Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Accelerated Growth: A Case Study Of Teacher Beliefs And Instructional Strategies That Promote Achievement For Students Of Color, Astein K. Osei

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study examined the beliefs and instructional strategies that promote accelerated achievement for students of color in a suburban Minneapolis district. The research aimed to identify the beliefs and instructional strategies that lead to traditionally marginalized populations of students in grades 2-5 demonstrating growth on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment. The study affirmed that teacher beliefs and instructional practices matter when attempting to create academic growth for traditionally marginalized groups of students. During the study several themes surfaced in relationship to the importance of educator beliefs and instructional practices.

All Things Merge Into One, And A River Runs Through It: Exploring The Dimensions Of Blended Learning By Developing A Case Study Template For Blended Activities, Damian Gordon, Paul Doyle, Anna Becevel, Tina Baloh

Articles

The BLITT (Blended Learning International Train the Trainer) Project is focused on developing a training programme to equip teachers to become proficient in championing the use of Blended Learning in the classroom. The training programme will be developed in two phases, in the first phase involves the development of a series of case studies relevant to Blended Learning, followed by a second phase where the BLITT training programme will be designed and developed, using input from these cases. In developing the blended learning case studies, two key documents were identified as being essential, first, a case study tracking template to …

A Sense Of Belonging: An Examination Of The Impact Of Leadership Behaviors On Teacher Morale In Rural Middle Schools, Taquilla Barksdale

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to shed light on the importance of addressing low teacher morale and provide methods for improving teacher morale through leadership behaviors. This study was designed to determine the leadership behaviors that will best heighten morale as perceived by middle school teachers. Thirty-nine teachers who teach middle-level grades (Grades 6-8) in rural areas completed a survey. The survey had 18 leadership behaviors. The teachers ranked the leadership behaviors within five leadership responsibilities based on the behavior’s importance to them. The five leadership responsibilities categories were based on the Wallace Foundation’s (2013) research. Instructional leaders, …

Exploring White Racial Identity Development Within Christian Colleges, Glen Kinoshita

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Racial identity development is a growth process in which many college students engage as they regularly interact with peers and instructors from diverse backgrounds. As compositional diversity, as well as diversity of thought, lags at Christian colleges, the purpose of this qualitative, narrative study was to understand how White students who have undergone significant progress in their racial identity development, describe their process while attending predominantly White, evangelical, Christian colleges. Three participants from three Christian colleges/universities were interviewed, a total of nine, White student participants. One college was located in the Pacific Northwest and two colleges were located in Southern …

Growth: 21 (2022) Full Issue

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

The full issue of the twenty-first edition of Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development.

Advising And Supporting College Students Experiencing Imposter Syndrome: A Christian Perspective, Jeannine Kranzow

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

For Christian student affairs educators, it is essential that the methods of advising and supporting students be in line with biblical directives for a whole and holy life. This paper will examine approaches for advising and supporting students experiencing imposter syndrome. Current research on impostor syndrome is presented as well as a discussion of ways that Christian insight can provide additional guidance and awareness for supporting struggling students. By connecting both biblical wisdom and the current scholarship, a Christian perspective of impostor syndrome, anchored in a discussion on spiritual warfare, is offered. Using this perspective, recommendations for practice are identified.

Living Life Together: A Qualatative Study Of Taylor University's Lifestyle Covenant, Jana Roste

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Taylor University, a small, Christian, liberal arts institution in the Midwest, utilizes a lifestyle covenant which outlines expectations for campus life to promote character development and fulfill the university’s mission. In pursuit of exploring community members’ perceptions of the Life Together Covenant (LTC), the larger qualitative study, consisting of individual interviews with ten senior students, ten staff members, and ten faculty members, found that participants generally perceived the LTC as a guide or set of expectations to live cohesively at Taylor. This article focuses on the student findings and analyses. Students generally perceive and experience the LTC in a legalistic …

Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health, Christina Brandsma

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Christina Brandsma reviews Nature Rx: Improving College-Student Mental Health by Donald A. Rakow and Gregory T. Eells, published by Cornell University Press, 2019.

