Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Investigating Students’ Basic Needs And Motivation In College Chemistry Courses With The Lens Of Self-Determination Theory, Yujuan Liu

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

More graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathmetics (STEM) fields are needed to keep our nation’s preeminance in the global fields of technology and science. However, fewer than 40% of students who intend to major in STEM fields when entering college complete a STEM degree. Therefore, it is important to explore factors to improve student persistence in STEM fields at the college level as well as to understand the interrelationship between student motivation, academic achievement, and persistence. Motivation is strongly associated with student achievement and persistence; meanwhile, academic achievement can also affect persistence. Self-determination theory (SDT) represents a framework of …

Impacts Of Mentoring Program On At-Risk Students, Melissa Marie Judd

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Many middle school students are considered at-risk due to attendance, lower levels of academic achievement, and behavior referrals. Mentoring programs have been in effect for decades and continue to yield positive results. The purpose of the study is to determine if fourth and fifth grade at-risk students are impacted by mentoring. The researcher seeks to determine if mentoring increases students’ attendance, increases math and reading test scores, and decreases the amount of behavior referrals. Participants were compared to their own data using a pre-tests and post-tests. Attendance comparisons were made between Spring 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters. Math and reading …

Social Emotional Development's Effect On Academic Achievement Of Children With Special Needs, Adrienne Dunn

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine how social emotional strategies could be embedded into the academic curriculum for students with special needs. In order to develop a greater understanding on how to most effectively embed the strategies, a variety of stakeholders were called upon to gather information about strategies the could be implemented. The effectiveness of the strategies would be illustrated by the students’ attitudes towards learning after the implementation of embedded strategies and skills. This study focused on gathering information from a faculty at an intermediate school and the implementation of strategies was done in a collaborative …

Small Learning Communities And High School Academic Success, Jeremy Eugene Warren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thousands of students drop out of high school every day in the United States and the repercussions affect more than just the individual. Research on smaller learning communities (SLC) reveals increased student achievement, as well as improved teacher perception of student engagement. Student attendance, grade point average, and standardized test scores have been seen to improve within the SLC. In addition, graduation rates for students enrolled in a SLC have revealed increases, but this research focuses on the SLC as an intervention for any student. The current research targets at-risk students in an educational climate of sparse resources, and an …

The Importance Of Highly Effective School Library Media Programs On School Learning Environments, Alexandra M. Juch

EDL Sixth Year Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the characteristics of a previously identified successful school library program (SLMP) in a Connecticut public school. The primary goals of this research are to answer these questions by conducting a single case study to examine the nature of this previously identified SLMP so that promising practices identified from this study can be applied to other SLMPs in Connecticut public schools. The data collection methods embodied both qualitative and quantitative instruments that included surveys, interviews and documents. Qualitative data analysis included preparation, familiarization, coding and general meaning that was entered into a table …

No Excuses Charter Schools: A Meta-Analysis Of The Experimental Evidence On Student Achievement, Albert Cheng, Collin Hitt, Brian Kisida, Jonathan N. Mills

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

While charter schools differ widely in philosophy and pedagogical views, the United States’s most famous urban charter schools typically use the No Excuses approach. Enrolling mainly poor and minority students, these schools feature high academic standards, strict disciplinary codes, extended instructional time, and targeted supports for low-performing students. The strenuous and regimented style is controversial amongst some scholars, but others contend that the No Excuses approach is needed to rapidly close the achievement gap. We conduct the first meta-analysis of the achievement impacts of No Excuses charter schools. Focusing on experimental studies, we find that No Excuses charter schools significantly …

An Evaluation Of A Central Virginia Alternative School : Do Students Benefit From Their Experience?, Anthony H. Francis

Graduate Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if students benefited from attending a Central Virginia alternative school, defined as a remedial alternative school which scaffolds students both socially and academically so they may return to their base school. Twelve students took part in the study that examined the academic indicators of grade point average, attendance, and number of disciplinary infractions as well as students’ perceptions of their experiences. The difference in trust levels was minimal, but students had accurate perceptions of how their grades, attendance, and discipline had changed while attending the alternative school. The study revealed three areas …

