Browsing by Author "Williams, Thomas O."
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- Academic Profiles of Science Students: An Analysis of Longitudinal Data on Virginia StudentsKlopfer, Michelle D. (Virginia Tech, 2020-03-20)In recent decades, United States public school education has moved toward standards-based curricula. However, performance on standardized tests may not be representative of subject literacy or workforce preparedness. This misalignment may be particularly true in the sciences, where low science literacy and gender-related workforce shortfalls are evident. This study was an exploration of how well standardized test scores and other academic metrics reflected progression to a science major, by gender. This exploratory study used longitudinal data from the Virginia Department of Education, prepared by the Virginia Longitudinal Data System, for students who graduated from Virginia public schools from 2004-2016 (N=1,089,389). Students' standardized assessment scores, science course grades, demographics, and post-secondary major were analyzed using correlation analysis, logistic regression, principal component analysis, and hypothesis testing. Overall, 9% of high school completers enrolled in a post-secondary science major, with approximately half of those students attending 4-year schools. Seventy percent of science majors were female; females were most prevalent in health-related majors and least prevalent in physical sciences. Logistic regression identified the following factors significantly related to enrolling in a post-secondary science major: gender, high school science grades, and the high school's percent of students who majored in science. A student's status as economically disadvantaged or an underrepresented minority was significantly related to enrolling in a 2-year science major. In comparisons among academic metrics, standardized test scores and science grades were uncorrelated, and science grades differed significantly among demographic subgroups. Overall, demographic and school-level factors were more closely related to majoring in science than were academic factors. For both genders and for biological, physical, and health sciences, the percent of students majoring in science doubled from 2005-2015. Standardized test scores and course grades measured different aspects of learning, and higher science grades were related to majoring in science. However, the designation of "science major" is so broad as to be uninformative in a research context; more specificity would be needed to develop academic profiles. From these findings, one can conclude that demographic and cultural factors – rather than academic factors – were more closely related to whether students pursued a science pathway.
- An Analysis of Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers in High Poverty Urban and Rural AreasCampbell, Stephen Patrick (Virginia Tech, 2018-04-30)The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis comparing highly qualified and non-highly qualified special education teachers in the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey. It examined how the qualifications of special education teachers varied among K-12 public schools according to the urbanicity of the school and the proportion of students in poverty within a school. Variables included those related to teacher qualifications, demographic characteristics, and school characteristics. The findings demonstrated that there were differences in the demographic characteristics of highly qualified and non-highly qualified special education teachers. There were no statistically significant differences found for urbanicity alone. There were statistically significant differences found for poverty levels. Statistically significant differences were also found for both highly qualified and non-highly qualified special education teachers when poverty quartiles were analyzed by urbanity locales. The findings emphasize the need to provide targeted interventions to promote, retain, and supply all schools with qualified special education teachers. The findings also indicate there is an unequal distribution of highly qualified special education teachers within identified poverty levels and urbanicity.
- Analysis of Technology and Engineering Education AssessmentsPotter, Barry Scott (Virginia Tech, 2021-02-02)Technology and Engineering Education has deep roots in Project Based Learning, with its beginning in the Industrial Arts, and tracing its ancestry to craft apprenticeships. This constructivist philosophy supports the idea that the creation of an artifact lends itself to higher order cognitive processes. This study analyzed the content of middle school Technology and Engineering Education Rubrics for evidence that higher order cognition was being assessed. Five raters coded ninety-eight performance indicators from six rubrics for the evidence of declarative, procedural, schematic, and strategic knowledge. Gwet's AC1 and percent agreement were calculated to determine inter-rater reliability. Additionally, the performance criteria were coded for six engineering constructs. The Engineering Constructs from the performance criteria were extrapolated to the performance indicators to see which Engineering Constructs were supporting higher order cognition. Analysis included the determination of whether or not the rubrics that were analyzed supported higher order cognition as well as their performance indicators, performance criteria, and which Engineering Constructs support higher order cognitive processes.
