Computational Thinking (CT) is an integral process of thinking in humans that allows them to solve complex problems efficiently and effectively by breaking down a problem in smaller parts and using abstraction to create generalizable solutions. While the term CT has gained a lot of popularity in current education and research, there is still considerable ambiguity when it comes to defining exactly what CT encompasses. Since the definition and characteristics that make up CT vary so much, it is extremely difficult to measure CT in people. This thesis explains how different industry experts and organizations view CT and describes the importance of developing and integrating such a method of thinking in everyone, not just computer science professionals. The literature review also includes a comprehensive analysis of different tests and tools created to measure CT in people. This study proposes a web-based CT assessment collaborative tool that can be an effective instrument for teachers in assessing CT skills in students who are a part of the Teaching Engineering Concepts to Harness Future Innovators and Technologists (TECHFIT) program funded through NSF DRL-1312215 and NSF DRL-1640178. The vision of this tool is to become a go-to platform for CT assessment where questions collaborated by experts can be used to reliably assess the CT skills of anyone interested in measuring them.

No description available.

Response time (RT) data are able to provide unique insight into both items and examinees regarding speededness and time-demand and should be incorporated into test development practice. To allow test developers to utilize RT information, item RT needs to be summarized into point estimate(PE)(s) that can be understood by content specialists and saved into the item pool. The recent expansion of online testing in K-12 achievement assessments brings opportunities and challenges for measurement experts to investigate and utilize RT information in a context different from that in the majority of literature, in which licensing and certification tests, graduate admission tests, and other applications that incorporate computer-adaptive testing. Using empirical data from four tests in two grade levels of a K-12 standardized achievement assessment, this study explored the empirical distributions of item RT and their fit to five probability distributions, the characteristics of four item RTPEs, and the relationships between item RTPEs and eight item attributes. Based on the principal findings across tests and grades, the empirical distributions of item RT presented widely variable shapes and did not fit any of the five proposed probability distributions; the 90th quantile showed its important capability of capturing and avoiding speededness issues; and the associations between item RTPEs and item attributes proved to be mixed. The generally idiosyncratic findings of this study call for a different perspective and approach to explore RT data and call for more empirical studies to enlighten test development practice in the K-12 standardized achievement assessment field.

<p>This thesis examines learner-centered animal science education and its relationships with emotion, motivation and performance. Part I focuses on active learning strategies implemented in an introductory animal sciences course. This large-enrollment course had traditionally been taught through traditional, passive learning methods. Instructors added learning activities such as case studies and hands-on laboratory stations to supplement lecture-based instruction. Chapter Two summarizes the impacts of different active learning techniques implemented in the course and characterizes students enrolled in the course based on their interests, past experiences, and demographic information. Building on these findings, Chapter Three describes an experiment quantitatively comparing the effects of three learning strategies (lecture, case study, and laboratory station) on students’ experience of interest and motivation. In both studies, students rated themselves highly interested in animal sciences throughout the semester. More collaborative, problem-based instructional methods (i.e. laboratory stations and case studies) were favored by students and resulted in higher student interest and internalized motivation. Results presented in Part I may inform the creation of instructional techniques to support student motivation, retention, and performance. Part II describes an online learning program contextualizing STEM learning within poultry science and implemented in high school classrooms during the fall 2018 semester. The program was designed to increase students’ knowledge and interest in both poultry and STEM fields to support the development of poultry- and STEM-literacy and meet workforce needs. Chapter Four describes program effects on students’ knowledge, awareness, and interest in the poultry industry. In contrast, Chapter Five focuses on the program’s effects on students’ STEM learning and STEM motivation. In addition, Chapter Five provides background on teacher and contextual factors influencing the program’s implementation. Results from these studies indicate that the program effectively increased students’ STEM and poultry knowledge, and increased motivation for some students. However, other qualitative and quantitative data indicated that some students experienced difficulties relating content to their lives. In addition, the program’s effects on students differed substantially based on teachers and classroom implementation. Both students and teachers also mentioned a need for more hands-on, collaborative elements in the program. Although results from Part II show promise that contextualizing STEM learning within agriculture may effectively increase knowledge and motivation, more research is needed to understand how to select and personalize contexts to maximize their relevance to students, and how to support teachers in effectively implementing these approaches. In conclusion, learner-centered instructional strategies such as problem-based and hands-on learning can be designed to enhance students’ interest, motivation, and performance. However, more research is needed to understand the complex personal and contextual factors moderating the effectiveness of these approaches when implemented in authentic classroom settings. Future studies clarifying these effects can advance the development of theory-based educational resources.</p>

