The present study examined the effects of lingual background and item format on the scores of students whose vernacular is not English (i.e. secondary-English speakers) within the context of a 24-item verbal ability test written in English. Two forms of the test were developed to contain 12 multiple-choice items and 12 constructed response items each; the sequence was alternated across forms. The construction items were developed by deleting the options of 12 multiple-choice items. A two-way mixed ANOVA, with format as the within subjects factor and lingual background as the between subjects factor, was used to determine whether or not a significant interactive effect exists between students' lingual background and item format. A confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine whether or not secondary-English speakers interpret multiple-choice and construction questions the same way. A two-group, three-factor confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine whether or not secondary-English speakers interpret construction items the same way that primary-English speakers do. Conventional wisdom suggests that the combined intellectual and language skills required to comprehend and work constructed- response items under time pressure may impact the scores of secondary-English speakers to a larger extent than the combined intellectual and language skills required to comprehend and work multiple-choice items under the same time constraints. Contrary to what was expected, lingual background and format did not collectively affect the performance of secondary-English speakers. Item format had no significant effect on the test performance of secondary-English speakers; only lingual background was found to impact the performance of these students on both formats. The majority of the secondary-English speakers used in this study were students born and schooled in Puerto Rico, where the constructed-response format is traditionally used to test students throughout their schooling. This study confirmed the findings of Cooley & Leinhart (as cited in O'Leary, 2001) and O'Leary (2001), that frequent exposure to a test format will make a difference to performance. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2005. / June 29, 2005. / Measurement, Item Format, Language Testing, Test / Includes bibliographical references. / Albert Oosterhof, Professor Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth Platt, Outside Committee Member; Richard Tate, Committee Member; Akihito Kamata, Committee Member.

To enhance complex problem solving in Web-Based Instruction (WBI), this study used collaborative groups and guided questions in a hybrid web-enhanced learning environment in which students attended class face-to-face and online. A Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach was used to design a complex problem scenario for the students. The participants were pre-service teachers enrolled in an introductory educational technology course in the College of Education at a large university in the southeastern United States. Students voluntarily participated in the study as an optional part of class activities. The independent variables used were collaborative groups (presence vs. absence), and guided questions (present vs. absent). The dependent variables of this study were (a) learning outcomes that were determined by measuring students' final products with scoring rubrics, (b) learning processes that were evaluated by observation and review of discussion board postings, and (c) attitudes toward problem solving that were measured by questionnaires and the Instructional Material Motivation Survey (IMMS). Students were engaged in solving a scenario for three weeks and participated in both classroom and online discussion activities. A mixed method study design was applied, which combined an experimental study and qualitative data analysis that included interviews, discussion board message analysis, and observations. The result of this experimental study showed that the students working individually with guided questions (IQ) significantly outperformed the other treatment groups. It appeared that guided questions were an effective learning strategy for solving complex problems. There were no significant differences for problem-solving attitude among the four groups. The result from the discussion board message analysis showed a positive relationship between a high level of group discussion engagement and the problem solving outcome. The study implied that, in order for students to gain the full benefits from collaborative group work, the group discussion process should be moderated, especially when students are novice learners in problem solving. Additionally, using guided questions was effective when students worked individually and used the questions as a guideline or checklist. Findings from this study will inform future research efforts on collaborative learning and complex problem solving in web-enhanced educational environments. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2005. / October 13, 2005. / Facilitation, Scaffolding, Problem based learning, Web-based learning, Web-based instruction / Includes bibliographical references. / John M. Keller, Professor Directing Dissertation; Penny J. Gilmer, Outside Committee Member; Amy L. Baylor, Committee Member; Vanessa P. Dennen, Committee Member.

