Other Education Commons^™

Stress And The Resiliency Of Teachers, Michelle L. Abiyou

Dissertations

This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the factors that cause teachers’ stress--specifically burnout and the strategies teachers use to become resilient. The study took place in a Midwest, rural school. Previous research suggests that stress is a common predictor of burnout (Torelli & Gmelch, 1992). Researchers have shown that teaching about stress and strategies to cope with stress are effective (Wu et al., 2006). However, there is limited research on the strategies used to cope effectively with teachers’ stress and burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory Educators Survey was used to assess the stress levels of sixty-one rural …

Ulead: The Effects Of A Civics-Based Educational Program On Urban Youth, Rodney W. Smith, Aaron H. Willis, Mario Pascal Charles

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Urban Legal Education and Academic Development: The Effects of a Civics-Based Educational Program on Urban Youth

There is a critical need for urban youth to have working knowledge of the legal and civic nuances of their communities and political state that affects their daily lives. The pressing problems of the daily existence that these students face inhibit them from utilizing this understanding to exhibit appropriate behavior and engage in civil discourse. Urban Legal Education and Academic Development (ULEAD) provided these students with the knowledge of the functions of the legal and civic processes that facilitate behavior modification to allow …

White And African American Elementary Aged Student Perspectives Of School Climate And The Relationship To Academic Achievement, Jeremy Spoor, Rachel Turney

Dissertations

The achievement gap between White and African American students on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) is an educational phenomenon that has been around for generations and yet to be fully understood or eliminated. This study investigated the difference in school climate perceptions between African American and Caucasian (sic) students on a district climate survey and the possible connections to the achievement gap on the MAP tests. The 2015-2016 student perceived school climate survey data from a mid-sized Midwestern urban school district was disaggregated and analyzed to identify specific differences in perception of school climate among the study groups.

MAP test …

The Missouri Student Transfer Program, Howard E. Fields Iii

Dissertations

In 1993, the state of Missouri passed the Outstanding Schools Act. This law was created as a means to ensure that “all children will have quality educational opportunities, regardless of where in Missouri they live.” Section 167.131 of this law states that an unaccredited district must pay the tuition and transportation cost for students who attend an accredited school in the same or adjoining district. This portion of the law became known as the Student Transfer Program.

The Riverview Gardens School District (RGSD) was one of three unaccredited school districts in the state of Missouri in 2013. With close to …

The Impact Of Project-Based Learning On Collegiate Preparedness, Tanya T. Macmartin

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe collegiate PBL high school student graduates’ perceptions of their preparedness for their first year of college and the impact of how the BIE’s eight essential components of PBL (Larmer & Mergendoller, 2015b) contributed to their first year of college preparedness. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the alignment of the students’ perceptions of the impact of how the BIE’s eight project-based components (Larmer & Mergendoller, 2015b) contributed to their first year of college preparedness as defined by Conley’s (2012) college readiness indicators.

Methodology: …

Middle School Student And Teacher Perceptions About The Effectiveness Of The Technology Integration In The Classroom, David R. Irby

Dissertations

Technology in schools is not a new phenomenon, however, whether technology integration is successful or not is up for debate. Critics of technology in the classroom write about failed attempts to integrate technology into the classroom in a meaningful way. Research indicates that we still have teachers using technology in ways that may not be much different than traditional teaching practices.

The literature describes varying levels of technology usage in the classroom. Some researchers describe technology as overrated and not fulfilling the promise to improve the teaching and learning experience. Other research describes unique uses of technology that promote engaging …

A Social Constructionist Inquiry Study On The Lived Experiences Of Educators With Dyslexia Overcoming Workplace Barriers And Increasing Their Capacity For Success, Kathryn R. Taylor

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research is to journey the lives of educators with dyslexia growing up as K-12 students, working in the K-12 educational environment, and the means by which those educators overcome workplace barriers as analyzed by three guidelines under the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principle, multiple means of engagement. The qualitative study was designed from a constructive inquiry perspective. This method allowed the researcher to construct reality by interpreting a group of educators’ perceptions based on their experiences and social dynamics living with dyslexia. The primary data was collected from one-on-one interviews guided by scripted questions. …

Implications Of Diverse Peer Interactions On Body Image Satisfaction And Cosmetic Surgery Acceptance Among College Students, Shamekia Labrittney Woods

