published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Several alternatives to the Kuder and Richardson formula number 20 (KR20) were compared for accuracy using simulated and actual data sets. Coefficients by Loevinger (1948), Horst (1954), Raju (1982), and Cliff (1984) as well as the Kuder and Richardson formulae numbers 8 and 14 were examined. These alternative reliability coefficients were compared by (1) simulation of tests with varying degrees of item difficulty dispersion, subject proficiency, reliability, and length, and (2) use of the norming samples of the Curriculum Referenced Tests of Mastery (Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co., publisher) for grades four, six, and eight. Most of the coefficients examined proved no more accurate than the KR20 and several were decidedly worse. All coefficients, with the exception of Loevinger's, were affected by item difficulty dispersion. Two coefficients, the KR8 and Horst, were found to have potential as KR20 substitutes. These two coefficients are discussed with recommendations made as to the appropriate use of each one.

Researchers have suggested that knowledge of how to take a test decreases the validity of achievement test scores as measures of content knowledge. Further, teaching students test taking skills generally improves student achievement test scores. However, little research exists regarding the efficacy of commercially prepared materials for formal test-wiseness instruction. Fourth and fifth grade students in 15 elementary schools participated in this study. Students in the Volunteer Selected group received instruction in test taking skills using the Riverside Improving Test Taking Skills materials. Students in the Volunteer Not-Selected group received whatever test taking skill instruction their teachers provided as a result of wanting, but not being selected, to participate in the study. Students in the Control group received what was considered "normal" instruction in test taking skills. A gain score ANOVA of NCE scores from standardized testing was used to determine statistical significance on the Composite Battery and the Reading and Mathematics subtests. When reliable differences were indicated effect sizes were calculated. Formal instruction in test taking skills resulted in significant effects for fourth grade students on the Composite battery and the Mathematics subtest. However, average gains for students in the Volunteer Not-Selected group were as great as for students who received instruction using the Riverside materials. Significant effects for the Reading subtest were indicated only for achievement level. Positive effects were indicated for fifth grade students in the Volunteer Not-Selected group on the Composite and Mathematics subtest. At the fourth grade differential effects were indicated for achievement level, sex, and SES, but not for ethnicity. At the fifth grade achievement level, sex, SES, and ethnicity resulted in differential effects for students in all three groups. In summary, test taking skill instruction appeared beneficial to fourth grade students regardless of whether the instruction was delivered using the Riverside materials or using teacher made or teacher collected materials. At the fifth grade data the results were less clear cut. Further research must be conducted before policies can be established and educators can use with confidence, or not use at all, commercially prepared test taking skill instructional materials.

Projective tree drawing techniques are used by clinicians and therapists to assess the personality and emotional state of patients. This study compares the results of administering a computerized projective tree drawing technique with the results obtained by a pencil and paper counterpart. Both techniques are based upon the tree drawing component of the House-Tree-Person technique and related tests. With Compute-A-Tree, subjects created tree pictures from a menu of preselected imagery while subjects taking the conventional form of the technique produced spontaneous tree drawings. A post-drawing questionnaire (PDQ) employing a Likert scale was used to measure subjects attitudes regarding their tree images. The mean score for computer rendered trees was higher than the mean score for conventionally rendered images. Similarities were found between responses to the images obtained through the two forms of administration.

In this pilot study, generalizability theory was used as an exploratory analysis of the various sources of error in the scoring of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales. The different score conversions, raters, and growth of participants were the facets used in a fully crossed, random effects design. The results indicated that the score conversions effectively controlled for the variability in typically developing children in the same age range. The results showed that the raters accounted for small amounts of the estimated variance. In addition, the results indicated that the CSBS was sensitive to the different rates of development in the participants in the study. The results suggested that the CSBS successfully controls for the variability in the development of communicative behaviors without sacrificing sensitivity to different rates of growth and uses cluster scores to effectively differentiate strengths and weaknesses in individual children. The findings and their implications for futures studies are discussed.

<p>In this descriptive study, I researched five elementary general education teachers&rsquo; reading assessment practices as they worked within the context of IDEA (2004), NCLB (2002) and Response to Intervention (RTI). My own connection to the classroom and reading assessment practices brought me to this research. I presented my personal and professional connection through vignettes about my own classroom assessment practices. Relevant literature on both the context and culture of assessment were pertinent to this research. </p><p> I used a qualitative design, specifically, Colaizzi&rsquo;s (1978) method of phenomenological analysis. Data were three in-depth phenomenological interviews, relevant documents and artifacts, and use of a researcher reflective blog. I summarized the initial findings of this research through 10 clustered themes; shift of focus, ever changing accountability, independent efforts with data, collaborative efforts with data, working environment, interventions and reading assessment practices in action, authenticity in practice, lack of decision making power, teacher emotion, and teacher needs and wants and a composite narrative in order to describe the lived experience of these teachers reading assessment practices. </p><p> Implications from my research with regard to policy include a perceived incongruence between an RTI framework and the teacher evaluation system with regard to active collaboration. Those toward practice include difficulty with the day-to-day implementation of an RTI framework and the perception of a singular focus of RTI as disability determination. My recommendations for future research include an action research agenda designed to explore increased involvement of stakeholders such as students, parents and other school personnel. </p>

