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The purpose of this case study was to examine musical experiences which may affect student perceptions of self-efficacy in Advanced Placement (AP) Music Theory. Four students from a single AP Music Theory class participated in interviews where they discussed experiences in high school music study. Interview topics included ensemble participation in high school, outside-school involvement in musical activities and study, and perceptions of success in the course and preparation for the AP Music Theory examination. Specific research questions addressed in the study were: (1) What course skills addressed in AP Music Theory do students from different musical backgrounds feel most prepared to demonstrate within the context of the AP Music Theory examination? (2) What do student participants from different musical backgrounds cite as specific challenges in AP Music Theory? (3) How do students perceive their own musical backgrounds in relationship to their perceived success in AP Music Theory? Findings suggested that prior musical experiences and a positive, low-stress classroom atmosphere contributed to participants’ confidence completing fundamental performance tasks in AP Music Theory, and that those influences affected participants’ feelings of self-efficacy in the class and on the AP Music Theory examination. Conversely, participants’ application of prior knowledge and previously developed musical skills to more difficult AP-style performance tasks solicited feelings of self-doubt and lower levels of self-efficacy. Implications of this study suggest that teachers of school music ensembles, applied lessons, and AP Music Theory should consider student self-efficacy when designing instruction and planning rehearsals or lessons. Researchers might consider measuring student feelings of self-efficacy in specific performance tasks, and the ways in which teachers can help students to develop self-efficacy in music classes. / Music Education

Many school districts are using research-based strategies to increase student achievement. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was created and implemented to assist all students becoming proficient in reading and mathematics by 2014. One strategy many school districts implemented includes an after-school program. One school district in Mississippi operated an after-school program to help increase the academic achievement of 7th and 8th grade students scoring minimal and basic on the MCT2. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of regular participation in an after-school program on indicators of student academic achievement. The dependent variables for this study consisted of (a) math grade point averages, (b) reading grade point averages, (c) language arts grade point averages, (d) MCT2 math scores, (e) MCT2 language arts scores, (f) number of absences, and (g) number of discipline referrals. The independent variable for this study was program participation, which had two levels. One level was program attendance for at least 40 days and the other level was program attendance for less than 40 days. In this study, 7 hypotheses were tested by comparing the measures of the dependent variables for the two levels of the dependent variables. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the 7 hypotheses. The results of the ANCOVAs failed to detect any statistically significant differences in the dependent variables between the students who attended the after-school program for at least 40 days and students who did not attend the after-school program for 40 days. However, there were differences in the measures between the two groups. Not only did the regular attendees have lower averages in absenteeism and discipline referrals, they also had higher averages in mathematics (both GPA and MCT2), reading GPA, and language arts GPA. The only measure where the non-regular attendees demonstrated better performance was on the language arts MCT2. The recommendations for future research are as follows: implementation of adequate professional development for after-school program teachers, a research based reading program to assess student achievement, and a longitudinal study on after-school programs.

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This dissertation investigated and examined disparities among selected variables between high- performing and low-performing high schools in Virginia. Overall, student academic performance is the major difference between the two categories of schools, but there may be other differences within the school dynamic that can rationalize the categorization of schools. These potential differences demonstrate the need to examine other variables and the disparities within these certain variables. Seven possible variables that may have such an influence are: the student achievement scores, teacher quality, racial composition, socioeconomic status, student attendance, financial commitment, and condition of the building. Understanding these differences can provide valuable insight into the various factors that contribute to the academic success or failure of a school. Data from the study indicated that for the most part, the variables selected for comparison did indicate a significant difference in the variables. The only exception was in Teacher Quality. Since Student Achievement, Student Attendance, and Teacher Quality pertained directly to the student, and Racial Composition and Socioeconomic Status, pertained to the student body, meaning the enrollment of these three variables were demographically controlled, this indicated to this researcher that financial commitment data and building conditions data were the most important variables to this study. The basis for this is that Racial Composition, SES, Student Attendance, and Teacher Quality influenced one variable and that is Student Achievement. This reduced the importance of Teacher Quality because not all low and high-performing schools will have the same quality of teachers in the classroom. If this was the case, every student would perform equally. This, of course, was not true. Therefore, other variables played an especially important part in the disparities between the two categories of schools. This rationale would give credence to the importance of Financial Commitment and School Building Conditions. These latter two variables then influenced the educational process of students and are things the School Board can control or at least have control over. / Doctor of Education / This dissertation investigated and examined disparities in selected variables between high- performing and low-performing high schools in Virginia. Overall, student academic performance is the major difference between the two categories of schools, but there may be other differences within the school dynamic that can rationalize the categorization of schools. These potential differences demonstrate the need to examine other variables and the disparities within these certain variables. Seven possible variables that may have such an influence are: student achievement scores, teacher quality, racial composition, socioeconomic status, student attendance, financial commitment, and condition of the building. Understanding these differences can provide valuable insight into the various factors that contribute to the academic success or failure of a school. Data from the study indicated that for the most part the variables selected for comparison did indicate a significant difference in the variables. The only exception was in Teacher Quality. Since Student Achievement, Student Attendance, and Teacher Quality pertained directly to the student, and Racial Composition and Socioeconomic Status, pertained to the student body, meaning the enrollment of these three variables were demographically controlled, this indicated to this researcher that financial commitment data and building conditions data were the most important variables to this study. The basis for this is that Racial Composition, SES, Student Attendance, and Teacher Quality influenced one variable and that is Student Achievement. This reduced the importance of Teacher Quality because not all low and high-performing schools will have the same quality of teachers in the classroom. If this was the case, every student would perform equally. This, of course, was not true. Therefore, other variables played an especially important part in the disparities between the two categories of schools. This rationale would give credence to the importance of Financial Commitment and School Building Conditions. These latter two variables then influenced the educational process of students and are things the School Board can control or at least have control over.

Classes moving online in mid-March 2020 demonstrated students' unmet needs for fast, reliable internet service and laptops. Information Technology Services, Sherrod Library, and Student Life and Enrollment teamed up to lend some laptops & hotspots.

When all classes moved online in mid-March 2020, students' unmet needs for fast, reliable Internet service and adequate devices for participating in online classes quickly surfaced. Information Technology Services (ITS), Sherrod Library, and Student Life and Enrollment teamed up to lend the small supply of available laptops to students.

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No description available.