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Current literature reveals that researchers are not using student perceptions as a large component to their data collection nor as an avenue to investigate how students pick up on their teachers’ self-efficacy (SE) for, interest in, and enjoyment of science teaching. In my dissertation, I explored the relationship between teacher beliefs, student perceptions of teacher beliefs, and student beliefs by developing and implementing instrumentation measuring students’ perceptions of their teachers’ SE, interest, and enjoyment for science and science teaching. In an effort to measure elementary students’ perceptions of their teacher’s SE, interest, and enjoyment of science and science teaching, I developed nine instruments and established reliability () for each. These instruments are the: (a) Teacher Instrument for Science Self-Efficacy ( = .852); (b) Teacher Instrument for Science Interest ( = .900); (c) Teacher Instrument for Science Enjoyment ( = .923); (d) Student Perceptions of Teacher Self-Efficacy Instrument ( = .635); (e) Student Perceptions of Teacher Interest Instrument ( = .661); (f) Student Perceptions of Teacher Enjoyment Instrument ( = .762); (g) Student Instrument for Science Self-Efficacy ( = .723); (h) Student Instrument for Science Interest ( = .767); and (i) Student Instrument for Science Enjoyment ( = .763). I administered these instruments to grade 3 elementary teachers (NT = 7) and grade 3 students (NS = 73) in three combined surveys: The Teacher Instrument for Science Self-Efficacy, Interest, and Enjoyment, which was made up of 51 Likert-scale items with six open-ended response prompts; the Student Instrument for Perceptions of Self-Efficacy, Interest, and Enjoyment of Science, which was made up of 25 Likert-scale items; and the Student Instrument for Science Self-Efficacy, Interest, and Enjoyment, which was composed of 24 Likert-scale items. The results of a MANOVA showed that there were no differences between groups, in this case teachers, when considering either student perceptions or student beliefs. The results of regression analysis showed that student perceptions of their teachers’ self-efficacy, interest, and enjoyment of science and science teaching are predictive of student interest in and enjoyment of science. Finally, the results of an SEM analysis showed specific predictive pathways that exist between the independent variables (perceptions of self-efficacy, interest, and enjoyment) and the dependent variables (student self-efficacy, interest, and enjoyment). More specifically, student perceptions of teacher self-efficacy predicted student interest; student perceptions of teacher interest predicted student interest and enjoyment; and student perceptions of enjoyment predicted student self-efficacy, interest, and enjoyment of science. Overall, I found that students generally perceive their teachers’ beliefs in science more negatively than teachers report for themselves and that student perceptions of their teachers’ beliefs are predictive of their own beliefs in science. These results hold implications for both research and practice. More specifically, my research provides a meaningful application of student perceptions and gives it weight to be considered in other areas of educational research such as teacher preparation and student achievement. My research provides more support for the impact teacher unpreparedness has on student belief development and on student achievement, given that my research has shown that student perceptions of their teacher SE, interest, and enjoyment are predictive of student beliefs in science. As educational researchers, we have to pay more attention to elementary teacher preparation in science. When teachers are not self-efficacious in science, they have a lower interest in science, thus enjoying it less and further perpetuating the cycle of beliefs development. My research in teacher and student beliefs supports what is already known about elementary teacher SE while also adding new findings regarding teacher interest and enjoyment of science. Further, by including student perceptions, we can continue to gauge the current conditions of various aspects of elementary teacher preparation and practice in science and reconsider its impacts. / Teaching & Learning

There has been limited evaluation to show the perceptions of student participants in school-to-work programs about the impact of school-to-work program participation as being beneficial to their postsecondary educational and career plans, and no research to determine whether perceptions differ significantly across race and gender. In addition, the minimal research conducted to date did not study student participants' perceptions about the impact of the program on their understanding of the relevance of the academics to the worksite and their overall academic success. Nor did the research address the actual change in grades and school attendance of students in school-to-work programs. Students are a major stakeholder group in the school-to-work initiative, and therefore, consulting with them about their perceptions about the impact of school-to-work program participation is an important aspect in school-to-work evaluation. Students have not been consulted in educational program evaluation and have not had a significant voice in the school-to-work arena (Hollenbeck, 1996). It is important to assess the opinions and perceptions of students who are currently participating in school-to-work programs, because they are the major focus of the school-to-work initiative and information that they provide can be used by program administrators and policymakers in making future decisions about school-to-work programs. Such assessment should seek to determine their perceptions about the impact of the program on their overall academic success and future postsecondary education and career choices. It is also important to assess the impact of the program on students' academic success and school attendance. A questionnaire was developed by the researcher and distributed to site coordinators in three school-to-work sites. Site coordinators worked with school staff to administer the questionnaire instrument. One-hundred twenty-four twelfth grade student participants in school-to-work programs, in these three sites, were asked to participate; 62% responded to the survey. Based on the findings of this study, the following conclusions were made. • The findings on students' perceptions that school-to-work program participation improved their overall academic performance, increased their acceptance of responsibility, increased their self-confidence and motivation can be an indicator of the success of the school-to-work program. • The positive attitudes of students regarding the school-to-work program as being beneficial to their future education and career plans is important in promoting the concept of "life-long" learning. • The use of measures to determine students' perceptions about understanding the relevance of school-to-work, improvement in academic performance, and overall satisfaction with the school-to-work program can be used as measures to evaluate the success of a school-to-work program. • School-to-work program participation can be instrumental in influencing students to continue their education beyond high school. • School-to-work program participation does not appear to negatively impact any group (gender or race). / Ed. D.