Game Design And Homemade Powerpoint Games: An Examination Of The Justifications And A Review Of The Research, Jason Paul Siko, Michael Barbour

Education Faculty Publications

Research on educational games often focuses on the benefits that playing games has on student achievement. however, there is a growing body of research examining the benefits of having students design games rather than play them. Problems with game design as an instructional tool include the additional instruction on the programming language itself as well as the potential costs associated with new software. One way to mitigate these problems is to use Microsoft PowerPoint as game design software. While not intended for this purpose, MS PowerPoint is ubiquitous in schools and requires little additional instruction before students can design games. …

Effects Of An Inverted Instructional Delivery Model On Achievement Of Ninth-Grade Physical Science Honors Students, Donna Howell

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods action research study was designed to assess the achievement of ninth-grade Physical Science Honors students by analysis of pre and posttest data. In addition, perceptual data from students, parents, and the researcher were collected to form a complete picture of the flipped lecture format versus the traditional lecture format.

The researcher utilized a 4MAT learning cycle in two Physical Science Honors classes. One of these classes was traditionally delivered with lecture-type activities taking place inside the classroom and homework-type activities taking place at home; the other inverted, or flipped, delivered with lecture-type activities taking place outside the classroom …

The Effects Of Technology Instruction On The Academic Achievement Of Fifth Grade Students, Karen Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A digital native is an individual born between 1981 and 2001, and children born after 2001 are called millennials. Educators are expected to meet the needs of today's technologically savvy students. Some researchers assert that an academic `moral panic' is taking place that lacks the empirical and theoretical knowledge to support the claims that education needs to change to meet the needs of digital natives and millennials. The problem is that considering that the majority of students today are digital natives are educators meeting the learning needs of their students. This research study focused on the use of instructional technology …

Transfer Student Study, Angie Bomier, Ramon Pinero, Kellian Clink

Library Services Publications

Minnesota State University, Mankato benefits enormously from the talents of the students who transfer here from other institutions. It is important to understand their stories, their needs, and the resources that the institution can provide to best facilitate their success here. To that end, this document will discuss the research about transfer student achievement generally, and then move to our own processes and statistical description of these students and their experiences here as is seen through the Noel Levitz and NSSE data on transfer students as it relates to advising. Advising is critical to student success in general and particularly …

Literacy And Numeracy Learning: Lessons From The Longitudinal Literacy And Numeracy Study For Indigenous Students, Nola Purdie, Kate Reid, Tracey Frigo, Alison Stone, Elizabeth Kleinhenz

ACER Research Monographs

In 2000, ACER commenced the Longitudinal Literacy and Numeracy Surveys for Indigenous Students (ILLANS), which set out to track the development of English literacy and numeracy skills in a group of Indigenous students from school entry through the early years of schooling and beyond, to establish a data-rich picture of educational opportunities for Indigenous students. Phase 1 of ILLANS collected data from Indigenous students at 13 schools across Australia that had been nominated by education systems as examples of good practice in education for Indigenous students. The first three years of the study were reported in the monograph Supporting …

It's A Matter Of Principal: Examining Relationships Between Leaders' Change Facilitator Style And Students' Academic Progress, Diane Lewis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

At no other time in the history of American education have school principals been faced with as many challenges as today. The era of accountability has increased the daily pressures of leading a school, while responsibility for student achievement is at an all time high.

Some studies have examined a leaders’ impact on teacher behaviors. Fewer studies have examined the possible impacts that principals have on student learning. In this study, leadership research was reviewed; not only in education, but in business, sports, and other fields. The traits and styles of leaders were explored in an attempt to define the …

The Relationship Between Participation In Extracurricular Activities And Utah's Proficiency Assessments Of Students In A Suburban School District, Everett N. Kelepolo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to discover whether a relationship exists between participation in extracurricular activities and meeting Utah proficiency assessment standards. This study took place in a suburban school district in the state of Utah.

