College of Education and Human Development Theses and Dissertations
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Item THE IMPACT OF THE SAFE SCHOOLS HEALTHY STUDENTS INITIATIVE ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS(11/10/2014) Riojas, Jesse G.One premise for students to experience academic achievement is the need to have a safe school environment. The Safe Schools Healthy Students (SS/HS) initiative was established by the Department of Education to provide support for creating an educational setting that gives an opportunity for every student to prosper. It involved the implementation of a comprehensive community-wide partnership plan of action focused on establishing healthy childhood development to provide the students with skills needed to address alcohol abuse and domestic violence. The initiative serves as the basis for the study to investigate its impact on the academic achievement of high school students in mathematics, reading, science, and social studies. The Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Bandura's Self-efficacy Theory guided the study. The study focused on students in two rural school districts in South Texas. The analysis focused on students for whom the data was available who had participated in the 2009, 2011, and 2012 administration of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests during the funding duration of the SS/HS grant and passed all sections at the first administration. The students were divided into two groups-those that participated in the initiative, characteristic-present (N = 31-34) and a comparison group (N = 44-48). An ex post facto, causal-comparative design was employed. No causal inferences were drawn due to the non-experimental nature of the study. The initial results of the study showed that the characteristic-present group outperformed the comparison group in all subject fields. When the outcome measures were adjusted on the basis of at-risk status of the students, however, the analysis showed that group differences were not statistically significant. Thus, the findings suggest that the SS/HS students could have benefited from the additional programs that focused on environmental concerns, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse, mental health concerns, and violence prevention programs. Participants in the study were less likely to be academically at risk than were the students in the comparison groups who had not received the additional program support. The SS/HS initiative can be instrumental in providing the structure which enables the students to be in a safe learning environment that promotes academic success.Item WRITING INSTRUCTION AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEVEL: TEACHERS' USE OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WRITING CONFERENCES AND OTHER STRATEGIES TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO WRITE(11/10/2014) Elliott, Jeannette O.The quality of students' writing in kindergarten has a great effect on their future writing ability during the elementary years (Kissel, 2008). Because students begin kindergarten at various levels of writing ability, more knowledge on kindergarten writing instruction is necessary in order to meet the needs of all kindergarten students and to provide quality writing instruction at the kindergarten level. Thus, the purpose of the qualitative study was to examine teachers' perceptions regarding the use of individual student writing conferences and other writing instruction strategies in five kindergarten classrooms using a collective case study approach. A purposeful sample of five kindergarten teachers from a South Texas suburban public school pre-kindergarten and kindergarten campus were the participants for the multiple case study. The researcher explored teachers' writing instruction in the kindergarten classroom through pre and post teacher interviews and two open-ended classroom observations over a seven-week period. The results of the interview data yielded six themes: social interaction, effective learning environment, student writing abilities, student progress toward independent writing, student motivation through praise, teacher self-efficacy. Findings from the observations supported the themes that emerged from the interviews. The findings of the study provide a deeper insight into how to effectively produce writers in the kindergarten classroom and can inform other teachers of ways to meet the individual student needs within a classroom of diverse emergent writers at varying levels of abilities. The descriptions presented in this study regarding writing instruction at the kindergarten level have implications for providing effective instruction to kindergarten students in order to empower their writing success during the elementary years. One recommendation for future research would be a similar study with teacher reflection included, with teachers thinking about their instructional practices, thinking about their desired goals, and thinking about how to adjust their instruction in order for those goals to happen. A second recommendation for future research is to conduct the study allowing for more than seven weeks. One last recommendation for future research would be a similar study using a quantitative research design in order to report on student growth in writing.Item Importance and effectiveness of student health services at a south Texas university(2/24/2014) McCaig, MarilynNone submitted.Item Perceptions of wellness from adults with mobility impairments(2/24/2014) Snook, Joy-Del T.There is limited information available concerning the perceptions of adults with mobility impairments regarding wellness. The purpose of the present qualitative