- Analyzing the Use of Technological/Engineering Design-Based Biotechnical Learning Pedagogical Approaches to Promote Change in Concept Knowledge of Eighth Grade Mathematics StudentsReed, Amanda Marie (Virginia Tech, 2023-12-15)The purpose of this research was to document the ways in which the pedagogical approaches of technology/engineering design-based learning (T/E DBL) were shown to promote change in concept knowledge of eighth grade mathematics students. A mixed method, sequential explanatory multiple embedded case study was used to determine the significance between the T/E DBL intervention and bivariate measurement data concept knowledge. Whole Group quantitative data analysis indicated a statistical significance between pretest and posttest scores. Qualitative data (Interactive Engineering Journals and semi-structured interviews) analyses for the Sub-Group confirmed that students did possess the bivariate data concept knowledge as documented through quantitative results and those gains were directly related to experiences students had while engaged in the T/E DBL intervention. This research demonstrated that the utilization of T/E DBL in an eighth-grade mathematics classroom has the potential to foster a change in concept knowledge of bivariate measurement data through informed design decision-making in a 21st century problem context. This study can be used as a guide for mathematics educators and curriculum developers implementing T/E DBL pedagogy allowing students to learn through contextual experiences. Future research should explore the utilization of T/E DBL to teach additional mathematical concepts at different grade levels.
- Applying Curriculum Treatments to Improve STEM Attitudes and Promote STEM Career Interest in Fifth GradersPeterson, Bryanne (Virginia Tech, 2018-04-19)The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of STEM education, saying that we as a nation must increase "opportunities for young Americans to gain strong STEM skills" (Office of Science and Technology Policy, 2013, p.1). Economically, these skills expand beyond those that make good doctors, professors, and engineers; there is a world of jobs going unfilled because our students are graduating without the skills or knowledge that such opportunities exist. To increase the future STEM workforce, we first need to increase student awareness of a variety of STEM careers early on (Tai et al., 2006). Career decisions are being made by students as early as middle school (Tai et al., 2006); and very little if any STEM career exploration is occurring before high school. This lack of early exposure to STEM career options means that students are likely making decisions about career choices without accurate information; choosing a path before knowing about all the options. This research is broken into two manuscripts; the first of which examined the impacts of design-based learning and scientific inquiry curriculum treatments with embedded career content on the career interest of fifth-grade students as compared to traditional classroom methods. It found that there is an upward trend in career interest with the use of these curriculum treatments, but it is not a significant change, likely due to the short time period of the unit and/or small n. The second manuscript examined the effect of a design-based learning curriculum treatment implementation for a single unit on Radford City Schools fifth-grade students' STEM attitudes and interest in STEM careers through a pre/post design. The study showed statistically significant growth in overall STEM attitudes and within the science subtest specifically. Career interest in the general field of science showed a significant increase, while a change of interest in specific career areas was not statistically significant. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of having career awareness and career exposure opportunities built into active learning instruction, which does not occur currently. Built on secondary principles, but at a level appropriate for elementary students, using active learning opportunities with embedded career connections has the potential to be an effective solution to students' premature exclusion of STEM-related study and work options identified in the literature. Through preliminary exposure to this unique combination at the elementary level, a stronger foundation can be built for both ability and interest in STEM.
- Assessing Elementary Pupils' Attitudes Toward TechnologyHolter, Charlotte Ann (Virginia Tech, 2016-04-11)Making all US citizens technologically literate necessitates investigation into how to achieve this literacy. The Standards for Technological Literacy: Content for the Study of Technology (STL) is intentional about ensuring technological literacy in all students. Instilling this knowledge in elementary students is an emerging field that requires assessment tools that conveys understanding into what student attitudes are about technology and technological concepts. Developing appropriate technology education curriculum that promotes meaningful and integrative learning hinges on a comprehensive and clear understanding of these attitudes. Originally designed for middle school age students, the PATT (Pupils' Attitudes toward Technology) instrument was developed and administered in the Netherlands. In 1988 the PATT- USA instrument, translated from Dutch to English, was given to 10,000 US middle and high school students and was validated for assessing their attitudes toward technology. Due to the age of the instrument, dated technological terminology was updated with language reflective of today utilizing inter-rater analysis. The purpose of this descriptive research examines the viability of using the modified PATT, now the PATT-ELEM, instrument with elementary students in the assessment of their attitude toward technology.