Throughout the history of public education, economic hardships have wreaked havoc on school systems that depend on public sources of income. Schools today are managing these budget restraints by reducing or eliminating extracurricular programs.

The relationship between academic success and participating in extracurricular activities is found concretely in the research data. However, schools must make budget decisions which place activities and academics in …

Advising Task Force Report, Angie Bomier, Kellian Clink, Sarah Glaser, Sara Granberg-Rademacker, Sarah Koenen, Dan Kromer, Jane Mcconnell

Library Services Publications

There is compelling evidence that advising is considered very important by students, that academic advising is an important factor in retention, and that many students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, feel that their advising experience is less than ideal. Many faculty feel frustrated with their lack of time, their lack of training, and the lack of a centralized advising resource that quickly and reliably provides information about policies and procedures necessary for good advising. The following report describes the issues uncovered by Noel-Levitz and NSSE, a pilot study matching survey done in 2006, an in-depth conversation with graduation evaluators here, …

The Influence Of Student And School Variables On Student Performance On The New Jersey Assessment Of Skills And Knowledge In Grade 8, Maria A. Periera

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Addressing The Achievement Gap And Disproportionality Through The Use Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices, Angela Griner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Culturally responsive teaching practices in schools and classrooms have been shown to be an effective means of addressing the achievement gap, as well as the disproportionate representation of racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse students in programs serving students with special needs. While there has been a recent influx in research discussing these issues, teachers and school staff lack clear examples and tools for best practices that will aid them in addressing the achievement gap and disproportionality effectively within their schools. Conducted in three phases, this research provides a framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating a culturally responsive tool for …

School Size And Student Academic Achievement In Idaho High Schools, Barbara J. James

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a relationship existed between school size and student academic performance in Idaho high schools. This study used the mathematics portion of the Idaho Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) taken by all 10^th grade students in the spring of 2009 to compare academic achievement in students in small schools and students in large schools. Mean scores for proficient and advanced students were calculated and categorized into five school size classifications. For instance, 91% of all Boise High School (BHS) 10^th grade students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics on the ISATs. …

The Impact Of Inclusion On The Academic Achievement Of High School Special Education Students, Harold Smith Dawkins

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examined the impact of inclusion on the academic achievement outcome of high school special education students as measured by English 1, biology, and algebra 1 as a function of gender, ethnicity, and years of inclusion. The study also examined the generalizations with confidence that could be made about the use of inclusion methodology in high schools within an urban North Carolina school district as measured by end-of-course test scale scores. Data from three traditional high schools within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District were used in this study. High school special education students lagged behind several other subgroups on end-of-course …

The Influence Of The Implementation Of Small Learning Communities On Student Test Outcomes And School Attendance In An Urban School District, Walter I. Campbell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Beyond Happiness: Managing Engagement To Enhance Satisfaction And Grades, Hamish Coates

Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE)

Universities collect a considerable amount of data on students’ perceptions of the quality of teaching and institutional services, including on their satisfaction with the overall experience. While much data is collected from students, less is collected on what students are actually doing. Yet it is equally – or arguably more – important to understand students and their learning as it is to understand learners’ satisfaction with provision. The Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) provides data on both learners’ engagement in effective learning practices and on whether institutions have provided the support mechanisms to facilitate such engagement. It also collects …

Motivating Students: Identifying And Motivating Reluctant Learners To Reach Their Academic Potential, Kim Yeager

All Graduate Projects

Motivation plays an important role in determining how well a child will perform in school (Philips & Lindsay, 2006). Regardless of how intelligent or capable a student may be if the student is not motivated to do well then their academic performance will be less than it could have been with some motivation. Teachers need to understand why some students are motivated to try hard in school and why some students are not. This understanding will lead teachers to understand why their students are not reaching their academic potential. The purpose of this project was to design a guide that …

Developing Tests And Questionnaires For A National Assessment Of Educational Achievement, Prue Anderson, George Morgan