Dissertations

Whereas body image satisfaction and cosmetic surgery acceptance has been widely studied over the last 30 years, these topics as they pertain to college students have not been examined extensively—most notably, the implications that diverse peer interactions have on students’ body image satisfaction and their acceptance of cosmetic surgery as a means of improving body image. Diverse peer interactions refer to interactions among peers of different racial and/or cultural backgrounds. For many college students, college provides the first opportunity whereby students may interact and engage to a great extent with students from racial and cultural backgrounds different from their own. …

A Delphi Study Of The Understanding Of The Definition Of Student Success In California Community Colleges And Its Impact On Practice, Susan Topham

Dissertations

With the signing of Senate Bill 1456, the Student Success Act of 2012, California state legislation has mandated that California Community Colleges deliver services that will increase the probability of student persistence and completion. There is a need for the Instruction and Student Services sides of the house to come together in a collaborative manner to address and resolve this challenge and therefore bridge the gap between these two divisions.

Research has demonstrated that Instructional Services and Student Services in California Community Colleges work in silos when it comes to addressing the challenge of student success. The purpose of this …

Instructor-Student Classroom Interactions: An Experimental Study Of Language, Sex-Differences, And Student Perceptions Of Instructors, Carl Joseph Brown

Dissertations

Higher education instructors must establish meaningful relationships with students in order to be effective. Student ratings of instructor dynamism, approachability, and credibility impact overall evaluations of instructors. Instructor use of strategic language choices, such as slang use in the classroom, impact these student evaluations. Here, the outcome of language choices’ impact on student evaluations is explored. To do so, both instructor and student sex main effects and interactions are tested. Last, specific methods, findings, as well as meaning and application are covered. Overall, instructor use of slang impacts student evaluations.

Health Literacy As A Moderator In The Relationship Between Diabetes Knowledge And Diabetes Outcomes, Jameshyia Ballard Thompson

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if health literacy was a moderator in the relationship between diabetes knowledge and diabetes outcomes, and explore the relationship between diabetes knowledge and health literacy. The target population included adults living in Mississippi with a diagnosis of diabetes at any point in life. A pilot study was performed to determine if the Functional Communicative Critical Health Literacy scales (FCCHL) and the Spoken Knowledge in Low Literacy in Diabetes scale (SKILLD) were appropriate for use in a population of adults in Mississippi with a diagnosis of diabetes. Participants for the pilot study were …

Teacher Beliefs Regarding Positive Behavior Support Programs In Mississippi Middle Schools, Chad Joseph Davis

Dissertations

In today’s educational environment of continued and high-stakes accountability, school administrators are constantly looking for effective techniques to improve the academic performance and behavior of their students. In an effort to attain improvement by their pupils, many educational leaders are choosing to implement positive behavior support (PBS) programs in their schools. This study examined the differences between teachers’ beliefs about PBS programs and their impact on reported student attendance, standardized test scores, engagement, and behavior. It also examined the differences in reported changes in these variables between teachers at schools with PBS programs and teachers at schools without the behavior …

Profiles Of Academic Commitment, Anna Jill Womack

Dissertations

Tinto (1993) found that only 15-25% of students who dropped out of college did so due to academic failure, while the reasons for leaving among the remaining group of students who dropped out were unknown. This suggests that the majority of students who drop out of college are likely doing so for reasons other than academic struggles. Researchers have suggested that individuals who are committed to their major are more likely to obtain a bachelor’s degree (Bowling, Beehr, & Lepisto, 2006; Den Hartog & Belschak, 2007; Duffy, Dik, & Steger, 2011; Goulet & Singh, 2002; Landrum & Mulcock, 2007), indicating …

The Effectiveness Of Juvenile Boot Camps And Their Impact On Minority Youth, Gregory Tyrone Williams

Dissertations

The proposal examines the effectiveness of juvenile boot camps and their impact on minority youth by examining literature and by extensive research using mixed methods of two separate programs in Wisconsin. In-depth interviews were conducted, and surveys were administered to staff and boot camp participants. Based on the analysis of the data, generally, participants reported positive short-term changes in attitudes and behaviors; they also had better problem solving and coping skills.

The Challenge Academy responds to the demands of this proposal and fiscally demonstrates that it is a good Return on Investment (ROI) offering a more inclusive program of character …

Establishing Effective Home-School Partnerships By Building Capacity, Janiece M. Terry

Dissertations

Decades of research on parental involvement strongly suggests that students, of all ages and from all backgrounds, are most successful when they have supportive and actively engaged families. However, many educators leave preparation programs with little or no content relating to family and community relations, and therefore, lack the necessary knowledge, skills, and sometimes belief systems to successfully establish effective home-school partnerships that lead to increased educational outcomes for all children. This qualitative case study examined how the implementation of The Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships (a national model released by the U.S. Department of Education) assisted one elementary …

Exploring The Strategic Implementation Of Common Core State Standards In Small School Districts Of Northern California, Michael A. Gulbransen Dr.

