College of Education and Human Development Theses and Dissertations
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.6/1173
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Browsing College of Education and Human Development Theses and Dissertations by Subject "academic achievement"
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Item Assessing the link between grit and academic achievement in reading, mathematics, and writing among 4th graders: an explanatory sequential mixed methods inquiry(2017-12) Barrington, Melissa M.; Kouzekanani, Kamiar; Lucido, Frank; Edwards, Dessynie; Etheridge, CharlesBuilding a culture of success in schools has been a goal in Texas public schools since standardized tests were developed in 1979. Many schools have begun instilling grit in the classrooms in hopes of increasing student achievement and teaching students how to push themselves through difficult tasks. The primary purpose of the study was to assess the link between grit and academic achievement on standardized academic achievement in reading, mathematics, and writing in a non-probability sample of 4th graders. The explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted in a rural elementary school in South Texas. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores of 78 4th graders were used for the quantitative component of the study. A focus group (n = 4) was conducted to document the perspectives of grade four teachers regarding the academic achievement of students that have grit. Quantitative results showed that the study’s 4th graders demonstrated grit; however, it was not statistically associated with academic achievement in reading, mathematics, and writing. Qualitative data resulted in three themes, namely, Student Perspectives, Teacher Presentations, and Understanding Failure, and suggested that grit has the potential to positively impact academic achievement. The study’s results have the potential to provide educational leaders and other concerned individuals with the opportunity to learn if non-cognitive skills may play a role in the academic success of students. The results of this study may persuade school administrators and personnel to take a closer look at students and grit. Even though the quantitative and qualitative results did not complement each other, there were reasons to believe that there could be a link between grit and academic achievement and that other factors (e.g., socioeconomic status) must be taken into consideration in designing and conducting interventional programs that may enhance the development of grit. The study’s results add to the body of knowledge about mindsets, grit, and academic achievement.Item Assessing The Link Between Learning Assistance Programs and the Retention, Probation, and Grade Point Average of Freshman University Students(2017-05) Ballmer, Noelle C.; Griffith, Bryant; Kouzekanani, Kamiar; Pearce, Dan; Moreno, Gerardo; Rodriguez, StephanieAs the push towards lowering attrition of university students intensifies, particularly for first-time-in-college freshmen, administrators and campus leaders are increasingly designing and implementing co-curricular programs to support this population in order to positively impact student outcomes, namely, the grade point average, student retention rate, and academic probationary status. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent by which the Learning Assistance Programs (LAP) usage, in conjunction with gender, ethnicity, and admission status, predict GPA, retention, and probation. The correlational study took place in a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) of higher education in South Texas. The non-probability sample consisted of 2,925 first-time-in-college (FTIC) freshmen student. Existing data were used. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. The study was conducted to answer three research questions: (1) To what extent do learning assistance programs, in conjunction with gender, ethnicity, and admission status, predict the retention of first-time-in-college freshman students?; (2) To what extent do learning assistance programs, in conjunction with gender, ethnicity, and admission status, predict the probation status of first-time-in-college freshman students?; and (3) To what extent do learning assistance programs, in conjunction with gender, ethnicity, and admission status, predict the GPA of first-time-in-college freshman students? The binary logistic regression (for retention and probation) and hierarchical multiple regression (for GPA) analyses showed that, after controlling for gender, ethnicity, and admission status, the use of LAP was useful in predicting retention, probation, and GPA among FTIC freshman students at a regional HSI university in South Texas. There were more females, non-Hispanics, standard admits, and LAP users who were retained than were males, Hispanics, alternative admits, and LAP non-users. There were more females, non-Hispanics, standard admits, and LAP users who were placed on probation than were the students in comparison groups. Females scored higher on GPA than did males. Non-Hispanics had higher GPAs than did Hispanics. Standard Admits had higher GPAs than did alternative admits. The students who had used the LAP had higher GPAs than did those who had not used the LAP. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Item Homebound instruction in Texas: an explanatory sequential mixed methods inquiry(2015-12) Beveridge, Laurie L.; Kamiar Kouzekanani; Karen McCalebHomebound instruction is a rapidly growing alternative educational placement for students who become injured or ill and miss over four or more weeks of school during one calendar school year. While the Texas education system has put great effort on improving the quality and rigor of classroom instruction, little, if any, efforts have been made on improving the quality of homebound instruction. The explanatory sequential mixed methods study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of homebound instruction on the academic achievement of grade 6, 7, and 8 students. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was used to measure academic achievement in reading and mathematics. The characteristic-present group consisted of 50 homebound students. The comparison group consisted of 50 non-homebound students matched on the basis of race, gender, and at-risk status. External validity was limited to study participants and no causal inferences were drawn due to non-experimental nature of the study. Analysis of the data showed that non-homebound students outperformed the homebound students on all measures of mathematics and reading. The qualitative data, which were obtained from seven middle school teachers, resulted in three themes, namely, lack of teacher training, insufficient teaching time, and inadequate qualifications to instruct homebound students in all core subject areas. Based on the quantitative results, it was concluded that homebound instruction is not as effective as is non-homebound instruction in influencing academic achievement in mathematics and reading. Based on the qualitative results, which complemented the quantitative results, it was concluded that teachers are not adequately trained to provide the homebound students with proper learning opportunities. The results of this study should persuade school administrators and personnel that homebound students need to be provided a type of instruction that is similar to that of what student receive in a daily classroom setting. The impact of quality instruction for homebound students on academic achievement is potentially valuable to educators as schools strive towards higher assessment scores and accountability ratings.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 The impact of Montessori teaching on academic achievement of elementary school students in a Central Texas school district: a causal-comparative inquiry(3/21/2014) Salazar, MinervaProviding a meaningful and experiential learning environment for all students has long created a concern for alternate ways to teach students who are reportedly demonstrating non-mastery on state standardized assessments. As the benchmark for showing successful academic achievement increases, so does the need for discovering effective ways for students to learn. The Montessori teaching method has been in existence since the early 1900s when Dr. Montessori made her discovery of the student learning process. Dr. Montessori connected to the laws of nature and the environment for creating students who are problem-solvers with critical-thinking skills. The Montessori Method is designed to promote independent learning and support normal development in children. A Montessori lesson is defined as any interaction between an adult and a child; it incorporates techniques that are defined to serve as guidance for the adult personality in working with the child. The study investigated the impact of Montessori Method on the academic achievement of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) was used to measure academic achievement in reading and mathematics. An ex post facto, causal-comparative design was employed. The characteristic-present samples consisted of 47 3rd, 40 4th, and 44 5th graders. There were 71 3rd, 60 4th, and 49 5th graders in the comparison samples. Due to non-probability nature of the sampling technique, external validity was limited to study participants. Due to non-experimental nature of the study, no causal inferences were drawn. A series of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the students who received the Montessori Method of instruction and those who did not on the basis of the outcome measures of academic achievement in reading and mathematics. The mean difference effect sizes, which were used to examine the practical significance of the findings, ranged from negligible to small. Although the results of the study did not support the hypothesis, it must be pointed out that the Montessori Method of teaching facilitates self-paced learning that promotes a child's independence and encourages decision-making which are instrumental in becoming successful learners. Additionally, Montessori advocates experiences that are "real-world" and allow children to build intrinsic motivational opportunities; therefore, creating independent thinkers that will be competitive problem-solvers in the global economy of the 21st century. The limited studies on the Montessori Method of teaching offer opportunities for further investigation at all grade levels. For example, it is recommended to conduct a study to compare students who receive Montessori education during the early years of their academic life with those who receive Montessori education from pre-k to high school graduation. Because the Montessori name does not have a trademark, there are opportunities for investigating Montessori teacher preparation and comparing the preparation of the teachers to the standardized assessment results. There are also opportunities for investigating the method and curriculum used at schools that carry the name Montessori for comparison purposes amongst Montessori schools as well as in comparison to the results of the standardized assessments at these schools.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 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.