- Assessing the Career Awareness of Early Adolescent LearnersGrimshaw, Wendy Sue (Virginia Tech, 2021-06-01)In the next five years, millions of jobs in STEM-related occupations will be available, but with only twenty percent of college graduates earning bachelor's degrees in STEM fields, the pipeline problem persists. Research has demonstrated that students' career awareness significantly influences consideration of STEM careers. According to cognitive and career development theory, career awareness (knowledge of the requisites, routines, and rewards of jobs) develops primarily during the elementary school years. Because early detection of low-level career awareness can facilitate programming changes that will minimize premature circumscription of STEM career choices, an instrument that measures a student's level of career awareness at the early adolescent stage of development is warranted. Building on the conceptual framework of the Career Awareness Inventory developed in 1973, the new Early Adolescent Career Awareness Inventory (EA-CAI) was developed to reflect the contemporary context and constructs for measuring the career awareness of early adolescent learners. The viability of the EA-CAI instrument for use in contemporary educational settings was examined in this research. Results from the research showed that the EA-CAI instrument demonstrated correct terminology, content and construct validity, readability, and reliability. Moreover, the research results showed that early adolescent learners could demonstrate aspects of career awareness in response to EA-CAI items, and that the EA-CAI instrument could measure the career awareness of early adolescent learners on a continuum.
- The Attitudes of School Principals Toward the Inclusion of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder in General Education Setting: Virginia Superintendent's Region 7Workman, April Michelle (Virginia Tech, 2016-07-21)The placement of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the inclusive general education setting has become a challenging task for public school principals. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify and measure the attitudes of principals and assistant principals toward the inclusion of students with ASD in a rural region of Virginia. One hundred and twenty five participants across Superintendents Region seven of Virginia completed the Principals Autism Inclusion Survey (PAIS). Data were collected and analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and multivariate analysis of variance. The overall results conclude that principals have a very neutral attitude toward students with ASD. However, they do tend to favor a more inclusive placement for these students within their schools. Additionally, the challenges faced by principals in rural schools do not seem to impact their attitude toward the students with ASD in their buildings.
- Chinese Students’ Perceptions of the Motivational Climate in College English Courses: Relationships Between Course Perceptions, Engagement, and AchievementLi, Ming; Jones, Brett D.; Williams, Thomas O.; Guo, Yingjian (Frontiers Media, 2022-05-23)Effective teachers create a motivational climate that engages students in course activities in ways that lead to increased learning and achievement. Although researchers have identified motivational climate variables that are associated with students’ engagement and achievement, less is known about how these variables are related in different courses and cultures. The purpose of the two studies presented in this paper was to contribute to this research literature by examining these associations within the context of college English courses in two Chinese universities. Specifically, we investigated the relationships between students’ perceptions of the motivational climate (i.e., perceptions of empowerment/autonomy, usefulness, success, interest, and caring), cognitive and behavioral engagement, and achievement. This is the first study to examine the connections between all of these variables in one path model in college English courses in China. We administered surveys at two different Chinese universities (n = 332 and 259) and used regression and path analysis to examine the relationships among the variables. We demonstrated that (a) students’ perceptions of the motivational climate were related to their cognitive engagement, (b) cognitive engagement was related to their behavioral engagement, and (c) behavioral engagement predicted their achievement. These findings are consistent with and extend the growing body of literature on motivational climate and engagement, and they highlight the importance of some motivational climate perceptions over others as significant predictors of cognitive engagement. We conclude that effective English language teachers in China do the following: help students to believe that they can be successful, trigger and maintain students’ interest, and empower students by providing them with choices in activities and assignments.
- Cognitive Structural Change and the Technological Design ProcessSchurr, Kelly Laural (Virginia Tech, 2013-05-06)With increasing challenges from international competition and domestic demands for a technologically literate workforce, pressure is growing on the educational system to produce students that are literate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Integrative STEM education utilizes design-based pedagogical approaches to teach science/math content and practices concurrently with technology/engineering content and practices (Wells & Ernst, 2012, para. 2). The discipline of technology education has traditionally implemented design-based pedagogical approaches. However, the discipline has not demonstrated through empirical research that its existence and pedagogies are beneficial to student learning and cognition (Lewis, 1999, 2006; Petrina, 1998; Wells, 2008, 2010; Zuga, 1994, 1997, 2001). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that the technological design-based approach to teaching biotechnology literacy supports students' connections of science and technology concepts. Grounded in Ausubel's (1968) theory on meaningful learning and Novak's (1980) advanced organizer of concept mapping, this study examined evidence of high school students' cognitive structural change throughout the technological design-based approach to instruction. At three key intervals throughout the technological design process, students developed concept maps to document their understanding of the biology and technology concepts presented within the instructional materials. Data for this study included the students' constructed concept maps. To analyze the concept maps, the researcher used Hay et al.'s (2008) three-method analysis for measuring the quality of students' learning, and a qualitative analysis. Data analysis across all four methods indicated that all participants experienced a varying degree of growth in biology, technology, and integrative concepts and connections. Collectively this study supports the notion that the technological design-based approach to instruction does indeed (1) encourage meaningful learning, and (2) increase students' use of higher order thinking indicated by their abilities to demonstrate their use of schematic and strategic knowledge within their concept maps. The results of this study have direct implications within the areas of Technology Education, Science Education, classroom practice, and concept mapping. The discussion and implications suggest the need to expand the research conducted within this study, and to improve the methods for concept mapping analysis.