study was to describe the perceptions of wellness from adults with mobility impairments utilizing phenomenological-heuristic inquiry. The grand tour question was, How do mobility impaired adults perceive wellness? Eight individuals agreed to participate and were interviewed. Six core themes emerged in relation to the perception of wellness from adults with mobility impairments: overcoming barriers, pain management, psychological wellness, physical activity and nutrition, social connectedness and family support, and spirituality. The number of people with mobility impairments is on the rise. As a result, counselors and counselor educators regardless of their fields will be asked to provide services and/or educational instruction to clients and students with various types of disabilities at some point during their careers (Smart & Smart, 2006). Implications for current and future counselors and counselor educators as well as suggestions for future research were presented.Item An examination of how community of inquiry relates to student performance in an online community college course(2/24/2014) McWhorter, Robert Rowe.Research has revealed that students in online classes may have higher rates of attrition than those in traditional face-to-face classes. Effective teaching and learning in an online environment requires different pedagogical skills than those used in traditional face-to-face classes. Online courses must focus on the quality of interaction. As an exploratory study, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students' perceived community of inquiry and learning outcomes as indicated by (a) course retention, (b) final grade, and (c) students' perceived quality of learning in a community college online environment. Community of inquiry, a theory of online interaction, was indicated by (a) social presence, (b) cognitive presence, and (c) teaching presence. The study also looked at how demographics affect learning outcomes. The study used a non-probability sample consisting of 52 students (26 students in each of two sections of an online Principles of Accounting I course). The students self-enrolled for the fall 2012 semester at a community college. One of the sections (treatment group) had additional interactive activities. The study used a survey instrument that was validated and operationalized. Statistical analyses were conducted with t-tests and correlations. Between group t-test results were not statistically significant for course retention. Correlation results for community of inquiry to grade were not statistically significant, with one exception: one's grade was correlated to cognitive presence with the treatment group. Correlation results for community of inquiry to quality of learning were statistically significant in both the treatment and non-treatment groups with one exception: quality of learning was not correlated to cognitive presence in the treatment group. Correlation results for quality of learning to grade were statistically significant only for the treatment group. Results suggest two major implications. First, interaction is critical for student outcomes. The treatment group reported higher performance ratings in all areas. Second, getting students involved in high interaction early in a course may include completion of low stakes assignments. Future studies could focus on the ability of educators to utilize technology to increase the amount of interaction in the virtual classroom.Item "We are the change we've been waiting for.": A rewriting of self through the social-intellectual spaces of service(2/24/2014) Winans, JaimeThis year-long qualitative case study investigates how service-learning may enable self-direction and the development of a critical consciousness for marginalized high school students by exploring the dynamics of service-learning through a theoretical framework of critical theory. A central aim among critical theorists is the empowerment of marginalized groups who are disempowered through the current structure of schooling. Service-learning, an instructional approach that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection, is theorized to counter the oppressive nature of schooling as defined in critical theory; however, little research exists to clarify the implications of service-learning on student empowerment. The intention of this study was to consider the negotiation of power and knowledge occurring in the open spaces of community that may empower students, redefining their experience of schooling and their identities as learners. By exploring processes of empowerment and the social structures created through service-learning, the study documents students' self-authorship as they negotiate learning spaces within community. Through this case study, three marginalized, male, urban high school students described their development as learners and as change agents within the context of service and community need. Data analysis of interview transcripts, field notes, and documents revealed how service-learning offered a transformative experience to culturally non-dominant students which legitimized lived experience and enabled the re-writing of self through the construction of new social/intellectual spaces. Overall, the findings provide a holistic account of the spaces, relationships, and identities constructed by participants through service-learning. Service-learning positioned participants to encounter social injustices in new ways that facilitated their re-authoring of self and community identities. This widening intellectual space permitted participants' development of their own evolving interpretations and informed actions upon the world for challenging and transforming social