<p> Studies have shown that Latina/os may experience discomfort in regards to acculturation and assimilation into mainstream American culture. For Latina/o adolescents this struggle may be more pronounced. Adolescence can be a time when one is developing an understanding of how one fits within the context of community. Previous research shows how adolescents with a strong ethnic identity may experience greater resiliency against stressful life events. Studies have also shown how the arts can have a positive effect on adolescent identity development. Cultural arts aid in selfdiscovery plus a connection with peers and the greater community. This study examines the correlation between culturally-relevant art activities, labeled in this study as the LIAC (Latina/o Identity-based Art Curriculum) and Latina/o adolescent ethnic identity exploration and affirmation. This study consisted of 15 Latina/ o students, ages 13-18, enrolled in an after-school program. Ethnic identity was analyzed using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM). Students reflected on their art projects and other members' art projects, which were based on topics ofLatina/o ethnicity and culture. Findings correlate to previous studies which show how cultural art activities can help strengthen Latinalo adolescent identity. Data from this study showed significance increases in ethnic identity exploration and affirmation, respectively. Although the current results are informative, they are also preliminary. More research is needed to fully understand how culturally-relevant art groups can help Latina/o adolescents gain a stronger ethnic and overall identity.</p>

<p> Mindfulness practices, used to focus and sustain attention, have been shown to promote school readiness, and to positively impact students' academic success. Yet, incorporating these practices into the normal school day has been difficult due to the curriculum changes and teacher training necessary for implementation and sustainable operation. This study utilized a quasi-randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, to measure the effects of a mindfulness program on student grades, on teaching operations, and on teacher mindfulness and stress. The program consisted of 90 audio-guided tracks, each 10 minutes in length. The automated delivery system, via an MP3 player and docking station, offered both students and teachers the opportunity to consistently participate in mindfulness practices each school day without impacting teaching operations. A total of 337 students in 2 schools participated in this study. There was a significant mindfulness intervention effect on students' grade point average (GPA) changes in School A (<i>N</i> = 131), between the treatment (<i>n</i> = 64, <i>M</i> = 2.7995, <i>SD</i> = 3.13), and control (<i>n</i> = 67, <i>M</i> = .0448, <i> SD</i> = 2.61) groups; <i>t</i>(129) = 5.48, <i>p</i> &lt; .001 (2-tailed), 99% <i>CI</i> [1.76, 3.75], <i>d</i> = .96. In school B, (<i>N</i> = 206), there was a near significant mindfulness intervention effect on GPA changes between the treatment (<i> n</i> = 103, <i>M</i> = .0357, <i>SD</i> = .065) and control (<i>n</i> = 103, <i>M</i> = .0091, <span style="text-decoration:overline"> SD</span> = .126) group; <i>t</i>(204) = 1.91, <i>p</i> = .058 (2-tailed), 95% <i>CI</i> [-.001, .054], <i> d</i> = .27. These results suggest that a daily audio-guided mindfulness practice can positively impact student grades across all subjects with less than 1 hour of teacher training and with no changes to the existing curriculum. </p>

<p> This study utilized a quality of life framework of psychosocial adaptation to explore relationships among college stress, functional limitations, coping strategies, and perceived social suport in adjustment to college among first-year and second-year undergraduate students with disabilities, based on specific hypothesized relations. College adjustment outcomes included: life satisfaction, academic performance, and psychosocial-emotional adjustment to college. </p><p> A nonprobability sample of 103 first-year and second-year undergraduate college students with disabilities participated in the study. Respondents were registered with an office of support services for students with disabilities at a public, four-year university, located in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Respondents were recruited by responding to an e-mail requesting participation in an online, web-based survey. </p><p> Eight self-report measures included: (a) Participant Survey (developed by the researcher to collect socio-demographic information, (b) College Stress Inventory (CSI; Solberg, Hale, Villarreal, &amp; Kavanagh, 1993), (c) Disability Functional Limitations Scale (DFLS) (developed by the researcher), (d) Brief COPE; Carver, 1997, (e) Social Support Appraisals-Revised (SSA-R) scale; Vaux et al., 1986), (f) Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, &amp; Griffin, 1985), (g) Grade Point Average-Scale (GPA-S; adapted by the researcher from a self-reported grading scale), and (h) Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ; Baker &amp; Siryk, 1999). </p><p> Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational procedures. Bivariate analysis suggested that all predictor variables (i.e., college stress, functional limitations, engagement coping, and perceived social support) were significantly associated with student adjustment to college. Hierarchical multiple regression suggested mostly direct (i.e., main) effects for engagement coping and perceived social support. No interacting role for either engagement-type coping or perceived social support was suggested, except for the following: Engagement-type coping moderated the relationship between disability-related functional limitations (as measured by increased restrictions in the ability to perform daily routines, activites, and life roles) and adaptation to college, as measured by life satisfaction. Analyses of socio-demographic variables revealed significant associations between chronological age, gender, hours employed, and adjustment to college. Lastly, hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed disengagment coping accounting for as much as 53% of the variance in adjustment scores. This result suggested disengagement coping adding significant predictive utility for adaptation-associated college adjustment. </p><p> In light of these findings, counseling professionals may wish to consider the beneficial role of engagement coping in promoting optimal adjustment to college for lower-division undergraduate students with disabilities.</p>

