better address the sometimes-competing requirements of an assessment like PISA where item exposure, position effects, construct coverage, and cross-sectional trend all must be met in …

Assessing Higher Order Thinking In The New Jersey Social Studies Standards For Grades K-8 By Using Artificial Intelligence (Ai), Connie Sanchez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

New Jersey consistently ranks as one of the top-performing states in the country when it comes to education. Most recently, it was ranked third in the nation. A look at the state standards in any subject shows the state works diligently to vertically align standards while also challenging students in order to better prepare them for the future and to be able to live in a global society. It is evident in looking at the New Jersey Department of Education’s standards that the planning they do is performed with an eye toward the future. The social studies standards are no …

Who Cares?! Fostering Inclusive And Empowering Environments For Black Students In Predominantly White Institutions: Strategies For Retention And Cultural Engagement, Joel Mandell Stancer, Danielle Allen, Angela Haywood-Gaskin, Kelly Atkins, Rhonda Lingard, Kuriston White-Dunlap

Dissertations

This research focuses on the critical components of caring relationships and how they relate to first-generation Black students’ achievement in higher education. It will reveal how staff-led collegiate programming could benefit first-generation Black college students by allowing them to establish caring relationships and mentorships that allow them to construct a solid support system that is easily accessible to them from the moment they begin college until graduation.

Using data collected from interviews with current college students enrolled in a retention program at a PWI (Predominately White Institution) and in connection with a conceptual framework informed by theorists Nel Noddings, Vincent …

Tools For Capturing Outcomes In Virtual Educational Programs, Leyla Marandi, Eleanor Haworth, Vikram Koundinya, Katherine Webb-Martinez, Kit Alviz

Journal of Extension

During the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations increased virtual programming and adoption of online technologies. This article outlines the [University redacted] assessment of tools for gathering data on participant learning outcomes from virtual educational programs. After assessing colleagues’ experiences and searching for new web applications, a central repository was created. [University redacted] team will use this information to assist extension professionals in collecting program planning and evaluation data. We believe that these tools can help other extension programs nationally and globally with similar efforts, as more virtual programming is likely to increase in the future.

Examining The Factor Structure Of A Subjective Well-Being Measure In A Medical Student Sample, Hoan Do, Mary Wurm-Schaar, Gordon Brooks

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

Accreditation standards for U.S. medical education programming require that training programs promote trainee wellness and well-being, although constructs such as psychological distress and depression commonly serve as proxies for well-being. A direct measure of subjective well-being would be invaluable to inform programming efforts to promote medical trainees’ well-being and advance the study of the well-being construct itself. This study investigated the structural validity of subjective well-being as measured by the Well-Being Scale in a sample of 548 osteopathic medical students. Results of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that subjective well-being is best represented by a bifactor model with a general …

My Story Is In The Structure: An Autoethnographic Study By An Instructional Designer Working In A Centralized Academic Reporting Line, Pamela Williams

Dissertations

Although not officially named in the shared governance of an institution, instructional designers play an important role as they collaborate with administrators and faculty to create high quality, regulatory-compliant courses for enrolled students. Instructional designers working in centralized, academic reporting units may be well-positioned to advance the work of institutions to maintain good standing with the industry and regulatory bodies. To illustrate the challenges, opportunities, and strategies employed by an instructional designer working in such a position, an autoethnographic study was conducted to elucidate how shared governance influences, empowers, and disempowers an instructional designer’s ability to lead and collaborate on …

Construct Validation Of A Learning Resources Rubric [Lrr]: A Modified Delphi Study, Lei Wang, Andrew Feldstein, Tiffany Koszalka

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

This study delivers a comprehensive exploration of the construct validation of the LRR, employing a Modified Delphi study coupled with Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to analyze data. Through rigorous analysis involving 576 expert instructional designers, the study achieves consensus on the LRR’s multifaceted indicators, evidenced by high I-CVI values, confirming their relevance, appropriateness, and robustness. The combination of quantitative and qualitative data, including surveys, focus groups, and online document analysis, establishes the rubric’s validity and points to areas for refinement. Grounded in alignment with three well-established deeper learning theories (Generative Learning Theory, Cognitive Flexibility Theory, and Reflection …