In sizeable discussion-based college classrooms, achieving any approximation of balanced student participation is difficult. More common is a pattern that develops wherein a small percentage of the class dominates discussion and a larger percentage rarely or never participates. Thus, the purpose of this study was to find ways to balance the amount of discussion across students without diminishing the relevance of discussion. Consequently, this study evaluated the efficacy of crediting participation and requiring students to self-record their daily participation. Students (N = 160) in three sections of an undergraduate educational psychology course self-recorded their comments on specially designed record cards and received credit for participation during selected phases of the study. Additionally, an observer kept track of each class discussion by coding the quantity of each student’s daily participation. Relevance and type of student responses were assessed as ancillary dependent measures, also recorded by the observer. Credit decreased the percentage of both non-participants and dominant participants, thus balancing participation across students. Self-recording had a minimal effect on participation. Neither credit nor self-recording altered relevance or type of student comments. Few overall instances of non-relevant student commenting indicated that the construct was too narrowly defined, which provides direction for future attempts to assess quality of student participation. Because these findings resulted from comparisons within and between three sections of the course, instructor behavior was also monitored daily. A secondary observer’s records revealed that instructor behaviors (i.e., type and number of questions asked and feedback given) did not inflate or diminish the effect of treatment conditions. A 50-item survey assessed student perceptions of participation at the beginning of the course and was found to significantly predict student participation. Through a series of four principal components analyses, I extracted three specific factors. Logistic regression analyses showed that the primary factor, History and Confidence regarding Participation, differentiated high and low participants as well as the total survey and the three combined factors. This factor best predicted membership in a low participant group in the non-credit units and membership in a high participant group in the credit units.

Improving systems of public education through the development and implementation of innovative reforms is a socially and politically complex process, particularly when systems of public education merge with external agencies that enter the process with unique resources and with perspectives and intents derived from experiences unlike those found in traditional public school cultures. Pursuing a better understanding of this process, this qualitative case study examines the interorganizational partnership that developed Metro High School, an innovative, STEM high school program in Columbus, Ohio. With this single, public/private partnership as a case, this study examined the school reform context within which the partners worked and from which they derived influential perspectives and resources. The objective was to better understand the interaction and manifestation of perspectives, resources, and intentions, as the now influential school was being developed and implemented. Data gathered through interviews, documents, and observations have been analyzed and synthesized into conclusions about the interactive effects of the partners on the development of the school and its subsequent policy influence. Factors found to have affected the effort include favorable reform policy conditions and experienced school designers, commitment to well-defined STEM and Coalition of Essential Schools principles, ample resources from skilled, high capacity partners with political and intellectual influence, conceptual alignment across the partnership, a commitment to equity, and effective community-based negotiations. Negotiations were facilitated by strong leadership working from the base of a multi-district foundation that provided the administrative space for the school’s largely autonomous development. This study, utilizing sociopolitical theories of educational change and implementation that recognize the influence and value of multiple perspectives and constructive variability, suggests implications for interorganizational partnership work that is undertaken for developing and negotiating the terms of new systems of public school organization and new learning environment designs. In regard to the research literature on implementation, school change, and reform, this study—though not generalizable and limited in scope to a single site—sheds light on the complexity of implementing collaborative educational change in urban environments.

The study investigated the psychometric properties of a newly developed math curriculum-based measure, the Monitoring Academic Progress: Mathematics (MAP:M), through examination of its internal consistency, alternate-form, slope, and test-retest reliability and validity. Participants included 1688 first through third-grade students from a school district in Northeast Tennessee. Application of Generalizability Theory produced reliability coefficients, score variances, and standard-error-of-measures (SEM) for both absolute and relative decisions based on a particular number of probes. MAP:M reliability coefficients for relative decisions ranged from .67 to .97 across eleven probes. The highest percentage of score variance at all three grades was attributed to the Person facet (academic growth), 58% to 66%, while variation in the Item facet (test difficulty) contributed the least score variance (11% to 16%). The SEMs for relative decisions ranged from 7.06 after one probe to 1.70 after eleven probes. SEMs were higher for absolute decisions. Results indicate that one MAP:M probe provides adequate reliability, although two probes provide good reliability estimates, exceeding .80. Alternate-form reliabilities’ ranged from .65 to .83 at first grade, .51 to .79 at second grade, and .59 to .80 at third grade. Lower reliabilities are best explained by increased time between administrations. Test-retest reliabilities were .81, .79, and .76 for first, second, and third grades, respectively. Correlation coefficients between the MAP:M and Monitoring Basic Skills Progress: Computation (MBSP) show adequate concurrent validity estimates ranging from .58 to .75 for first and third grades. Second-grade concurrent validity estimates were somewhat lower and ranged from .37 to .52. A stepwise multiple regression indicates that the MAP:M provides stronger relative predictive power than does the MBSP when predicting end-of-year STAR Math scores, , R2 =.33, F(28) = 13.11, p < .01. Results support adequate to strong reliability and validity of the MAP:M, in addition to successful implementation in a school environment.

