This phenomenological research study explored the dissertation experiences of individuals working as faculty members across disciplines at regionally accredited four year universities. Research questions utilized the constructs of social development theory to explore dissertation experiences from an individual, relational and structural perspective. Prior scholars have used social development theory as a framework to explore the individualities of the student, the relationship with faculty advisors and mentors, and the resources provided by the department and institution when evaluating the dissertation process (Liechty, Liao, & Schull, 2009). A purposeful, criterion sampling strategy and maximum variation sampling were employed to select a wide range of academic disciplines, classified in Biglan’s Augmented Model (Drees, 1982). The constant comparative method was used in data analysis of transcribed interviews with findings organized into the most prevalent themes. The individual experiences of dissertation success included three prevalent themes: career advancement opportunities and the development of extensive research agendas were described as motivators for participants to successfully complete the dissertation. Additionally, family and peer influence and prior knowledge were attributed as individual factors to success. Five themes were identified regarding the relational factors leading to dissertation success: (1) dissertation chair and committee, (2) cohort associates, (3) family members, (4) technological communication, and (5) guidance, feedback, and preparation. Finally, three themes related to the structural factors leading to dissertation success were identified: (1) financial aid, (2) streamlined processes and (3) institutional resources. Recommendations for future research include studies to better understand faculty experiences with job placement in academia, faculty experiences as a dissertation chair, and faculty views regarding dissertation attrition and retention.

Panel presentation includes topics on publications and proposals, practicums, internships, capstone and exhibitions, clinical experiences, and research ethics. Pamela Mims discussed research ethics.

This study represents a quasi-replication of Lane et al. (2009) investigation into the psychometric properties of the Primary Intervention Rating Scale (PIRS). This rating scale was designed to assess the social validity of primary to high school level Positive Behavior Support intervention plans completed by academic staff. Lane's results indicated the PIRS was a one- factor measure with strong reliability and structural validity. To substantiate these findings an adapted version of the PIRS was distributed to teachers from one Utah school district.Quantitative data and additional comments were collected from elementary and middle school teachers. The results were computed using a series of statistical analyses including Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Cronbach's Alpha. Teacher comments were used to provide additional feedback and to examine trends. Results confirmed the Lane et al. findings that the PIRS is a one factor measure with strong internal consistency. Results also indicated that the school district's PBS prevention plan was socially valid from the teachers' perspective.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the adoption of Open Educational Resources had a significant effect on student learning outcomes in seven courses taught at seven post-secondary institutions. The use of open educational resources (OER) is increasing in the United States. Initiatives focusing on expanding the use of OER as a replacement for traditional textbooks at the post-secondary level include OpenStax, Project Kaleidoscope, Open Course Library, and others. While researchers have begun to explore OER, few have sought to evaluate the quality of OER as a function of student academic success. In this dissertation, I examined measures of student success in seven courses at seven different early-adopters of Project Kaleidoscope where faculty members chose to adopt OER to replace traditional textbooks. The sample for this study consisted of students using open textbooks in courses at seven Project Kaleidoscope post-secondary institutions, as well as a control group of students at those same institutions who used traditional textbooks in sections of the same courses. I used an ex-post-facto quasi-experimental design, in which I compared students using OER to students using traditional textbooks in comparable courses. In order to control for the threat of selection bias, I used propensity score matching (PSM) to match treatment and control groups on a set of demographic variables. After creating matched treatment and control groups, I used multiple regression and logistic regression to examine whether textbook selection predicts a measurable difference in student achievement after accounting for relevant covariates. I found that students using open textbooks earned, on average, lower grades than students who used traditional textbooks, after controlling for student-level and course-level covariates. Further analysis revealed that this negative differential was isolated to students in business and psychology classes. I also found that students who used open textbooks enrolled in more credits than students using traditional textbooks, controlling for relevant covariates. Because of the finding of a variation in textbook effect from course to course, future studies may seek to understand the effects of particular OER adoption instances rather than the global effect of OER adoption.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a formative program evaluation of a school district's multisensory reading initiative. The mixed methods study involved semi-structured interviews, online survey, focus groups, document review, and analysis of extant special education student reading achievement data. Participants included elementary special education teachers of high incidence students with disabilities, elementary assistant principals, central office special education leaders, and contracted training partners. Facilitating conditions that supported multisensory reading instruction included supportive school administrators, professional learning communities, intensive initial professional development, plentiful instructional materials, and supportive central office personnel. Constraints included school master schedules, limited time for small group specialized reading instruction, inconsistent frequency and duration of multisensory instruction, reading instruction not aligned to student needs, inconsistent progress monitoring, isolation of multisensory skills without application, and inconsistent levels of administrative support. A correlation between hours of multisensory instruction and gain scores on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) showed no statistically significant relationship. Recommendations to strengthen the implementation of multisensory reading instruction included: providing additional and effective follow-up professional development, developing required progress monitoring tools, exploring assessments more aligned with multisensory instruction, fostering school-based reading PLCs, building accountability procedures that assist school administrators in supervising teacher implementation, and developing a comprehensive curriculum with more detailed lessons and pacing guides. Recommendations for continued program evaluation are included with an annual process of review, including formal summative evaluation.

