<p>This study examines the educational history of African Americans since their arrival in America in 1619. From milestones to major turning points in educational history, various Supreme Court decisions, and federal educational legislation, this study highlights the development of the African American system of education. This paper also examines the creation of the first legislation governing education of blacks in the 1700s and then evaluates the modern legislation pertaining to the education of blacks in America?s schools. Next, this paper examines the academic progress of African Americans by reviewing their performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics assessment. Lastly, this study offers remedies for the current state of academic affairs for African Americans.

Latent class analysis is a useful tool to deal with discrete multivariate response data. Croon (1990) proposed the ordered latent class model where latent classes are ordered by imposing inequality constraints on the cumulative conditional response probabilities. Taking stochastic ordering of latent classes into account in the analysis of data gives a meaningful interpretation, since the primary purpose of a test is to order students on the latent trait continuum. This study extends Croon's model to ordered latent class regression that regresses latent class membership on covariates (e.g., gender, country) and demonstrates the utilities of an ordered latent class regression model in educational assessment using data from Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The benefit of this model is that item analysis and group comparisons can be done simultaneously in one model. The model is fitted by maximum likelihood estimation method with an EM algorithm. It is found that the proposed model is a useful tool for exploratory purposes as a special case of nonparametric item response models and cross-country difference can be modeled as different composition of discrete classes. Simulations is done to evaluate the performance of information criteria (AIC and BIC) in selecting the appropriate number of latent classes in the model. From the simulation results, AIC outperforms BIC for the model with the order-restricted maximum likelihood estimator.

<p> Research demonstrates that problem-based learning (PBL) teaching strategies raise student achievement and skills needed for the 21st century. Research also found that educators enjoy using PBL, students enjoy learning through PBL, and PBL motivates students to succeed in science classrooms. The descriptive, comparative study focused on science raw scores obtained from two schools in the Southern region of the United States and presented an analysis of the difference between two groups of sixth-grade students&rsquo; science scores. One group of scores was from classes whose teachers implemented PBL and the other group was from classes whose teachers did not implement PBL. The study addressed one central research question: Is there a statistically significant difference in raw state exam scores when implementing PBL teaching strategies instead of non-PBL teaching strategies among sixth-grade science students in two schools located in the Southeastern United States? The researcher analyzed archived data of 357 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two schools in the Southeastern region of the United States. The study used descriptive statistics, an independent <i>t</i> test, and a Levene&rsquo;s test to identify the significance between the two sixth-grade groups using 2014&ndash;2015 school data. Descriptive statistics showed that students taught using PBL scored an average of 15.48 points higher on the assessment than students in a non-PBL classroom. The independent <i>t</i> test found a two-tailed significance value or <i>p</i> value of 0.000. Results suggest that students taught using PBL teaching strategies score significantly higher on the sixth-grade science state exam assessment than students taught using non-PBL teaching strategies.</p><p>

In this thesis, we improved our understanding of the effects of hydrology, stream hydraulics, and temperature on juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) habitat. We demonstrated the key role played by stream morphology and flow regime on in-channel hydraulics and consequently on salmonid habitat. Additionally, we showed how riparian afforestation has potential to moderate climate change effects on stream temperature preserving freshwater ecosystems. The Girnock Burn is an upland Scottish river that has been intensively studied to investigate flow generation processes and stream temperature, and has served as a long-term monitoring site for Atlantic salmon population dynamics since 1966. The general approach applied consisted of combining different types of models including: hydraulic, fish habitat, hydrological and heat transfer models with long-term hydrological and climatic data sets, and digital terrain models (DTMs) at different spatio-temporal scales. Our results showed that the extensive presence of roughness elements (e.g. boulders and cobbles) is capable to provide some refuge areas for juvenile salmon fry for a wide range of flows. However, under extreme flow conditions, in-channel hydraulics might represent a limiting factor. Significant inter-site differences occurred and were consistent throughout the years. Evidence of long-term trend in fry habitat quality could be identified only in summer. Since more extreme flow regimes are expected in the future as a result of climate change, we also proposed a novel analytical approach that allowed us to assess the effects of hydroclimatic variation on fish populations outside the range of observations. Finally, we showed the potential of afforestation to reduce daily stream temperature range, moderating both low and high peaks of more than 2 ○C. This makes riparian shading a valuable mitigation strategy to contrast global warming effects on stream temperatures that should be considered for a sustainable catchment management.

<p> Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) tools are used widely to assess students&rsquo; progress within different stages of the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. Despite the wide-spread use, little research has identified the efficacy of reading CBMs in predicting secondary student outcomes on high-stakes assessments. High-stakes assessments are being utilized to determine outcomes for not just students, but teachers, administrators, and districts. More research is needed to determine if reading CBMs are useful tools for the populations of struggling secondary readers. The current study was a secondary analysis of existing data, which attempted to gain an understanding of this through examining the predictive validity of CBMs and high-stakes pre-assessments on end-of-year outcomes. The population included struggling, seventh grade readers who had not demonstrated proficiency on previous state tests and who attended urban schools representing low socio-economic status and high ethnic diversity. Results identified previous year state tests and norm-referenced tests as significant predictors of end-of-year outcomes, both individually and in combination. Though the reading fluency CBMs accounted for some variance in the regression equation, the amount was negligible. Student ethnicity and group status (i.e., whether received intervention) were not significant predictors of end-of year outcomes. These results indicate that CBMs may not provide additional valuable information in the prediction of student outcomes for secondary struggling readers. This finding is important for educators to weigh with other concerns, such as ease of use and time constraints, as existing pre-assessments (i.e., state tests, norm-referenced screening tools) may provide enough information without the additional use of CBMs.</p>