Assessment and Reporting

This book addresses the design of two types of data collection instruments: student achievement tests and background questionnaires. Part 1 covers the development of an assessment framework and a test blueprint, item writing, pretesting, and final test layout. Part 2 delineates comparable stages and activities in the construction of background questionnaires, which are used to gather information from students, teachers, head teachers, or parents on variables that might help explain differences in student performance on the achievement test. Part 3 describes how to design a manual for test administration to help ensure that all students take the test under standardised …

Developing The Whole Child: An Evaluation Of The Latino After‐School Initiative (Lasi), Virginia Diez

Gastón Institute Publications

This report presents findings from an evaluation of the Latino After-School Initiative (LASI), an umbrella organization that provides funding, educational guidelines, staff development, and networking opportunities to after-school programs in the Greater Boston area. LASI funds seven Latino-led after-school programs servicing children ages 7-14. The programs are located in Lynn, Cambridge, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and Chelsea. LASI was established in 2001 by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay as a five-year demonstration project to improve academic achievement—as measured by MCAS scores and high school retention rates—among Latino children.

Investigating The Links Between Teacher Professional Development And Student Learning Outcomes, Marion Meiers, Lawrence Ingvarson

Professional learning for teachers and school leaders

This report, in two volumes, describes an investigation of the links between teacher professional development and student learning outcomes. The study, funded by the Australian Government, provides a review of the research literature and of national and international initiatives linking professional development with student outcomes. It provides detailed case studies of the school-based trials of ten professional development programs in a number of different sites. It examines the repeated measures of student achievement from students in the classes of teachers in the school-based trials. Analysis and discussion of a common questionnaire completed by teachers in the school-based trials is provided. …

Impact Of School Libraries On Student Achievement: A Review Of The Research, Michele Lonsdale

School and system improvement

This literature review was undertaken on behalf of the Australian School Library Association (ASLA). It was conducted over a four-week period in November–December 2002. The main purpose of the review was to report on the nature and extent of the evidence that has linked school libraries to student achievement from 1990 - 2002, to identify the strengths and gaps in existing data as it might relate to an Australian setting, and to suggest some strategies for developing further research in Australia.

The Globe Program And The Essential Academic Learning Requirements: Joining Together To Help Washington Students Achieve Higher Academic Standards, Travis Brian Peterson

Graduate Student Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a guide that aligned the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs) with the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program for teachers in Washington State. To accomplish this purpose, a review ofrelated current literature was conducted. Additionally, related information/materials from selected sources were obtained and analyzed.

Strategies To Ease The Negative Effects Of Mobility On Academic Achievement., D.Kaye Reed Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mobility, the movement of students from school to school, affects students, classrooms, schools, and systems. Extensive research has been conducted on the relationship between mobility and student academics. Although the research has not determined mobility is the cause of lower academic scores, it is certainly a contributing factor. Most students with high mobility rates also have difficulty in math, reading, or language. Teachers of classrooms with these students tend to "flatten" the curriculum by reviewing more than usual. Long-range planning for these students can be difficult. Schools and systems may plan programs for students who have moved on by the …

A Model Continuous Learning Progress Program Designed For K-6 Students In Easton School District #28, Sara J. Mccoy

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a model continuous learning progress program, aligned with the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements designed specifically for elementary students, grades kindergarten through sixth grade in Easton School District 28, Easton, Washington. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature concerning serving students in nongraded continuous progress learning programs were reviewed, and assisted in the development of student profiles, student learning plans, learning continuums, and student assessment portfolios.

Developing A Standards Based Report Card Designed For K-5 Students In Riverview School Districts #407, Marlene Fuson

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a standards based report card for students in grades K-5 in Riverview School District #407, Carnation, Washington. To accomplish this purpose, current research and literature concerned with report card development and the change process were reviewed. Additionally, report cards from neighboring school districts and report cards from around the nation were reviewed and adapted to meet the needs of the students, teachers, and community in the Riverview School District.