Educational Psychology Commons^™

Unpacking Chemistry Teachers’ Pedagogical Reasoning And Decisions For A Phet Simulation: A Tpack Perspective, Xiaoyang Gong, Bing Wei, Bradley W. Bergey, Ebony Terrell Shockley

Publications and Research

Computer simulations hold great potential for enhancing chemistry instruction. However, effectively integrating simulations in instruction depends in part on teachers’ pedagogical reasoning about simulation affordances and instructional decisions within specific classroom contexts. The objective of this study was to investigate how two chemistry teachers evaluated an interactive simulation and determined pedagogical strategies for integrating the simulation into classroom instruction. Based on the TPACK framework, authors adopted a comparative case study approach to interpret qualitative data from three sources: screen-capture videos, interviews, and instructional plans. Results showed that pedagogical reasoning and decisions of the two participants reflected different TPACK components. One …

Defining Business As Usual In Preschool Interventions For Challenging Behavior, Eleanor Bold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Challenging behavior (CB) is a major barrier to service delivery in preschool classrooms. Persistent CB has been found to significantly impact children’s academic and social success long-term, especially amongst children from historically minoritized populations and those with disabilities. Numerous evidence-based intervention strategies exist to prevent and reduce CB, yet preschool teachers continue to voice a desire to increase their capacity to do so in the classroom due to high rates of CB continuing to be observed. This dissertation seeks to address this research to practice gap by ascertaining the current baseline intervention practices utilized to manage CB in preschool classrooms …

Nebraska Child Care Market Rate Survey Report 2023, Alexandra Daro, Greg W. Welch, Venessa Bryant

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was reauthorized with renewed emphasis on the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program, which seeks to provide equal access to quality child care for families. The CCDF program is necessary to ensure children from families with lower income have the opportunity to experience stable, high-quality early experiences while their parents experience a pathway to economic stability. A primary goal of the CCDF program is to ensure that families with lower income receive CCDF funds to help them access quality child care in the same manner as families that …

Profiles Of Well-Being Among Early Childhood Educators, Amy M. Roberts, Alexandra Daro, Kathleen C. Gallagher

Buffet Early Childhood Institute Reports and Publications

Research Findings: This study used a person-centered data analytic approach to identify distinct subgroups of early childhood educators (n= 133) based on their responses to multiple indicators of well-being (psychological, financial, and health indicators). Various fit indices established a two-class solution. Specifically, one group was characterized by more positive well-being and the other by less positive well-being. Subgroup differences were the greatest for indicators of psychological well-being, including self-care and self-compassion. In addition, educators with less than a bachelor’s degree, working as assistant teachers, receiving less pay, with more adverse childhood experiences, were overrepresented in the less positive …

Integrated Stem Learning Activity: Effect On Student Engagement And Learning, Leslie Deitrich Sauder

Dissertations and Theses

Student engagement in math and science courses decreases starting in middle school and continues throughout high school (Museus et al., 2011). This lack of engagement results in students taking only the required math and science coursework and not advanced coursework that would help prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning activities may be used to promote student engagement and learning. This experimental design study was conducted with students in grades 3-5 in one rural mid-sized school district in the upper mid-west. Student engagement was analyzed using a …

Attachment Network Structures And Adult Mental Health, Junnan Tian

Dissertations and Theses

Close relationships are essential to the mental health and adaptation of adults. The study of close relationships and mental health has concentrated on dyadic interactions in different types of relationships, such as parents, best friends, and romantic partners. Much less attention has focused on how a network of close relationships informs mental health. This study concentrated on a network of five close relationships in relation to adult mental health outcomes. Four network metrics, which are composition (who), strength (number of attachment figures), morphology (hierarchical or nonhierarchical), and physical proximity were examined as predictors of adult mental health outcomes (i.e., depression, …