<p> The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of teacher attitudes and to discover other factors that have an impact on the implementation of a standards-based grading program. This descriptive phenomenology features interviews of 25 educators from Georgia as well as other states and two foreign countries in order to collect their perspectives of the lived experience of the implementation process. </p><p> The findings of this study suggest that the attitudes teachers have regarding the implantation process of a standards-based grading program do have a significant impact on the process. Those participants who described themselves as having a positive attitude towards the transition tended to also describe experiencing a more successful implementation of the program. The converse was true as participants describing their experience as being controlled by a negative attitude towards the transition experienced less successful transitions to the standards-based grading program. The findings of this study suggest that school leaders play a vital role in creating a successful implementation process and that other factors such as the quality of professional development and the element of time impact the process.</p><p>

<p> This doctoral project was developed to evaluate the validity and reliability of a spiritual growth assessment tool that the author created for his ministry in Southeast Asia called the Bridge or BRIDGES. This tool called the BRIDGES Spiritual Growth Questionnaire (BSG-Q) is helpful for church leaders who intend on implementing The Bridge&rsquo;s 7-Stage Discipleship Strategy in determining the spiritual stage of their church members. Fifty volunteers at the Bridge were recruited to complete the BSG-Q. To study the validity of the BSG-Q, the three basic and traditional components of validity (criterion-related validity, content validity, and construct validity) were applied. Nine small group leaders at the Bridge were recruited to help assess the criterion-related validity by completing a criterion assessment form. Five experts concerning the Bridge&rsquo;s 7-Stage strategy were recruited to help assess the content validity by completing a content assessment form. Construct validity was assessed by referencing published authors. To study the reliability of the BSG-Q, the test-retest method and the split-halves method were applied. The accumulated data from all the questionnaires and tests and the analysis of the data confirmed the hypothesis of this project: &ldquo;The BSG-Q is a valid and reliable tool in determining a person&rsquo;s level or stage of spiritual growth within the 7- Stage strategy.&rdquo; This project also enabled the author to make some critical discoveries in how to interpret the scores of BSG-Q participants resulting in important recommendations for church leaders who intend on using this tool.</p><p>

No description available.

A non-contact method characterizing the quantum efficiency of a solar cell using the microwave reflectance signature is presented in this thesis. Traditional solar cell quantum efficiency (QE) measurements are only possible near the completion of the fabrication process using contacts in direct physical connection with the metalized surface tabs to probe and extract charge carriers from the device. However, pressure within the solar metrology industry to report the spectral performance of the device earlier in the manufacturing process as part of the process control loop requires that a new non-contact method be developed. This thesis work contributes the development of a non-contact focused microwave reflectance technique capable of acquiring the full 365nm - 1100nm spectrum in under 1 minute. Unlike many similar Time Resolved Microwave Conductivity (TRMC) and Microwave Photoconductivity Decay (µPCD) systems based on the open-ended waveguide technique, this measurement is developed to perform measurements in the far-field. As such, a different mechanism for understanding the problem is presented using the modulated scatterer concept from antenna theory. Using a combination of high dielectric sensor pads and negative-index of refraction microwave lenses, we are able to tune the far-field field probe size from 5mm-150mm allowing for high speed single point in-line measurements or high spatial sensitivity laboratory measurements.

Institutional effectiveness models are examined in two community colleges, judged to have exemplary institutional effectiveness systems in place. One community college is organized within the context of a state level governance system and one is organized under the authority of a local Board of Trustees. / The institutional effectiveness models are examined through an integrated framework of open systems theory and the concepts of effective planning and evaluation processes required by the criteria contained in Section III of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools' accreditation criteria. / The research questions addressed in this study focus on: (a) the events and circumstances that impeded or encouraged the development of the institutional effectiveness model, (b) the elements and strategies of exemplary planning and evaluation practices in the selected institutions, (c) how planning and evaluation practices are integrated into the operational activities of the case institutions, (d) how the existing governance structure influences the institutional effectiveness process, and (e) the role the governing board plays in the utilization of evaluation data to improve institutional effectiveness in the case institutions. / Qualitative research data were collected through interviews, institutional documents, and observations. Triangulation of the data ensured the trustworthiness of the study. A narrative report was reviewed by the designated liaisons at the case institutions to verify interpretations of the data. / The results of the study suggested that presidential leadership was a major factor in the development of the institutional effectiveness systems. Other significant factors included regional accreditation criteria and state policies encouraging institutional effectiveness efforts. / Contextual factors such as the unique institutional culture, governance structure, administrative organizations, and institutional resource development played an integral role in the development of the institutional effectiveness systems. The findings revealed that planning and evaluation information was utilized to focus institutional energies and resources upon the achievement of quality educational experiences to support student success. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0698. / Major Professor: Louis Bender. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.