Since California is the state with the highest number of English Language Learner (ELL) students in the nation (Abedi and Levine, 2013; Estrada, 2014), there is clearly a need for what Abedi and Levine (2013) call "accommodation" in educating ELLs in K-12 classrooms. This paper is an attempt to synthesize the current scholarship surrounding K-12 educational practices of ELLs nationally, but with special emphasis on key states: California and Arizona. It begins by describing the achievement gap between the growing number of ELLs and their native English speaking peers (NSP). The paper will first discuss possible reasons for this achievement gap, including: initial placements, pullouts and re-designation practices, unreliable and invalid testing, lack of access to rigorous content, remedial pullout programs, and the overall socioeconomic status of ELL students. It will then discuss successful teaching practices with ELLs and then recommendations for areas for further study.

Teaching students to read fluently has always been a national problem. At an elementary school in Louisiana, over 50% of second grade students earned at risk or at some risk ratings on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) test in reading fluency from 2007 to 2009. The purpose of this project study was to determine the professional learning needs of educators for teaching oral reading fluency by investigating 2 aspects of reading proficiency: educators' perceptions of additional skills needed to increase students' fluency by second grade, and the types of professional development educators believed would assist them in improving students' fluency skills. Theories of self-efficacy, behaviorism, and automaticity formed the theoretical framework for the study. A qualitative case study approach was used that included the responses of 4 participants to an open-ended researcher-developed questionnaire, lesson plans from participants, and the researcher's journal. Participants' written responses to the questionnaire were coded and themes determined, then triangulated with their lesson plans and the researcher's journal notes. Findings showed that teachers believed the components of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, along with recognition of the letters of the alphabet, whole word recognition strategies, and practice, should be the focus for professional learning for teachers' collaborative learning communities, teacher study groups, and workshops as the preferred methods. Contents of the project include best practices for educators to use to increase oral reading fluency at any age, which may effect positive change with the national problem of helping persons in our society become literate by reading fluently.

