<p> Grit, defined as the tendency to pursue long-term goals with sustained zeal and hard work, was shown to predict achievement in academic, vocational, and avocational domains. In 2009, Duckworth and Quinn found that grit predicted student effectiveness in school and the concept of grit was largely unrelated to talent. Grit provided incremental predictive validity for achievement outcomes, particularly in settings of high challenge. From the combination of persistence, self-control, and more broadly, conscientiousness, emerges the concept of grit. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to compare the relative grittiness of students from two different high school settings. The first of these was a non-traditional technical high school. The second was a traditional suburban high school. One hundred students from each high schools took the Grit-S survey to determine their level of grit. It was found that students attending the non-traditional high school and students attending the traditional high school had no statistically different level of grit. However, students from the non-traditional technical high school had an observably higher level of self-reported grit. Teachers and administrators were interviewed to determine their perceptions about grit. Qualitative analysis of their responses rendered three commonalities. The first theme was a definition of grit rooted in persistence and self-motivation. The second theme was the need for adults to model grit for the benefit of their students. The third theme was a lack of difference between the genders in perceived grit or academic prospects. </p><p> This dissertation expanded on the research of Grit and Student Performance as it relates to students who attend a non-traditional technical high school and students who attend a traditional high school. There was a lack of previous research comparing these two distinct types of high schools. After the data was gathered and analyzed no significant differences were found. This dissertation provides ideas for future research and its results may possibly change attitudes about students in both high school settings.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to analyze the general education faculty members&rsquo; perspectives on the internationalization of the general education curriculum in Mississippi community colleges. The participants in this study included all full-time instructors of general education courses at 2 of the 15 public community colleges in the state of Mississippi. The study used a survey <i>Analysis of Faculty Perception: Factors Affecting the Internationalization of General Education Curriculum in Mississippi Community Colleges</i> to examine factors that included a) importance of internationalization, b) institutional success with internationalization efforts and c) importance and existence of administrative support for internationalization. No studies were found that analyze nor investigate the importance of internationalizing the general education curriculum in Mississippi community colleges. Quantitative data were collected using Survey Monkey online instrument that was sent to full-time general education faculty members teaching at the 2 community colleges in the State of Mississippi. The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Mann-Whitney U Test tables and descriptive statistics were reported. </p><p> Results showed that a large number of the educators recognized the need for a partner institution in another country. Many of them also recommended that there should be a designated administrative office to coordinate and support international education initiatives, and they also saw the need for their college to have a plan designed to increase international/global understanding among students and to have general education courses with an international/global focus available to all students. Some differences in perceptions were observed in the teachers&rsquo; perceptions of internationalization based on years worked in higher education, country of birth, gender, international experience, and level of education. The educators believed that internationalization activities on their campus was a positive movement towards expanding their offerings to students by helping to develop an educational environment where they can become more globally competitive and more professionally effective. Many of the educators in this study support the expansion of programs that support study abroad or student exchange programs.</p>

<p> Nursing programs have embraced distance learning in their curricula, but discussion is ongoing about course assignments and grading criteria to increase examination scores in nursing distance learning courses. Because course examinations are a predictor of success on the postgraduate licensing examination (NCLEX-RN), the purpose of this study was to determine whether differences existed in student examination scores between nursing distance learning courses with and without points aligned to assignments. The theoretical framework was Knowles&rsquo;s theory of andragogy, which highlights adults&rsquo; motivation and self-direction to succeed. The quantitative causal comparative study included a convenience sample of 164 students to compare archival data of 4 examination scores between 2 nursing distance-learning courses. Data analysis included an independent-groups one-tailed <i> t</i> test. No significant differences were found between the 2 courses, suggesting that students do not achieve higher examination scores with course points aligned with course assignments. Nursing administrators and faculty in nursing programs with a distance learning component will benefit from the findings of this study. Findings may be used to draft, revise, and implement assignment criteria and point alignment for nursing distance learning courses. Social change will occur when nursing distance learning faculty use problem-solving and critical thinking assignments, including case studies, discussion boards, group assignments, concept mapping and NCLEX-RN style testing in each nursing distance learning course. Because point alignment to course assignments do not significantly improve examination scores, implementation of problem-solving and critical thinking assignments is necessary to promote student learning and examination success.</p>

