The purpose of this study was to assess the goal intent and achievement of university students, during the Fall 2011 semester, at Blue Wave University, a high research activity public institution in the southeast United States. This study merged theories of motivation to measure goal setting and goal attainment to examine if students who chose to participate in a learning community program set goals at different levels than the students who chose not to join a learning community program. This study investigated if there was a difference in motivation, by studying goal intent and goal achievement of Freshman Learning Community participants, Living- Learning community participants, or non-learning community participants at Blue Wave University. . Moderation analyses concluded that none the seven contextual variables (choice of college, ethnicity, gender, high school grade point average, living on-campus, SAT score, and ACT score) moderated the difference in the level of change from goal intent to goal achievement in this study. / by Carole F. Pfeffer-Lachs. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

This case study examined how senior exhibitions function in a progressive educational environment that employs traditional assessments. The researcher interviewed 18 students and three faculty members of The Crefeld School about the Creative Expression, one of the 14 exhibitions that students are required to complete for graduation. The researcher conducted a document analysis and content analysis of rubrics for two essays and the Creative Expression. The researcher conducted a survey of student participants and a questionnaire to assess students’ perceptions of authenticity. The researcher observed three students present their Creative Expression in front of faculty, students, and family. The researcher conducted a survey analysis based on Cooper’s (1976) and Whitney’s (1978) tests for polarity of sentiment and Hsu’s (1979) test for disagreement. The researcher used a program designed by Morris (1979) and transposed to Microsoft Excel by Liebermann and Morris (2015) in order to calculate p values and to determine the ES value based on the standard deviation. The researcher also attempted to conduct a point biserial Pearson Product Moment to determine if a relationship existed between results on a mathematics exam and results on the Creative Expression. The findings of the study revealed that students at The Crefeld School had a positive experience working on the Creative Expression; many of them identified how the project reflected their interests, prepared them for college and careers, and was a good representation of authentic assessment. Tests for polarity were used to measure participants’ perceptions of authenticity. The category of task had the least amount of disagreement, while the category of overall authenticity had the most disagreement. Document analysis and content analysis of rubrics showed how thorough the rubric descriptions were so students knew how they were being assessed; interviews with students and faculty revealed that the rubrics, while used as guidelines, were not followed strictly in any of the major assessments. Survey data revealed any disagreements in responses to survey questions, based on Cooper’s (1976) and Whitney’s (1978) tests for polarity. As no dichotomous variable existed, a point biserial test was unwarranted regarding results on a traditional assessments and on the Creative Expression. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (M.A. ( Research Psychology)) --University of Limpopo, 2014 / The study investigated the academic performance of orphaned primary school learners between the ages of eight and ten in Mankweng circuit. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative component of the study included the sampling of 200 learners from ten schools in Mankweng circuit. One hundred learners formed the experimental group (orphans) whilst another hundred were placed in the comparison group (non-orphans). Availability and quota sampling was used for sampling the experimental group and simple random sampling was used to sample the comparison group. Four learning areas chosen for the study include Sepedi, Numeracy, English and Lifeskills. In all learning areas, it was found that the comparison group fell within level 2 (50-69) area whilst the experimental group fell within level 1 (0-49) area suggesting that the comparison group is performing better than the experimental group. The qualitative component of the study involved sampling ten educators from ten sampled primary schools in Mankweng Circuit, i.e. one educator per school. The main theme that emerged from these transcripts was the educators’ view that orphaned children tend to perform poorly at school when compared to non-orphaned children. Furthermore, the educators were of the view that orphaned children are more likely to show poor grades, lack of concentration and inability to write schoolwork when compared to non-orphans. The educators were also of the view that orphaned children were more likely to display behavioural and emotional problems when compared to non-orphans. Educators also suggested that guardians of orphaned learners are not coping well, and as such, are unable to adequately attend to the needs of these children. In conclusion, interventions at school, government as well as community levels are suggested. A suggestion is also made regarding the support that should be provided for grandparents (guardians) who tend to be drained as a result of having to look after orphaned children.

Orientador: Jair Lopes Junior / Banca: Maria Regina Dubeux Kawamura / Banca: Alisson Antonio Martins / Banca: Fernanda Catia Bozelli / Banca: Alice Assis / Resumo: Busca-se, com esta pesquisa, caracterizar o alcance de atividades colaborativas para o desenvolvimento de conhecimento profissional por um professor de Física e por uma professora coordenadora da área de Ciências Naturais e Matemática, no contexto do Programa "São Paulo faz Escola". Para tanto, procura-se responder o seguinte problema de pesquisa: Em que aspectos o professor de Física e a professora coordenadora da área de Ciências Naturais e Matemática de uma Escola da Rede Pública Estadual desenvolvem conhecimento profissional a partir de atividades colaborativas planejadas no contexto do Programa "São Paulo faz Escola"? Considerando a natureza das informações coletadas para essa investigação, classifica-se a pesquisa como de natureza qualitativa. Foram utilizados como fontes de informação: sujeitos (professor de Física do Ensino Médio e professora coordenadora da área de Ciências Naturais e Matemática de uma Escola de Educação Básica da Rede Escolar Pública Estadual) e espaços (aulas ministradas por um professor de Física do Ensino Médio de uma Escola de Educação Básica da Rede Escolar Pública Estadual e reunião entre professor de Física e professora coordenadora da área de Ciências Naturais e Matemática). Os instrumentos para a coleta de informações nessas fontes foram entrevistas semiestruturadas e observações. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida a partir de diferentes fases e etapas de coleta de informações. Mediante a análise das informações coletadas, podemos afirmar que a ad... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The aim of this research is to characterize the scope of collaborative activities for the development of professional knowledge by a physics teacher and by a coordinating teacher in the area of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, in the context of the "São Paulo do School" Program. In order to do so, we try to answer the following research problem: In what aspects does the Physics teacher and the coordinating teacher of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics area of a State Public School develop professional knowledge from collaborative activities planned in the context of the "São Paulo do School" Program? Considering the nature of the information collected for this research, the research is classified as qualitative in nature. The following sources were used: subjects (Physics teacher of the High School and coordinating teacher of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics area of a School of Basic Education of the State Public School Network) and spaces (classes taught by a professor of Physics of the High School of a School of Basic Education of the State Public School Network and meeting between professor of Physics and teacher coordinator of the Natural Sciences and Mathematics area). The instruments for collecting information in these sources were semi-structured interviews and observations. The research was developed from different phases and stages of information collection. Through the analysis of this information collected, we can affirm that adherence to educational policy ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 12, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on December 13, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on April 27, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Paul Baker (chair), Dianne Ashby, Jeffrey Nelson, William Rau. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 206-213) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Wilmington, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves: [72]-74)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-209).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1998. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-111). Also available on the Internet.