<p>Abstract Over 40 years of research, three categories of instructional practices are consistently shown to enhance student achievement, including (a) Evidence-based (EB) Strategy Instruction, (b) Feedback, and (c) Formative Assessment. It was the hypothesis of this study that Grade 9 Algebra 1 classrooms do not routinely use these EB practices to enhance their instruction. Data was collected from 12 Algebra 1 classrooms utilizing a researcher developed systematic observation tool featuring highly effective instructional practices from the 2001 Marzano, Pickering, and Pollack and 2009 Hattie meta-analyses. Study results suggested that the frequency of EB instructional practices varied remarkably among teachers. However, the preponderance of teaching time was spent in two forms of practice with little time devoted to other EB strategies and informal formative assessment practices often lacked variety and depth. Last, the frequency or type of EB instructional practices used did not differ between classes designed for students with average math skills compared to classes designed for lower skilled students. Recommended methods for increasing the widespread use of highly effective EB instructional practices included: (a) system-wide improvements in pre-service teacher training in highly effective instructional practices, (b) more effective on-the-job professional development and implementation practices, and (c) the use of structured professional learning communities focused on improving pedagogy.

<p> Self-efficacy affects the way a person decides to live his or her life. Efficacy can dictate whether a person takes a risk, can influence personal and professional goals, and can determine what a person does when failure arises. Strong self-efficacy includes perseverance, motivation, and courage to try an unfamiliar path. In education, efficacy is imbedded in a school environment. The areas of efficacy that co-exist in an educational setting are teacher efficacy, collective efficacy, and student efficacy. The focus of this study is the influence instructional coaching has on teacher efficacy and how that efficacy affects student achievement. Research indicates that there is a relationship between teacher efficacy and student achievement. The question is whether teacher efficacy is influenced by support from an instructional coach in a school setting. In this mixed methods study there were many indications to support the need for instructional coaching in an efficacious school system. Themes found in the interviews and teacher reflections indicated a strong need for effective school leadership, strong professional learning communities, supportive grade level teams, and instructional support found within an instructional coach. Use of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale along with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed the positive effects instructional coaching had on the instructional efficacy of the participants involved in this study. Finally, a paired samples <i>t</i>-test showed evidence of student achievement being affected by the support teachers received from the instructional coach. These topics remain relevant to the challenges facing teachers today who need ongoing instructional support to help them with implementation of state and federal mandates and educational standards.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine whether Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) for writing could be used as a Tier 2 intervention to improve the writing of fifth grade students identified as performing below the 50^th percentile on AIMSweb curriculum-based measures of correct writing sequences (WE-CBM CWS). Results of RMANOVA indicated that students in the SRSD Group made significant improvements in their WE-CBM mean score compared to the Control Group from pre- to post-test. Additional analyses using a modified WE-CBM that added one minute for students to organize their writing thoughts (EWE-CBM) did not show significant improvements to mean CWS scores. Qualitative analyses indicated that the intervention teacher and SRSD students found the intervention method to be easy to follow, helped improve their writing, and that they will use it again in the future. Evidence from this study suggests that SRSD can be effectively used as a Tier 2 writing intervention within a multi-tiered system of supports model. The limitations and implications for practice are discussed.</p>

<p> The focus of this comparative study was to examine the connection between attendance in preschool and kindergarten students' literacy success as measured by the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2+). Historical data were obtained from the DRA2+ scores of 1,080 kindergarten students in one Missouri school district for the 2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 school years. The study was also used to determine the perceptions of kindergarten educators of the impact of preschool on their students. The following overarching question was: What difference exists when comparing the DRA2+ scores of kindergarten students who had a preschool experience and those who did not? Additionally, the perceptions of teachers working with students who had received an early learning experience and students who had not received an early learning experience were gathered. Using a t-test to examine the difference between the mean scores of participating and non-participating students, there was a statistically significant difference in scores of students who participated in preschool and those who did not for 2010-2011; however, there were not statistically significant differences in the sets of data for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Educators surveyed in this research perceived that students who had not received an early learning experience seemed to have more difficulty learning the basics of school life; attending for longer periods of time; taking direction; using manipulatives, such as scissors, pencils, and crayons; and getting along with peers.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2000. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-06, Section: B, page: 3304. Adviser: Frances Campbell-LaVoie.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Pacific Graduate School of Psychology, 2000. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 61-08, Section: A, page: 3050. Adviser: Amy Wisniewski.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Instructional Systems Technology, 2007. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: A, page: 2763. Adviser: Thomas Schwen. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 9, 2008).