Finding Jesus In The Storm: The Spiritual Lives Of Christians With Mental Health Challenges, Jeffrey Tabone

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Jeffrey Tabone reviews Finding Jesus in the Storm: The Spiritual Lives of Christians with Mental Health Challenges by John Swinton, published by Eerdmans, 2020.

Algorithms Of Opporession: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, Jazmin Dantzler

Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development

Jazmin "JD" Dantzler reviews Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Stafiya Umoja Noble, published by NYU Press, 2018.

The Effect Of Instructional Coaching On Third-Grade Reading Achievement, Jane Ann Schmidt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching has been implemented in schools to improve student achievement; however, literature shows a lack of evidence of the efficacy of improving student reading achievement. The problem addressed in this study was that school districts have implemented instructional coaching to improve student reading achievement, but the effectiveness was unknown. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of instructional coaching on third-grade reading achievement. Guided by Walberg’s theory of achievement, the overall research question investigated the effect of instructional coaching on third-grade reading achievement. In this quantitative, comparative study, ratio-scale data from students who received instructional …

Profile Of Students Attending Cohort 2 Tpsid Programs: Enrollment And Completion By Gender, Race, And Ethnicity, Belkis Choiseul-Praslin, Clare Papay, Meg Grigal

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disability (ID) steadily increased between 2015 and 2020, in part due to a federal model demonstration program called the Transition and Postsecondary Program for Students with Intellectual Disability (TPSID). This program, implemented by the Office of Postsecondary Education, commenced in 2010 and was funded again in 2015, when 25 grants were awarded to institutions of higher education to create, expand, or enhance high-quality, inclusive higher education experiences leading to positive outcomes for individuals with ID. This report highlights student-level characteristic data from Cohort 2 TPSID programs between 2015 and 2020.

Exploring The Level Of Engagement Of Capstone Students In An Active Learning Center, Carol Ann Sharicz

Instructional Design Faculty Publications

This study provides a qualitative exploration of the level of engagement of Capstone students attending course meetings in an Active Learning Center (ALC) during their own respective semester at a public research university in the Boston area. A design-based research methodology was employed to study innovative learning environments encompassing learning in context. Study results uncovered three themes regarding the impact of the learning space on students’ perceptions of learning and levels of engagement; revealed that one particular tool, the use of small white boards, encouraged deep thinking and reflection; and indicated that the ALC provided a highly collaborative experience.

Questionable Research Practices Among Researchers In The Most Research-Productive Management Programs, Sven Kepes, Sheila K. Keener, Michael A. Mcdaniel, Nathan S. Hartman

Management Faculty Publications

Questionable research practices (QRPs) among researchers have been a source of concern in many fields of study. QRPs are often used to enhance the probability of achieving statistical significance which affects the likelihood of a paper being published. Using a sample of researchers from ten top research-productive management programs, we compared hypotheses tested in dissertations to those tested in journal articles derived from those dissertations to draw inferences concerning the extent of engagement in QRPs. Results indicated that QRPs related to changes in sample size and covariates were associated with unsupported dissertation hypotheses becoming supported in journal articles. Researchers also …

Reliability And Validity Of A Survey To Analyze Job-Related Stress And Self-Effifacy In Early Childhood Education Workorce Professional Identity Development, Amanda Tinelle Batts

Wayne State University Theses

The field of early childhood education is one of high stress and low compensation. Yet, little is known about how the increased demands for accountability and professionalization within the field impact the workforce. This study examines whether educators in high- and low-quality early learning settings experience differences in professional identity development, work-related stress, and professional dissonance between feelings of authority and vulnerability. Previous research on these issues has been limited to small qualitative studies that have shown that educators may experience more stress and professional dissonance in conjunction with increases in their professional experience and demands on their time to …

"I Am Not Alone": Supporting Teachers Of Color Through Affinity Groups, Marissa J. White