Monitoring Academic Progress: Reading (MAP: R), a silent, group-administered screener was piloted as part of a comprehensive Response to Intervention program. MAP: R along with AIMSweb© Maze and STAR reading were administered to 1,688 students in Grades 1-3. Overall alternate-form reliabilities for MAP: R resulted in moderately high stability (Grade 1 = .79, Grade 2 = .78, and Grade 3 = .75). Test-retest reliability was .90 for Grade1, .84 for Grade 2, and .89 for Grade 3. Concurrent validity, correlations for MAP: R and AIMSweb© Maze ranged from .43 to .69, with correlations for MAP: R and STAR ranging from .48 to .67. Predictive validity was determined using end-of-the-year STAR reading scores as the criterion for MAP: R and AIMSweb© Maze. Results of a stepwise regression indicated that MAP: R scores predicted 37% of the variance in STAR scores and AIMSweb© Maze failed to add additional predictive variance. Data support the utility of MAP: R as a reading screener for progress monitoring within a Response to Intervention framework, though additional data are needed.

A two-month longitudinal program evaluation was conducted of a four-hour mandated parent education program for divorcing parents of minor children. To expand on Brandon’s (2006) program evaluation of the same program, the present study sought to examine knowledge gain and behavior change in participants. Using a retrospective post-then-pre design, 139 participants reported their knowledge gain in two areas: (a) the impacts of divorce and of putting children in the middle of conflict, and (b) strategies to reduce conflict with one’s former spouse. Two-month follow-up interviews were used to assess behavior change in two areas: (a) using techniques to manage post-divorce conflict with one’s former spouse, and (b) implementing strategies to keep children out of the middle of conflict. The participants reported knowledge gain and behavior change in each of the four respective areas. It was found that knowledge gain in both areas and behavior change in using techniques to manage post-divorce conflict did not vary as a function of parent gender, race, or parenting stage. However, results indicated behavior change in implementing strategies to keep children out of the middle of conflict varied only as a function of parenting stage (F(1) = 8.45, p < .01). It was also found that knowledge gain in regards to the impact of divorce and putting children in the middle of conflict predicted behavior change in regards to implementing strategies to keep children out of the middle of conflict (p < .05). The results of this study are intended to suggest improvements for the program as well as to provide insights for other parenting education programs for divorcing parents.

Self-efficacy is a proven indicator of predicting risky behaviors, but without a baseline level of adolescent food safety self-efficacy to develop targeted interventions it is difficult to produce meaningful behavior change. The research question around which this study was designed is: To what extent can a validated instrument accurately capture adolescent beliefs of food safety self-efficacy. Through rigorous field testing and statistical analysis we hypothesize a valid and reliable instrument can be created for measuring adolescents’ food safety self-efficacy. The purposes of this study included: (a) development of a high quality, food safety self-efficacy instrument, (b) validation of the instrument through expert review, and (c) field testing of the instrument to measure adolescent food safety self-efficacy. A field test of the instrument was conducted with adolescent students (n=91) using expert review and the following analyses: a) the normality, (b) the validity, and (c) the reliability. The final instrument yielded 16 items that were within the boundaries of normality, passed expert review, and/or had strong validity and reliability results. The results of this study indicate that an instrument accurately measuring and capturing adolescent food safety self-efficacy is possible to create by using proven valid and reliable methods.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two models, namely an adaptable wellness programming model and an action research model, when creating and administering a stress management initiative for campus recreation settings that will have a positive effect on freshmen participants at the University of Tennessee. Eight freshmen from the University of Tennessee (6 females, 2 males) volunteered to complete a five week stress management initiative entitled the FROSH! (FResh Out of Stress, & Healthy!) Program which was based upon action research methodology. Program participants completed an exit interview and exit interview questionnaire after the program to determine if their levels of perceived stress had changed and to measure the effect that the program had on each individual. The Perceived Stress Scale was also administered before and after the program to detect any changes in perceived stress levels that participants experienced, but the sample size was too small to detect any significant changes in perceived stress levels. E. T. Stringer’s Categorizing and Coding procedure was used to decode responses from all meetings as well as from the exit interviews. Results indicate that the FROSH! Program was rewarding in various ways for participants, and 86% of participants said that their stress levels had lowered by the conclusion of the program. All participants thought that setting weekly goals was helpful in lowering their stress levels. Furthermore, the revised adaptable program model was perceived to be successful in creating the stress management initiative. It is recommended to increase the number of participants for future programs, and also to test the success of such action research-based wellness programs in campus recreation centers.

