National-Louis University: OASIS - The NLU Digital Commons
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1997 research outputs found
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How Principal Characteristics Including Experience, Leadership Style, Philosophy, and Education Influence Science Achievement
Get PDFThe purpose of this evaluation was to analyze the leadership characteristics of principals and determine how the characteristics influenced science achievement. The context of this inquiry was a school system in the southern United States where 55% of elementary students scored below grade level on the end-of-grade science assessment compared to the state average of 36%. I conducted a mixed-method study using extant science achievement data, science teacher survey data, principal survey data, and principal interview data. The survey and interview data demonstrated a disconnect between teachers’ perceptions and principals’ perceptions of science leadership provided by principals. I recommended a policy to improve science scores by providing professional development for principals. The policy included eight action steps to improve student proficiency in science: analyze science performance, set science goals, define instructional practices, establish clear priorities and parameters in which to act, build instructional capacity in the principals, establish indicators to monitor, align leadership behaviors to facilitate the change, and celebrate small wins (Odden, 2012; Kotter, 2012)
A Program Evaluation of The Support Facilitation Model in One K-8 School
Get PDFThe goal of my evaluation was to determine if the support facilitation model for providing Exceptional Student Education (ESE) was effective for the students\u27 academic success in the school under study. The school under study was a charter school located in the southeastern United States and served students from kindergarten to eighth grade. The school’s community was considered low-socioeconomic based on the number of students receiving free and reduced meals. The two main questions that guided my research were: (1) What are the perceptions of general education classroom teachers and ESE teachers of support facilitation in the school under study? (2) How is student academic achievement impacted through the ESE support facilitation model of delivery of instruction? The results of surveys completed by general education and exceptional student education teachers indicated they perceived the model to be effective. However, the student achievement data analyzed revealed the students receiving services using this model were not academically successful. The literature review provided scholarly research that supported the model\u27s efficacy when implemented with fidelity. As a result, I recommended that the support facilitation model remain the ESE model of instruction at the school under study with an increased focus on data-driven instruction and professional development for teachers on how to implement the model with fidelity
How Can Design Thinking Transform Diversity Initiatives For Architectural Trade Organizations In The United States?
Get PDFThis study intended to assess design thinking as a variable regarding its utilization as a tool to increase the number of African American architects in the United States. The research was grounded in the speech given by Whitney Young to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1968, and the initial partnership between the AIA and the National Organization of Minority of Architects (NOMA) in 2001 to increase the number of African American architects to 15,000 by 2030. Through the qualitative methodology, via descriptive phenomenological analysis (DPA), fourteen participants, all of whom were African American licensed architects, were interviewed to gather insights regarding design thinking and four areas of focus, which were outreach, education, licensure, and entrepreneurship. The analysis revealed that design thinking can be a catalyst in the areas of outreach and education for developing solutions intended to increase the number of African American architects in the United States, a goal the professional associations committed to achieving
An Investigation Of The Unintended Consequences Of Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law And Leadership’s Role In Both Implementing The Law And Revising It
Get PDFThe State of Florida has become a negative representation of the Stand Your Ground Law due to the three unintended consequences which developed since that law was passed in 2005. They are the disparity of African American incarceration rates when the law is applied, the increase in justifiable homicides, and the exponential increase in concealed carry permits. The intent of this qualitative research study was to inspire the leadership of the state of Florida to actively support and participate in reexamining, reassessing, and revising the Stand Your Ground Law. The literature review suggested that the law is ambiguous because it fails to fit every possible case scenario of justifiable homicide and that there is a relationship between the law and the increase of both justifiable homicide and concealed weapon permits. Additionally, the literature review suggested that racial bias occurs when the Stand Your Ground Law is interpreted. The research design for this study utilized the phenomenological approach, which was employed to enable the usage of diversified data sources which were necessary for collecting the lived experiences and perspectives of the participants of this study
Prenatal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Review of the Neurophysiological, Neuropsychological, and Behavioral/Emotional/Social Impacts in the Pediatric Population
Get PDFThe opioid epidemic over the past two decades has raised concerns regarding the developmental fetal impact of prenatal opioid use. Research in this area continues to grow, but largely has focused on treatment for neonates experiencing withdrawal symptoms postnatally. Long term clinical implications for this at-risk population have not been studied extensively leaving many gaps in research and highlighting the need for future empirical studies. This literature review will examine the neurophysiological, neuropsychological, and the behavioral/social/emotional impacts on infants, toddlers, and school aged children who were prenatally exposed to opioids with or without the diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Providing a deeper understanding of the possible short- and long-term impacts of these children will better inform physicians, clinicians, teachers, and caregivers on the importance of implementing early interventions with children in this at-risk population