The Green Space Based Learning (GSBL) approach builds on a long-term partnership between a Research I university, surrounding community, and local school district, transforming underutilized community green space into an interactive educational tool to addresses national infrastructure and educational challenges. The GSBL approach is an educational platform for engaging K-12 and the local community in engineering design and construction of sustainable Green Infrastructure (GI) projects. GSBL was piloted as a part of a federally funded Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program in which teachers participated in two intensive 6-week summer research experiences and two consecutive academic year components. The summer experience focuses on the development of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) lessons and activities that meet Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards and the dissemination of the RET research experience. Approximately 400 K-12 students and teachers participated in both formal and informal educational activities that led to GSBL approach outputs throughout the academic year. These outputs included 4 Campus GI Challenge's for identifying areas of implementation and student driven GI design, the publication of 7 curricular products, the design and installation of 70 personal rain gardens and 8 bioretention cells (a type of GI), one of which was designed as a field scale research site within the Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) district. The eight bioretention cells, seven of which are on three public school campuses and one located at a local community leader's house were designed and implemented as a result of university research, K-12 outreach, and community engagement. These sites were selected based on one or more hotspot factors (e.g. localized areas of flooding, access to site, presence of learning space, willingness to pay, property ownership, visibility of location) and designed to restore the hydrology and water quality to pre-development conditions. The bioretention cells were designed to capture a storm-event ranging from 1.27 cm to 2.54 cm and cost between $550 and $1,650 to construct depending on the design scope, scale, and installation methods. The installed bioretention systems route stormwater runoff to a ponding area sized approximately 2-5% of the total catchment area, are designed to capture between 31% and 67% of annual runoff (March 2010 - March 2015), and attenuate between 97,500 and 226,100 mg N annually. The educational sites were used to provide insight into hydraulic performance, maintenance requirements, and nutrient management impacts associated with bioretention design. Three of the bioretention cells (BR 1, BR 2, and BR 3) were used as a field research site for collecting bioretention plant performance data on 12 Florida native plant species, Coreopsis leavenworthii, Flaveria linearis, Salvia coccinea, Solidago fistulosa, Canna flaccida, Tradescantia ohiensis, Tripsacum dactyloides, Hymenocallis latifolia, Iris virginica, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Spartina patens, and Equisetum hyemale. Mean baseline accumulated nitrogen concentration for tested species was 18.24 ± 5.76 mg N/g biomass. This compared to a harvested mean concentration rate of 12.28 ± 2.23 mg N/g biomass, a reduction of uptake capacity of nearly 33% after two growing seasons. This study found a similarity in mean total nitrogen concentration between baseline and harvested plant species for Flaveria linearis, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Solidago fistulosa, Canna flaccida, Salvia coccinea, Spartina patens, and Coreopsis leavenworthii and a significant difference in means for Equisetum hyemale, Iris virginica, Salvia coccinea, and Tradescantia ohiensis. These harvested data were used to calculate mean total nitrogen concentration per square meter with Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Equisetum hyemale, Spartina patens, Solidago fistulosa, Salvia coccinea, Coreopsis leavenworthii, Iris virginica ranging from 286 mg N/m2 to 4,539 mg N/m2, and Canna flaccida, Flaveria linearis, Tradescantia ohiensis ranging from 12,428 mg N/m2 to 15,409 mg N/m2. Seven of the twelve species (Flaveria linearis, Equisetum hyemale, Iris virginica, Tripsacum dactyloides, Coreopsis leavenworthii, Salvia coccinea, Tradescantia ohiensis) displayed highly desirable results, ranking (>0.20x̅) when evaluated across 10 quantitative attributes and assessed for their applicability for the subtropical Tampa Bay area. This research developed a plant selection utility index (PSI) that allows for individual plant scoring based on qualitative and quantitative plant selection criteria. The qualitative PSI was used to evaluate 26 native and regionally friendly plant species commonly found within the subtropical Tampa Bay climate to provide an example and act as a template for selecting plant species. The qualitative PSI scores categorized the identified plant species as highly desirable (n=4, PSI ≥ 80), Flaveria linearis, Tripsacum dactyloides, Salvia coccinea, and Chamaecrista fasciculata; moderately desirable (n=15, 80 > PSI ≥65), Solidago fistulosa, Hymenocallis latifolia, Canna flaccida, Tradescantia ohiensis, Arachis glabrata, Mimosa strigillosa, Callicarpa Americana, Penta lanceolata, Monarda punctate, Muhlenbergia capillaris, Helianthus debilis, Glandularia tampensis, Silphium asteriscus, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, and Coreopsis lanceolata; and least desirable (n=7, PSI < 65) Spartina patens, Equisetum hyemale, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Iris virginica, Coreopsis leavenworthii, Myrcianthus fragrans, Zamia puila. The quantitative PSI was used to evaluate attributes of 11 of the 26 species within a 32.5 m2 field-scale bioretention system (BR 1, BR 2, and BR 3) ter two-growing seasons. The tested species scored as highly desirable (n=2, PSI ≥ 70) for Salvia coccinea, Tradescantia ohiensis; moderately desirable (n=5, 70 > PSI ≥ 50) for Equisetum hyemale, Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Solidago fistulosa, Iris virginica, Coreopsis leavenworthii, and least desirable (n=4, PSI < 50) for Spartina patens, Flaveria linearis, Canna flaccida, Hymenocallis latifolia. Both qualitative and quantitative scores were combined on a 0-200 scale to provide a list of recommended species based, ranking from high to low: Salvia coccinea (PSI=160), Tradescantia ohiensis (PSI = 148), Sisyrinchium angustifolium (PSI =127), Flaveria linearis (PSI = 125), Solidago fistulosa (PSI = 124), Iris virginica (PSI =121), Coreopsis leavenworthii (PSI = 117), Equisetum hyemale (PSI = 114), Canna flaccida (PSI = 104), Spartina patens (PSI = 103), Hymenocallis latifolia (PSI =90).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to develop a reliable and valid psychometric instrument, the Teacher Political Self-Efficacy Scale (TPSE Scale), for measuring K-12 teachers’ political self-efficacy in abilities to engage in activities that may directly or indirectly influence education public policymaking. Using Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory as a theoretical lens and the TPSE Scale for measurement, the problem of weak classroom teacher voice in education public policy process is explored. Two separate studies confirmed the reliability of the TPSE Scale. Construct and other forms of validity were confirmed using additional measures of Political Efficacy as citizens, teacher Instructional Efficacy, and teacher level of actual Engagement in political/civic/professional activities. Other elements to the investigative framework included Number of Years teaching, Gender, level of Educational Attainment, School Setting, and teacher perception of adequacy of school district Funding. Teachers’ reported overall low levels of TPSE which was also positively and significantly correlated to level of Engagement. While Political Efficacy as citizen and Number of Years teaching were positively and significantly related to TPSE, Instructional Efficacy was not. Male teachers were found to have significantly higher means of TPSE compared to female colleagues but there were relatively few men in the sample. Teachers with advanced degrees had significantly higher means for TPSE compared to those with bachelor’s degrees. Teachers who held perceptions that their school district had inadequate Funding had significantly lower means for TPSE compared to their colleagues who felt otherwise. There were no significant differences in the means for TPSE based on School Setting. In addition to establishing TPSE Scale reliability and validity, study results contribute to the understanding of marginalized K-12 teacher voice in education public policymaking. Results may inform the design of interventions for building teacher confidence and skill in this political domain of functioning. Scale use may also sensitize teachers to existing avenues for exercising voice that have been previously underutilized or that were not fully understood as opportunities for influencing a political process. It may influence teachers’ future choices about level of engagement.