Teacher Self-Efficacy Beliefs Related To The Implementation Of A School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions And Support Program, Angela Burnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research supports that teacher self-efficacy beliefs influence instructional behaviors and the implementation of educational programs. Bandura, based on his social cognitive theory, described teacher self-efficacy beliefs as strong self-regulating factors that influence individual instructional practices. However, there is a lack of empirical information about the influence of these factors on implementation of school-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) programs to address student behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between teacher self-efficacy beliefs and perceptions about the implementation of a SWPBIS program, and student outcomes. The research questions concerned whether teacher self-efficacy beliefs were …

Viewpoints Of Classroom Teachers On Educational Issues Of Students With Interrupted Formal Education, Farah Merzier-Baudin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMost research on students with interrupted formal education (SIFE) and English language learners (ELLs) documents their struggle with higher attrition rates and behavioral issues in high school. This qualitative study was conducted to examine high school teachers’ perspectives working with SIFE/ELLs in the classroom. Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory (SCT) indicated that students benefit from classrooms with high social interaction among all classroom participants and appropriate scaffolding of learning materials. Although SCT and most research focused on the students’ perspectives, this research focused on teachers’ perspectives. Data were collected from semistructured, open-ended interviews with 20 participants who teach or work with SIFE/ELLs. …

Effect Of Single-Gender Education On Girls' Success In Math, Joseph Moody

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prior research suggested that all students were not treated equally in the educational setting and that boys perform better than girls on standardized tests. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how class composition affected performance on the math section of the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) test and Preliminary SAT (PSAT) among girls who took single-gender classes and girls who remained in coed math classes. Gender essentialism and gender constructivism are important to the study of single-gender education because the foundation of single-gender education is in understanding brain development to design a classroom that allows for differences to …

Investigating Emerging Bilingual Learner Related Field Experiences In School Psychology Graduate Training, Austin Rogers

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is limited research regarding school psychology field and practicum experiences that are devoted to developing skills related to emergent bilingual learners (EBL). This study attempted to better understand what types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences are most influential in preparing school psychologists to feel confident in their ability to provide school psychological services to EBL students. One hundred thirty-five practicing school psychologists were surveyed using a questionnaire focused on the types of EBL-related field and practicum experiences commonly found in exemplary multiculturally-focused school psychology graduate programs and practitioners’ perceptions of their ability to provide a number of services …

Using Drawing As A Tool For Investigating Undergraduate Conceptions Of Earth Scientists, Peggy Mcneal, Deepika Menon, Deef Allah Al Shorman, Paulina Gajewska-Schaefer

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate undergraduate students’ conceptions of Earth scientists, using drawing as a tool, during introductory Earth science courses. We explored two research questions: 1) What student conceptions are evident in undergraduate students’ drawings of Earth scientists? and 2) How do undergraduate students’ conceptions of Earth scientists—as evidenced in their drawings—change as a result of completing an introductory Earth science course? We collected pre- and post-drawings of Earth scientists from 94 students in six introductory Earth science courses at two universities and coded the 188 drawings across 39 indicators. We used Chi Square Goodness of …

Substance Use And Trauma Among Adult Education Students In The United States, Brittany Miller-Roenigk, Michael Awad, Maria C. Crouch, Derrick M. Gordon

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Adult basic education (ABE) programs in the United States serve millions of students annually to help them achieve high school equivalency, English proficiency, and other skills. These skills are necessary for upward mobility and competitiveness in the labor market, which is important for ABE students who are disproportionately affected by racial/ethnic disparities and poverty. Among learners who are not in ABE programs, substance use and trauma affect student outcomes. Similar research is limited among ABE students. Understanding the influence of these factors among ABE students can better inform interventions. The current study, grounded in Stress and Coping Theory, examined rates, …

Evaluating A Rapid Coaching Intervention That Includes Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Teaching A Parent Naturalistic Strategies, Lauren Reiss

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Parents of young children with or at risk for disabilities face added stress and challenges every day. This study implemented a rapid coaching intervention to teach a parent naturalistic language interventions such as mapping language onto their child's play, narrating their own play, and arranging the environment. In addition, parents were trained to use a milieu teaching procedure. In addition, a pre-service behavior interventionist and speech-language pathologist collaborated on selecting instructional targets for the child.

