Increasing student success and retention rates are top goals for many higher education institutions. Supplemental Instruction (SI) is a widely used academic support program designed to increase students’ academic performance and provide students the learning skills they need to persist to graduation. Unfortunately, a lack of time, personnel, and resources often prevent in-depth, meaningful analysis on the effectiveness of SI programs. This study examined the relationship of attending SI sessions for first-year chemistry courses to student grade outcomes and retention rates for attendees. The gender of SI leaders and SI participants was also assessed to determine if leader and participant gender were related to SI attendance, final course grades, or retention. The results indicated that students who attended SI earned significantly higher final course grades and were retained at significantly higher rates after one and two terms. A positive correlation was discovered between the number of SI sessions attended and final course grades. Significant differences in final grades were demonstrated between students who attended SI and those who did not at all levels of composite ACT scores. Both male and female students showed a preference for gender-matching with their SI leader, but students who attended SI sessions with both male and female SI leaders earned higher final course grades than students who gender-matched with their SI leader and students who only attended SI sessions with an SI leader whose gender differed from their own. No significant differences were found between male and female students for final course grades or retention outcomes.

Data have consistently revealed a major problem with disproportionality in several academic and social climate measures for African American students compared to their White counterparts. Black students tend to have lower end-of-course (EOC) testing scores in mathematics and reading, a greater tendency to be suspended from school, lower average on-time graduation rates, and higher rates of absenteeism. The current investigative study examined the role of same race administrators and performance indicators among African American students. The findings demonstrated that significant differences between Black and White students existed in end-of-course testing in reading and math. The research also indicated significant relationships between race, school suspension, and attendance in schools with a Black administrative presence. Further qualitative and quantitative research investigating the variables that significantly indicate academic and social climate performance improvements, particularly among marginalized student groups, could be beneficial to students and education leaders alike. Data from this research study showed that student economic status predicted academic and social climate performance between Black and White students, regardless of the race of administrators. However, Black students in non-impoverished settings with a Black administrative presence outperformed their White counterparts in academic and social climate measures. This study could be a precursor to more expansive research on the ways in which improving economic conditions could improve Black student performance, especially with a more diverse administrative school presence.

En kunskapsöversikt på effekterna av formativ bedömning behövs i alla ämnen inklusive matematik. Syftet med studien är att genom en systematisk litteraturstudie ta reda på vilka bevis det finns som säger att formativ bedömning är eller inte är effektiv när det gäller elevers prestationer samt att analysera orsakerna av dessa effekter. Resultatet visat att formativ bedömning kan ha positiva, negativa och inga effekter på elevers prestationer. Orsakerna är till vilken grad lärarna implementerat formativ bedömning, intresset och motivation från lärarna att använda formativ bedömning samt vilken typ av formativ bedömning som implementeras. / A knowledge overview on the effects of formative assessment is needed in all subjects including mathematics. The purpose of this study is by a systematic review find out what evidence there are that say that formative assessment is or is not effective regarding student performance and also analyze the causes of these effects. The findings show that formative assessment can have positive, negative and no effects on student performance. The causes are the extent to which formative assessment is used, the interest and motivation from the teacher to use formative assessment and also what kind of formative assessment that is implemented.

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With the increase of students applying to pharmacy programs, it is imperative that admissions committees choose appropriate measures to analyze student readiness. The purpose of this research was to identify significant factors that predict the academic performance, defined as grade point average (GPA) at the end of the first professional year, of pharmacy students. The population consisted of 466 students enrolled in a Doctor of Pharmacy Program in northeast Tennessee over a 5-year period. Statistical procedures included bivariate correlations, t-tests for independent samples, and multiple regression. Analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the students in the population were between 21 and 24 years of age, female, and White, non-Hispanic. Most were from the surrounding region, attended a 4-year undergraduate institution, and earned a bachelor’s degree prior to pharmacy school. Average PCAT scores were: 68 (Composite), 67 (Biology), 64 (Chemistry), 64 (Reading), 60 (Quantitative Ability), and 68 (Verbal Ability). The average undergraduate GPAs were 3.43 (cumulative) and 3.32 (math and science), whereas the average first-year pharmacy school GPA for the population was 3.33. Younger students tended to have higher first-year pharmacy GPAs than did older students. Students with higher PCAT Composite, Biology, Chemistry, or Verbal Ability scores also tended to have higher first-year pharmacy GPAs. Students in the population under study with high undergraduate math and science GPA or undergraduate cumulative GPA also tended to have a high first-year pharmacy GPA. Female students had higher first-year pharmacy GPAs than male students, and White, non-Hispanic students had higher first-year pharmacy GPAs than students of other races or ethnicities. Predictors of first-year performance differed based on gender and race or ethnicity, but cumulative and math and science undergraduate GPAs were consistently significant predictors. No significant difference in first-year pharmacy GPA was observed based on regional status, undergraduate institution type or location, or bachelor’s degree status. The linear combination of preadmission factors was significantly related to first-year pharmacy GPA using a multiple regression model, and the cumulative undergraduate GPA variable accounted for 25% of the variance in the first-year pharmacy GPA.