and political inequalities. Participants' identities expanded as they critiqued arrangements of power infusing social structures while recognizing the ways their own narratives maintained harmful arrangements of power. The findings also demonstrate the possibilities for engaging diverse learners whose life experiences and cultural forms of knowledge have been delegitimized through schooling. By providing insight to how empowerment and self-authorship can become central to schooling, this study offers a way to address the opportunity gap which disproportionately affects low-income students of color. Participants' experience offers insight to the pedagogy of service-learning that documents a framework for encountering transformational moments between self, society, and other. Further research exploring the perspectives of marginalized students who are reluctant to engage in service-learning would bring an array of viewpoints to the research purpose.Item Comparing marital satisfaction, acculturation, and personality across Asian-mixed couples and Asian couples in the United States(2/24/2014) Lee, ShinHwaAs a relatively new but increasing issue, cross-cultural relationships are an area in need further study and understanding for counselors who work with couples and families. Most previous research in this area has been focused on conflicts and issues among cross-cultural couples due to cultural differences; other possible factors or issues, such as personality characteristics, are limited. Moreover, only limited research studies were conducted with Asians involved cross-cultural couples despite the growing population. The purpose of this study was to compare marital satisfaction, acculturation, and personality characteristics across Asian-mixed couples and Asian couples in the United States through examination of (a) the relationship among the level of acculturation, personality, and the level of marital satisfaction of Asians in Asian couples and Asian-mixed couples, (b) the level of acculturation based on their gender and marriage types, (c) the level of marital satisfaction based on their gender and marriage types, and (d) personality characteristics based on marriage types. The sample included 92 Asian and non-Asian individuals in Asian couples and Asian-mixed couples (22 Asian males and 27 Asian females having an Asian partner, 4 Asian males and 23 Asian females having a non-Asian partner, and 14 non-Asian males and 2 non-Asian females having an Asian partner). The findings in this study include (a) no relations among the acculturation level, personality, and the marital satisfaction level of Asians in Asian couples and Asian-mixed couples, (b) significantly higher levels of acculturation in Asians in Asian-mixed couples, (c) no differences in the level of marital satisfaction among individuals in Asian couples and Asian-mixed couples, (d) significantly higher levels of openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion in individuals in Asian-mixed couples. Implications from this study for counselor educators, practitioners, and future counselors working with Asian-mixed couples include (a) being aware of several personality characteristics of Asian-mixed couples that possibly work as strengths and protective factors in their marriage, (b) opening and exploring issues based on wider and holistic views rather than only focus on cultural differences, (c) avoiding stereotypes and pre-assumptions, and (d) understanding basic Asian values.Item The impact of project-based learning on mathematics and reading achievement of 7th and 8th grade students in a South Texas school district(2/24/2014) Cervantes, Bernadine MunozThe study examined the impact of Project -Based Learning on reading and mathematics achievement of 7th and 8th grade students. Project-based learning deviates from the customary school practices and is an innovative strategy used in the curriculum to engage students in solving authentic problems for deeper learning experiences. The association between a student's participation in PBL and achiement in reading and mathematics shows that PBL does make a difference and would likely hold up to the demands of accountability.Item The impact of mindfulness training on therapeutic alliance, empathy, and lived experience: a mixed methods study with counselor trainees(2/24/2014) Schomaker, StefaniProponents of mindfulness practices have suggested that this method provides counselors a means to cultivate therapeutic relationship skills and improve client outcomes. Consequently, a 6 session mindfulness training program was conducted over a 6 week period with counselor trainees (n = 9) engaged in clinical practice. Quantitative data were collected to explore changes in counselor and client therapeutic alliance as well as counselor empathy and mindfulness levels. Qualitative data were gleaned from participants' lived experiences as they learned and implemented mindfulness practices. While no significant change in client alliance scores was recorded, counselor trainee results indicated that mindfulness training could be an effective method to improve mindfulness, empathy, and therapeutic attunement. Furthermore, participants reported that mindfulness enhanced their lives in physical, affective, cognitive, and behavioral domains. Implications for counselor training, practice, and research were discussed.Item The relationship between the emotional intelligence of secondary public school principals and school performance(2/24/2014) Ashworth, Stephanie R.The study examined the relationship between secondary public school principals' emotional intelligence and school performance. The correlational study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods model. The non-probability sample consisted of 105 secondary public school principals in Texas. The emotional intelligence characteristics of the principals were documented. Analysis of the quantitative data showed that the relationship between principals' emotional intelligence and school performance was not statistically significant. Analysis of the qualitative data resulted in two themes, namely, 1) strong interpersonal and intrapersonal skills and 2) positive leadership. The principals believed that raising school performance happens over time and that key factors related to affecting school performance include building relationships, motivation, inspiration, organizational skills, emotions (knowing one's own emotions and the emotions of others), and communication skills. The results showed that a principal's awareness of his/her emotions as well as other's emotions and how to deal with them are vital to relationship building and positive leadership. The quantitative and qualitative results were synthesized and discussed. The practical implications of the study are to develop, strengthen, and enhance a principal's emotional intelligence skills in order to become a more effective administrator. The skills can begin to be taught and developed to aspiring principals enrolled in a Master's degree program. Emotional intelligence skills can also be developed, strengthened, and enhanced through professional development opportunities like continuing education classes, staff development, and workshops.Item The impact of a first year development course on student success in a community college: an empirical investigation(2/24/2014) Garza, EdgarThis study focused on the impact of a Student Development Course (SDEV 0170), a part of an overall First Year Experience program at the college of interest, on the achievement and retention of participants. It examined the effect of the relationship of achievement (GPA) and retention (enrollment in a subsequent semester) to (a) the successful completion of the SDEV course, (b) the instructional method (face-to-face and online), (c) gender, and (d) ethnicity. This study included 1557 participants enrolled in the SDEV 0170 course: 1508 participants in the face-to-face course and 48 participants in the on-line course. The group was comprised of 47% males and 53% females with an ethnic breakdown of 2% Asian, 6% Black, 61 % Hispanic, and 24% White with the remaining 7% unreported. This study found that successful completion of the SDEV course was statistically significant with both achievement and retention. The impact of instruction method of the SDEV course was not statistically significant with either achievement or retention. The impact of successful completion of the SDEV course and gender had mixed results with achievement; however, the successful completion of the SDEV course and gender was not statistically significant with retention. The impact of successful completion of the SDEV course and ethnicity was statistically significant with both achievement and retention. Retaining current students, as opposed to recruiting new ones, is generally considered an economically sensible strategy. Beyond the financial considerations, institutions of higher education, especially community colleges with their open enrollment policies, have an implicit commitment to provide students with academic and social development in addition to supporting their transition to college. There is a need for the identification of programs that have demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing academic success and retention, which can be applied to similar populations at other institutions.Item Literacy coaching in the Texas Coastal Bend: a retrospective diary study of literacy coaches and elementary teachers(2/24/2014) Puente, NormaSchool districts across the nation are hiring literacy coaches, but there is little empirical evidence with regard to the effectiveness of coaching influencing teacher practice in literacy instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of literacy coaches in the Texas Coastal Bend schools and their perceived influence on the self-efficacy of teachers for literacy instruction. The literature review is organized in three themes: (a) the literacy coach defined; (b) the evolution of the role, responsibilities and qualifications of literacy coaches; (c) teachers' sense of efficacy. The data tools for this quantitative study utilized telephone interviews of 11 elementary literacy coaches in the Texas Coastal Bend. The elementary literacy coaches, and classrooms teachers with whom they work, took the online survey, Teachers' Sense of Efficacy for Literacy Instruction Scale (TSELIS), to determine the influence of literacy coaches' work with teachers as perceived by the teachers. The results of this indicate that literacy coaches influenced teachers' overall literacy instruction and ability to provide differentiated instruction (M = 3.60) but did not provide enough support in writing strategies. These findings have implications for the need to hire qualified literacy coaches who spend more time providing job-embedded coaching for teachers. The results also show a need to provide formal training for literacy coaches in reading and writing instruction to have a better impact on helping teachers increase their ability to help students read fluently and provide better writing instruction. This study provides information to school administrators, because in this time of resource challenges, it is important for administrators to know how to use elementary literacy coaches in the best, most efficient manner. Recommendations for future research include examining the long term effects of literacy coaching on student achievement, and what kind of training is most effective to develop a successful literacy coach.Item Sex-role egalitarian attitudes and gender role socialization experiences of African American men and women: a mixed methods paradigm(2/24/2014) Heard, Courtney Christian CharisseThe purpose of this study was to assess the sex-role egalitarian attitudes and gender role socialization experiences of African American men and women. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed to research this phenomenon. The Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale-Short Form BB (SRES-BB) was utilized to assess sex-role egalitarian attitudes (King & King, 1993). A total of 183 participants, 86 males and 97 females, completed the SRES-BB. Results revealed statistically significant differences in male and female total scores on the SRES-BB. Participants were purposefully selected to engage in the follow-up interview process. There were a total of eight participants. Eight themes were identified that depicted the perceived gender role socialization experiences of the participants: instillation of religious/spiritual values, familial generational socialization, gender role flexibility, male gender role norms, female gender role norms, ethnic cultural differences in gender role socialization, the influence of educational accomplishment on gender role socialization, and the influence of society and social networking on gender role attitudes. Overall the results depicted the African Americans in this sample as less egalitarian than asserted in much of the literature (Bryant & Beckett, 1997; Davenport & Yurich, 1991; Stanik & Bryant, 2012). The interviews supported and expanded existing literature on themes relevant to understanding the gender role socialization experiences of some African Americans to include installation of religious values, diversity in roles assumed by African American women, and perceived ethnic cultural differences in the gender role socialization experience. Results of this study provided several implications for counselor educators and practitioners: the relevance of broaching race and gender when working with African American clients, or students, awareness of the perception of privilege for middle and upper-class Whites highlighting the importance of exploring the intersectionality of status variables (e.g. race, gender, religion, etc.), and considering gender role socialization experiences when providing counseling and supervision to African Americans individually, as couples, and families.Item An investigation into reading habits of Texas middle and high school english language arts teachers(2/24/2014) Donaldson, Tammy Cene FrancisThroughout the history of education, it has been noted that teachers are influential people in lives of children (Applegate & Applegate, 2004; Daisey, 2010; Gambrell, 1996; Ruddell, 1995). Children spend one-third (or more) of the day with teachers; and as they enter into adolescence, children come in contact with more and more teachers during day. Teachers are in a position to influence children's academic and personal lives positively or negatively (Applegate & Applegate, 2004; Ruddell, 1995). When we look for ways to motivate students as readers, improve literacy instruction, and raise academic achievement, the teacher is an important factor. "Teachers are often well positioned to do so" (Applegate & Applegate, 2004, p. 555) by sharing and valuing reading inside and outside the classroom. While literacy is a multi-faceted feature, it seems logical to state that teachers are the common reading models for school aged children across the United States. Linda Gambrell (1996), stated that, "Teachers who love reading and are avid readers themselves have students who have higher reading achievement than do the teachers who rarely read" (p. 20). This study examined one aspect of the growing body of research exploring English Language Arts teachers' personal reading experiences and how that affects their attitude toward the teaching of reading, specifically in the modeling practices in the classroom. Participants in this study included 158 Secondary English Language Arts teachers currently teaching in grades 6-12 in the state of Texas. The participants completed an online questionnaire, through a web-based tool. Respondents were asked a series of demographic questions followed by questions about their personal reading practices outside the classroom and their modeling practices in the classroom. The participants' answers to the questions in survey provided descriptive data to explain the way things are or describe the characteristics of a whole group by using part of it without any experimental manipulation (Borg & Gall, 1971; Duke & Mallette, 2004, Kamil, Langer, & Shanahan, 1985). The majority of the secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers that responded to the survey claimed to be readers. ELA teachers with graduate hours were readers and better reading models. Also, the teachers at schools that received performance ratings of the "Recognized" and "Exemplary" reported implementing more modeling practices. These findings are intended to start conversations and encourage social reading experiences both among content area educators, as well as in classrooms, between educator and student. Suggestions are made for further research using both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the reading and modeling practices in the content area classroom.Item PreService teachers' knowledge and beliefs concerning boys' literacy instruction and its correlation to their teacher sense of efficacy(2/24/2014) Fleming, KathleenCurrent test data reveal that in every state, at every