Reliability And Validity Evidence For An Arabic- Version Of Mathematics Self-Efficacy And Anxiety Questionnaire (Mseaq) Among University Students In Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Abdullah Almohaimeed

Wayne State University Dissertations

In Saudi Arabia, mathematics is an essential subject for all freshmen except students majoring in medical sciences. The struggle of students in mathematics is one of the most common issues in the last ten years (Khoshaim, 2015). According to Higbee and Thomas (1999), mathematics self-efficacy, along with other effective characteristics such as test anxiety and perceived usefulness of mathematics, influenced students' mathematical achievements. Mathematics self-efficacy refers to individuals’ confidence or perceptions regarding their mathematics ability. Given the possible predictive power of Mathematics self-efficacy on students' mathematic performance, a reliable and valid mathematic self-efficacy measure appropriate for Arabic-speaking Saudi students is …

How Do Higher Education Administrators And Leaders Perceive Academic Persistence And Achievement Of Afro Caribbean Immigrant Students?, Rory T. Richards

Publications and Research

This research looked at Higher Education Leaders’ Perceptions of Persistence and Achievement of Afro Caribbean Immigrant Students. The research was qualitative and took a phenomenological, narrative approach. Sixteen administrators, across three campuses, one private for-profit and two public nonprofits were interviewed. The participants consisted of one President, one Senior Vice President, three Vice Presidents, one Assistant Vice President, three Deans, two Assistant Deans, two Directors, one Department Chair, and one Special Assistant to the President. The participants were also multiethnic, comprising eight Black leaders, five white leaders, two Latino leaders, and one Asian leader. The research found that leaders at …

The Reading Challenges, Strategies, And Habits Of University Students With A History Of Reading Difficulties And Their Relations To Academic Achievement, Abigail Howard-Gosse, Bradley W. Bergey, S. Hélène Deacon

Publications and Research

Given the increase in students with learning disabilities entering university, we investigated a broader group—students with a history of reading difficulties (HRD)—who are known to be at risk of academic struggles. We identified the self-reported reading challenges and strategies of university students with HRD (n = 49) and those with no history of reading difficulties (NRD; n = 88) and examined group differences and relations with first-year grade point average (GPA). Students with HRD reported more difficulties with perceived reading comprehension, concentration, and reading speed than students with NRD. Groups differed in use of reading strategies: Students with HRD …

Equitable Funding For Trauma Informed Social Policy: A Critical Analysis Of The 2019-2020 Pennsylvania Department Of Education School Safety And Security Grant Program, Heather Bickley

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study is a critical analysis of the funding distribution of the 2019-2020 Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) School Safety and Security Grant (SSSG) to identify if there is evidence of inequity in the grant's funding distribution. It used a theoretical framework that includes a transformative paradigm with trauma informed social policy as a theoretical lens, with the conceptual lenses education debt and distributive justice, applied to a concurrent mixed methods design. The research followed a QuantCrit methodology, and the features of a critical policy analysis were used to present the findings.

The quantitative tests found several significant …

An Examination Of Strategies For Reintegration Of K-12 Students Into Public School Post-Hospitalization, Jacinda Gittens

Education Theses

The reintegration process has been a challenging topic in schools, and most schools do not have policies to accommodate students' needs. Therefore, educators should develop policies to achieve a better outcome for reintegration. The aim of this paper is to investigate how the process of reintegration affects school-aged youths with chronic illness and mental health challenges who are experiencing academic difficulties. The implications are significant, including the amount of schoolwork required to pass the year after reintegration, the need for school nurses to be in contact with hospitals that students attended, and the importance of administrative involvement in the reintegration …