Dissertations

This Delphi study involved examining the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in small school districts of Northern California. This dissertation presents an overview of CCSS implementation, a review of the literature, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance, and the anticipated methodology for the intended qualitative research design. The review of literature explores the historical context of education in the United States and increasingly focuses on the new national Common Core State Standards and their implementation in small school districts.

The Delphi study uses the participants’ opinions to identify CCSS implementation strategies and related …

Not Created Equal: The Effectiveness Of Two Types Of Educational Computer Games, Timothy Brent Dedeaux

Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to compare two types of educational video games based on Malone’s (1984) theory of challenge, curiosity, and fantasy. The participants were 136 students from a community college in the southeastern United States. The study used a quantitative approach with participants randomly divided into two groups, one playing each of the two games. Participants were given a brief introduction to a list of French phrases and words, took a pre-test, played the selected game, and then took a post-test to assess content knowledge gain. Brockmyer et al.’s (2009) Game Engagement Questionnaire was used to assess …

An Assessment Comparing Community College Students’ Computer Self-Efficacy And Task Based Computer Knowledge, Amy Nicholson Stewart

Dissertations

This quantitative research study explored the relationship between students perceived computer self-efficacy and actual knowledge of computer related skills in computer hardware/technology, windows, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and whether gender, race, and education level affected the research findings.

The participants in this study were students enrolled in an introductory computer concepts course at a community college located in the southeastern region of the United States. The computer course was a required for all students to receive an Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degree. Data was collected in traditional face-to-face class sections and consisted of a pre- and …

Generational Learning Style Preferences Based On Computer-Based Healthcare Training, Michaelle H. Knight

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to determine the degree of perceived differences for auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles of Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennial generational healthcare workers participating in technology-assisted healthcare training.

Methodology. This mixed-method research design used quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the research questions regarding generational learning style preferences. The study focused on quantitative data collection, through an online survey instrument that included two open-ended qualitative questions. The quantitative component (survey) was administered via a 24-question online survey. The results obtained from the qualitative component (interview questions) identified analyzable patterns and …

School Readiness Of First Grade Charter School Students: An Evaluation Of An Early Childhood Program, Dr Shandowlyon L. Hendricks-Williams

Dissertations

This program evaluation studied the effectiveness of an early childhood program as it relates to school readiness. The early childhood program of a charter school located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin had been operating for over thirty without an evaluation of its effectiveness. To examine the effectiveness of the early childhood program, seventy-two students were evaluated using a teacher-developed First Grade Readiness Checklist; the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Test and Success for All (SFA) Assessment. School readiness, as a multifaceted construct, included five domains: academic, behavioral, emotional, social and self-help-skills.

The results of the survey indicate that the early childhood program …

Identities And Motives Of Naturalist Development Program Attendees And Their Relation To Professional Careers, Jennifer A. Mraz

Dissertations

In recent years, there has been much concern over the decline of biologists who actually identify themselves to be naturalists, which negatively impacts the field of conservation and the study of biology as a whole. This could result in a decrease in individuals who participate in naturalist-like activities, such as informal environmental education and environmental volunteerism. The purpose of my study was to determine what discourse identities were held by naturalist development program participants, how these discourse identities related to their volunteer motives in environmental settings, and how discourse identity related to professional careers. I defined identity through the lens …

A Mixed-Methods (Quantitative-Qualitative) Study To Identify The Perceived Level Of, Zeky Zardo

Dissertations

Different approaches to developing leaders have been established through various forms of self-assessment, action learning, and education and training activities (Smither et al., 2005). The existing body of research on the impact and success of college and university leadership development programs focuses heavily on undergraduate leadership programs and not graduate-level programs such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the doctorate. The purpose of this mixed-methods (quantitative–qualitative) study was to identify the perceived level of transformational leadership skill development by students enrolled in a doctoral program in organizational leadership. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to …

Determining The Academic Achievement Of English Language Learners (Ells) By Using Additional Measures Of Growth, Adriana Maria Marin

Dissertations

Accountability measures employed in the country to determine the academic achievement of all the student population rely solely on the results obtained on the standardized tests. Such measures have often placed English language learners’ (ELLs) at risk of academic failure despite the fact that research on second language acquisition (SLA) has stated the complexity involved in the learning/acquisition process of a target language. Scholars have also discussed the influence accountability measures and the issues with the validity of the tests implemented to assess ELLs may have on such results. Therefore, in an effort to obtain a more comprehensive idea of …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Emotional Literacy Instruction On At-Risk Students, Shannon H. Garcia