- Collaboration and its Learning Benefits in a Community College STEM Education ClassroomPanesar, Harpreet Kaur (Virginia Tech, 2018-05-02)Significant importance has been placed on STEM education to encourage students to enter into careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. United States education system is looking ways to provide a positive student-learning environment to improve student achievement, critical and rational thinking, analysis, and synthesis of information. In higher education, the role of community colleges is undergoing a major transformation in the United States education system. Researchers place community colleges as one of the most important innovations for higher education in the 20th century. Community colleges not only provide affordable education, but also offer a wide variety of programs ranging from vocational to transfer. With the growing number of adult/ nontraditional learners across higher education, it has now become an utmost national priority to engage and retain this student population. As per the 2011 data by National Center for Education Statistics, the adult population in undergraduate courses is growing steadily over the last many years to the extent that it could overtake the numbers of the traditional students enrolled in four-year colleges and universities. The AACC (American Association of Community Colleges) released Reclaiming the American Dream: Community Colleges and the Nation's Future, A report from the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges in 2012 during the 21st Century Initiative to offer recommendations and ideas to promote skills that are needed for students to be successful in college, careers, and life. Later, in 2014, they released Empowering community colleges to build the nation's future to help community colleges build a stronger community of students. P21's Framework for 21st Century Learning offers 4Cs, of which collaboration is mentioned as an important pedagogical technique, an educational outcome, and a key skill in various levels of education. This guide suggests that students learn best when they are provided collaborative learning environments; student achievements are higher when they are engaged with others in their learning environments. Students collaborate by working in teams; learn content by identifying problems and finding solutions. This can not only help build content knowledge, but can also develop critical thinking and creativity. Collaboration can actually help develop the other 4Cs. By implementing this unique pedagogical mode of instruction, in the form of collaboration in biology classrooms, improved student content achievement could be seen, thus improving STEM literacy across the nation. The purpose of this study was to explore the learning benefits of collaboration in a community college STEM classroom. The participants in this study consisted of students (n= 155) enrolled in Biology 101 or Biology 141 at Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC). A descriptive analysis of the students' assessment scores (pretest and posttest), science vocabulary familiarity scale (SVFS), and demographic surveys were conducted. Results revealed that collaborative learning approach in the community-college classroom results in changes to students' biology science content knowledge. The results of this study have direct implications for the STEM educator within biological sciences, and in future for not only other fields of integrative STEM education, but for non-STEM courses in higher education. Collaboration enables STEM disciplines to increase opportunities for knowledge sharing and exchange, thereby increasing knowledge and competence. In other studies, researchers have found that students who worked in collaborative environments retained information much longer and deeper as compared to students who worked individually in traditional classrooms. In addition, students who studied in an active and collaborative environment scored better in cognition and psychological activities as compared to students taught in traditional classrooms. The results of this study supported that collaboration was an effective means to improve students' learning outcomes in a biology-based classroom at the community college level.
- Collaborative Efforts between Agricultural and Special Education Teachers to Enhance Inclusion of Students with Disabilities into Agricultural EducationHolder, Morgan Brett (Virginia Tech, 2021-05-14)This study was conducted to determine experiences of southwestern Virginia high school agricultural and special education teachers with regards to the collaboration that may or may not exist between them to enhance the learning of students with special needs (SWD) taking agricultural education classes. It also sought to determine factors that motivate or inhibit collaboration, strategies for overcoming the barriers that may exist, and indicators of effective collaboration between these teachers. The following research questions were answered by conducting the study. 1. What is the status of collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers to enhance inclusion of students with disabilities? 2. What factors exist that either motivate or inhibit collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers with regards to enhancing the inclusion of student with disabilities in agricultural education classes and laboratories? 3. If barriers exist that inhibit collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers, what strategies might be implemented to overcome them? 4. What indicators reveal the establishment and continuation of effective collaboration between agriculture and special education teachers with regards to enhancing SWD learning in agricultural education classrooms and laboratories? The researcher used interviews as the qualitative research tool. Convenience, criterion, and purposeful sampling were used by the researcher to identify participants to best answer the studies' research questions. Overall, collaboration between agricultural and special education teachers did exist. The frequency of collaboration depended on many factors. In most schools the frequency was limited due to a number of barriers. Examples of these barriers included, but were not limited to, lack of knowledge of each teacher regarding the other teacher's discipline, case overload for special education teachers, lack of time provided for collaboration, and the physical distance between the agricultural and special education departments. Examples for overcoming the barriers included, but were not limited to, enhanced communication via technology, creative scheduling to allow for collaboration, and provision of professional development to enhance the knowledge of each teacher regarding the discipline of the other teacher.