Benefits And Challenges Of The Educational Metaverse: Evidence From Quantitative And Qualitative Data, Jiarong Liang, Gege Li, Feng Zhang, Dongmei Fan, Heng Luo

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The metaverse, as a more advanced form of virtual reality, has great potential for education because of its unique affordances for enhancing immersion, interaction, and presence. However, because its development is still in its infancy, there are few empirical studies on the application of metaverse in education, with insufficient empirical evidence from the literature regarding its effectiveness and valued design features, as well as its advantages and disadvantages as a technology-enhanced learning environment. Utilizing the case study method, this study designed and implemented a 40-minute psychology course with 31 undergraduate students in the metaverse using the Virbela platform and collected …

Does Encouraging Use Of Self-Testing In An Introductory Psychology Course Increase Effective Study Behaviors?, James Koppenhofer

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Students continue to use ineffective study strategies in classroom settings. Research suggests the efficacy of student study strategies may be enhanced by learning encouragement interventions. The present study implements a flashcard-oriented learning encouragement intervention in an applied setting and measures its effectiveness through a one-group pretest-posttest design which was used with three surveys. Undergraduates were recruited from two sections of an Introductory Psychology course (n=89) and all students received the learning encouragement intervention. Results indicated that the intervention increased flashcard use, and exam performance was correlated with flashcard use when measured immediately after the intervention. After the intervention …

Examining Teachers’ Experiences With Mindfulness Practices To Promote Positive Relationships And Student Engagement In The Classroom, Hiram Ortega

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years mindfulness practices in the classroom have become increasingly relevant to bring awareness to the present moment, the here-and-now. The literature indicates that mindfulness reduces stress/anxiety in the classroom, and promotes self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, self-compassion, and empathy that contributes to positive classroom behavior, communication, and effective instructional practices. The purpose of this qualitative research is to analyze teachers’ experiences with mindfulness practices in promoting positive relationships and student engagement in the classroom. A group of teachers from an at-risk school district in the southwestern region of the United States were interviewed. The teachers answered 10 open-ended questions about …

Multilevel Modeling Of Academic Self-Concept And Moderation Of The Big-Fish-Little-Pond Effect In Math And Science For Timss 2019 Participating Countries, Heather Marie Spangler

Theses and Dissertations

Self-concept is an important construct across a variety of disciplines as a facilitator of a full range of human potential. Big Fish Little Pond Effect (BFLPE) results have confirmed global generalizability for the negative effects of school- and country- averaged achievement on students’ academic self-concept based on social comparisons with implications that generally discredit ability grouping, streaming or tracking. However, few studies have identified variables that ameliorate the negative effects of BFLPE. Accordingly, this study applied hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) in HLM 8.2 software to examine the effects of student, school, and country-level moderators of both school- and country-level BFLPE …

The Construct Validity Of The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale Of Intelligence, Second Edition (Wasi-Ii) And The Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (Rias-2), Mckenzie K. Sopoci

Masters Theses

The Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II; Wechsler, 2011) and the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales, Second Edition (RIAS-2; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2015) are two intelligence tests created to assess general intelligence, using four subtests reflecting two verbal and two nonverbal (perceptual reasoning) tasks. Both tests overlap to assess individuals between the ages of 6 to 90, and while the WASI-II is specified by the publisher as a screening measure, the RIAS-2 is not. Tests like the WASI-II and RIAS-2 may provide more efficient assessment of general intelligence, which can reduce assessment time and allow professionals to engage in …

The Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Rural Virginia Secondary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy, Sherol L. Southerland

Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for PK-12 education and exposed educators’ skill deficits. Teachers had to learn new approaches to doing their jobs while navigating the mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial impact of the pandemic on their personal lives. This undertaking was even more demanding for rural school divisions, which tend to lack the resources (e.g., personnel, technology, financial) that suburban and urban school divisions have. Schools reopened in fall 2020 offering fully remote, fully in-person, and hybrid modalities, however, there was no going back to teaching as it was before the pandemic. The present study sought to …

