Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating The School Performance Of Elementary And Middle School Children Of Incarcerated Parents., Melissa F. Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children of incarcerated parents are at significantly increased risk of negative long-term outcomes. With about 1% of the adult population incarcerated, the United States has millions of children at risk for these negative outcomes. Research on this population is increasing; however, it is still unclear whether children of incarcerated parents are at an increased risk for poor school performance as a specific result of parental incarceration above that associated with their social and economic status. Because parental incarceration may result in a variety of outcomes that can negatively impact school performance including school mobility, prolonged exposure to stress, and insufficient …

The Use Of Collaboration In Nongovernmental Organization Public Policy Advocacy, Randy Barrack

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the definitions, benefits, and challenges of collaborations as used by nongovernmental organizations in their pursuit of public policy advocacy, and more specifically the role of NGOs as advocates in the public policy process. A qualitative design using a case study approach was used to examine the collaborative strategies and techniques used by the 12 statewide education NGO members of the Virginia Education Coalition in pursuit of their advocacy goals in public policy. The direction of this study was guided by the following questions: (1) What is collaboration, and when, how, and why …

Perceptions Of School Civility: A Survey Of School Of Education Alumni, Keely Marie Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

Very little empirical data exists on the topic of civility in schools, although much theory and philosophy are proffered in the literature. Literature on moral education and character education also informs the study of civility. Many of the philosophical theories mention education as a way of increasing civility in society. Some schools have attempted to implement various civility interventions and research supports the use of similar interventions to teach social skills; however, none have systematically collected data for these interventions to evaluate their effectiveness for teaching civility. The present research systematically gathered data on perceptions of civility and incivility in …

An Exploratory Study Of The Life Experiences And Motivating Factors Of White Antiracist Organizers And Educators, Anne E. Bachrach

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to explore the life experiences and motivating factors of White people who organize and educate for racial justice. The research was a qualitative study with a sample of 13 White self-indentified antiracists who spent at least five hours per week on antiracism work. Through face-to-face interviews, participants were asked to reflect on life experiences relevant to the development of an antiracist identity and to identify sources of hope and motivation in doing this challenging work. The findings of the study increase our understanding of what it means to be a White antiracist, the complex process of …

The Production Of Political Discourse: Annual Radio Addresses Of Black College Presidents During The 1930s And 1940s, Vickie Leverne Suggs

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

The social and political role of Black college presidents in the 1930s and 1940s via annual radio addresses is a relevant example of how the medium of the day was used as an apparatus for individual and institutional agency. The nationalist agenda of the United States federal government indirectly led to the opportunity for Black college leadership to address the rhetoric of democracy, patriotism, and unified citizenship. The research focuses on the social positioning of the radio addresses as well as their role in the advancement of Black Americans. The primary question that informs the research is whether the 1930s …

The Easy Way Versus The Hard Way: Middle-Class Black Male Students' Perceptions Of Education As It Relates To Success And Career Aspirations, Rita D. Williams

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT THE EASY WAY VERSUS THE HARD WAY: MIDDLE- CLASS BLACK MALE STUDENTS‟ PERCEPTIONS OF EDUCATION AS IT RELATES TO SUCCESS AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS by Rita D. Williams “Education is the key to success” is a common mantra on which schools base their goals and daily operations as well as the reason why most teachers enjoy job security. The majority of school personnel project two beliefs: (a) College is the appropriate next step after graduating from high school, and (b) white-collar occupations, such as professional, management, and supervisory positions, are desired career choices. However, after interacting with and observing the …

More Power To You: Parental Experiences With The Public School Choice Option Provided By The No Child Left Behind Act Of 2001, Roslyn Williams Woodard Edd

Dissertations

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 was the federal government's commitment toward providing an equitable education for all students. Recognizing the impact parents had on the academic achievement of their children, provisions for increased parental involvement were emphasized, especially when children attended low achieving schools. One way parents could exercise their newfound power to improve their children's educational experience was to use the federal policy's public school choice option to enroll them into higher performing schools which met or exceeded NCLB standardized testing goals. This study examined the experiences parents and their middle school aged children had …

“Cosecha Voices”: Toward A Transcultural Pedagogy, Silvia Patricia Solis

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

In the fall of 2007, I began filming a course called Cosecha Voices, which centered on the migratory, farmworking experiences of South Texas students attending the University of Texas—Pan American. This thesis therefore, stems from my two-year collaborative experience with the Cosecha Voices project. I propose Cosecha Voices opened up an academic space for critical pedagogy and transculturation to intersect, creating a transcultural pedagogy. Transcultural pedagogy as praxis, centers on students' lived experiences, engaging educators and students in a transculturation of intersecting theories intertwined in oral performances, film ethnography, and testimonios as pedagogical practices and epistemologies. This process allows …

Understanding Acculturation Patterns Of Burmese Refugee Children In Utah Public Schools, Stacie Jai Fraire

