1,720,989 research outputs found
School-wide positive behavioral intervention and supports and trauma-informed care
No full textAn increasingly large number of students are coming to school with emotional and behavior disorders (EBD). Schools often use traditional disciplinary strategies in an attempt to mitigate these behaviors. Unfortunately, they are typically ineffective, which leaves stakeholders with negative perceptions about the school’s climate and student disciplinary processes. This leads to high dropout and future incarceration rates for students and lower retention rates for school staff. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how the perceptions of students, teachers, and the school leadership team change after implementation of School Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (SWPBIS) with a component of trauma-informed care about the school’s climate and student discipline processes. Interviews were conducted with four students, four teachers, and four leadership team members in a Midwestern suburban junior high school. By the end of the study, all stakeholder groups indicated increased positive perceptions about the school’s climate and the student disciplinary processes of the school. The implications from this study are that the focus needs to be on developing and sustaining positive and caring relationships between all stakeholder groups. Another implication is that fidelity of implementation matters. The final implication is that strong administrative support at both the building and district level is essential for a successful implementation.D. Ed
High stakes test anxiety in students: perceptions of students and principals
No full textAn increasingly large number of students are experiencing test anxiety in the school setting. Cognitive Interruption Theory (CIT) can explain why students who experience test anxiety can lose their prior knowledge while in a testing setting. Schools often use traditional identification strategies to address test anxiety; unfortunately, these identification strategies are typically ineffective at identifying borderline students. This can lead to a higher portion of students with below grade level proficient test scores on standardized tests. The purpose of this qualitative study was two-fold: 1). to understand students’ experiences related to anxiety during high-stakes testing and 2). to discover principals’ perceptions about how they address the issue of test anxiety for their students. This rural Indiana study used an adapted version of the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale- 2nd Edition (CTAR) to validate that the students who were interviewed suffer from test anxiety. The students who identified with the highest level of test anxiety from the CTAR were interviewed for the study. By the end of the study, the findings showed that there were incongruencies between how administrators and students perceived the school’s support of test anxiety. The study also found that administrator strategies sometimes caused students to experience more test anxiety, and many students stated that the school did not provide resources to assist them with their test anxiety.D. Ed
Athletics & academic outcomes of low SES students
No full textThe primary focus of this mixed-method research was to examine the relationship between
athletic-based extracurricular participation (ECAs) and academic outcomes for students from low
SES backgrounds. The research was based on academic results and student interviews from two
Central Indiana High Schools. An analysis of student's grade point (GPA) averages for three
semesters post-COVID-19 allowed the GPA data to be collected when schools no longer had to
enforce COVID-19 protocols. The analysis showed a modest yet statistically significant
correlation between participation in ECAs and GPA. However, qualitative research uncovered
that non-cognitive skills could be a reason for improved academic outcomes. Student interviews
highlighted that ECA participation enhanced their non-cognitive skills, which could be a reason
for improved academic outcomes. The themes that emerged from the student interviews included
employability skills, positive relationships, and academic enhancement
Student perceptions of their adult relationships
No full textThis study researched students’ perceptions of their adult relationships at school within the Check and Connect™ mentoring program. This research delved into the impact on fostering students’ engagement and promoting academic success within a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) at a suburban high school in Canterbury County, Florida1. The current study investigates students’ perceptions of their experiences as they were intentionally paired with adults (mostly teachers but also community members-at-large) at school. In this study, students shared their experiences of interactions with adults at school in the Check & Connect™ Program. Students who participated in the study were compared with matching students who qualified but did not participate. Participating students are those whose school disengagement behaviors led to early warning signs for the at-risk tendencies associated with dropping out of school. Criteria for entry into the program included referrals, screenings, and students’ attendance data, behavior referrals, and low achievement. In this mixed methods study, eight students were interviewed about their experiences. Quantitative data were collected from the control and experimental groups by analyzing the changes in attendance percentages, math achievement, English Language Arts achievement, and behavior referrals over an academic year. Qualitative data were collected from semi-structured interviews of students participating in Check & Connect™ for one year who experienced growth in the program. The results of this study provide evidence the Check & Connect™ program had a positive impact on students’ attendance, math, ELA, and behavior data. The qualitative results disclosed student perceptions recognizing that their engagement behaviors are related to their academic performance, the importance of having an open, trusting, nonjudgmental relationship with their mentors, and the changes they made to their behavior that influenced their success at school. Recommendations were made based on the results.D. Ed
Title on signature sheet: Relationship between 21st century literacy and technology : a comparison of perspectives
No full textThis study analyzed three different groups’ perceptions of 21st Century literacy and technology. The three groups were juniors and seniors at two large urban high schools, juniors and seniors in teacher education programs from four mid-west post-secondary schools, and the four deans of education at four post-secondary schools. A mixed methods research design was used including a survey of student groups and interviews of all four deans and representatives of each of the schools. Findings included differences in perceptions of each of the groups as well as differences in access and use of technology. The implications for teacher education and future research in the area of 21st Century literacy are included.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi
Teacher expectations of black males
No full textThere were a plethora of studies and data completed on the status of Black males in America;
however, there continued to be evidence of disparities in academic growth of Black males
throughout this nation. This study observed the interactions teachers had with Black males in the
classroom and explored how student perceptions revolved around teachers’ expectations. The
purpose of this study was to investigate how expectations contributed to experiences for Black
males in elementary and middle school and to disseminate this information to educators.