This descriptive, survey research study was conducted using a quantitative, non-experimental, correlational, research design. Given the ever-increasing numbers of students taking online learning courses both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to explore this phenomenon by measuring the levels of online graduate student preceived connectedness at Virginia Tech. Bolliger and Inan (2012), validated their Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) instrument in a research study that focused only on connectedness, and was limited to just one subject area, computer engineering. Permission was granted for the use of their OSCS instrument for this study, and the focus was expanded to include various subject areas, and to explore the associations between graduate student peceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention. Specifically, this study sought to find out whether there were indicators that an association existed between graduate student perceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention across the different modes of online learning (e.g., asynchronous, synchronous, and blended asynchronous/synchronous). The total sample for this research study was comprised of 67 research participants (32 males and 35 females), and their modes of online learning were asynchronous (n = 22), synchronous (n = 30), and blended asynchronous/synchronous (n = 15). Results indicated no statistically significant differences in graduate student perceived connectedness across the three online learning modes. There was a statistically significant association between graduate students' level of perceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention. As the level of graduate student perceived connectedness rose, so did graduate student perceived learning and retention. Furthermore, the results revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the levels of graduate student perceived connectedness across the two types of online courses (e.g., pandemic online learning courses and regular online learning courses). This indicated that at Virginia Tech online graduate students felt connected whether they were in a pandemic online learning course or a regular online learning course. / Doctor of Philosophy / This survey research study was conducted using a quantitative, non-experimental, research design. Given the ever-increasing numbers of students taking online learning courses both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to explore this phenomenon by measuring the levels of online graduate student preceived connectedness at Virginia Tech. Bolliger and Inan (2012), verified their Online Student Connectedness Survey (OSCS) instrument in a research study that focused only on connectedness, and was limited to just one subject area, computer engineering. Permission was granted for the use of their OSCS instrument for this study, and the focus was expanded to include various subject areas, and to explore the associations between graduate student peceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention. Specifically, this study sought to find out whether there was an association between graduate student perceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention across the asynchronous, synchronous, and blended asynchronous/synchronous learning platforms. The total sample for this research study was 67 research participants (32 males and 35 females), and there were 22 asynchronous participants, 30 synchronous participants, and 15 blended asynchronous/synchronous participants. Results indicated no significant differences in graduate student perceived connectedness across the three online learning modes. There was a significant association between graduate students' level of perceived connectedness and graduate student perceived learning and retention. As the level of graduate student perceived connectedness rose, so did graduate student perceived learning and retention. Furthermore, the results revealed that there were no significant differences in the levels of graduate student perceived connectedness across the two types of online courses (pandemic online learning courses and regular online learning courses). This indicated that at Virginia Tech online graduate students felt connected whether they were in a pandemic online learning course or a regular online learning course.

This research explores how design-based learning can be used as a pedagogical strategy in K-12 classrooms to foster students' 21st century skills in such areas as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. The research aims to identify what students and teachers who participated in a design-based learning environment perceived to be the benefits and challenges of the project. The findings are used to suggest strategies that can be used to capitalize on the benefits and mitigate the challenges of the strategy. This research employs a multiple case study methodology to investigate the unique perspectives of three audiences who participated in the study: (1) an eighth grade English teacher, (2) an eighth grade social studies teacher, and (3) fifty eighth grade students. It gives a detailed description of the results of post-implementation interviews during which participants reported on what they perceived to be the benefits and challenges of the project. The results of the interviews are utilized as the primary data source for the findings. The study reveals that a majority of the participants perceived that students benefitted from the environment. They gained skills in communication and collaboration, developed the ability to empathize by exploring multiple perspectives, gained real-world experience that prepared them for their future by solving problems they identified in their immediate world, and gained knowledge and skills from a variety of disciplines. The teachers also benefitted from the environment in that they gained a new respect for their students' skills and abilities, explored and re-defined their own pedagogical philosophies, and improved their own design thinking skills. While participants reported multiple benefits to the learning environment, they also acknowledged several challenges. Time was a challenge for everyone involved. Teachers perceived keeping students motivated when they faced ambiguity and assessing students to be a challenge. They also noted that administrative support for design-based learning is a challenge that must be overcome in order for wide-scale adoption to be realized. While students also identified many challenges to the environment, they consistently acknowledged that the challenging aspects - communication, collaboration, exploring multiple perspectives, managing real-world constraints, and critical thinking - were ultimately beneficial. The findings translate to an overarching message that design-based learning is hard, but it's worth it. / Ph. D.