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experience of 21 Burmese refugee adolescents as they acculturated into public schools in Salt Lake City, Utah. Unstructured, open-ended interviews were conducted to elicit information on the students' perception of the U.S. educational system, as well as their feelings about acculturation. The interviews were conducted with the aid of a Burmese/Karen translator and were transcribed and analyzed utilizing a grounded theory approach. The findings detail the acculturation process of the Burmese refugee students, the positive effect motivation has on the pace of acculturation, the impact of unfamiliar technology and language-based misunderstandings on the students' educational …

Administrators In Assisted Living: Who They Are And What They Do, Ailie M. Glover

Gerontology Theses

The assisted living industry is predicted to experience considerable growth due to the simultaneous aging of the baby boom generation and their subsequent need for long-term care. This study investigates individuals’ pathways to administration in assisted living and the ways in which assisted living administrators define and carry out their roles. The study contributes to the understanding of the knowledge, skills, and personal traits needed by those who assume these vital leadership roles in an industry poised to care for the bourgeoning population of older adults. The sample for this study is 44 administrators who work in a random sample …

Do Physical Self-Efficacy And Physical Self-Concept Mediate The Relationship Between Past Sports Participation, Past Gym Grades And Physical Activity Across The Life-Span?, Christopher Frederick Ketcham

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Retrospective studies have shown that the formation of habits, both health and activity related, during childhood is vital to carrying those habits into adulthood (Azevedo, Araujo & Hallal, 2007; Barnekow-Bergkvist et al. 1996; Nelson, Gordon-Larsen, Adair, & Popkin, 2005; Telama et al. 1997; Telama, Yang, Viikari, Valimaki, Wanne & Raitakari, 2005). These studies demonstrate that passive participation in an activity is not sufficient; rather organized participation, such as being part of a team, is necessary for continuation of a physical activity later in life. In addition, researchers have found that sound physical and strong academic educations are also important in …

The Effect Of Teachers' Unions On Issues In School Reform, Katie Reed

Public Administration & Policy

The thesis is divided into a number of sections. Part II examines some of the relevant literature on teachers’ unions and reform in education (specifically, merit pay, charter school, and school voucher reforms). The literature review presented in Part II is split up into two sections itself; Section A which examines the actual effectiveness of the aforementioned school reform programs on student achievement, and Section B, which examines literature showing the ways in which teachers’ unions impact school reform. In Part III, primary sources, including direct statements and information from teacher union websites and newspaper articles, are analyzed to determine …

The Effects Of Different Types Of Prompts On Achievement And Attitude In Mathematics, Barbara R. Greer Edd

Dissertations

This study examined the effects of three different types of writing prompts, procedural, summary, and self-monitoring, on achievement and self-concept of ability in mathematics. Participants included 81 eighth grade students taking a course designed to prepare students for algebra in the ninth grade in a large urban school district in Southern California. Data were gathered using a quasi-experimental design, teacher-researcher created pre-and post-tests, the Minnesota Mathematics Attitude Inventory, teacher field notes, student responses to prompts, and individual and group interviews. Controlling for demographic and other variables identified in the study, simultaneous regression analysis revealed that only summary writing had a …

The Effect Of Instructor Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors And Feedback Sensitivity On Student Affective Learning Outcomes In Writing Conferences, Laura Martin

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of teacher nonverbal immediacy and verbal feedback sensitivity on affective learning outcomes in one-on-one writing conferences. The assumption is that if the teacher-student relationship is made stronger through the use of teacher nonverbal immediacy behaviors, then verbal feedback can be more direct and task-oriented, thereby allowing teachers to be more efficient in their evaluation. The hypotheses presented are that students who experience an immediate instructor during a writing conference will have more affect for the teacher, more affect for writing conferences, and more affect for writing in general than students …

An Experimental Study Of Instructor Immediacy In The Wimba Virtual Classroom, Lorah Wood Bodie Edd

Dissertations

The social underpinnings of learning make it important to understand how people experience themselves and form relationships in web-based educational environments. Social presence is a critical factor of a communication medium that plays an important role in building community and improving the effectiveness of instruction. The components of social presence include words conveyed, verbal and nonverbal immediacy cues, and the context of the communication. The immediacy component of social presence is most often defined as perceived psychological closeness which is created in part by nonverbal cues (e.g., smiling and using gestures) and verbal cues (e.g., utilizing humor and inclusive pronouns). …

A Formative Experiment Investigating The Use Of Reflective Video Journals To Increase High School Students' Metacognition, Brian Jeffrey Dixon Edd

Dissertations

This study sought to determine the factors that enhance the effectiveness of reflective video journals to increase the metacognition of adolescent students. To achieve this pedagogical goal, this study followed the six-phase methodology of a formative experiment. Twelve high school students participated in a six- session after-school reflective video journaling program. Diverse data collection methods were used to determine the factors in the educational environment that enhance or inhibit students' metacognition, how the intervention and its implementation were necessarily modified to more effectively achieve the pedagogical goal, the potential impact of feedback and peer response, and any unanticipated positive or …

A Quasi-Experimental Study On Students' Perceptions And Intended Use Of Digital Recording Technology In A College Technology Classroom, Zenia Bahorski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study employed a modified Technology Acceptance Model approach in conjunction with a Perceived Classroom Interaction Model. The study investigated the impact of digital audio recording of college classroom lectures on students' perceptions of interaction levels, usefulness, and use of the digital media.