Specifically, this exploratory study analyzed the outcome of the classroom environment
established by teacher expectations and how teachers’ interactions communicated those
expectations to Black males. This research was conducted in four classrooms, two elementary
5th grade classrooms and two middle school 7th grade classrooms. A combination of interviews
(with teachers and students) and observations were the primary source of data. Findings were
gleaned from the observations and interviews. Findings included that teacher expectations
contributed to the perceptions of their students; they viewed their interactions with teachers as
positive. Also, there were no clear distinction between middle school teachers and elementary
school teachers and how they expressed expectations for their students; and the expression of
teacher expectations are determined upon the relationship teachers have with their students.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi
Trauma-sensitive professional development to change teacher perceptions and actions
No full textAccess to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only.Teachers in urban school districts are often impacted by the adversity and trauma that their
students bring with them to school. Most teachers are not trained on how to effectively support
students who struggle behaviorally due to the impact of trauma on their brains and bodies. Early
childhood trauma not only impacts a teacher’s ability to teach, but more importantly early
childhood trauma impacts young people physiologically and threatens their quality of life in
adulthood. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions and actions of
teachers to capture changes that occur when teachers participated in professional development
regarding early childhood trauma. Interviews were conducted with five teachers and 10 students
in Midwestern urban intermediate and middle school. By the end of the study, the teachers stated
that they had begun responding to classroom disruption in a more child-centered manner,
students noticed that their teachers began treating all students in a more equitable way, and many
students noticed their teachers began responding to dysregulated students in trauma-informed
manners. The implications from this study are that educating teachers on the impact of early
childhood trauma can change the way that teachers perceive and react to students who struggle
behaviorally in the classroom. Another implication is that changing teachers’ beliefs,
perceptions, and attitudes can be difficult to achieve because some teachers retained a deficit thinking focus.Thesis (D. Ed.
RTI : differences in reaching achievement
No full textReading is essential to success in our society and closing the achievement gap is of critical concern. Although research is ample on the components of Response to Intervention (RTI), minimal research is available on actual implementation. For these reasons, this mixed-methods longitudinal study examined the implications of RTI on student outcomes based on pre/post-tests analysis, identification for a specific learning disability, and educator perception. A nonequivalent group design was used to examine the differences on reading achievement for students who participated in intervention in kindergarten or first grade as compared to students who scored slightly above them and did not receive intervention. Cohorts of students from three elementary schools (n = 639) were measured through third grade. In addition, differences by gender, socio-economic status, and program structures were analyzed. To deepen the understanding of the results, data were triangulated through educator focus group interviews. The findings from this study showed that students who received intervention substantially closed the gap between themselves and non-intervention students. With regards to poverty and gender, this study illustrates that these social injustices can be ameliorated. Evidence from this study, while not extensive, suggests that RTI contributed to a reduction in special education placement. These outcomes support the converging evidence endorsing the RTI framework. Given these results, further field studies need to be undertaken to allow for additional generalization. In times of increased academic demands from society, improved student achievement through program effectiveness is more critical than ever.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi
Effectiveness of professional development
No full textAccess to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only.This study evaluated the effectiveness of the professional development (PD) provided
to a high school faculty on literacy strategies. Student achievement data of 9th and 10th
graders collected before the literacy professional development training began was compared
to the post-intervention achievement data (NWEA). The research was able to determine if
the literacy professional development improved student academic outcomes. Additionally,
teachers were surveyed to ascertain the differences in their perceptions about their
implementation of effective literacy strategies comparing the frequencies from before the PD
began to the end of the study. The independent variables will include: student gender, student
race, free and reduced lunch status, pre-intervention achievement data, teacher race, teacher
gender, teacher age, and teacher years of experience. The dependent variables include the
post-intervention tests for student achievement and a survey assessing teachers’ perceptions
of how the literacy PD was implemented in their classrooms. I was not able to use the timeseries design because too many of the values for the student data were missing. Therefore,
only descriptive statistics were used to answer the central research question and two sub
Effectiveness of Professional Development 2
questions, which was necessitated involving student NWEA data. Thus, there were no
statically significant results from my NWEA Data. After analyzing the pre-survey to postsurvey teacher data for Bloom’s Taxonomy, Core Literacy Strategies, and Writing Strategies,
it is evident that statistically significant gains were made from the pre-survey data to the
post-survey data for all three factors. My dissertation also includes a section on implications
and suggestions for future research.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi
Title on signature form: How do teachers' perceptions and practices evolve to better support students with diabetes
No full textDiabetes is one of the most common chronic health problems in the United States and is
diagnosed in approximately 29.1 million Americans (American Diabetes Association, 2013).
More than 23,000 children are diagnosed each year (American Diabetes Association, 2013).
Managing this disease while attending school can be a daunting task for children with diabetes.
Juggling class schedules, adjusting for cafeteria meals, and taking standardized tests while
checking blood glucose, visiting the nurse’s office, and taking water or bathroom breaks all
become part of the school life of a child with diabetes. These factors then, too, affect the teacher
who supports the student with diabetes. Teachers may feel more empowered if they better
understand diabetes. Building knowledge about blood glucose ranges, diet complications and/or
restrictions, necessary tools to manage the disease, and medical vocabulary are all components
that would enhance their knowledge and could make them better prepared to work with a student
who has diabetes. This study was designed to determine if supporting a professional
development opportunity about diabetes empowered teachers to better support students with
diabetes.
This mixed methods study consists of quantitative data derived through pre and postsurvey
results. Findings of significance are sought through the surveys. Qualitative data results
are gleaned from participant interviews. Patterns and themes are reviewed from the qualitative
portion of the study to determine if the PD had any implications on the participants. Findings
included that the PD opportunity did provide both knowledge and confidence gains in the
participants.Thesis (D. Ed.)Department of Educational Leadershi
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