- Comparison of the Item Response Theory with Covariates Model and Explanatory Cognitive Diagnostic Model for Detecting and Explaining Differential Item FunctioningKrost, Kevin Andrew (Virginia Tech, 2023-10-06)In psychometrics, a concern is that the assessment is fair for all students who take it. The fairness of an assessment can be evaluated in several ways, including the examination of differential item functioning (DIF). An item exhibits DIF if a subgroup has a lower probability of answering an item correctly than another subgroup after matching on academic achievement. Subgroups include race, spoken language, disability status, or sex. Under item response theory (IRT), a single score is given to each student since IRT assumes that an assessment is only measuring one construct. However, under cognitive diagnostic modeling (CDM), an assessment measures multiple specific constructs and classifies students as having mastered the construct or not. There are several methods to detect DIF under both types of models, but most methods cannot conduct explanatory modeling. Explanatory modeling consists of predicting item responses and latent traits using relevant observed or latent covariates. If an item exhibits DIF which disadvantages a subgroup, covariates can be modeled to explain the DIF and indicate either true or spurious differences. If an item exhibited statistically significant DIF which became nonsignificant after modeling explanatory variables, then the DIF would be explained and considered spurious. If the DIF remained significant after modeling explanatory variables, then there was stronger evidence that DIF was present and not spurious. When an item exhibits DIF, the validity of the inferences from the assessment is threatened and group comparisons become inappropriate. This study evaluated the presence of DIF on the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) between students who speak English as a first language (EFL) and students who do not speak English as a first language (multilingual learners [ML]) in the USA. The 8th grade science data was analyzed from the year 2011 since science achievement remains understudied, the 8th grade is a critical turning point for K-12 students, and because 2011 was the most recent year that item content is available from this assessment. The item response theory with covariates (IRT-C) model was used as the explanatory IRT model, while the reparameterized deterministic-input, noisy "and" gate (RDINA) model was used as the explanatory CDM (E-CDM). All released items were analyzed for DIF by both models with language status as the key grouping variable. Items that exhibited significant DIF were further analyzed by including relevant covariates. Then, if items still exhibited DIF, their content was evaluated to determine why a group was disadvantaged. Several items exhibited significant DIF under both the IRT-C and E-CDM. Most disadvantaged ML students. Under the IRT-C, two items that exhibited DIF were explained by quantitative covariates. Two items that did not exhibit significant nonuniform DIF became significant after explanation. Whether or not a student repeated elementary school was the strongest explanatory covariate, while confidence in science explained the most items. Under the E-CDM, five items initially exhibited significant uniform DIF with one also exhibiting nonuniform DIF. After scale purification, two items exhibited significant uniform DIF, and one exhibited marginally significant DIF. After explanatory modeling, no items exhibited significant uniform DIF, and only one item exhibited marginally significant nonuniform DIF. Examining covariates, home educational resources explained the most with ten items and the strongest positive covariate. Repeated elementary school had the strongest absolute effect. Examining the item content of 14 items, most items had no causal explanation for the presence of DIF. In four items, a causal mechanism was identified and concluded to exhibit item bias. An item's cognitive domain had a relationship with DIF items, with 79% of items under the Knowing domain. Based on these results, DIF that disadvantaged ML students was present among several items on this science assessment. Both the IRT-C and E-CDM identified several items exhibiting DIF, quantitative covariates explained several items exhibiting DIF, and item bias was discovered in several items. Following up on this empirical study, a simulation study was performed to evaluate DIF detection power and Type I error rates of the Wald test and likelihood ratio (LR) test, and parameter recovery when ignoring subgroups, using the compensatory reparameterized unified model (C-RUM). Factors included sample size, DIF magnitude, DIF type, Q-matrix complexity, their interaction effects, and p-value adjustment. Evaluating DIF under the C-RUM, the DIF detection method had the largest effect on Type I error rates, with the Wald test recovering the nominal p-value much better than the LR test. In terms of power, DIF magnitude was the most important factor, followed by Q-matrix complexity. As DIF magnitude increased and Q-matrix complexity decreased, power rates increased. In terms of parameter recovery, the DIF type had the strongest effect, followed by Q-matrix complexity. Nonuniform DIF recovered the parameter more than uniform DIF, while fewer attributes measured by an item improved parameter recovery. Several factors affected DIF detection power and Type I error, including DIF detection method, DIF magnitude, and Q-matrix complexity. For parameter recovery, DIF type had an impact, along with Q-matrix complexity, and DIF magnitude.