Investigating the Effect of Differentiated Instruction on Academic Achievement and Self-Directed Learning Readiness in an Online Teaching Profession Course
Get PDFThis research investigated the effect of differentiated instruction on Turkish preservice teachers’ academic achievement and self-directed learning readiness in an online teaching profession course. The study utilized a pretest-posttest control group design. Data were collected through an achievement test and a self-directed learning readiness scale. The independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test and analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that online differentiated instruction had a significant impact on the academic achievement of preservice teachers while it did not create a significant difference in terms of self-directed learning readiness. As a reult, it is seen essential for teacher educators to conduct differentiated instruction in order to enhance preservice teachers’ academic achievement and motivate them to use this approach in their future classes. It is also suggested that preservice teachers be provided with sufficient scaffolding to improve their self-directed learning readiness
Mental Construal and Alterations in Emotional Memory
Get PDFPsychological distancing refers to a shift from a psychologically immersed perspective that involves thinking about the details of an event (concretely) or stepping back from it and watching the event from an outside point of view (abstractly)––this can help individuals change how they feel about the experience. Investigating how construal levels affect emotional memories may provide more insight into how individuals may potentially alter the recall of their memories. The current study reflects a new examination of the effect of primed high and low construal levels on the recall of positive and negative arousing stimuli. This study included a pilot and experimental study. The pilot study was used to validate the emotional stimuli that were then used in the experimental procedure. For the experimental procedure, 132 participants were exposed to videos inducing affect (positive vs. negative). After 20 minutes working on an unrelated distractor task, participants were randomly assigned to primed mental construal conditions (abstract vs. concrete). Following priming, participants were asked to recall the information from the video clip they watched at the beginning of the experiment. Results did not indicate significance toward the hypotheses, although there was a pattern to indicate participants in the low/concrete construal condition recalled more details of the negative video clips than did participants in the high/abstract construal condition
Evaluating Outcome Factors of Childhood Emotional Neglect: An Exploratory Factor Analysis
Get PDFExperiencing childhood maltreatment has been shown to have major implications on adult outcomes. Less is known about the outcomes of childhood emotional neglect (CEN). The purpose of this study was to identify factors related to psychological outcomes of CEN within the domains of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia as a precursor to the development of an inventory. One hundred and fifty participant responses on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20) were collected. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted where nine factors yielded significant results and were titled, “Depressive Symptoms,” “Difficulty Identifying Feelings,” “Usefulness of Feelings,” “Difficulty Describing Feelings,” “Psychosomatic Symptoms,” “Reduced Physical Activation,” “Avoidance of Symbolism in Entertainment Preferences,” “Externality,” and “Anxiety Symptoms,” respectively. This study augments prior literature regarding CEN to demonstrate constructs such as the belief in the usefulness of feelings in problem solving (Factor 3), avoiding entertainment that may have deeper meanings (Factor 7), and an avoidance of engaging in introspection (Factor 8). These results demonstrate that outcomes of CEN may be more complex than previously understood
What Are The Factors Affecting African American High School Students\u27 Decision For Applying To The University Of Central Florida?
Get PDFThe number of African Americans enrolling in higher education has seen a steady decrease in recent years due to factors that act as barriers. This study examined these factors and their influence based on the students’ perspectives. The study design was based on the post-positivist paradigm and the quantitative methodology was used. Urban high school students were surveyed to determine their thoughts on the barriers they experienced as they applied to college. The Google survey included sixteen questions that required yes/no responses, Likert-scale responses, and short responses. The data were analyzed using logistic regression and Chi-square analysis. The results showed that when looked at individually, most participants stated that the factors acting as barriers had no influence on their college decisions. However, when the factors were looked at together, a significant influence was found. This study provides current data based on students’ perceptions and provides insight into factors that influence other factors
To What Extent Are At-Risk Preschoolers Effectively Prepared For Kindergarten?
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to determine to what extent Kinder Hearts School’s at-risk preschoolers are effectively prepared with readiness skills for kindergarten academic success. Based on schoolwide assessments, program mandates, and policy changes, an evaluation of this specific program in a Midwest school could determine whether the instructional model used was indeed effective. This study consisted of analyzing data from three student categories: children who attended private preschool programming, children who attended the school’s at-risk program, and children who had no schooling. The data collected was used to determine professional development needed, grant funding allocation, and program delivery model to use.
The results of the study showed an academic difference in kindergarten between children who attended this school’s state-funded, play-based preschool at-risk program and children who attended private programming. Results did not suggest that children who attended the school’s at-risk preschool program were behind in their kindergarten readiness skills in comparison to other subgroups but did suggest a difference between the groups. This study indicated that a play-based model developmentally targets the whole child, and also leads to the overall developmental growth of the child