<p> The purpose of this case study was to evaluate a multi-campus university program designed to support STEM faculty in redesigning bottleneck courses, with integration of technology as one strategy. Despite the positive student learning outcomes in course redesign programs with an aim to support faculty in technology integration, there remains a need to evaluate how technology integration professional development (PD) programs impact faculty instructional practice, and determine the effectiveness of these programs in that effort. </p><p> This study researched the California State University (CSU) Office of the Chancellor Course Redesign with Technology (CRT) Program, and employed the logic model of program evaluation to document the activities of the PD program to study the impact of the activities on what faculty learned about technology and their application of the program to develop instructional strategies that incorporate technology. Data were collected from the first two academic years of the CRT program (2013-2014 and 2014-2015) and frameworks related to andragogy as well as the theories of Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK), Diffusion of Innovation, and Communities of Practice frameworks were used to analyze archived professional development training content and faculty-produced electronic portfolios. </p><p> The findings reveal that while the training content focused on simple technology adoption, most course redesigns involved changes in technology and instructional strategies in which faculty sought to understand students&rsquo; challenges, support scientific thinking of course content, and enhance reflective teaching practices. This investigation showed strong, significant, and positive relationships among high levels of technology integration, awareness of innovation characteristics, and faculty collaboration in course redesigns. High occurrences of these variables were also significantly associated with grade point average increases in course redesigns. This study&rsquo;s findings and methodology have the potential to inform the development and evaluation of further efforts to redesign university courses using technology.</p>

<p>Studies have shown an association between argumentative discourse in science class, better understanding of science concepts, and improved academic performance. However, there is lack of research on how argumentation can increase student motivation. This mixed methods concurrent nested study uses Bandura&rsquo;s construct of motivation and concepts of argumentation and formative feedback to understand how teachers orchestrate argumentation in science class and how it affects motivation. Qualitative data was collected through interviews of 4 grade-9 science teachers and through observing teacher-directed classroom discourse. Classroom observations allowed the researcher to record the rhythm of discourse by characterizing teacher and student speech as teacher presentation (TP), teacher guided authoritative discussion (AD), teacher guided dialogic discussion (DD), and student initiation (SI). The Student Motivation Towards Science Learning survey was administered to 67 students before and after a class in which argumentation was used. Analysis of interviews showed teachers collaborated to plan argumentation. Analysis of discourse identified the characteristics of argumentation and provided evidence of students&rsquo; engagement in argumentation in a range of contexts. Student motivation scores were tested using Wilcoxon signed rank tests and Mann-Whitney U-tests, which showed no significant change. However, one construct of motivation&mdash;active learning strategy&mdash;significantly increased. Quantitative findings also indicate that teachers&rsquo; use of multiple methods in teaching science can affect various constructs of students&rsquo; motivation. This study promotes social change by providing teachers with insight about how to engage all students in argumentation. </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> This study is an examination of early intervention services for infants/toddlers with visual impairments, as related to home-based services and andragogy learning theory. Early intervention refers to therapeutic services provided to eligible infants/toddlers while andragogy emphasizes how adults learning. Research discussed the implementation of andragogical factors with parents of infants/toddlers appeared limited. The null hypotheses statements addressed four variables related to infant/toddler with visual impairments assessment scores, the number of home visit units authorized by the child&rsquo;s Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and implemented by the early intervention service provider, responses on the family outcome survey, and service provider responses regarding the use of andragogical factors during early intervention home visits.</p><p> The researcher examined secondary data related to assessment scores of infants/toddlers with visual impairments, the frequency of home visits implemented by a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) and/or Orientation and Mobility (O and M) specialist, comparison of early intervention units, and results of a Family Outcome Survey. The researcher co-authored the Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory for Teachers working with Parents of Young Children (MIPI-TPC) to measure the frequency in which early intervention service providers implemented andragogical factors during home visits. Participants of this study included 30 infants/toddlers with visual impairments receiving early intervention services from a TVI and/or O and M specialist. Seventeen families completed the Family Outcome Survey and three early intervention service providers completed the MIPI-TPC. The utilization and analysis of descriptive statistics, a <i>t</i>-test of dependent means, and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, Analysis of Variance, and <i>Chi-Square</i> test determined relationships among the variables.</p><p> The results demonstrated limited relationships with assessment scores, frequency of home visits, units provided and authorized in the infant/toddler&rsquo;s IFSP, and parent responses on the Family Outcome Survey. However, the MIPI-TPC results reported the service providers implementing andragogical factors within the category levels of above average and average. The prominent finding of the study supported the integration of andragogy learning theory during early intervention services. Future studies linking the two fields together may benefit the advocacy of early intervention service providers, empowerment of parents, and most importantly, infants/toddlers with developmental delays. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions of Missouri public school early childhood teachers and administrators in regard to technology and current practices. If educators have not analyzed their current perceptions regarding technology, they may not use developmentally appropriate technology practices with students (Dietze &amp; Kashin, 2013). According to Anderkin (2015), the position statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning offers guidance for developmentally appropriate technology practices in early childhood. Participants in this study were asked interview questions to determine their perceptions of technology in early childhood classrooms. The interview questions were also utilized to identify what teaching strategies were currently being used when implementing technology and the perceptions of early childhood educators in terms of professional development regarding technology in early childhood. High-quality professional development opportunities for early childhood educators play a role in developmentally appropriate technology integration (White, 2015). The sample group for the study included nine Missouri Preschool Program (MPP) teachers affiliated with public schools in southwest Missouri and nine administrators affiliated with public schools in southwest Missouri with a minimum of one MPP classroom. Results from this study indicated most early childhood educators are in favor of technology in the classroom in moderation. Both teachers and administrators reported a lack of professional development opportunities specific to implementation of technology in early childhood. </p>

