With the latest developments in computer based testing, implementing equating techniques that incorporate automated essay scoring systems such as e-rater are encouraging potential new directions for equating mixed-format tests of writing that include multiple-choice (MC) items and an essay. The inclusion of generic e-rater essay scores into the anchor set was used to adjust for essay prompts' difficulty. A pseudo-test form study was completed to investigate the impact of using generic e-rater scores to equate mixed-format tests that consist of MC items and a single essay. Equating outcomes for the proposed equating methodology (MC+e-rater scores) as an alternative to the current MC-only anchor-item set approach for the mixed-format tests revealed some promising results. The kappa and observed agreements for pass/fail status determined from the composite scores were very large and similar for all six equating methods comparing the alternate method to the current approach. The findings indicate that MC+e-rater equating outcomes are as strong as the MC-only equating results, and even better for some conditions. / 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 2015. / May 28, 2015. / automated essay scoring, certification tests, Equating, mixed format tests, pass/fail agreements, pseudo test forms / Includes bibliographical references. / Russell George Almond, Professor Directing Dissertation; Elizabeth Jakubowski, University Representative; Betsy Jane Becker, Committee Member; Insu Paek, Committee Member.

In today’s educational climate highly focused on accountability, often measured through high stakes testing and graduation rates, it is critical that school leaders return to a focus on the initial aim of public education and ensure all students are afforded a quality education until graduation. Unfortunately, over 25,000 school-aged children in Florida are arrested for a felony offense annually, which is just one of many paths leading to an interruption in their learning and often entrance to the school-to-prison pipeline. Additionally, these students are often not allowed to return or have their return to traditional school settings postponed by being placed at alternative school settings. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to describe the K-12 educational experience as perceived by males ages 15-21 who had an interruption in their education while attending a public school in Florida. The perceptions of the K-12 educational experiences were generally defined as what each participant reported as his personal experience while attending a K-12 public educational setting. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-179). / This mixed methods dissertation investigates whether the Matric Mathematics results and enrolments at high schools in the EMDC East zone of Cape Town have been impacted by the availability of computers and mathematical software (as provided by the Khanya Project); how the teachers at one school in Khayelitsha, Cape Town are using the computer as a tool to teach Mathematics, and whether their pedagogy changes between the Mathematics lessons in the conventional classroom and the computer lab. A series of statistical tests (Mann-Whitney U test; independent samples t-test; paired samples t-tests and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test) were applied to various samples of the 2007 Matric Mathematics data of high schools in the EMDC East, obtained from WCED. What was concluded was that there was no significant difference between the Matric Mathematics results of the schools with the computers and those without; no significant change in the results after the Khanya labs were installed; no significant change in the percentage of pupils that passed Matric Mathematics; and no significant change in Higher Grade Mathematics enrolment rates. The overall conclusion from the quantitative research was thus that no significant differences were brought about by the use of computers in Mathematics in the EMDC East schools. So, what does happen when the computers are being used? This led to qualitative research on whether and how computers impact pedagogy: observations of ten Mathematics lessons in a selective township school in Khayelitsha were undertaken, and transcriptions made. These transcriptions were analysed in order to determine how the teachers were using the computers as a pedagogical tool, and whether their pedagogy varies across different lesson contexts (face-to-face lessons and computer lab lessons). In the case of the former question, it was found that the computers were primarily being used as a drill-and-practise tool for revision purposes; in other words, as though they were electronic textbooks. In order to answer the latter question, each sentence of each teacher was categorised according to an analytical framework in order to determine if there were any variation in semiotic mediation (in other words, teacher talk) between the classroom and the computer lab. Chi-squared tests for independence indicated that there was a significant, moderate to strong association between the location of the lesson and the type of talk; thus there is significant variation in semiotic variation between the two venues and the teachers' pedagogy does vary between the face-to-face classroom and the computer lab. Further chi-squared tests also indicated significant, moderate to strong associations between the location of the lesson and the scale of interaction (class or individual); and between the type of talk and scale of interaction.