This study demonstrates the three-level hierarchical generalized linear model (HGLM) applied to educational research. The sequential steps for developing, analyzing, evaluating, and applying the three-level HGLM are demonstrated in the study. In the study, the effects of predictors are interpreted using the simple effect and ANOVA-like approaches. In order to describe predictors' effects, odds and odds ratios are computed and interpreted. This study used NAEP 2000 Reading data for fourth grade students. A sample of 7,175 students, 1,076 teachers, and 295 schools from 46 States was used in the study. Student, teacher, and school level data were used as level-1, level-2, and level-3 units respectively for analysis. Reading proficiency was considered as a dichotomous outcome. Socioeconomic status (SES) and minority were used as student level predictors; class size was used as a teacher level predictor; and school mean SES was used as a school level predictor. Positive effect of SES and school mean SES on reading proficiency was found. However, negative effect was found due to minority and class type on reading proficiency. Graphical methods are presented to interpret the effects for class type and minority on reading proficiency. Specifically, the effect of class type is presented graphically for minority and non-minority students associated with different levels of school mean SES. Similarly, the effect of minority is depicted for crowded and non-crowded class types associated with different levels of school mean SES. The research practitioners not only can replicate the procedural steps of demonstrating the three-level HGLM as presented in this study, but they also can interpret predictors' effects using simple effect and ANOVA-like approaches described in this study. Despite the complexity of the process in computing effects using the simple effect approach, researchers can interpret effects with less complication using this approach compared to the traditional HGLM approach. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2005. / December 8, 2004. / Teacher and school effects, Interaction effect, Main effect, Odds and odds ratios, Unconditional and conditional models, NAEP reading data, Three-level HLM and HGLM, Cross-level interactions, Simple effect description / Includes bibliographical references. / Richard L. Tate, Professor Directing Dissertation; Janice Flake, Outside Committee Member; Albert Oosterhof, Committee Member; Akihito Kamata, Committee Member.

Each year about 580,000 teachers enter the classroom as new hires (Provasnik & Dorfman, 2005). Those that enter urban classrooms for the first time often fall prey to the plight of inner city schools, which have high rates of student failure and teacher turnover. The goal of this study is to use longitudinal data to examine the relationship between Year 1 (n = 120) and Returning Teachers' (n = 73) initial perceptions of teacher-efficacy and cultural receptivity as predictors of teacher burnout in the urban setting one year later. Participants include first year, second year and alumni teacher-members of the Americorps Teach For America program. Data were collected via self-report questionnaires at two time points. Data collection included assessments of three characteristics: teaching efficacy, cultural receptivity and burnout. Previous research indicates that teachers with high levels of teacher-efficacy are less likely to feel professional burnout and leave the career (Betoret, 2006; Chwalisz, Altmaier, & Russell, 1992; Freidman, 2003). It is possible that programs structured to develop and maintain high levels of teaching efficacy during the teachers' first years would be successful in preventing attrition from urban schools. However, little is known about the development of teacher-efficacy, cultural receptivity, and burnout over the initial year of novice teachers' career. Analysis of the initial teacher-efficacy and cultural receptivity levels from preservice, first year and second year teachers in Teach for America were significantly different across groups (Swearingen, 2008). As novice teachers maintain contact with diverse populations in their classroom and school, it is possible that they redefine their personal level of cultural receptivity. There were three goals for this study. The first goal was to determine if teachers' perceptions of their levels of efficacy, cultural receptivity, and burnout change over time (Wave 1 = prior to starting first or second year of teaching and Wave 2 = prior to starting second or third year of teaching) and whether this change varies with amount of experience (Year 1 and Returning Teachers). The second goal was to determine if the initial levels of teacher-efficacy and cultural receptivity predict teacher-efficacy perceptions one year later. The final goal more specifically addressed the issue of high urban teacher attrition. This third goal was to determine if the initial levels of teacher-efficacy and cultural receptivity predict teacher burnout perceptions one year later and whether cultural receptivity may act as a buffer to perceptions of burnout. As expected the urban teachers (preservice and novice) experienced significant changes to beliefs of efficacy, cultural receptivity, and burnout over the course of the 2007/08 school year. Initially, cultural receptivity was expected to be a mediating variable in the relationship between teacher-efficacy and burnout. Results from