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction for at-risk adolescents ages 13 to 18 at the high school level. Of particular interest is the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction on at-risk youth Grades 9-12 in secondary high schools’ 8-week-long social-emotional literacy class through Project AWARE, particularly in the areas of suspension, expulsion, attendance, connectivity, attitude toward school, resiliency, and relational aggression rates; the data were analyzed using archival data and teacher interview. Project AWARE, the social-emotional literacy intervention examined in this study, educates and provides mentorship for at-risk students, while also providing a group educational component on relationships …

Relationships Of Parental Homeschooling Approaches Including Technology Integration, Letitia Annette Walters

Dissertations

This study examined the factors influencing parental selection of homeschooling approaches for their children and the utilization of technology integrated. Factors explored were parental motivators for selecting homeschooling approaches, parental reasons for choosing to homeschooling, technology device usage, and instructional technology integration. The population consisted of parents with at least one year or more of experience in teaching homeschooling and the primary educator being involved in answering the survey. Participants in this study responded to items from a researcher-adapted questionnaire using. The majority of the participants were from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Kentucky. A Bachelor's degree was reported as the highest …

Exploring Factors That Influence Ged Students To Complete And Matriculate To Career And Technical Education Certificate Programs In Community Colleges, Irma J. Rayborn

Dissertations

In the current labor market, individuals without a high school diploma or equivalent credentials are more likely to be un-employed, unemployable, or in a low-wage earning position, working two or more part-time jobs to make ends meet. Their outlook on life, and their future, is often bleak. Yet, by obtaining their GED credential, and enrolling in short-term career and technical certificate programs offered at many local community colleges, they are able to gain the skills, experience and confidence needed to open doors to new employment opportunities and a brighter future.

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors …

Talking To Learn: A Formative Experiment On Constructing Meaning Though Collaborative Classroom Interactions, Mary L. Hoch

Dissertations

As a result of reform efforts, national standards and assessments set the stage for teaching and learning in many classrooms. This establishes a particular classroom environment and often leads to behaviorist instructional methods, such as recitation. Utilizing a formative experiment design, this research integrated constructivist modes of learning and explored how these modes could be adjusted to help six struggling readers construct meaning. This study took place in a third grade classroom during the teacher’s daily scheduled comprehension instruction time. The classroom environment, as perceived by the teacher, as well as the effects of national standards and assessments on comprehension …

Technology Integration For Common Core State Standards Implementation: Developing Differentiated Professional Development Based On The Concerns-Based Adoption Model, Tami Boatright

Dissertations

Teachers must learn how to integrate technology for CCSS implementation in an educational environment tasked with preparing 21st century students to not only survive, but thrive in a knowledge-based global society. The changes required for 21st century learning to prepare 21st century students is transformational in nature and represents a paradigm shift for many teachers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the differences in teachers’ Stages of Concern with integrating technology for implementation of CCSS according to age, gender, and years of teaching. In addition it was the purpose of this study to use information obtained from …

The Influence Of Observational Learning On Self-Reported Physical Activity, Self-Efficacy For Physical Activity, And Health-Related Fitness Knowledge For Physical Activity, Charles Gregory Bullock

Dissertations

The obesity epidemic has caused tremendous burden to our economy and healthcare system. Physical activity is one method that can reduce the obesity rate. However, physical activity declines in high school and does not recover. The likelihood of adolescents continuing their involvement in physical activity depends on how they navigate the highs and lows of their physical activity experiences (Feltz & Magyar, 2006). The purpose of this study is to look at the role of observational learning in physical activity and behaviors in an adolescent population. Specifically, this research examines the influence of observational learning on self-reported physical activity, self-efficacy …

Late Completers : How And Why Non-Traditional Graduate Students Who Exceed Program Timelines Of 10 Years Ultimately Complete The Doctoral Process, Lisa Ann Margerum

Dissertations

Problem. Doctoral completion rates within the U.S. have historically been shown to be within the 50-60% range; in 2008, the completion rate was 56%. Although most who complete their doctorates do so within 10 years or less, there is a small percentage of students who continue their studies beyond the 10-year mark and ultimately graduate. As more non-traditional students enter the PhD pursuit, particularly older students with full-time jobs, family, and other commitments and who enroll in non-traditional programs, it is important to understand what enables some to continue beyond the 10-year mark and still graduate, what influences the elongation …