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the link between FranklinCovey&rsquo;s The Leader in Me (LIM) implementation and school improvement. Specifically, this study sought to identify whether or not longitudinal student data improved during LIM implementation, teacher perception of the LIM implementation, and the relative impact of the four LIM process components on school improvement. These process components include school vision of leadership, staff-created implementation, 7 Habits (Covey, 1989), and student leadership. By employing a mixed methods approach, the study incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data to gain a more comprehensive analysis of the impact of the LIM on school improvement. Longitudinal quantitative student data sets in the areas of attendance, DIBELS reading assessment, and discipline referrals was examined to determine whether or not there were data improvements during LIM implementation at one school. Quantitative data from closed-ended survey responses from staff members at four LIM schools was collected and analyzed to determine teacher perceptions of the LIM process as a whole, as well as the implementation levels of the four process components. Qualitative data in the form of focus group interview responses were collected and analyzed in order to determine the underlying causes of the student data improvements and overall school culture/climate improvements from the perspective of teachers at one LIM school. The data revealed that there appears to be a link between the LIM implementation and school improvement. Student data sets over time at the case study school did improve, and the teachers at that school indicated vast improvements in school culture/climate throughout the LIM implementation. In addition, the data analysis indicated strong positive feelings expressed by teachers at LIM schools, as well as a statistically significant positive correlation between the four process components.</p>

<p> While the American dream could have different meanings for Americans today, one dream for many middle and high school students is to have the opportunity to attend college; however, a challenge facing students across the United States is that they are graduating from middle and high school unprepared to enter the postsecondary institution of their choice. Despite over thirty years of educational reform attempts since &ldquo;A Nation at Risk&rdquo; (1983) was published, there continues to be a growing concern that middle and high school graduates are not college and career ready (Choy, Horn, Nunez, &amp; Chen, 2000; Conley, 2010; Jackson, 2009). Consequently, middle and high school students deemed college-eligible are often not college-ready. Students who are not in the top academic quartile in middle and high school may have aspirations of attending college, but often fail college entrance exams (Leonard, 2013). They contend that middle and high school graduation course requirements are often less than rigorous, or misaligned with courses necessary for college admission. Due to the lack of early academic preparation, students may need to take remedial courses once in college (Adelman, 1999). Public universities across the United States invest billions of dollars remediating about one-third of their incoming freshman, which in turn costs students more time and money (Bettinger &amp; Long, 2009; Wimberly &amp; Noeth, 2005). This study explores the fundamental distinctions of college readiness through the examination of a grant project received under the federal college-ready program, Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). The study could reveal important information, which may bring about necessary changes in middle and high schools. By investigating how GEAR UP students describe their experiences with the project, as well as how these experiences contribute to college readiness, student voices and stories may benefit policymakers and administrators as they plan for academic and social supports for future middle and high school students.</p>

<p> The pressure on teachers to use data has become common place in schools as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This research explores the association between data-to-action process, critical thinking, and how one comes to know or understand by examining the actions teachers take when using data to make instructional decisions to better understand the relationship between teachers and their use of data. Elementary, middle school, and high school teachers in southwest Louisiana participated in an on-line survey that required them to rate their level of confidence on various data task. The study was unable to determine teachers&rsquo; confidence level at each knowledge dimension as teachers rated all of the tasks as high confidence or low confidence. This tells one that teachers see all data use tasks as either easy or difficult; there is no distinction between the levels of complexity. The data did show that teachers who have high confidence in using data when making instructional decisions were teachers that have more experience and have earned a higher degree. Teachers with higher levels of education and more experience are more confident in using data to make instructional decision, therefore; it is necessary for educational leaders to provide supports to teachers without the higher education and experience.</p>