the initial data collection, which provided data for Wave 1 in the study, indicate cultural receptivity is a predictor of urban teacher burnout, which is also connected to potential teacher attrition (Swearingen, 2008). It was anticipated that initial levels of cultural receptivity would add to the predictability of expected teacher-efficacy and burnout levels one year later. Cultural receptivity failed to have a strong presence in the relationship between teacher-efficacy and burnout. Cultural receptivity did not add to the power of teacher-efficacy to predict the efficacy or burnout of novice teachers (Year 1 or Returning Teachers) after a year of full time teaching (an additional year for Returning Teachers). Nevertheless, as an independent variable, used to create the cultural receptivity groups of High, Medium and Low, the influence of cultural receptivity, on the variables of teacher-efficacy and burnout, adds to the preexisting body of literature. Countering the expected pattern of developing teacher-efficacy and novice teacher burnout, those teachers that indicated lower levels of cultural receptivity reported an increase in the teacher-efficacy between Wave 1 and Wave 2. These teachers with lower levels of cultural receptivity also reported a decline in their perceptions of burnout after the 2007/08 school year. A discussion of the implications of the findings is included in the discussion. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2009. / March 30, 2009. / Teach For America, Burnout, Teacher-Efficacy, Cultural Receptivity, Novice Teacher Attrition, Urban Education / Includes bibliographical references. / Alysia D. Roehrig, Professor Directing Dissertation; Patrice Iatarola, Outside Committee Member; Jeannine Turner, Committee Member; Beth Phillips, Committee Member.

Coaching college students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder empowers individuals to organize and execute their responsibilities, both in academia and in everyday life. With the assistance of a coach, individuals with ADHD can create structure and execute change by identifying strategies that circumvent their deficits in executive functioning. Given the increased risks facing college students with ADHD, coaching is a useful compliment to academic advising and intensive therapy. This study demonstrates coaching's effectiveness by highlighting the experience of a single participant. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2004. / January 26, 2004. / College Students with ADHD, Coaching, ADHD / Includes bibliographical references. / Frances Prevatt, Professor Directing Thesis; Briley Proctor, Committee Member; F. Donald Kelly, Committee Member.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the expectation of pain and pre-competitive anxiety. Male and female collegiate participants (N = 89) completed a set of surveys which tested pain expectations (EPS), competitive anxiety (CSAI-2), expectations of threat (ETQ), and self-efficacy for pain tolerance (TSSEQ). Correlational and regression analyses revealed that the expectation of pain was related to the experience of competitive anxiety. This association was strongest with cognitive anxiety (rs. .47-.79). There were no significant findings in regards to differentiation among genders, sport type or level of self-efficacy for pain tolerance. However, insignificant differences may have resulted from disproportionate sample groupings and small sample sub-groupings. Overall, the findings of the present study give support to the proposition that the expectation of pain should be considered a viable addition to the present sources of competitive anxiety. Further research should be aimed at determining the effect of pain-related anxiety on performance. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2006. / November 8, 2006. / Discomfort, Pain, Pre-competitive anxiety, Pain-related anxiety, Pain expectations, Athletics / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert Eklund, Professor Directing Thesis; Gershon Tenenbaum, Committee Member; Alysia Roehrig, Committee Member.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships among goal instability, career thoughts, career decision state, and performance in a career development course. Participants enrolled in an undergraduate career course at a large southeastern university completed measures of goal instability, career thoughts, career decision state, and performance in course activities. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results demonstrated that goal instability was significantly related to career thoughts, career satisfaction and tension, and performance in the course. The strongest relationship was demonstrated between goal instability and career thoughts, indicating that more goal instability is related to more negative career thoughts. Goal instability was not significantly related to career decidedness. Implications for practice and research based on the results of this study are discussed. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2011. / July 28, 2010. / Goal Instability, Career Development Course, Career Thoughts, Career Decidedness / Includes bibliographical references. / Janet G. Lenz, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Robert C. Reardon, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; John R. Reynolds, University Representative; James P. Sampson, Committee Member; Gary W. Peterson, Committee Member.