The growing need for technological literacy has increased its presence in public classrooms more than ever before. The purpose of this research study was to study the effects of technology integration on student achievement and attitudes toward science and technology. The participants in this 18-week study involved the 86 8th grade students at Winding Hills School in Orlando, Florida. Data were collected using a pre and post vocabulary assessment, weekly vocabulary quizzes, student attitude surveys, student and parent correspondence as it relates to the study such as parent notes and e-mails, and classroom observation notes. Several conclusions were made. The effects of technology on student performance as originally planned was inconclusive in this study. It was found that there was no correlation between typing assignments and student performance. Students felt that technology increased their academic performance. Students had positive attitude towards science class though the percentage decreased during the study. Students enjoyed using technology, saw it as a benefit, felt it helped them with publishing and improved their attitudes towards technology.

This action research thesis was performed to explore the research questions: How did the use of formative assessment affect student performance data in understanding the concepts of the Sun-Earth-Moon system?, How did the use of learning scales as formative techniques impact student self-assessment of their knowledge of the Sun-Earth-Moon system?, How did the implementation of formative assessment techniques affect student discourse on the topic of the Sun-Earth-Moon system? Formative assessment techniques including "talk-friendly" probes, sticky bars, and agree-disagree statements were used in the classroom to expose gaps in knowledge, to facilitate discourse, and promote self-assessment. A triangulation of data included a district-provided pre/post-test, teacher observation, written and oral student responses of formative assessment, self-assessment, discourse, and student self-assessment on a learning goal tracker. Data gathered from student responses to formative assessment techniques given during discourse, lab experiences, in written responses, and from the student learning scale tracker were analyzed to expose misconceptions and gaps in knowledge and guide classroom instruction. Data showed that student performance data improved overall and students narrowed gaps in knowledge of the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Improvement in student participation and skill of discourse was evident; however students needed more practice developing written explanations for phenomenon within the Sun-Earth-Moon system. Through the use of self-assessments students showed improvement in ability to self-assess and realized gained knowledge toward their learning goal.

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The purpose of this pilot and main study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the post No Child Left Behind (NCLB) elementary classroom, the perceived changes, and the implications for teachers' feelings of empowerment and student test anxiety. Previous investigators have agreed that the teacher's voice has been missing, but needed in test anxiety research. By engaging veteran teachers who had experience both before and after the enactment of NCLB in reflective conversation about their experiences, valuable information was gained concerning whether or not teachers felt empowered to perform their duties and what impact they perceived that high stakes standardized testing has had on both teacher anxiety and student test anxiety. This information could be used to inform educational practice and decision making. Triangulation of data sources included narrative data collected through face-to-face interviews with the teachers, the writing of field notes, interview process notes, and reflective journal entries from both the pilot and main studies. Three clear themes emerged that fit the division of the data by the research questions: change in the teachers' experiences, change in teaching vocabulary, and change in the students' experiences. These themes emerged through a process of categorical-content perspective analysis for coding the data and sorting it into themes. The Hermeneutic narrative analysis approach was used to analyze and identify the meaning of these related experiences and stories. The context of the pilot and main studies was elementary schools in a rural school system in the Southeastern United States. The participants were eleven elementary teachers from grades three through five with experience before and after NCLB enactment who taught core academic subjects. Member checks of the interview transcripts and data analysis enhanced the credibility of these reports. The analysis revealed both positive and negative perceptions of the changes in the classroom experience of these elementary teachers, their feelings of empowerment, and the impact of the changes on the test anxiety of their students. Participants across the pilot and main studies indicated that increased stress, pressure, frustration, and professional struggles have had a negative impact on teacher anxiety, teacher efficacy beliefs, and student test anxiety. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to investigate turnaround reform by identifying student factors from the perspective of successful turnaround leaders in Virginia that hinder or aid the process and the supports in place to address learning issues. It was determined, through a literature review, that research focused on the school culture, leadership, teacher and parent factors concerning turnaround reform efforts, but there was little mention of students beyond the scores they produce on end-of-the-year standardized tests. The central research question investigated the student-related factors that impact a school's ability to increase academic achievement within the turnaround process. Interviews were conducted with four successful turnaround principals in Virginia. The results of the study indicated the student factors thought to impact learning were reading issues, teacher competency issues, students' personal needs, attendance issues, and discipline issues. While the first inclination of school leaders in a failing school may be to find the 'quick fix' to turn scores around, the principals in this study focused on three fundamental goals: get the students to read more, keep students in the classroom, and meet students' needs. Research in the area of turnaround strategies and implementation is useful for school boards and principals as they endeavor to raise the achievement of their students. This study of successful turnaround organizations focusing on how student-related factors impact academic performance would be beneficial in determining whether the organizational structure supports or hinders Priority School reform. This examination of how student-related factors contribute to an organization's capability to turn around low performance informs administrators and policy makers on strategies to overcome the learning barriers that may exist. / Ed. D.