The purpose of this study was to identify the key educational components of agritourism in Tennessee. The study strived to identify if knowledge of the agricultural industry increased due to agritourism experiences and if perception of the agriculture industry changed due to the experience. Additionally, the research sought to describe visitor demographics and characteristics.Following a pilot study in 2009, three agritourism venues throughout the state of Tennessee were used to collect surveys to create a pool of respondents and to identify their original knowledge of perceptions of the agriculture industry for the 2010 study. Additional data was gathered through an extensive post survey that gathered demographic information and respondents’ knowledge and perception levels based on several five point Likert scale questions. The responses were coded and entered by the primary investigator. The information was analyzed using means, standard deviations, and frequencies.The study revealed that respondents to agritourism venues do think that they experience are educational. The visitors expected an educational experience. Experiences at agritourism venues tend to increase consumer confidence slightly. Many respondents agree that they learn best through the hands on experience provided through the agritourism venues. Additionally, all respondents agreed that they would recommend the experience to others.

Community colleges continue to experience high levels of student attrition and low degree/certificate completion rates. Given extant literature, there appears to be a need to reexamine how interactions between students and the institution, and students and institutional agents are taking place, with the aim of identifying institutional practices that deleteriously or positively impact degree completion and thus guide colleges to develop action plans to improve conditions for student success. This study examined how factors such as institutional commitment to students, mattering, sense of belonging, interactions with diverse peers, perceptions of the campus climate, engagement/involvement, socio-academic integrative experiences, and goal commitment collectively affected community college students’ intent to persist to degree completion. The proposed model tested the tenability of seven propositions examining how the above constructs interact to influence intent to persist. The sample consisted of 2,088 multiply diverse community college students. The conceptual model was grounded on Astin’s (1991) Input-Environment-Outcome model and was tested in the context of structural equation modeling. Multiple group invariance analyses for race/ethnicity were conducted. The conceptual model explained 28% of the variance on intent to persist for Asian students, 21% for White students, and 19% for Latino/a students. Results indicated that transition support from family/friends exerted the highest effect on intent to persist across all racial/ethnic groups, followed by engagement/involvement, perceptions of mattering, interactions with diverse peers, GPA, goal commitment, and socio-academic integrative experiences, albeit varying by group. This study was the first in the literature to empirically demonstrate a causal effect between institutional commitment to students and perceptions of mattering. Mattering, in turn, exerted a moderate to strong influence on engagement/involvement, socio-academic integrative experiences, sense of belonging, and indirectly on intent to persist. Evidence in support of an omnibus “student development and success” construct, as alluded to by Wolf-Wendel, et al. (2009) is also presented. Of import to these findings is that while this construct explained a significant proportion of the variance for engagement/involvement, belonging, mattering, and interactions with diverse peers, the individual factors exerted an independent effect on intent to persist. Implications for theory, research, and practice are also discussed.

The current study employs Monte Carlo analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of various statistical procedures for determining specific values of interest within a population of 1,000,000 cases. Specifically, the proper procedures for addressing the opposing effects of direct range restriction and validity overestimation were assessed through a comparison of multiple correlation coefficients derived using various sequences of procedures in randomly drawn samples. A comparison of the average bias associated with these methods indicated that correction for range restriction prior to the application of a validity overestimation adjustment formula yielded the best estimate of population parameters over a number of conditions. Additionally, similar methods were employed to assess the effectiveness of the standard ΔR2F-test for determining, based on characteristics of the derivation sample, the comparative superiority of either optimally or unit weighted composites in future samples; this procedure was largely ineffective under the conditions employed in the current study.