Shared mental models (SMM) are defined as "knowledge structure(s) held by each member of a team that enables them to form accurate explanations and expectations for the [team and task], and in turn, to coordinate their actions and adapt their behavior to demands of the task and other team members"(Cannon-Bowers, Salas, & Converse, 1993, p. 228). Team member knowledge and perceptions about the team and tasks within a given environment is a main contributing factor for team effectiveness while SMM represents the commonality of this knowledge among team members (Cannon-Bowers & Salas, 1998). There is evidence to support the link between SMM and team performance. Further, research has found that certain SMM based interventions can improve team processes ultimately leading to greater team performance. Though much of this evidence comes from high-stress / high-intensity (e.g. military) environments as well as in business, Mohammed and Dumville (2001) state that the team SMM framework can be applied across disciplines such as education where team learning strategies are used. The theoretical framework of SMM for analyzing and improving team performance has great potential for research and practical application in the academic environment. Despite this potential, there is limited empirical evidence to support the use of interventions designed based on the SMM framework in the academic setting where team learning strategies are being utilized. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an SMM based intervention on team mental model similarity and ultimately team performance in an undergraduate meteorology course. The team knowledge sharing (TKS) intervention was designed to improve team and task-related knowledge sharing processes through promoting team reflection, communication, and improvement planning thereby enhancing SMM and ultimately team performance on meteorology lab assignments. The intervention targeted five critical SMM factors that are: general task and team knowledge, communication skills, attitude toward teammates and task, team dynamics and interactions, and team resources and working environment (Johnson et al., 2007). This research involved conducting an experiment whereby 34 student teams in an undergraduate meteorology lab were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control condition. Prior to working on team lab assignments, teams in the treatment condition received the TKS intervention while those in the control condition received the non-SMM activity. Team-SMM outcomes comprised two key elements: (1) content of team members' perceptions regarding team and general task work as indicated by the Team Assessment Diagnostic Measure (TADM) mean and standard deviation (SD) scores and (2) the composition of team knowledge structures pertaining to team and general task work as indicated by the Team-SMM Structure score. Team-SMM content and structure are assessed within the context of teams working on three successive meteorology lab assignments. Team performance outcomes comprised team scores on meteorology team lab assignments 7, 8, and 9 as well as on a team quiz. MANOVA, ANOVA, and non-parametric statistical techniques were used to determine treatment and control group differences on the specified outcome variables. The first theme of the study was concerned with examining the effects of the TKS intervention on Team-SMM. Significant differences were found between the treatment and control group on the following SMM related dependent variables: lab assignment 7 TADM SD score, lab assignment 8 TADM SD score and Team-SMM Structure score, and lab assignment 9 Team-SMM Structure score. The direction of these differences was consistent with the hypotheses. The second theme was concerned with examining the effects of the TKS intervention on team performance. Results revealed that lab assignment mean score was higher for the treatment group as compared to the control group though this difference was not significant. Lab assignment 8 mean score was significantly higher for the TKS treatment group as compared to the control group which supports the operational hypotheses. Lab assignment 9 mean score was significantly higher for the control group as compared to the treatment group which is in opposition to the operational hypothesis. The team quiz score mean was higher for the treatment group as compared to the control group which is consistent with the operational hypothesis. Overall, the TKS intervention was effective as indicated by generally greater SMM and team performance for the treatment group as compared to the control. The TKS intervention could realistically be adopted for use in the MET 1010 course and similar academic settings to maximize the potential of student teams. Similar interventions could likely be developed, empirically examined, and potentially employed to promote success in handling complex challenges while working in teams in the classroom and beyond. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2009. / March 26, 2009. / Shared Mental Models, Team Performance, Science Education / Includes bibliographical references. / Tristan E. Johnson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Paul Ruscher, Outside Committee Member; Valerie Shute, Committee Member; David Eccles, Committee Member.

