School Psychology Commons^™

Does Using Clicker Questions Before Instruction Improve Students' Conceptual Understanding., Edward "Walker" Goshorn

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Active learning can be incorporated into STEM classrooms in multiple ways. With exploratory learning, students explore a novel activity before learning the concepts or procedures. With personal response devices (e.g., clickers), students respond to real-time questions posed during lecture. The current studies examined whether, and how, clicker questions can be used as exploratory learning, to improve students’ conceptual understanding and engagement over traditional instruction. Biology professors integrated clicker questions into a lecture, and either closed the clicker poll prior to (Restricted Clicker Experiment, N = 164) or after (Extended Clicker Experiment, N = 188) giving feedback to the class. Undergraduate …

On Versus Off-Campus Living: An Exploration Of College Students' Mental Well-Being, Sameer Siddiqui

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community” (“Mental Health,” 2022). Risk and protective factors can be used to predict mental health outcomes. Both positive and negative outcomes can be predicted, respectively. The categories of these include individual, relationship, community, and societal. When examining college students, it is most reasonable to study the relationship and community factors. This study examined whether living on or off campus impacts predicted mental health outcomes in …

A Meta-Analysis Of Implementation Planning: The Effects On Teachers’ Treatment Adherence And Quality When Implementing Behavioral Interventions, Taylor Ben

Master's Theses

The purpose of the current study was to systematically review the literature investigating the use of Implementation Planning (IP) as a consultation method to improve teacher’s treatment integrity when implementing behavioral interventions. IP consultation is hypothesized to improve treatment implementation adherence as well as the quality of implementation related to the chosen behavior intervention(s). A secondary hypothesis of this review was that cooccurring student behavior would improve as teachers’ level of treatment integrity improved. An initial literature search produced 48 articles from which four studies met the inclusion criteria. Thus, all included studies were single case designs, used IP as …

From Students To Citizens: The Impacts Of An Intergenerational Experiential Learning Program On Undergraduate Student Development, Morgan Robinson

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Undergraduate education can strengthen its focus on developing ethical and social literacy in students through incorporating service programs based in experiential learning. Prior research demonstrates experiential learning augments students’ learning outcomes, perceived meaning of education, and social competencies. Experiential learning incorporating intergenerational communication promotes understanding of aging, value placed on service, and sheds light on unforeseen skills and goals for students. This study evaluated the impacts of an intergenerational experiential learning program on character social, and educational development outcomes in students. Further, the study explored the benefits of such programs for older adults. Ultimately, the program developed students’ character relevant …

Meta-Analysis Of Effective Instruction Delivery, Halley Blanchard

Dissertations

Effective instruction delivery (EID) is a combination of antecedent and consequent strategies used to increase child compliance with adult instructions. The current meta-analysis sought to evaluate the effects of EID as an independent and combined treatment component across studies, as well as evaluate the reported treatment acceptability across studies. Additionally, moderator analyses were conducted to determine the impact of interventionist type (i.e., parent or teacher), implementation setting, child age, and child diagnosis on the effects of EID on child compliance. The analysis generated large effect sizes for EID across studies and high levels of treatment acceptability. The effects of EID …

Success Over Stress Support Group, Sophia Pescador-Torrance

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The Harden Wellness Center is located in Salinas, California on the campus of Harden Middle School. After surveying and interviewing eighth-grade students at Harden Middle School, it was determined that there was a need to provide healthy coping skills for stress and anxiety. The project provided students a place to learn healthy coping skills along with normalizing mental health services among adolescents. In order to engage students and keep them interested each week, focus on a new skill with an activity attached to reinforce the coping skill. By the end of the six weeks, the group started to talk about …

Meta-Analysis Of Therapeutic Interventions For The Treatment Of Test Anxiety., Thomas Reece

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to be a practitioner-focused review of the current research into interventions for the treatment of test anxiety. As testing continues to be a large part of students’ academic experiences and the stakes of that testing grow for students, teachers, and schools, there is a need for a synthesis of the literature to provide teachers and schools with some guidance on how best to help their students succeed. In this review, I describe the phenomenon of test anxiety and the current theoretical questions concerning the relationship between test anxiety and test performance. I also …

The Impact Of Music Therapy On Language Acquisition In Children With Nonverbal Autism, Alecia Bernau