- Computational Labs in Calculus: Examining the Effects on Conceptual Understanding and Attitude Toward MathematicsSpencer-Tyree, Brielle Tinsley (Virginia Tech, 2019-11-21)This study examined the effects of computational labs in Business Calculus classes used at a single, private institution on student outcomes of conceptual understanding of calculus and attitudes towards mathematics. The first manuscript addresses the changes in conceptual understanding through multiple-method research design, a quantitative survey given pre and post study and qualitative student comments, found no significant gains in conceptual knowledge as measured by a concept inventory, however, student comments revealed valuable knowledge demonstrated through reflection on and articulation of how specific calculus concepts could be used in real world applications. The second manuscript presents results to the effects on attitudes toward mathematics, studied through multiple-method research design, using a quantitative survey given at two intervals, pre and post, and analysis of student comments, which showed that students that participated in the labs had a smaller decline in attitude, although not statistically significant, than students that did not complete the labs and the labs were most impactful on students that had previously taken calculus; student comments overwhelmingly demonstrate that students felt and appreciated that the labs allowed them to see how calculus could be applied outside the classroom. Overall students felt the labs were beneficial in the development of advantageous habits, taught some a skill they hope to further develop and study, and provided several recommendations for improvement in future implementation. Collectively, this research serves as a foundation for the effectiveness of computational tools employed in general education mathematics courses, which is not currently a widespread practice.
- Controversial Issues in United States History Classrooms: Teachers' PerspectivesNichols-Cocke, Cathy Marie (Virginia Tech, 2014-05-04)The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary level United States History teachers approached controversial issues in their standards-based, high-stakes testing classrooms. Controversial issues consisted of multiple points of view, were socially constructed, and had the potential to challenge belief systems. The audience and their perception of a topic determined the degree of controversy. The questions explored were what factors did secondary level United States History teachers identify as influential in creating controversy in their classrooms and how did they introduce what they considered controversial issues into their standards-based, high-stakes testing classrooms? To answer these questions, twelve secondary level teachers who taught 6th, 7th, or 11th grade United States History participated in this study. Information was garnered through interviews of individuals and focus groups. Some participants provided resources used in their lessons and scenarios of their teaching experiences. My principle findings were: • Place played a role in teachers' willingness to incorporate controversial issues into their classrooms. This was due to students' preconceived notions developed by their geographical location and family. • The experiences of teachers and students influenced discussion of controversial issues. This included how long the teacher had taught the content or past experiences with parents and administrators. Students' experiences were derived from their family and community, which influenced incorporation of controversial issues. • Teachers were influenced by the standards they were required to teach. Though some saw these as a restriction in teaching, others used them as a springboard to what they perceived as deeper, meaningful teaching.