grade level tested, school-aged males are scoring lower on reading assessments than their female counterparts. Given the instrumental role of the elementary reading teacher and the data documenting growing male underachievement, this quantitative study investigated the relationship between preservice teachers' knowledge and beliefs and sense of efficacy for reading instruction for boys. The quantitative study involved 97 participants enrolled in Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's student teacher program during the Fall semester of 2012 and the Spring semester of 2013. Participants were distributed among the three elementary level Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies degree programs: Bilingual, Early Childhood, and Reading. Descriptive data provided the information for this study as it related to what the student teachers knew about reading instruction for boys, what they believed about reading instruction for boys and whether, in effect, these aligned with their sense of self-efficacy as it related to boys and reading instruction. Three instruments were administered: Knowledge About Boys and Reading Instruction Survey (KBRI), Beliefs About Boys and Reading Instruction Survey (BBRI), and the Teacher Sense of Efficacy for Boys and Reading Instruction Survey (TSEBRI). Data were analyzed using frequency distribution and multiple regression analysis. Multiple regression analyses concluded that there was a statistical relationship between the preservice teachers' depth of knowledge and their teacher sense of efficacy for literacy instruction for boys. No statistical significance was found in looking at the relationship between the student teachers' beliefs about boys and reading and their teacher sense of efficacy. Results indicate that the student teachers' perceptions concerning their sense of efficacy in regard to reading instruction for boys were more consistent and had higher associations with their knowledge about the subject than did the student teachers' beliefs about boys and reading and reading instruction. These findings suggest that student teachers' depth of knowledge and traditional beliefs about gender have important implications for teacher educators, teachers, administrators, and researchers, all of whom strive to ensure that all of today's students are equipped with the academic skills they will need to become productive citizens.Item Creative arts in group supervision of counselors-in-training(2/24/2014) Power, Lauren ShowsThe purpose of the current study was to examine the use of creative arts in group supervision and its perceived effects on case conceptualization and counselor development from the counselor-in-training's perspective. Research questions guiding this study included: How do counselors-in-training (CITs) perceive the experience of participating in group supervision utilizing creative arts methods? How do CITs perceive the impact of group supervision that utilizes creative arts methods? How do CITs perceive the impact of group supervision utilizing creative arts methods on case conceptualization with current clients? How do CITs perceive the impact of group supervision utilizing creative arts methods on their development as counselors? Participants included five Master's level CITs completing internships at a Counseling and Training Clinic (CTC) on the campus of a university in the southwestern region of the United States. These CITs were gaining clinical experience, as a part of the requirement, in counseling and were providing services to clients with various concerns. Eight themes emerged: (1) positive experience, (2) balance with traditional supervision, (3) creating an environment, (4) engaging in a creative process, (5) perceptions of impact, (6) awareness, (7) importance of the group, and (8) techniques. The first theme, positive experience, includes a sub-theme, relaxation. The sixth theme, awareness, encapsulates both awareness of themselves and awareness of clients. The theme entitled engaging in a creative process includes authentic self and being present as subthemes. Implication for practice and recommendations for future research are provided. Creative arts can be used in group supervision to help CITs get past rigidity, pressure to be right, and insecurity about being themselves. Further investigation of the internal creative process experienced and the sense of safety expressed by counselors-in-training using creative arts in group supervision is needed to further support and expand these findings.Item The use and implementation of interactive writing as an instructional method for primary teachers in Texas Educational Service Center 2(2/25/2014) Fabela, Rachelle M.This doctoral study investigated the use and implementation of interactive writing as an instructional method for primary teachers in Texas Educational Service Center Region 2. The descriptive study involved 152 survey respondents and eight interview participants. The primary instrument was a questionnaire (Interactive Writing Survey) that solicited data from teachers on their definition of interactive writing, the use of interactive writing, and variations on the implementation of interactive writing. Additionally, an interview protocol was used to allow participants to expand on the use of interactive writing and how interactive writing supported the reading and writing connection. Data were collected during the spring 2010 semester and analyzed by frequency and cross-tabulations. In addition, a Chi-analysis was conducted on two of the survey questions. The analysis of data suggested that primary teachers understood elements of interactive writing and were able to define interactive writing as an instructional