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

While research has indicated that teachers of color need to be better supported by building and district administrators to retain higher numbers, the literature lacks the best practices for targeted support specifically for teachers of color. This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice utilizes a qualitative participatory social justice design to examine the efficacy of affinity groups as a viable practice to support and retain teachers of color. Through a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, this study also explores the reflections of teachers of color at a Pre-k – Grade 5 school in a large urban district in a Northeastern state. …

Fully Automated Life Support Training Effects On Inpatient, Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates, Adessa D. Goss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, more than 200,000 adult patients die annually from inpatient cardiac arrest with survival rates stagnated at 22%–25% nationally. Recently, the adoption of fully automated life support training modalities by health care organizations has become widespread with limited literature available showing the effects on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of fully automated life support training on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. Applying Bloom’s mastery learning theory, the impact of the Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) quarterly training and hospital unit compliance on inpatient cardiac arrest return of spontaneous circulation …

Common Data Set 2022, Systems Intelligence And Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Common Data Sets

Common Data Set (2022-2023) for the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Ec 2050 Principles Of Macroeconomics Core General Education Assessment, 2021-2022, Raj Soin College Of Business, Wright State University

Core General Education Assessments - All

This report assesses Wright State University's course EC 2050, Principles of Macroeconomics, as part of the institution’s ongoing general education Core assessment plan.

Element 5 Letter To Chairs From Ucoc Core General Education Assessment, 2021-2022, Undergraduate Core Oversight Committee, Wright State University

Core General Education Assessments - All

The Letter to Chairs from UCOC for Element 5 - Social Science as part of the institution’s ongoing general education Core assessment plan.

Ec 2900 Global Economic, Business, And Social Issues Core General Education Assessment, 2021-2022, Raj Soin College Of Business, Wright State University

Core General Education Assessments - All

This report assesses Wright State University's course EC 2900, Global Economic, Business, and Social Issues, as part of the institution’s ongoing general education Core assessment plan.

Relationship Between Student Hope And Academic Achievement, Deanna S. Fosness

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Educational research is ubiquitous; however, agreement on best practices is not. Although parents, teachers, students, and communities have a vested interest in students' success, varying practices of what is taught, how it is taught, and to whom it is taught are still debated.

This study expands upon work done by Dr. Scott Wurdinger and Dr. Ron Newell in which their research shows that student hope and NWEA math and reading scores appear to be correlated. To expand upon those results, demographic information was used to see if a difference exists amongst dichotomized groups. The results indicate that the difference in …

A Phenomenological Study Of Educational Experiences Among Dark-Skinned African American Girls During Adolescence, Tamika Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The problem I address in this study is the persistence of inequity and low-self-concept among Black students. This study examines the ways in which dark-skinned African American girls' educational experiences support or impair their identity development. It adds to the body of knowledge by exploring personal journeys toward self-awareness amid family, school, and societal realities. While research exists regarding the achievement gap between Black students and other groups and the efforts to close that gap, research that specifically addresses the needs of Black girls is lacking. This study is significant because it brings attention to an underrepresented group, Black girls. …

Investigating Covariate Selection Criteria: To Draw Causal Inferences From Observational Data In The Presence Of Unmeasured Covariates Using Regression And Propensity Score Methods, Uday Nair

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The aim of causal effect estimation is to find the true impact of a treatment or exposure. Observational data is employed in social sciences to estimate causal effect but is susceptible to self-selection and unobserved confounding biases. Covariates included in analysis should strive to address these biases. This research focuses on investigating covariate selection approaches––common cause criterion (CC), Disjunctive Cause Criterion (DCC), Modified Disjunctive Cause Criterion (MDCC), and modified cause criterion (MCC)––in linear regression (LR) and propensity score methods (PSM) causal effect estimation in the presence of unmeasured confounding. Realistic social science scenarios such as––inclusion of proxy variables with varying …