- Design Based Science and Higher Order ThinkingFelix, Allison (Virginia Tech, 2016-07-06)Technological/engineering design based learning (T/E DBL) provides a context in which students may utilize content knowledge and skills to develop prototype solutions to real-world problems. In science education, design based science (DBS) utilizes technological/engineering design based approaches in science education as a means for enhancing the purpose of and relevance for scientific inquiry by contextualizing it within the goal of developing a solution to a real-world problem. This study addressed the need to investigate the ways in which students utilize higher order thinking skills, demonstrated through the use of knowledge associated with declarative, schematic, and strategic cognitive demand when in engaged in DBS activities. The purpose of this study was to determine what relationships exist between engagement in DBS and changes in students' depth of understanding of the science concepts associated with the development of design solutions. Specifically, the study determined how students' abilities to demonstrate an understanding of the science concepts, required by assessments of different cognitive demand, change as they were engaged in a design-based science unit associated with heat transfer. Utilizing two assessment instruments, a pre/post-1/post-2 test and content analysis of student design portfolios based on Wells (2012) and utilizing Li's (2001) system to code student responses, the following research question was addressed: What changes in students' science concept knowledge (declarative, schematic, and strategic demand) are evidenced following engagement in design based learning activities? Although the results are not generalizable to other populations due to the limitations associated with the study, it can be concluded that design based learning activities incorporated in science courses can foster higher order thinking. Results from the study suggests that students' abilities to demonstrate their understanding of certain science concepts through higher order thinking, including utilizing concept knowledge strategically in open-ended problem solving, increased following engagement in design based learn activities. Results have implications in technological/engineering design education, in science education, and in integrative STEM education. Implications include the utility of design portfolios as both an assessment instrument and learning tool to ensure that concept knowledge is explicitly connected to and used in the design activity.
- The Development of GIS Instructional Model to Facilitate Authentic Intellectual Work in Secondary Social Studies Classrooms in KuwaitAlazmi, Huda Salem (Virginia Tech, 2020-04-24)The adoption of Geographic Information System (GIS) technology in social studies classroom practices has helped accelerate the achievement of educational goals. However, despite the value that GIS possesses for supporting student learning skills, few schools have adopted it so far. A reason for this deficiency lies in the absence of specific instructional models that demonstrate possible methods for incorporating GIS into class curriculum. This study sought to address this problem, tailored specifically for Kuwaiti social studies classrooms, with the design, development, and validation of a GIS Instructional Model to facilitate AIW. The study employed a design and development research methodology, comprised of five major phases, (i) selection of model components and theoretical foundation, (ii) analysis and development, (iii) formative feedback, (iv) revision, and (v) usability evaluation. In phase one, the Inquiry Design Model (IDM) format and components with AIW framework were selected to provide basic guidelines for the GIS Instructional Model. In phase two, following a comprehensive review of relevant academic literature, and in combination with personal experience, the researcher developed a preliminary GIS Instructional Model. In phase three, two expert reviewers evaluated the model, delivering their opinions by completing an online survey and taking part in follow-up interviews. The expert reviewers were primarily tasked with determining the model's ability to facilitate AIW in a social studies classroom, and providing suggestions for improving its performance. In phase four, the details gleaned from this formative feedback phase were then used to revise the model and enhance its effectiveness. In the last phase, six Kuwaiti expert reviewers assessed this updated version of the GIS Instructional Model to determine what barriers it might face regarding its implementation in the Kuwaiti educational system. They completed an online survey as part of this process and provided possible solutions to address perceived barriers. The data gained from expert reviewer feedback in these formative and usability evaluation phases were analyzed using qualitative methodologies. This step-by-step procedure helped to validate the model. As a result, a ready-to-implement teaching model, with all necessary teaching materials and instructions, was developed for Kuwaiti social studies classrooms. This model is proposed to enable social studies teachers to better understand how to integrate GIS into their classrooms to support AIW. Recommendations are provided for Kuwaiti educational policymakers and stakeholders to help overcome perceived obstacles that may hinder model implementation; suggestions for future research are also included.