<p> This dissertation examined the College-Ready Teaching Framework (CRTF), a multiple measure teacher effectiveness rubric created by Green Dot Public Schools. The purpose of the dissertation was to determine whether or not the CRTF as a whole or in part could account for differences in student outcomes (California Standards Test [CST] scores, student growth percentile [SGP], and grade point average [GPA]). The study included teachers and students at Green Dot during the 2012-2013 school year. Correlational analyses were used to determine if there was a relationship between student achievement outcomes and the CRTF. Factor analysis was used to discover other Factors in addition to the CRTF's original five Domains. Multiple regression and step-wise regression were employed to determine if a combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors could predict student scores. The results of the findings showed that overall there were no relationships between Teacher Effectiveness Score (TES), Teacher Observation Score (TObs), and student outcome metrics (SGP, CST, and GPA). Disaggregating the dataset for math, science, and history separately, however, moderate relationships emerged between TES, TObs, SGP, and CST. Four additional Factors emerged from factor analysis that were similar to the original theoretical Domains created by CRTF designers; however. neither the original Domains nor the additional Factors were related to student outcomes. Finally, no regression model was found to hold any practical significance as no combination of indicators, Domains, or Factors accounted for more than 19.5% of the variation in student outcomes. The findings of this study are largely consistent with similar studies in the research literature where correlation analysis has been promising, yet inconsistent. The results of this study represent the addition of the CRTF to the research literature. Future research on the study of the effect of professional development and the impact of various weights of the CRTF composite score are recommended.</p>

<p> Increasingly, educational reform efforts are turning towards data-driven decision making strategies to help teachers improve instruction through skills-based instruction/content that is both measurable and aligned to common rigorous standards, such as the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Examining the impact of a formative online assessment system on a summative measurement of student achievement may provide evidence that data-driven instructional platforms can impact student achievement and learning outcomes. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of Vygotsky and Dewey, along with the concepts of multiple intelligence, constructivism, and mastery learning, this study examined the relationship between student scores from an online formative assessment administered quarterly and an end-of-year summative evaluation. A stepwise multiple regression analyzed the predictive power of the iReady formative assessment program towards archived SAT-10 reading and mathematics data among Grades 1-4 students, before and after the iReady program was implemented (<i>N</i> = 339). The results showed a significant relationship between the iReady program and SAT-10, explaining 11.6% of the variance in SAT-10 scores. The study's intended audience is educators, school districts, and policy makers who are using the achievement data produced by formative assessments to improve results on measures of academic achievement, leading to positive social change.</p>

<p> This study was a documentation and assessment of Beta Academy Alternative School&rsquo;s (pseudonym) transition to a newly introduced educational model/ leadership paradigm and examination of student educational outcomes, resulting from the leadership change. As a first year administrator, the researcher undertook the task of transforming an underperforming alternative education program by targeting areas of identified deficiency and/or concern (graduation rates, attendance, and discipline).</p><p> In this study, the researcher executed a mixed-method evaluation of the new educational model in an effort to determine contributions to success, potential barriers to change, and the characteristics associated with both, as well as the quantitative analysis that would support or not support the researcher&rsquo;s hypotheses.</p><p> The first goal of the study stated that following the implementation of the new model for alternative education, building discipline referrals would decrease by 10% per semester, as compared to previous referral data. The results indicated a 280% decrease in student referrals, thus illustrating a dramatic and statistically significant decrease.</p><p> The second goal indicated that graduation rates would increase or would stay the same, within 2% of previous rates (percentage of total seniors), as compared to the previous year&rsquo;s results and following implementation of the new educational and leadership paradigms. A <i>z</i>-test for difference in proportion tested a change in graduation rates of less than 1%, thus, supporting the graduation rates goal.</p><p> The last goal outlined in the study stated that following the implementation of the new model for alternative education, building attendance would increase by 30% per semester, as determined by ADA hours and compared to previous attendance data. Upon calculation, it was determined that there was an increase in attendance of 36.2% providing statistical support that the increase in attendance was significant, as well as met the outlined goal for attendance improvement. </p><p> The qualitative component of the study used responses to a questionnaire analysis to gauge stakeholder involvement and perceptions associated with the new educational model. The feedback was positive and indicated the measured criteria to be impactful and effective in the areas of fidelity, implementation, development, and attainment of desired goals. </p>

<p> The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate teachers&rsquo; implementation levels of best practices in reading. This study examined the frequency of instructional reading strategies serving as predictors of student success in the End of Course Assessments (ECA) for Algebra I and English Grade 10. This study reviewed current literature to determine the depth of the problem and to study effective research strategies in order to provide a better understanding of the secondary reading issue. The study also reviewed the specific reading strategies in Indiana high schools in relationship to results of Algebra I and English Grade 10 of ECA in lowest poverty schools and highest poverty schools in Indiana. </p><p> A Qualtrics survey was constructed and emailed to teacher participants. The electronic survey was separated into two sections with the first asking information about the school and the teacher, and the second asking the teachers to respond to the frequency with which the strategies of vocabulary, summarization, prior knowledge, fluency, and visualization were emphasized in classes. Each strategy included four questions for a total of 20 questions. A total of 66 teachers responded to the survey; 29 teachers from low-poverty level shcools and 37 teachers from high-poverty levels schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions.</p><p> Multiple regressions were used to address the four research questions that were used to structure the research for this study. The predictor variables do explain a significant amount of variance within the Algebra 1 ECA scores. This was determined as the significance value was lower than the given alpha level (.05) with F (5, 23) = 2.66, p = .049. ANOVA results for all predictor variables in Algebra I ECA did not reveal that the use of reading strategies is related to the success of passing the Algebra I For low-poverty level schools. The multiple regressions conducted did not prove that frequency of research-based instructional reading strategies taught in high schools served as a predictor of standardized testing performance in English 10 ECA for low-poverty schools or high-poverty schools. </p><p> This study provided information as to the selection of reading strategies as they contribute to students&rsquo; ability to pass the ECA. This was significant because it did not suggest the importance of instructional reading programs and strategies in high school. The study, through quantitative data, did not prove whether the use of reading programs and strategies will improve the students passing scores in the ECA. The study provide a better understanding why some students get through their early years of school only, to get to high school and have a difficult time with reading and become one of the numbers of students who drop out.</p>