Digital storytelling is a modern storytelling method that uses videos, images, and audio to share knowledge, wisdom, values, and personal stories from the point of view of the creator in a 2-8-minute first person narrative. This study explored the cultural identity and school efficacy of students through the lens of digital storytelling. This mixed-methods study consisted of both qualitative and quantitative measures. A survey was conducted using the In-Group Identification Scale, the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity, and the School Efficacy Scale as the quantitative measures, and qualitative data was generated from the transcription and analysis of the digital storytelling films created by the participants. The Levy-Hughes Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida, is an afterschool program for students residing in the heart of one of the most economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in Orlando, Florida, and was selected as the sample (N=11) for this study due to its majority minority student body population. There were two overarching research questions that this study aimed to answer: (RQ1): How do students identify their school efficacy compared to dominant perspectives based on their cultural identity as expressed through the lens of digital storytelling? (RQ2): What is the relationship between students' cultural identity and their school efficacy? The study's findings indicate that Digital Storytelling is a promising intervention in exploring the cultural identity and school efficacy of students, presenting counter-narratives to dominant perspectives, promoting culturally responsive teaching, and that satisfaction with one's In-Group membership has the strongest correlation to students believing they are capable of succeeding.

The mathematics achievement gap between Black and White as well as Hispanic and White students has been well documented nationwide and in the school district of study. Much has been written in observance of the achievement gap, yet markedly less research has focused on practices and interventions that have improved mathematics performance for Black and Hispanic students. Consequently, this study examined the Algebra 1 achievement (indicated by student scale scores on the Florida Standards Assessments Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam) of Black and Hispanic students participating in a mathematics intervention program as compared to the Algebra 1 achievement of their similar non-participating peers in one large urban school district. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistical analysis via the one-way ANOVA and the independent samples t-test were utilized. Further quantitative analysis was conducted focusing on the mean scale score differences among intervention program participants in varying course structures, summer days attended, and school socioeconomic status. The study found that Black and Hispanic 7th grade program participants significantly outperformed their similar non-participating 7th grade peers and non-participating Black and Hispanic 9th grade students. No statistically significant differences were found among program participants who attended the summer preview camp for different numbers of days. Black and Hispanic intervention program participants enrolled in a double-block Algebra 1 course numerically outscored their single-period program peers overall and when disaggregated by race/ethnicity and prior year achievement level. The findings indicate the intervention program has the potential to improve Algebra 1 achievement and increase access to advanced-level mathematics for Black and Hispanic students. This study contributes to the scant literature on successful mathematics intervention programs targeting Black and Hispanic students. Studying the implementation of the program in schools demonstrating success could provide insight, enabling other schools to replicate an environment where Black and Hispanic secondary mathematics learners thrive.

<p>This study explores connections between school discipline policies and educational inequality by examining the implementation of “Progressive Discipline” (PD) in an Ontario school board. By using positive reinforcements, preventions, and early and ongoing interventions, PD has replaced more punitive “zero tolerance” approaches as the official approach to student discipline in provincial public schools. This study poses two broad research questions that are guided by prominent theories of school organization and family-school relations: i) Given prevailing schooling practices, how is PD actually implemented, ii) can PD compensate for student inequalities in exposure to cultural orientations demanded by schools. To address these questions, this study draws on 36 qualitative interviews with key actors in several schools, and has two key findings. First, despite the official shift from zero tolerance to PD, student discipline continues to be managed by schools and individual school-based actors along a continuum, with some becoming more progressive, while others remaining more punitive. Thus, this policy evolution has involved a shift from a tighter to a more “loosely coupled” form of organization. But despite this variation, school-based actors are gradually embracing PD, since more progressive perspectives on student discipline appear to resonate with many educators and administrators. Second, the shift to PD is creating new forms of cultural practices in schools, and these practices are generating considerable variations in the outcomes of discipline processes. Building on these findings, this study concludes that progressive discipline policy has the potential to serve as a mechanism of “cultural mobility” and partially compensate for students’ unequal exposure to the values, behaviours and skill sets that are needed to comply with schools’ standards of behaviour.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