- Dewey, Disability, and Democratic EducationMullins Jr, Ricky Dale (Virginia Tech, 2019-04-22)This dissertation is comprised of three manuscripts that coalesce around the topics of Dewey, Disability, and Democratic Education. Each manuscript is formatted for publication and the dissertation itself is prefaced by information that explains my background and how it connects to my current research. As such, the work contained in this dissertation is a product of my experiences as a social studies teacher, special educator, and administrator. Henceforth, my work focuses on Dewey, Disability, and Democratic Education. My research interests culminate in a three-article dissertation. The first paper is entitled, "Using Dewey to Problematize the Notion of Disability in Public Education." A version of this paper is currently under review for publication. In this paper I situate Dewey's theoretical underpinnings in the conversation around special education. Previous scholars of Dewey and disability have examined the ways in which his work speaks to educational growth and educational opportunity; my work adds to this body of research. However, my work is unique in that not only do I discuss pluralistic, communicative, participatory democracy as it pertains to students with disabilities, I also examine how Deweyan democracy can take shape, specifically within the context of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting. I conclude by arguing that Deweyan democracy is not only ideal, but realistic, attainable, and necessary, especially in the lives of students with disabilities. In my second paper, I use the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) dataset in a paper entitled, "Can We Meet Our Mission? Examining the Professional Development of Social Studies Teachers to Support Students with Disabilities and Emergent Bilingual Learners." A version of this paper has been accepted for publication in The Journal of Social Studies Research. In this work, I first examine the social studies scholarship looking at students with disabilities and emergent bilingual learners, as well as research about the nature of professional development within the social studies. I then analyze the number of students with disabilities and emergent bilingual learners that we support in the social studies to provide a portrait of the field. Next, I examine the extent to which social studies teachers receive professional development to support those student groups, as well as the extent to which the social studies teachers found the professional development to be useful. My findings indicate that social studies teachers do not receive substantial professional development to support the learning of all students, as evidenced by the limited amount of professional development received focusing on students with disabilities and emergent bilingual learners. In my third paper, I build on previous research examining the possibilities and benefits of participating in informal learning spaces such as Twitter in a paper entitled, "'So I Feel Like We Were Theoretical, Whereas They Actually Do It': Navigating Twitter Chats For Teacher Education." A version of this paper is also under review for publication. In this paper, specifically, I examine the experiences and perceptions of pre-service social studies teachers who particip¬¬¬¬ated in a discipline specific Twitter chat known as #sschat. My findings indicate that pre-service teachers found value in the chat when they were able to share resources with practicing teachers and build professional learning networks. However, there were instances when the pre-service teachers felt like they contributed little because they did not have direct experience with teaching. Additionally, the pre-service teachers expressed dissatisfaction with using Twitter as a platform for professional chats. However, I still contend and conclude that the utility of such chats outweighs the negatives. Therefore, this study sheds light on the potentiality and necessity of utilizing Twitter chats as a space to provide ongoing and systematic support to pre-service teachers to help not only them, but the field of social studies education move forward. These papers when considered together form a foundation of scholarship and further inquiry focused on Dewey, Disability, and Democratic Education, on which I plan to build in the years to come.
- Early Experiences of Accountants Transitioning to Virginia Community College FacultyRolley, Alison Hamblin (Virginia Tech, 2017-12-04)Accounting faculty members in community colleges educate a large portion of accounting students each year. Accountants who become accounting faculty are the most common type of accounting instructor in community colleges and they have much to offer because of their prior work experience. Accounting faculty members who have transitioned from industry generally have the knowledge and expertise to be successful in practice but their work experience may not have prepared them for teaching roles in community colleges. The purpose of this research was to obtain information about the experiences and knowledge necessary for the successful transition from industry to teaching. Particular attention was focused on content knowledge, accounting skills, pedagogical knowledge and teaching skills. A basic qualitative research design was used to collect and analyze data for this study. Interviews were used to collect narrative data related to the experiences of accountants as they transitioned to teaching. Data analysis revealed that college academic experiences and on-the-job teaching experiences were influential transition experiences and knowledge of pedagogy was gained through teaching and professional development activities. Pedagogical skills and soft skills are essential skills needed to teach accounting to a diverse group of students. Pre-service teacher preparation and on-going membership was perceived as beneficial for new accounting faculty members. The findings in this study could provide a better understanding of the best ways of supporting entry into the teaching profession in community colleges and could influence recruitment and professional development of accounting educators in community colleges.
- The effect of disability disclosure on the graduation rates of college students with disabilitiesHudson, Robyn Lynn (Virginia Tech, 2013-11-13)Previous studies on postsecondary graduation rates indicated that college students with disabilities have lower graduation rates than students without disabilities. As many college students do not disclose their disability to their institution upon enrollment, the effect of the timing of disability disclosure on graduation rates warranted examination. This study was a quantitative study of 14,401 undergraduate students at one large research university in the years 2002, 2003, and 2004, of which 423 had disabilities. Quantitative methods were used to conduct an exploratory analysis of the effect of disability, disability disclosure, disability-type and gender on graduation rates. A chi-square analysis revealed that students with disabilities had significantly lower six-year graduation rates than their peers. In addition, students with disabilities who disclosed their disability after their first year of enrollment had significantly lower six-year graduation rates than students with disabilities who disclosed within the first year of enrollment. Results of a multiple regression analysis showed that disability disclosure, disability-type, and gender accounted for 38% of the variance in the length of time to graduation. Finally, for every year that a student delayed disclosing a disability, the length of time to graduation increased by almost half a year. The implications of the study were discussed and recommendations for future research were made.
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