Senior Honors Theses

Through an experimental method, the researcher investigated whether children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to develop verbal communication skills after consistent exposure to songs with lyrics. Six children with nonverbal ASD were exposed to the same song with lyrics, with the goal of increased vocalization and language acquisition. Over nine sessions, subjects were pulled to participate in the experiment. The researcher played the song for the participants, recording the responses from each trial and categorizing them as either full words, verbal approximations, or miscellaneous verbalizations. The findings of the study suggest that there is a relationship between …

Are You Ready For Retirement? Retirement And Quality Of Life As Resources, Hyunsook Kang, Gina Causin, Mary Olle

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Abstract

Retirement in later life has been considered as an important aspect of life course, because it contributes in many ways to one’s life change, social relations updates, and health declines. Although aging brings with changes and declining all aspects of life, many older adults still remain in active after their retirement. This study will address about relationships between older adults’ retirement and its’ quality-of-life resource. Retirement, itself, may be associated with a loss of professional colleagues and work-related friends (Gloria et al, 2015). By contrast, growing numbers of older adults may maintain their active participation in social networks through …

In-Class Multitasking Among College Students, Huey-Wen Chou, Shuo-Heng Liang

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

The use of mobile devices in class has become a common scene on the college campus. The negative effects of in-class multitasking behaviors have been identified in many educational settings, including colleges. This study investigates the factors that drive college students to multitask and seeks to understand the relationship between learning engagement and multitasking behaviors in the classroom. This study also explores whether polychronic traits relate to multitasking behavior.

A total of 282 survey samples were collected from college students in Taiwan. The results confirmed our hypotheses: (1) Students’ multitasking motivation, including social and emotional needs, positively relates to their …

University School Training Model Consultation Practica: Dismantling Anti-Black Racism With Predominately White Educators To Improve School, Family, Community Collaborations With Black Families And Community Stakeholders, Katherine L. Nelson, Joseph R. Morris

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

This article outlines a consultation case study facilitated in an urban elementary school through the University School Training Model (USTM) (Colles et al., 2019; Morris et al., 2016). The USTM is a collaboration between an APA accredited Counseling Psychology doctoral program and an urban school district to provide racially responsive counseling and consulting services and graduate level training. The case study details a consultation practica to improve school, family, and community collaborations in an urban elementary school with predominantly Black stakeholders and a predominantly White female school staff. The introduction, background, and self-evaluation of the consultation process are reviewed. Project …

Maladaptive Social Cognitions And Peer Victimization In Elementary-Aged Students, Katelyn Szarko

Honors Theses

Among elementary-aged students, peer victimization is common and is associated with psychological maladjustment and poor academic achievement. Students with maladaptive social cognitions, like low social competence and low perceived control, are more likely to be victimized, but having a supportive teacher and/or a positive classroom climate might help to mitigate this association. This study aimed to answer the question of whether teacher support and classroom climate protect against peer victimization for students with maladaptive social cognitions. It was hypothesized that teacher support and classroom climate will separately moderate the link between social competence/perceived control and subsequent peer victimization such that …

The Effects Of Motivational Intervention On College Students In Asynchronous Classes, Abigail Perkins

Honors Theses

Procrastination is one of the most common behaviors that interfere with student success (Liu et al., 2020). It affects student performance and has long-lasting effects on motivation. Several studies have shown that motivational interventions can reduce procrastination levels (Liu et al., 2020). Goal setting has been particularly successful (Grunschel et al., 2016; Liu et al., 2020; Schwinger et al., 2009). The present study is focused on the evaluation of whether proximal goal setting will affect academic procrastination in an online, asynchronous class. Seventy-eight undergraduate students enrolled in such a class were invited to participate in this study. Participants were randomly …

Targeting The Gap In Mental Health Advocacy For First-Year College Students, Hailey Kurtz

Honors Projects

The transition from high school to attending a university has been shown to have an impact on the mental health and well-being of first-year university students. First-year students struggle with anxiety and depression in relation to being in a new environment, feeling lonely, fitting in, and taking more academically rigorous coursework. Current students have an awareness of what mental health and well-being resources on their campus are available to them, but such resources are not widely used, though a majority of students indicate that they do or have struggled with their mental health. This indicates that though students are struggling …

Universal Screening For Student Mental Health: Selection Of Norming Sample As A Determinate Of Risk Status, Meagan Zeitvogel

LSU Master's Theses

The prevalence of student mental health concerns has increased the need for universal mental health screening. In turn, students may have increased access to services and support. Some screeners determine risk status by comparing student scores to norming samples that can be based solely on age (i.e., combined-gender) or on age and gender (i.e., separate-gender). Combined-gender norming samples assign risk status based on typical emotional and behavioral functioning across development. Separate-gender norming samples assign risk status based on developmental and biological differences between boys and girls. Currently, there is no research determining if students’ risk status changes based on norming …