How Teacher-Student Relationships Shape Student Engagement And Interest In Science, Destini N. Braxton

Theses and Dissertations

The current research on emotional engagement and teacher-student relationship is abundant and acknowledges education as an environment that thrives on social interactions and causes a variety of emotions to be present in the classroom. However, research on the relationship between Black and Latinx students’ teacher-student relationships and students’ emotional engagement and interest in science in urban middle school science classrooms remains scarce. Unfortunately, Black and Latinx students often experience a) mixed social interactions with their teachers, b) a lack of relatability to science instruction, and c) a combination of positive and negative emotions during science instruction and activities. This phenomenological, …

Effects Of Peer-Supported And Self-Guided Exercise On Self-Reported Anxiety And Depression Among Young Adults - A Pilot Study, Xihe Zhu, Michael D. Kostick, Justin A. Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression became heightened issues for college-aged young adults during the global pandemic. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a peer-supported exercise intervention on young adults (vs. self-guided exercise) who reported elevated levels of anxiety and/or depression. A parallel group design was used where young adults (n = 27) were randomly assigned to either a peer-supported or self-guided exercise group which lasted for eight weeks. The generalized anxiety and depression subscales of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms (CCAPS-34) were measured for a baseline and then at …

Progression And Protectiveness Of Social Bonds And Play In A Captive Group Of Western Lowland Gorillas, Madeline L. Vandevere

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The current study aims to bring to light the critical role that play has on healthy development, not only for nonhuman primates, but also for humans. In addition to building the literature concerning social and play development among gorillas and humans, this study also hopes to promote the observation and welfare of captive gorillas. The present study conducted longitudinal observational research of a troop of captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) to gain insights into primate play development and how it relates to social bonding and zoological enrichment. The study followed the early infancy and juvenile years …

The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic Experiences On College Drinking Via Mental Distress: Cross-Sectional Mediation Moderated By Race, Abby L. Braitman, Rachel Ayala Guzman, Megan Strowger, Jennifer L. Shipley, Douglas J. Glenn, Emily Junkin, Alina Whiteside, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to stress, anxiety, and depression among college students, with heightened distress tied to greater drinking for some individuals. Emerging research suggests that these associations may differ across race, but few studies use adequate samples to examine this, particularly among college students, an at-risk population for both heavy drinking and mental distress. Specifically, pandemic-related stressors and mental distress may be higher among Black students than White students. The current study examined: (1) whether mental distress cross-sectionally mediates the association between pandemic-specific stressors and drinking and (2) whether race (Black or White) moderates these associations. …

Categorical Allocations Of Title 1 Funding And Student Achievement, Heidi Streit

Dissertations and Theses

A continuing focus for American Education is to bridge, lessen, and eliminate the persistent achievement gap that has existed for over 50 years. Due to mandates of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), each state currently creates an individualized plan to narrow the gap. This study allowed for understanding of how the percentage of the total amount of received funds within different funding domains predict student achievement. This study specifically examined Comprehensive Support Improvement and Targeted Support Improvement allocated funds provided through federal Title 1 1003 funds mandated through ESSA within a state designated framework. Within this longitudinal, ex post …

Improving Critical Thinking In Written Assignments: Human Vs. Chatgpt Tutor In Socratic Questioning Intervention, Katia Martha

Scripps Senior Theses

The purpose of the proposed study is to trial a short Socratic Questioning (SQ) intervention in the writing process, facilitated by either a human or ChatGPT tutor, and explore the effects that this may have on students’ critical thinking (CT), which will be coded from their written responses. Participants will be undergraduate college first years in the local California area who are fluent in English and have no learning disabilities. This study involves two visits, spaced a week apart, to gather pre- and post- test data for evaluating the effectiveness of the SQ intervention in improving CT. Both visits will …