The purpose of this study was to determine if an association existed between student achievement scores and classroom practices used among third-grade teachers in Upper East Tennessee. The variables included classroom environment, instructional context, and social context, employing developmentally appropriate practices (DAP). Teacher characteristics, including type of degree, highest degree, years of experience, level of DAP knowledge, and degree granting institution, were analyzed for characteristics influencing developmentally appropriate practices. The instrument, Assessment of Practices in Early Elementary Classrooms (APEEC), was used to gather information; the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP/CRT) Reading/Language and Mathematics scores were used to determine student' achievement level. A demographic survey was used to collect teacher characteristic information. An initial analysis of data incorporated simple descriptive statistics in the form of frequency tables. Independent samples t tests, analyses of variance (ANOVAs), and Pearson Product moment correlation coefficients were used to determine if there were associations in DAP levels among teacher characteristics. Finally, one-way-analysis of variance assessed the associations between the dependent variables (TCAP/CRT scores) and independent variables (environment, instruction, and social context). The analysis of the data indicated that the majority of the third-grade teachers were certified in elementary education. Over half of the sample had master's degrees or above. Six had not taught any grades except third. The third-grade teachers had less experience in teaching kindergarten and more experience in first and second grades. An independent-samples t test indicated no significant differences in APEEC scores between teachers with early childhood degrees and teachers with other degrees; no significant differences in APEEC scores between teachers with a bachelor's degree and teachers with a master's or higher degree; and no significant differences between degree granting institutions. Correlation coefficients indicated APEEC scores were not significantly affected by teachers' years of experience. ANOVAs indicated significant differences in APEEC physical environment and social environment scores among teachers having a great deal of DAP knowledge but not in classroom instruction. ANOVAs indicated significant differences in classroom instruction and student achievement scores in Reading/Language, but not in Math. No significant differences were found in APEEC social and physical context scores.

In the era of accountability in our nation‘s public schools, high-stakes standardized testing is the primary methodology for determining academic achievement; results from end-of-grade standardized testing are published annually in state and national report cards that are used as an instrument for determining school and teacher quality. What standardized tests do not take into consideration, however, are external environmental factors that have an impact on academic achievement; this research project focuses upon the effects of socioeconomic status on academic achievement on the middle grade student in North Carolina in 2012 and 2013. These years were chosen to comparatively analyze student achievement during the transition from the North Carolina Standard Course of Study to the Common Core curriculum. Only public schools configured in grades 6-8 that operate on a traditional school calendar were considered for this study. One way analyses of variance and paired samples t tests were performed to determine whether significant differences exist between student achievement in each grade level, academic year, and tested subject area (mathematics and reading) based on various levels of socioeconomic status levels within the school. Socioeconomic status levels were determined by the percentage of student population within the middle school that received free or reduced cost lunch during that school year. Significant differences existed between every socioeconomic level, subject area, and grade level, and significant differences also existed between each academic year as well as the number of economically disadvantaged students passing both the reading and mathematics assessments in each academic year. Schools with higher poverty levels scored significantly lower on both subject areas in both academic years than their wealthier counterparts. Test scores were also significantly lower in 2013 than in 2012, and fewer economically disadvantaged students passed both reading and mathematics in 2013 than in 2012. Further research is suggested to determine whether the trend of higher poverty schools performing significantly lower on standardized assessments than wealthier schools will continue with the ongoing implementation of the Common Core curriculum.

Generally in today’s classrooms educators have the responsibility to develop teaching practices that are best suited for a particular group of learners. Since the early days of 1-room schools, various teaching styles have been developed to accommodate a changing world. As the curriculum has broadened through the years, individual student needs have remained the focus as teachers have become more and more accountable for student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate or identify how successful teachers manage their classrooms. It defines key student behavior issues that most teachers experience daily. The study further investigates the hypothesis that lesson planning and productive teaching with overall good student behavior is not a product of good luck or chance; it results from efforts made by caring teachers who aid learning for their student. I attempt to determine what the typical teacher does in efforts to reach the goal of effectively educating students and managing various issues that arise within the classroom setting simultaneously. The study was conducted in a rural community within middle school grade levels. All teachers were interviewed and asked open-ended questions during the 2013-14 school year. Also, the teachers were observed in their actual classrooms. I examined the practices that enable them to teach. The teacher responses offered valuable information about perceptions pertaining to excellent teaching, classroom management, and the relevance of teaching factors that enhance student learning. Exerting extra effort toward minimizing classroom disruptions, while consistently providing a learning environment, requires an assertive approach in planning before the students enter the classroom. This research can provide all educators insight to such of an educational environment that has proven to be productive in today’s complex world. These teaching attributes would better assure students upon their arrival to the classroom each day, a routinely excited, enthused, and caring educator.