The study surveyed six introductory computer science and technology classes. Previous computer knowledge was not assumed. The results found no significant differences of students' perceptions of interaction levels in traditional classroom lectures. However, gender was found to have a significant effect on speaking in class when a recorder was present. No significant differences were found when …

Animals In The Classroom: Implications And Implementation, Christen Lynn Robinson

All Graduate Projects

The role of animals in the classroom through Animal Assisted Therapy is examined. The benefits and risks are outlined and discussed. Specific measures to decrease related risks are given. A look at Animal Assisted Therapy from the perspective of the animal itself is also explored. Does the practice exploit animals? The research suggests that it depends upon the type of animal used. A Power Point presentation explaining the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy is provided. The target audience for the presentation is educators interested in implementing an Animal Assisted Therapy program within the school setting. The presentation clearly outlines the …

An Analysis Of Education Subsidy In The Presence Of Fertility Decisions, Human Capital Accumulation, And Spillovers, Woan Foong Wong

Honors Papers

The paper hypothesizes that the level of aggregate human capital in an economy affects the overall returns of an individual's human capital accumulation and fertility decision. However, the positive externalities from aggregate human capital are not internalized by households in their investment decisions. Using an overlapping-generations model, specify the household’s optimization problem in a rural developing country where parents have an old-age support motive that underlies the benefits of having and educating children. The optimal decision of parents is then contrasted with that of the social planner. They differ in that the social planner internalizes the externalities of aggregate human …

Examining Cultural Competence Among Osteopathic Medical Students , Sooni Lee

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

With the growing number of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, there also has been a rise in health disparities. Ethnic minorities have been experiencing an overabundance of medical issues, particularly chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Although these chronic diseases are preventable, ethnic minorities are at greater risk for death from them. Possible contributing factors to the increase in health disparities include limited medical attention and follow-up appointments with physicians and the physician-patient relationship. The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine cultural competence among osteopathic medical students and to examine their attitudes toward …

The Relationship Between Student Outcomes And Parental Involvement In Multidisciplinary Iep Team Meetings, David M. Poponi

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires that each special education student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed at least once every year. In addition to school staff, regulations require that parents be invited to the IEP meetings. This study retrospectively reviewed the records of 270 students with educational disabilities in grades six through twelve. Demographic and descriptive data were gathered for each student and were separated according to whether the parent did or did not attend the IEP meeting. End-of-year information was examined regarding final report card grades, absenteeism, and cumulative days of detentions and suspensions. Of these …

Impacts Of Nebraska Legislative Policies On Selected Small Nebraska School Districts, Curtis Cogswell

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Minnesota Health Care Programs: Renville County Human Servics Outreach Project, Bethany Leindecker

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Purpose:

To develop an outreach program for use by Renville County Human Services staff to educate potential service recipients and other community residents about Minnesota health care programs.

To assist outreach staff in gaining skills and knowledge necessary to effectively conduct the outreach.

Investigation Of The Attitudes Of Doctor Of Psychology Students In An American Psychological Association Accredited Doctoral Program, Mckenzie L. Walker

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Student and faculty/administration perceptions of a quality doctoral psychology program may vary. There is minimal research on the perceived quality of doctoral programs and how this is measured, based on student perceptions. Doctoral programs require great investments of time and money. This study focuses specifically on a program self assessment for the 2008-2009 academic year of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Doctor of Psychology program, self-study survey with the doctoral students. The study was conducted using archival data from 108 Doctor of Psychology students identified as being currently enrolled in the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Psychology …

Boston Naming Test Performance In Young Adults : An Investigation Of Ethnocultural And Educational Factors In Performance And Emotional Response, Julie Elizabeth Horwitz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

The rapidly growing ethnic minority population and increasing focus on cultural awareness and sensitivity within psychology have led to calls for expanded research on minority and cross-cultural issues. Despite this recognized need, ethnic minority and cross-cultural research within neuropsychology continues to lag behind similar research in other areas of psychology, and those studies published have generally utilized older adult samples. In addition, although research in this area has predominantly focused on performance differences between different ethnocultural groups, recent discussion on various neuropsychology listserves has focused on the emotional salience of the noose item on the Boston Naming Test (BNT). Therefore, …

In Step With Our Parents: 3-Part Educational Series, Kate Boisen-Macdonald

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to educate adult children caring for their parents, so they can identify as caregivers so they can better cope with, identify with, and/or navigate the role of care giving, and be aware of the resources available to them.

Social Cognitive Career Theory As Applied To The School-To-Work Transition, Mary E. Kelly

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Understanding The Black College Student Experience: The Relationships Between Racial Identity, Social Support, General Campus, Academic, And Racial Climate, And Gpa, Tonisha Hamilton

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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