Interest-Major Fit And Satisfaction: Extending Theories Of Occupational Fit To Predict Academic Outcomes, Sneha Kamath

Honors Projects

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (2008), only 58% of students enrolled in a four-year bachelor’s degree program between 1995 and 1996 had successfully completed their degree by 2001 (Allen & Robbins, 2010). Some studies examining the frequency with which students change their major during their undergraduate education also offer insight into the potential reasons underlying the delayed graduation rates observed in Allen and Robbins’ (2010) study; for instance, a study by the U.S. Department of Education (2017) found that within three years of enrollment, about 30% of students pursuing a bachelor’s or associate’s degree had changed their …

The Relationship Between Test-Anxiety, Test Performance, Metacognitive Beliefs And Self-Esteem In College Students, Amie Shelley

Campus Research Month

Test anxiety and low self-esteem could affect the validity of certain academic examinations especially if it limits students from performing successfully. There is a need to ensure that students, whose future is often tied to academic success, are adequately educated and assisted in understanding the many layers of internal and external influence that can be in effect. This research will be based on the following question: How are metacognitive beliefs and self-esteem related to test anxiety and academic performance? Essentially, the research is focused on better understanding the tenuous relationship observed from previous research between test-anxiety and academic performance by …

The Relationship Between Test-Anxiety, Test Performance, Metacognitive Beliefs And Self-Esteem In College Students, Amie Shelley

Campus Research Month

Test anxiety and low self-esteem could affect the validity of certain academic examinations especially if it limits students from performing successfully. There is a need to ensure that students, whose future is often tied to academic success, are adequately educated and assisted in understanding the many layers of internal and external influence that can be in effect. This research will be based on the following question: How are metacognitive beliefs and self-esteem related to test anxiety and academic performance? Essentially, the research is focused on better understanding the tenuous relationship observed from previous research between test-anxiety and academic performance by …

Investigating Correlations Among A Growth-Mindset Intervention, Students’ Math Anxiety, And Students’ Math Self-Efficacy, Anna Grace Chamberlain

Honors Projects

This paper details the methodology, data, and conclusions of a research study investigating the correlations among a growth-mindset intervention, math anxiety, and math self-efficacy. The study found that teaching students about mindset through an intervention approach did not make a significant difference in students’ math anxiety or math self-efficacy. Teacher-centered factors are discussed as having a greater impact on students’ math anxiety and math self-efficacy.

Examining Curriculum Requirements Of Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs To Gauge Educator Knowledge Of Trauma-Informed Education Frameworks, Laura Grace King

CoE Publications

Statistics show that many pre-K–12 students in the United States are exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) or potentially traumatic events (PTEs), and a growing body of literature points to these childhood experiences harming children’s academic functioning and future educational attainment. A review of the literature on trauma-informed education (i.e., curriculum and programs designed to mitigate the negative effects of trauma) highlights many teachers’ lack of confidence in combatting issues within student populations affected by adversity and trauma; the research also indicated that teachers with knowledge of trauma/adversity and its implications are crucial to effectively educating at-risk children and adolescents. …

An Exploration Of The Social And Economic Factors That Influence The Mental Health Of Lgbtq College Students, Alexandria Mh Fossum

Senior Theses

LGBTQ individuals face a much higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders and mental health issues than their heterosexual, cisgender counterparts. The added academic pressures of college introduce a unique set of challenges that LGBTQ students face. This thesis includes a review of academic literature and data examining the intersections between social isolation, institutional discrimination, and financial insecurity and the effects they have on the mental health outcomes of LGBTQ college students. The paper is accompanied by a documentary consisting of a set of interviews of LGBTQ college students, giving a more personal insight into the multitude of factors that affect their …

A Par Reflection: The Power Of Teacher Voice, Anna Marie Warren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher voice is missing in systemic change. This PAR study explored some of the barriers in education today that prevent teachers from using their voices and the leadership skills needed to empower teachers to use their voices in change processes. The study was implemented on two secondary school campuses with two teams of PAR researchers. Data were collected using a triangulation of PAR forms, journal reflections, and Likert surveys. While identifying barriers hindering teachers from using their voice, the qualitative study also aimed to provide a platform where teachers could express and use their voice to cause change in their …

Extending Token Economy Systems For Children With Learning Disabilities And Developmental Disabilities Using Operant Behavioral Economics, Parker Levins

LSU Master's Theses

Token economy systems have been used successfully in various general and special education classrooms. Although effective, educators seldom have a priori information on the performance of their reinforcers within the schedules of reinforcement that comprise the token economy. Most token economies are initially designed based on clinical judgment and respective schedules are typically selected on an arbitrary basis (e.g., token-production Fixed Ratio 1 [FR1], exchange-production FR5). This introduces uncertainty whereby the initial arrangement may be too lax (i.e., work expectations are low for the student) or too strict (i.e., work expectations are high for the student), which both have the …

A Girl Named Sue: A Child's Journey From Complex Trauma To Hope, Healing & Recovery, Jamie S. Like Ms.