Dental hygiene students may struggle in dental hygiene curriculum in regards to hand function. Currently, this is not an aspect dental hygiene programs screen for or have protocol in place to help students. The research in the study examined if hand function could improve with hand function exercises and if exercises improved instrumentation scores. During a 6-week pilot study, an occupational therapist tested the hand function of a cohort of dental hygiene students. The results were recorded and the students began a 6-week hand function exercise regimen. After 6 weeks the same evaluations were preformed and the pre- and posttest data were compared. Statistical tests showed a significant improvement in hand function. After the hand function testing was complete, the scores of the cohort on the periodontal probe and 11/12 explorer were compared to students in the previous 5 cohorts. No significant improvement was made on the instrumentation scores.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of acceptable use of social media among teachers, students, and parents. In doing so the researcher touched on generational factors, communication, instructional practice with social networking and the perceptions of what was acceptable among these 3 groups within a middle school setting. This qualitative study examined how students, parents, and teachers perceived the use of social networking. 30 subjects were randomly chosen and interviewed: 10 students, 10 parents and 10 teachers. There were 4 emerging themes: (a) types of social networking preferred and the reason, (b) relationships and acceptable usage, (c) uncertainty of safety of social networking, and (d) the positives in being able to communicate. Research suggests that the generations that were interviewed lean toward different types of communication. The Baby Boomers prefer to communicate via email, telephones, and face-to-face. Generation Xers use email but also include Instant Messaging and mobile phones. Generation Y prefers to text prefers to text or use cell phones as does Generation Z which has yet to be identified and uses these forms as well as all forms of social networking (Entrepreneur Magazine, 2009) Through interviewing and coding the researcher found that each subgroup identified that communication was essential to survival. What differed was the type of communication and the safety involved in that type. It was also found that the research on this subject is limited but is growing with advances. The research has changed to include more positives on this subject. With this, the implication for further study in this area is definite. Recommendations for further study include but are not limited to: looking at a study like this in a larger area, opening the subject group to different demographics, looking into how this will affect school systems in the future.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student engagement and overall satisfaction of traditional and nontraditional students at the community college level at Northeast State Community College. Three professors, 2 staff, 2 administrators, 5 traditional students, and 5 nontraditional students from Northeast State Community College comprised the sample for the study. A descriptive case study was the qualitative approach used. Data were collected in individual in-depth interviews with participants. The findings of this study could provide community college administrators, staff and faculty with an understanding of traditional and nontraditional students’ engagement and satisfaction and experiences on campus. This information can assist administrators, staff and faculty in identifying needs and priorities on campus along with developing learning environments that are effective for traditional and nontraditional students. Recommendations for future research are presented. Results of the research revealed positive overall perceptions of engagement and satisfaction from students, faculty and administrators. A theme that emerged was the strong focus on student centered, student focused, educational practices at Northeast State Community College. Additionally, it was evident that the community college continuously strives to improve their student support services as well as the academic learning environment to increase student engagement and satisfaction. Further, the findings revealed a need for more advising on the importance of utilizing student email and additional modes of communication from student support services to students and from faculty to students.

Teaching requires constant adapting, and need to continually reflect, and be ready to make changes when teaching elements may not prove effective. The purpose of this study was to examine faculty and student views of effective elements of teaching in an associate level allied health program. Surveys were collected from associate degree seeking allied health students and full-time faculty currently employed at a technical college in the northeastern region of the state of Georgia. The results showed a high confidence level with little to no difference in mean confidence levels between faculty and student responses on 15 Likert-scaled questions. Two open-ended questions showed little difference as well with faculty and students having similar responses when asked their preferred teaching/learning method. Results of this study will help to improve educational instruction for allied health programs.

The problem related to this study was to develop a clearer understanding of the impact of Tennessee's Value-Added Assessment System (TVAAS) on school superintendents' decision-making responsibilities in view of school reform efforts at both the national and state levels during the last decade. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between three independent variables (superintendents' years of experience, superintendents' perceived degree of personnel acceptance, and superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability for data analysis and interpretation of results) and superintendents perceptions of the system on eight aspects (student learning; teacher performance; school system success; educational accountability; educational equality; assessment decisions; personnel decisions; and, curriculum and professional development decisions). Superintendents in the 139 Tennessee school systems were surveyed using an instrument containing 51 response items. The return rate was 81% (N = 112). Six research questions were answered by analyzing 24 null hypotheses using the chi square test, with Kendall's Tau-B for determining strength of relationships. Hypotheses were tested at the.05 level of significance. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived degree of school personnel acceptance were rejected, with the exception of personnel decisions. All null hypotheses related to superintendents' years of experience were retained. The null hypothesis related to superintendents' perceived TVAAS technical assistance received and educational accountability was rejected. All other null hypotheses related to superintendents' perceived technical assistance availability regarding data analysis and interpretation of value-added assessment results were retained. Results indicated the practice of participatory leadership among Tennessee superintendents. Recommendations included further research to determine possible differences between rural and urban school systems and between elected and appointed superintendents across Tennessee.

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between a student’s reading/language arts TCAP scale score and his or her lunch status for students in grades three, four, & five within two school systems in Tennessee. The population consisted of 2,442 students who were in grades three, four, and five during the 2014-2015 school year in a city school system in east Tennessee and a county school system in middle Tennessee. The Kruskal-Wallis H, a non-parametric test, was used to identify statistically significant differences in the medians of the reading/language arts TCAP scores across the three types of lunch payment status. The independent variable was the type of student lunch status (free, reduced, and full pay). The dependent variable was the reading/language arts TCAP scale score of students in grade three, four, and five. The quantitative findings revealed the relationship between student lunch status group and reading/language arts TCAP scale score was significant for all four research questions. In all analyses, the difference in the reading/language arts TCAP scale scores of students in the free lunch status group and the full pay lunch status group was significant. When the data from both school systems were combined, there was a significant difference in the scale scores between the free and full pay lunch status groups, the free and reduced lunch status groups, and the reduced and full pay lunch status groups.

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