ABSTRACT BENEFITS OR HARMS OF NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND by Judy Block The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 reauthorizes and extensively amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and establishes control over the majority of federal programs and spending that affect public education. Embedded in the Act are various requirements that states and schools must adhere to as a condition of receiving federal education funds as well as harsh sanctions for failing to meet the requirements. No Child Left Behind notably shifts federal education policy by expanding its role into the areas of standards and assessment, accountability, curricula, discipline and administration, and providership. The Act also exacerbates tensions and blurs the line between competing ideologies of the role and nature of public education. NCLB's dominant reliance on proven research methods and statistical data, and its provisions regarding student assessment, failing schools, and parental choice open the schoolhouse door to commercial marketteers, further transforming public education into a consumer good, classrooms into marketplaces, and students and teachers into immaterial byproducts. No Child Left Behind's requirements often have more than one result, with some results doing more harm than the Act's stated good. The principle of double effect (PDE) provides a lens to evaluate instances where there are two effects of a single act; that is,PDE can explain the permissibility of an action that causes an undesired or harmful effect secondary to promoting some good end. By using philosophical analysis generally, and the principle of double effect specifically, this dissertation examines No Child Left Behind’s implementation requirements, specific programs, and their effects to determine the Act's benefits or harms. The dissertation proceeds with a review of NCLB's historical context and key features, an introduction to the principle of double effect, and a discussion of democratic and market ideologies and their relationship with education. This dissertation recognizes the various populations affected by the Act, but focuses specifically on students with disabilities and the relationship of the principle of double effect to the implications of NCLB. Chapter Four extends the principle of double effect to NCLB's implementation requirements and specific programs to identify their consequences or effects. The dissertation concludes with a synthesis of the questions and problems presented by NCLB and the implications for students, teachers, public education, and our communities.

International Polar Year 2007-2008 renewed interest in and funding for circumpolar research. One unique element of this International Polar Year was the focus on education and outreach initiatives. This study explores outreach stakeholders’ perspectives on conducting science outreach with northern Canadian schools. A total of sixty semi-structured interviews were conducted with northern researchers, residents and educators to determine culturally appropriate and pedagogically suitable methods for educational outreach initiatives in the Canadian north. I examined northern resident and educator experiences with integrating Indigenous and Western ways of knowing, identified factors supporting educational outreach initiatives, and provided recommendations on how to strengthen educational outreach partnerships. Results show that institutional barriers discourage researchers from participating in educational outreach. Northern residents and educators viewed integrative science as an effective method to engage students in Indigenous and Western science, and to encourage collaborative educational outreach partnerships amongst outreach stakeholders.