method. The data also suggested that primary teachers implemented interactive writing during a weekly timeframe. Additionally, there was no statistically significant relationship between how often interactive writing was implemented and grade level taught. The data also indicated that participants had complete freedom with the implementation of interactive writing. However, the analysis indicated that there was no statistically significant relationship between the extent of freedom on the implementation of interactive writing and grade level taught. In addition, the data suggested that primary teachers used pre-planned schedules for interactive writing and primarily implemented interactive writing during whole group instruction. The findings suggest that those teachers who responded are knowledgeable about interactive writing and are consistent in the way they use it. Further research is needed to explore other grade levels' use and implementation of interactive writing, identify various types of literature used to support interactive writing, and investigate the implementation of technological elements during interactive writing lessons.Item Effects of intervention on undergraduate pre-service teachers in literacy education(2/25/2014) Williams, Alma ElizabethThis study tracked the effects of guided questioning on the epistemological and pedagogical content knowledge over six weeks of six undergraduate pre-service teachers in literacy education in a university-based reading tutorial. This study was guided by three research questions: (a) how do undergraduate pre-service teachers' initial ideas about literary instruction change from the beginning to the end of their tutoring experience, (b) what patterns can be seen in undergraduate pre-service teachers' epistemological and pedagogical development while tutoring in a university-based reading setting, and (c) how does intervention affect the instructional literacy practices of undergraduate pre-service teachers as they experience epistemological growth? The primary data collection tools used to collect data were interviews, observations, and collected artifacts. Shulman's (1987) model of Pedagogical Reasoning and Action was used by the researcher as a coding system to analyze the collected data. In addition to this study's findings, there were changes in the undergraduate pre-service teachers' initial ideas about literacy instruction. Pattern changes of the undergraduate pre-service teachers' epistemological and pedagogical development and the effects guided questioning had on the undergraduate pre-service teachers' literacy instructional practices were also revealed. The findings in this study suggest the need for teacher preparation programs to provide training for undergraduate pre-service teachers. As a result, novice teachers may enter the classrooms better prepared to teach reading. Recommendations to further the understanding of the development of prospective teachers' epistemology and pedagogy for teaching reading may increase student success in learning to read.Item The impact of extracurricular athletic activities on academic achievement, disciplinary referrals, and school attendance among Hispanic female 11th grade students(2/25/2014) Manlove, Kelly JeanThe study examined the impact of participation in extracurricular athletic activities on GPA, reading and mathematics achievement scores, attendance rate, and disciplinary referrals among Hispanic female 11th graders. The ex post facto study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. The 11th grade female Hispanic participants consisted of a characteristic-present group (n=544) who had participated in extracurricular athletic activities and a comparison group (n=244). Analysis of the quantitative data showed an association between involvement in extracurricular activities and GPA, reading and mathematics achievement scores, and attendance rates. Analysis of the qualitative data resulted in three themes, namely, emotional support, managerial support, and an intrinsic drive for excellence for those who had participated in extracurricular athletic activities; and two themes of extrinsic influences and negative high school experience for the comparison group. The quantitative and qualitative results were synthesized and discussed. Theoretical and practical implications were presented.Item Perceptions of international students in CACREP-accredited counseling programs(2/25/2014) Nayar-Bhalerao, SnehaWith the increase of international students in American universities, there has also been an increase of international students in CACREP-accredited programs. However, there is limited information available in the literature concerning specific needs of international students enrolled in counseling programs. The purpose of the present qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of international students in CACREP-accredited counseling programs and to identify student perspectives about the ways in which counseling programs and faculty members could facilitate a successful and supportive educational experience. A phenomenological-heuristic inquiry was utilized for this purpose. Seven international student participants enrolled in CACREP-accredited counseling programs were interviewed for this study. Seven core themes along with their sub-themes emerged through analysis. The seven core themes include: adapting to the foreign land, clinical concerns, academics, multiculturalism and diversity issues, social connectedness, impact of the counselor training program, and the role of counseling faculty and department. Limitations, along with implications for counselors and counselor educators, and suggestions for future research are presented.