There is great disagreement in the United States about with how evolution education should be dealt, as the acceptance of evolution is controversial among the general public of the United States. Furthermore, although a plethora of research has been conducted to understand which factors influence the understanding and acceptance of evolution among high school and university students -- and the general public -- there are few studies focusing on community college students. In an effort to help fill this gap in the literature, this dissertation investigates the relationship between the acceptance of evolution and academic factors among community college students. Specifically, 867 community college students were surveyed using aspects of validated instruments regarding their attitudes towards evolution and human evolution, understanding of evolution and the nature of science, previous science experience, career goals, and demographic information. The results indicated that the community college students accepted evolution at a higher level than the general public and they accepted human evolution relatively less than evolution in general. Acceptance of evolution and human evolution were highly correlated, and regression analysis revealed they were the best predictors for each other after controlling for all of the factors measured. Understanding of evolution and the nature of science were also highly correlated with the acceptance of evolution and moderately correlated with the acceptance of human evolution. The data also indicate that these community college students did not have a solid understanding of evolution. These findings have implications for the teaching of evolution as they serve to reinforce the importance of understanding both evolution and the nature of science and their relationship to the acceptance of evolution.

This thesis investigates the effectiveness of English language assessment in the Foundation Programme (FP) and its predictive validity for academic achievement in the First Year (FY) at two Colleges of Applied Sciences (CAS) in Oman. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) Identify how well the FP assessment has met its stated and unstated objectives and evaluate its intended and unintended outcomes using impact evaluation approaches. (2) Study the predictive validity of FP assessment and analyse the linguistic needs of FY academic courses and assessment. (3) Investigate how FP assessment and its impact are perceived by students and teachers. The research design was influenced by Messick‟s (1989; 1994; 1996) unitary concept of validity, by Norris (2006; 2008; 2009) views on validity evaluation and by Owen‟s (2007) ideas on impact evaluation. The study was conducted in two phases using five different methods: questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, document analysis and a correlational study. In the first phase, 184 students completed a questionnaire and 106 of these participated in 12 focus groups, whilst 27 teachers completed a different questionnaire and 19 of these were interviewed. The aim of this phase was to explore the perceptions of the students and teachers on the FP assessment instruments in terms of their validity and reliability, structure, and political and social impact. The findings indicated a general positive perception of the instruments, though more so for the Academic English Skills course (AES) than the General English Skills course (GES). There were also calls for increasing the quantity and quality of the assessment instruments. The political impact of the English language FP assessment was strongly felt by the participants. In the second phase, 176 students completed a questionnaire and 83 of them participated in 15 focus groups; 29 teachers completed a different questionnaire and of these 23 teachers were interviewed. The main focus was on students and teachers‟ perceptions of FP assessment, and how language accuracy should be considered in marking academic written courses. One finding was that most students in FY tended to face difficulties not only in English but also in what could be called „study skills‟; some of these were attributed to the leniency of FP assessment exit criteria. Throughout the two phases, 118 documents on FP assessment at CAS were thematically analysed. The objective was to understand the official procedures prescribed for writing and using assessment instruments in FP and compare them against actual test papers and classroom practices. The findings revealed the use of norm-referenced assessment instead of criterion referenced, incompatibility between what was assessed and what was taught, inconsistency in using assessment criteria and in the unhelpful verbatim replication of national assessment standards. The predictive validity studies generally found a low overall correlation between students‟ scores in English language assessment instruments and their scores in academic courses. The findings of this study are in line with most but not all previous studies. The strength of predictive validity was dependent on a number of variables especially the students‟ specializations, and their self-evaluations of their own English language levels. Some recommendations are offered for the reform of entry requirements of the Omani higher education.

The purpose of this study was to measure the construct of transformational leadership among athletic training academicians and clinicians. Additionally, this study sought to determine whether perspectives regarding transformational leadership were the same or different based on full-time vocational roles. Finally, this study introduced a methodology for survey data analysis relatively unknown in athletic training research circles. Participants included athletic training education program directors as well as individuals in leadership roles at the state, district, and national level.

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This dissertation presents information gathered and analyzed during an evaluation study of the Using Information Technology (UIT) program at East Tennessee State University. The UIT program, which all undergraduate students must complete before graduation, consists of satisfying a computer literacy foundation requirement and a two course UIT-intensive requirement. The foundation requirement is satisfied by completing a two credit hour course or a challenge exam. Students then take two courses that have been designated as UIT-intensive. One of these courses must be completed in the major. The study, which used a responsive evaluation methodology, involved generating a list of evaluation questions based on discussions with key decision makers. Then, multiple data sources including surveys, interviews, document reviews, pre-tests, and focus groups were used to address these questions. The general conclusion of the study was that the UIT program was effective in helping students gain appropriate computer competencies. However, several recommendations have been made that should help to improve the program.