This study explored the qualities that distinguished a select group of college freshmen women (National Hispanic Scholars) from a general sample of Hispanic women as assessed by the PIT (Picture Identification Test) a semi-projective systems-oriented instrument that measures motivation (Chambers, 1988). The PIT was mailed to 496 Women Scholars, and administered to self-identified Hispanic freshmen women who attended four universities in the United States for the first time in the Fall of 1990. Results were based on the responses of 99 Ss (Select Group), and 57 Ss (Regular Group) who completed the PIT and fulfilled the criteria.;The specific hypothesis tested in this study was that an academically Select Group of Hispanic women would deviate less on PIT normative measures than a Regular Group of Hispanic college freshmen women. The data supported the prediction at a high level of significance.;PIT variables were first grouped and analyzed by a Multiple Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) program to ascertain any differences on Needs for each variable between the groups. Twenty-two out of 28 MANOVAs were significant at the p.02 level or less. A stepwise discriminant function analysis was used to order 114 of the most significant ANOVA variables (p {dollar}<{dollar}.05) and the most significant Bonferroni variables (p {dollar}<{dollar}.002). Out of this group, 43 variables were selected and ordered according to strongest discrimination and independence. The Select Group was closer to the Target Model on twenty-two of the twenty-six discriminant variables with significant ANOVAs (p {dollar}<{dollar}.04). Results are discussed in terms of understanding the qualities and motivational dynamics observed in the Select Group. Recommendations for further research with the PIT are discussed exploring its possibilities as an adjunct to multicultural counseling with populations "at risk".

A simulation study was conducted to explore the performance of the linear logistic test model (LLTM) when the relationships between items and cognitive components were misspecified. Factors manipulated included percent of misspecification (0%, 1%, 5%, 10%, and 15%), form of misspecification (under-specification, balanced misspecification, and over-specification), sample size (20, 40, 80, 160, 320, 640, and 1280), Q-matrix density (60% and 46%), number of items (20, 40, and 60 items), and skewness of person ability distribution (-0.5, 0, and 0.5). Statistical bias, root mean squared error, confidence interval coverage, confidence interval width, and pairwise cognitive components correlations were computed. The impact of the design factors were interpreted for cognitive components, item difficulty, and person ability parameter estimates. The simulation provided rich results and selected key conclusions include (a) SAS works superbly when estimating LLTM using a marginal maximum likelihood approach for cognitive components and an empirical Bayes estimation for person ability, (b) parameter estimates are sensitive to misspecification, (c) under-specification is preferred to over-specification of the Q-matrix, (d) when properly specified the cognitive components parameter estimates often have tolerable amounts of root mean squared error when the sample size is greater than 80, (e) LLTM is robust to the density of Q-matrix specification, (f) the LLTM works well when the number of items is 40 or greater, and (g) LLTM is robust to a slight skewness of the person ability distribution. In sum, the LLTM is capable of identifying conceptual knowledge when the Q-matrix is properly specified, which is a rich area for applied empirical research.

In California, 55 teacher preparation programs have embedded a standardized four-task teaching performance assessment (CalTPA) as a requirement for initial teacher licensure. Guided by the frameworks of transactional experience and the theory of formative assessment, this phenomenological study addressed the meaning and role ascribed to the CalTPA by those who complete it. Research questions examined participants' perceptions of their CalTPA experience with respect to preparation, completion of the tasks, feedback, remediation, activities between tasks, and overall experience Data were collected through 3 semi-structured interviews of 8 participants who had successfully completed the CalTPA tasks, chosen by reputational case selection from 1 teacher preparation program. Data were coded for elements of process and overarching themes using inductive descriptive coding in 2 cycles, beginning with discrete codes and then grouping those into themes. Results indicated that the CalTPA played a significant role in the development of completers. Themes included common process elements, emotions, perceptions of tasks, key success factors, and overall influence of the experience. Implications for positive social change include informing stakeholders in teacher preparation programs on best policies and practices to support the development of pre-service teachers into effective in-service teachers, whose future students will benefit from improved educational quality.

Rural high school graduates in the United States lag behind in college math preparedness, therefore prompting researchers to identify instructional practices that would advance student math performance. This quantitative research study investigated specific teacher practices and their correlation with student gains in college math preparedness on the American College Test (ACT). Data were collected using a teacher questionnaire to quantify the level of reform practices among a sample of six math teachers and used ACT pre and posttests to assess 312 11th grade students' gains in college math readiness in a public rural high school in Southeast Tennessee. Correlation analysis of reform indicators from the teacher questionnaire compared the interrelatedness of six predictor variables on student math gains. The level of reform practices of the teacher was insignificant when correlated with student gains on the ACT Math subtest, r < .1, yet yielded important insights into rural teaching practices at the sample school. Teacher questionnaire responses indicated consistently low scores in teacher conceptual beliefs and rural connectedness, suggesting room for reform in those areas. The average Math ACT gain was 1.97 points with an average math score of 19.3. This suggests the 2016 school average will exceed the 2015 school average of 19.1 since students in the study have another year of math instruction prior to graduation. Extending the current study through college may reveal a correlation between specific teacher practices and rural student math gains.

Black middle school students in the United States perform poorly on standardized reading achievement tests in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a vocabulary-focused test preparation program for underachieving Black middle school students. Thorndike's concept of test-wiseness, a test-taking capacity, provided the theoretical foundation for the study. Research questions investigated the difference in reading test scores on the Discovery Education Assessment of underachieving Black middle school students who participated in a key vocabulary test preparation program and those who did not. An intact-group comparison was used in which the research site, a large urban middle school in Tennessee, was matched with a similar middle school. Teachers at the research site were trained on a test preparation strategy meant to familiarize students with key vocabulary terms related to test items. Participants were Black students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, who were enrolled in Title 1 supplementary reading instruction and scored below proficiency, with 405 students in the treatment group and 249 students in the control group. The post-intervention reading test scores on the Discovery Education Assessment were compared between the groups, with a baseline test score used as the covariate. The adjusted mean scores for both 6th and 7th grade students were significantly greater for the intervention group (p = .018 and p = .062 respectively), whereas there was no significant difference in test scores for 8th grade students (p = .246). Implications for positive social change include providing research-based findings to the study site that support the vocabulary-focused test preparation program to improve the reading achievement of Black middle school students.