<p> The focus of this dissertation was to explore the importance of high quality early education in later secondary education development, quantifying quality in early childhood education programs, and examining how teacher education contributes to quality of early childhood education programs. For phase I, early childhood education positively associated with improved eighth grade state proficiency percentages in the mathematics and writing summative assessment scores. When examining scoring procedures for <i>Colorado Shines</i> QRIS in phase II, programs that accepted Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP), were not part of Colorado Preschool Program (CPP), had children that spoke more than one language, and accepted infants overall scored the lowest scores of early education programs. Phase III results showed that teachers with bachelor&rsquo;s degrees did not significantly improve overall student mathematics and literacy scores under <i>TS Gold</i> compared to students of teachers that did not have bachelor&rsquo;s degrees.</p>

<p> Student engagement is a prominent indicator of a student&rsquo;s academic success (Harbour, Evanovich, Sweigart, &amp; Hughes, 2015). Leavy (2015) continued the engagement dialogue by stating the arts can be highly engaging and a high-yield strategy leading to academic success. Research has been conducted on arts integration, but little research specifically aligns arts integration with student engagement (Mason, Thormann, &amp; Steedly, 2004). Further, there is a lack of depth within arts-integration research on all of the &ldquo;arts&rdquo; (including music, visual arts, drama, and dance) (Mason et al., 2004). In this qualitative study, student engagement was viewed from teachers&rsquo; perspectives within one urban elementary school which focuses on arts integration. Seven teachers were interviewed and 10 observations were conducted in various classrooms at the same arts-integrated elementary school. Commonalities among teacher perceptions from those interviewed were identified from the analysis of data. Participants agreed arts integration was a teaching strategy students appreciated and preferred. Additionally, participants reported they enjoyed teaching in an arts-integrated setting; however, interview data revealed teachers at the school site did not have collaborative planning. Teachers in an arts-integrated school must collaborate on lesson planning to effectively create an integrated, collaborative plan (Riley, 2012). The findings from this study may help teachers and school leaders identify the components of student engagement in an arts-integrated classroom within the elementary setting.</p>