Diversity And Inclusion In Science Teaching Learning (Distl): Focusing On The Perspectives Of Undergraduate Students And Graduate Teaching Assistants In The Chemistry Classroom, Albert Aidoo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) come with a wide range of experiences and educational backgrounds. There is high attrition rate and low academic achievement among students in STEM areas, specifically in college chemistry courses that are prerequisites for many STEM majors. Hence it is important to look at diversity and inclusion specifically in first- and second-year college chemistry courses to address the challenge of student attrition in STEM. Diversity can be understood as the differences each student brings along the dimensions of prior knowledge, skills, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, socio-economic status, age, ability, religious or political …

The Journey To Improving Student Connectedness: Exploring Teacher Self-Efficacy, Use, And Perceptions Of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, Christopher F. Cipriano

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

This Dissertation in Practice investigated to what extent professional learning impacted teacher perceptions, instruction, and self-efficacy of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy (CSP) at a Catholic high school. The dissertation followed an Improvement Science framework to address a specific problem of practice: a lack of universal student connectedness at the high school level. As students begin ninth grade, the connectedness to school many experienced on the elementary level often wanes, with academic, social, and emotional impacts. To build connectedness, the researcher selected a specific change idea focused upon CSP. The intervention consisted of two professional development (PD) sessions and several opportunities for …

Transforming Educators' Social Emotional Learning (Sel): A Mixed-Methods Study Exploring The Impact Of A Trauma-Informed Sel Intervention To Mitigate Educator Implicit Bias, Kemen Holley

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

While research has indicated that social emotional learning (SEL) approaches promote essential, long-lasting individual and collective development for students, the literature indicates a lack of evidence that educators are implementing SEL approaches to affirm the assets, lived experiences, and identities of students, particularly those belonging to minoritized groups. This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice (ISDiP) employed a mixed-methods pragmatic, researchintervention process model that utilized a community-based action research approach to evaluate a trauma-informed SEL professional learning (PL) intervention as a viable practice to mitigate high school educators’ implicit biases. Through an anti-racist, anti-oppression framework, this study sought to determine the …

Addressing High School Student Stress: Exploring Student And Teacher Perceptions Of A Modified Dbt Steps-A Curriculum, Greg C. Hatzis

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

The problem of practice investigated is high school student stress and the many detrimental effects. The setting is a public high school in Southwestern Connecticut in a community that places a high value on academic achievement and college acceptance. A root cause analysis identifies two actionable drivers of change in teacher practices and the lack of student self-management skills. A review of scholarly knowledge and local practices leads to an investigation of strategies to mitigate the problem. This review identifies Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents (DBT STEPS-A) as a high leverage strategy to address …

Moving The Needle: Impacting Teachers' Practices That Support Students' Sel Development, Tammi Y. Dockett-Wilson

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Research has shown how students’ social-emotional development impacts their lives beyond school and the benefits social-emotional development has had on academic growth, as social-emotional development and academics, worked in unison (Locklear, 2020). Therefore, students should receive support in developing their social-emotional learning skills while they are receiving academic instruction (Yoder, 2014b). One suggested way to accomplish this goal is to provide teachers with the knowledge about social-emotional learning, followed by supporting them through their social-emotional learning implementations (Ferguson-Patrick, 2010). This Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice utilized a convergent mixed methods intervention design to interact with the six research partners, who …

Analyzing The Effects Of Mathematical Mindsets And Self-Regulation Of Middle School Students To Overcome The Challenges Of Math Anxiety, Bardhyl Gjoka

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

In the rapidly changing world, schools must prepare students for jobs and careers that may not exist today. Mathematics is one of the core subject areas that help students prepare to meet the demands of the 21st-century. When students are proficient in mathematics, they have the opportunity to build problem-solving skills. Learning mathematics helps students find solutions to a problem logically and develop analytical thinking skills. However, many students struggle with mathematical content and concepts during math lessons and learning activities. Teachers need to create practical age-appropriate lessons focusing on problem-solving skills to help students who fear math and experience …