Binder (1999) suggested that interactive, multimedia-training activities could be used to fill the gap between coursework and supervised practicum experiences. Consistent with this idea, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate a computer-training program that combines case-based instruction, self-evaluation, and models as feedback. Case-based instruction gives learners practice with applying their knowledge in real-world situations (Mayo, 2002), situating the learning in the context in which it will be used (Williams, 1992). Thus, learners become more flexible and effective in transferring and applying their knowledge in a variety of situations, and are better able to build adaptive expertise. Adaptive experts are more effectively able to think and act flexibly and appropriately, handle uncertainty, and build understandings for new experiences (Fazey, Fazey, & Fazey, 2005). Thirty-four sport psychology graduate students participated in the study, and responded to four sets of two performance-consulting scenarios. Participants outlined for each scenario the additional information they would want in the situation, and how they might handle the situation. Half of the participants then viewed other sport psychology graduate students' responses, while the other half viewed experienced professionals' responses. Participants were also assessed on their self-efficacy before and after viewing the models and ratings of comparisons with the models. Participants were subsequently asked to comment on the usefulness of the program and the models. The results of the study provided only limited support for the idea that viewing experienced professionals' models would be more beneficial to learning, though there was evidence of potential trends for their usefulness, particularly with respect to the participants' written responses. This is important given that individuals with more knowledge in a domain have more elaborate mental representations, which over time enable them to develop situation awareness and adaptive expertise, resulting in more flexible and effective application of their knowledge to a wide variety of situations (Berliner, 1994; Endsley, 1995; Ericsson, 2003; Glaser, 1987; Hatano & Inagaki, 2005; Tan, 1997). Self-efficacy ratings overall did not depend on which models were viewed, but rather may be based on the previous backgrounds and experiences of the participants. Model comparison ratings also did not depend on which models were viewed, which may be due to the design of the program rather than an indication of a lack of learning. However, the results highlighted a potential trend that participants in the novice feedback group rated their responses as more comparable to the models than did participants in the expert feedback group. Overall, participants indicated that the program would be a useful addition to performance consulting training, and stated that the models, regardless of level, were a beneficial aspect of the program. Suggestions for modifications to the program are discussed in order to further enhance the usefulness of the program. The process of sport psychology practice in the real world is not widely discussed in the field (Anderson, 2000), and learning activities need to be made available to students so that they can practice providing services to clients (Silva, Conroy, & Zizzi, 1999; Tod, Marchant, & Anderson, 2007). Therefore, the usefulness of this computer program is that it provides quality practice opportunities for graduate students in sport psychology to test out their skills, view the processes of how others approach consulting situations, and engage in reflective practice to become more self-aware and competent practitioners. / A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / May 28, 2010. / Sport Psychology, Performance Enhancement, Case-based Instruction, Performance Psychology, Expert Performance, Learning, Training, Instruction / Includes bibliographical references. / Gershon Tenenbaum, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kathleen Burnett, University Representative; David Eccles, Committee Member; Robert Eklund, Committee Member.

Purpose. The main purpose of this study was to examine 50 fifth grade students' response to positive/negative feedback in relation to their writing self-efficacy scores and writing performance by exploring the relationship between feedback and self-efficacy scores, writing performance scores, and motivation. This study explored whether positive/negative feedback impacted students' perceptions of themselves as writers and their writing performance scores. Additionally, it examined how endurance and persistence were impacted through the knowledge of feedback results. Conclusions. On the basis of the statistical analyses performed, the following findings emerged: 1) positive feedback did not influence self-efficacy more than negative feedback; 2) students receiving any feedback wrote less during a second writing period than they did in the first; and 3) there was no statistical significance in the relationship between feedback and performance scores. After further investigation, surprising results were observed in the relationships between feedback and self-efficacy as well as feedback and motivation. All analyses indicate that students in the no treatment group scored higher in self-efficacy and showed higher motivation than either treatment group. Statistical significance on a univariate f-test predicting direction in advance for the five sub-tests of the self-efficacy measure occurred on three out of five subscales. Statistical significance was also observed in correlations between students' pre- and post-treatment time on task and word count. / A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology & Learning Systems in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2005. / March 17, 2005. / Self-efficacy, Writing performance, Feedback / Includes bibliographical references. / Susan Carol Losh, Professor Directing Thesis; Fanchon F. Funk, Outside Committee Member; Marcy Driscoll, Committee Member.