Thirty-six Alabama College System community colleges were surveyed to determine whether a significant difference existed between the satisfaction and effectiveness of community college administrators, faculty members and computer professionals with manual, partially automated and fully automated administrative computer systems. The survey results were also analyzed to determine which system(s) provided the least satisfaction and effectiveness. Effectiveness and satisfaction instruments were used to elicit respondents’ opinions regarding twenty-five administrative applications approved by the Alabama Department of Education, Department of Postsecondary Education for implementation by the Alabama College System Board. Both instruments used a five-point Likert scale to assess the respondents’ opinions. One hundred forty-one responses were evaluated using the Analysis of Variance, with an alpha level of .05, to determine if there were any significant differences between the satisfaction and effectiveness of administrators, faculty members and computer professionals with manual, partially automated and fully automated administrative systems. Though all of the colleges surveyed had their administrative applications automated, colleges were defined as manual, partially automated or fully automated depending upon the number of applications that were automated. No significant satisfaction difference was found. However, administrators were found to be more effective than faculty members. Additionally, manual systems were found to be more effective than fully automated systems. A Leaf Scale analysis was conducted utilizing sample means to define the applications providing the least satisfaction and/or effectiveness. The survey found that among the 25 applications surveyed, fund raising, student receivables, general ledger, budget, cash receipts, accounts payable, recruiting, continuing education, curriculum development and work orders automation provided the least satisfaction and/or effectiveness. Based upon the findings, the writer recommended that further effectiveness and satisfaction research be conducted of community colleges to either corroborate or deny the findings.

The purpose of this study, an experimental design utilizing two experimental groups and one control group, was to determine if self-esteem intervention treatments significantly impact the self-esteem behavior levels of tenth-grade African American male subjects. Further, the study examined the relation between attendance and general self-esteem. The two instruments used in this study were the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and the Semester Attendance Log. The sample for the study consisted of fifteen subjects in Experimental Group A, fourteen subjects in Experimental Group B, and sixteen Control Group subjects. ANOVA, Scheffe, and a dependent t test were used for statistical analysis in this study. Data analysis indicated that the self-esteem behavior levels of the subjects in the treatment groups showed significant statistical gains after the treatment.

<p> Inspired by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, which contains skills related to technology and media use for students in kindergarten to grade 12, and the International Society of Technology Education Technology Standards for Administrators the researcher chose to focus this dissertation is on principal technology leadership competencies that elementary principals will need to lead technology integration for teaching and learning in their respective schools. The researcher examined a range of sources, including research from internet-based sources and traditional (hard-copy) journals. The Principals&rsquo; Technology Leadership Assessment (PTLA) survey was used to assess principals&rsquo; technology leadership competencies of 132 principals from one school district in the District of Columbia metropolitan area. Using the PTLA survey response data, quantitative data analyses, including linear regression analyses, an analysis of variance, a t-test, and distribution frequency analyses, were conducted and used to determine how the independent variables, shared leadership style, transformational leadership style, support disposition, encouragement disposition, gender, and the socioeconomic status of the schools served by these principals, individually affect the dependent variable, principals&rsquo; technology leadership competencies for the ideal purpose of making predictions that may have an impact on future planning, monitoring, or evaluation of a process or practice within the K-12 educational system. Findings provide evidence that the transformational leadership style serve as a powerful predictor of technology leadership competencies for elementary principals. Keywords: technology leadership competencies, leadership styles, dispositions, gender, and socioeconomic status</p>

<p> This dissertation presents a qualitative case study of students enrolled in online courses and how they perceived the orientation program they completed before starting these courses. The study was based on the perspectives of students enrolled in a fully online program at a small community college in western Maine. They were interviewed individually to find out: (a) what are the perceptions of participants toward the materials presented in the orientation after completing their first semester; (b) what aspects of the orientation resonate most with participants when it comes to completing a course (nature of online learning, how to use course management system, technical requirements or learning skills and motivation). Besides the interviews, data was collected from the college&rsquo;s learning management system. </p><p> The results of the study show that participants were satisfied with the content of the orientation; however, more information pertaining to specific aspects of the learning management system should be included for additional satisfaction. Participants requested additional information concerning navigating courses, turning in assignments, and posting on discussion boards. The information provided in the interviews was consistent with the theory presented by Rovai&rsquo;s (2003) persistence model. Participants&rsquo; perceptions fell into tow categories, personal and technical. These results were consistent with the current literature pertaining to online courses, orientations, and persistence. </p><p> The results and findings of this study add to the body of knowledge concerning what materials in an orientation program are most effective in helping students complete online courses. The participants in this study perceived information about the use of the learning management system to be most important. Academic Deans and Student Services coordinators can learn more about what students&rsquo; perceive to be the important elements of an orientation program. The study also contributes to the existing literature on attrition, persistence, and retention.</p>