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

Audience would include any school staff, counselors, social workers, parents and community members. Many children who experience complex trauma struggle emotionally, physically, and behaviorally. In this session, participants will earn to never underestimate the impact they can make on the life of a child, that damage from childhood trauma can be mitigated and that relationships, relationships, relationships are the key to everything!

An Exploration In Social And Emotional Health Of Vietnamese High School Students, Thien-Vu Giang, Van Son Huynh Prof., My-Hanh Mai

The Qualitative Report

Social and emotional health (SEH) aims to promote academic success and create school well-being. SEH has not been studied in Vietnam. This article focused on exploring the SEH of Vietnamese high school students because of the high-risk level in mental health that appeared in this group. The study was carried out using a qualitative case study approach to interviewing 74 students, 12 teachers, 7 school administrators, and 4 school counselors. We interpreted four features of SEH's expression of Vietnamese students: (1) Confident but lack of individual perspectives, (2) Respectful but lack of listening and empathy in school relationships, (3) Balanced …

Paths To Equity: Parents In Partnership With Ucedds Fostering Black Family Advocacy For Children On The Autism Spectrum, Elizabeth H. Morgan, Benita D. Shaw, Ida Winters, Chiffon King, Jazmin Burns, Aubyn Stahmer, Gail Chodron

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Racism and ableism have doubly affected Black families of children with developmental disabilities in their interactions with disability systems of supports and services (e.g., early intervention, mental health, education, medical systems). On average, Black autistic children are diagnosed three years later and are up to three times more likely to be misdiagnosed than their non-Hispanic White peers. Qualitative research provides evidence that systemic oppression, often attributed to intersectionality, can cause circumstances where Black disabled youth are doubly marginalized by policy and practice that perpetuates inequality. School discipline policies that criminalize Black students and inadequate medical assessments that improperly support Black …

Moving Beyond Fulfillment: Wisdom Years Stories Of Passion, Perseverance, And Productivity, Kenneth A. Kiewra, Jessica Walsh, Chris Labenz

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Seven participants were interviewed to uncover how they remain so productive in their wisdom years, those typically marked by retirement. Participants included a leading educational psychologist, a renowned national television news anchor, a four-time national champion collegiate coach, the founder and former chief executive of Arbor Day Foundation, a university scholar turned playwright, and two female adventurers who quit their jobs, sold their possessions, and have lived a nomadic life, hiking thousands of miles throughout America. Their wisdom years stories describe how and why they shun retirement and remain productive. The article concludes with seven advice-laden conclusions for readers: (a) …

Defining Twice Exceptional Learners: A Study Of Self-Concept, Alyssa D. Landau

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In 2014, the first operational definition of twice exceptional (2e) learners was published in Gifted Child Quarterly to provide a clear and identifiable profile of the population (Reis, Baum, & Burke, 2014). The article defines 2e learners as, “students who demonstrate the potential for high achievement or creative productivity in one or more domains such as math, science, technology, the social arts, the visual, spatial, or performing arts or other areas of human productivity AND who manifest one or more disabilities as defined by federal or state eligibility criteria” (Reis et al., 2014, p. 222-223). Publishing an operational definition of …

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 …

Updated Perspectives On Linking School Bullying And Related Youth Violence Research To Effective Prevention Strategies, Dorothy L. Espelage, Susan M. Swearer

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

Bullying, a subset of aggression, has been an international focus of scholarship for several decades and has been declared as public health concern globally (Espelage, 2015; Hymel & Espelage, 2018; Kann et al., 2018). An abstract literature search with the terms “adol*” and “bully*” yielded 382 peer-reviewed journal articles from 2001 through 2010, and an astounding 1585 articles from 2011 through 2020.

Within the last decade, there has been a concerted effort among scholars to reach a consensus on how bullying should be defined, operationalized, and assessed, how it differs from other forms of aggression (e.g., dating violence), and how …