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Title: Fostering College and Career Readiness: How Career Development Activities in Schools Impact on Graduation Rates and Students' Life Success.
Creator: Sampson, James P., Hooley, Tristram, Marriot, John
Abstract/Description: This paper sets out the recent evidence around career development. This evidence is examined within the context of the college and career readiness agenda. The argument is made that in order for young people to be genuinely "ready" for both college and career they need to have attended to their academic achievement, their aspirations and plans for the future, their ability to make transitions and their ability to direct their own careers. It is argued that career development offers schools a...
Show moreThis paper sets out the recent evidence around career development. This evidence is examined within the context of the college and career readiness agenda. The argument is made that in order for young people to be genuinely "ready" for both college and career they need to have attended to their academic achievement, their aspirations and plans for the future, their ability to make transitions and their ability to direct their own careers. It is argued that career development offers schools a body of practice that has been shown to have a positive impact on young people's readiness for college and career. The report acknowledges that the provision of career development has been in decline in many North American schools despite evidence of its effectiveness. Given the current instability of the labor market, the increasing complexity of the education system and the need to grow the skills base of the workforce in a competitive global market, failing to attend to young people's careers seems shortsighted. As this paper shows, there is a strong body of evidence which demonstrates that career development activity in schools can help young people to experience academic achievement, successfully transition to the labor market and live happier and more productive lives. It is hoped that setting out the evidence in this area of research will provide policy makers and school leaders with the resources required to make informed decisions and to support the development of the future generations of talent. The paper explores the impacts of career development in relation to four main questions: • Does career development engage young people in their schooling and help keep them attending school? • Does career development positively impact on young people's academic achievement? • Does career development assist young people in making successful transitions to college or the labor market? • Does career development have a positive effect on people's career and life success?
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_edpsy_faculty_publications-0008X
Format: Citation

Title: Happy and sad thoughts: An exploration of children's integer reasoning.
Creator: Whitacre, Ian, Bishop, Jessica, Lamb, Lisa, Phillipp, Randolph, Schappelle, Bonnie P., Lewis, Melinda
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary children's conceptions that might serve as foundations for integer reasoning. Working from an abstract algebraic perspective and using an opposite-magnitudes context that is relevant to children, we analyzed the reasoning of 33 children in grades K-5. We focus our report on three prominent ways of reasoning. We do this by describing and analyzing the responses of three particular children (in Grades 1, 3, and 5) who exemplify these ways...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate elementary children's conceptions that might serve as foundations for integer reasoning. Working from an abstract algebraic perspective and using an opposite-magnitudes context that is relevant to children, we analyzed the reasoning of 33 children in grades K-5. We focus our report on three prominent ways of reasoning. We do this by describing and analyzing the responses of three particular children (in Grades 1, 3, and 5) who exemplify these ways of reasoning. We view each of the three ways of reasoning as rich and interesting, and we see relationships of each to formal integer reasoning. At the same time, we view these ways of reasoning in terms of increasing levels of sophistication, potentially belonging to a single learning trajectory. Thus, we see the roots of more sophisticated integer reasoning in children's early intuitions about opposite magnitudes.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: FSU_migr_ste_faculty_publications-0010, 10.1016/j.jmathb.2012.03.001
Format: Set of related objects

Title: Building Word Knowledge: Opportunities for Direct Vocabulary Instruction in General Education for Students with Reading Difficulties.
Creator: Wanzek, Jeanne
Abstract/Description: Direct vocabulary instruction has been recommended as one critical component of reading instruction. Although most students in the elementary grades need to continue building their vocabulary knowledge, students with reading difficulties are at the most risk of falling further behind each year in vocabulary and concept knowledge without effective instruction. This study examined the amount and type of direct vocabulary instruction available for students with reading difficulties during core...
Show moreDirect vocabulary instruction has been recommended as one critical component of reading instruction. Although most students in the elementary grades need to continue building their vocabulary knowledge, students with reading difficulties are at the most risk of falling further behind each year in vocabulary and concept knowledge without effective instruction. This study examined the amount and type of direct vocabulary instruction available for students with reading difficulties during core classroom reading instruction and supplemental reading interventions. Fourteen second-grade classroom and reading intervention teachers serving students with reading difficulties in three elementary schools in three states participated in the study. Results suggested about 8% of core classroom reading instruction was devoted to direct vocabulary instruction with a focus on word definitions and providing examples of word meaning. Minimal amounts of direct vocabulary instruction were noted in supplemental reading interventions. Thus, students with reading difficulties had limited opportunities through core reading instruction and supplemental reading interventions to receive research-based, effective vocabulary instruction.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_fcrr-pubs-0007, 10.1080/10573569.2013.789786
Format: Citation

Title: A Partial Listing of Instruments That Can be Used as a Component of Readiness Assessment.
Creator: Sampson, James P., McClain, Mary-Catherine, Musch, Elizabeth, Reardon, Robert C.
Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_techcenter_publications-0002
Format: Citation

Title: Using Pivotal Response Training and Technology to Engage Preschoolers With Autism in Conversations.
Creator: Stockall, Nancy, Dennis, Lindsay
Abstract/Description: It is well known that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate a significant delay in language development that impacts their ability to engage in robust conversations. In this article the authors discuss two specific elements of pivotal response training—motivation and self-initiations—for children with ASD. Specific research-based intervention strategies are addressed for teaching preschoolers with ASD to ask questions leading to social conversations. Additionally, the...
Show moreIt is well known that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate a significant delay in language development that impacts their ability to engage in robust conversations. In this article the authors discuss two specific elements of pivotal response training—motivation and self-initiations—for children with ASD. Specific research-based intervention strategies are addressed for teaching preschoolers with ASD to ask questions leading to social conversations. Additionally, the authors suggest ways that teachers can embed technology, specifically the use of iPad apps, to further support conversations.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_ste_faculty_publications-0015, 10.1177/1053451213509486
Format: Citation

Title: The Effects of Professional Development on Preschool Teacher's Instructional Behaviours During Storybook Reading.
Creator: Dennis, Lindsay, Horn, Eva M.
Abstract/Description: Early literacy skill development at the preschool level is critical for later success in learning to read and other reading-related activities. Professional development (PD), specifically coaching via performance feedback delivered through email, may provide a viable alternative to other types of trainings (e.g. workshops) that are often ineffective. This study investigated the impact of PD on the instructional behaviours of teachers of children between the ages of three and five, as well as...
Show moreEarly literacy skill development at the preschool level is critical for later success in learning to read and other reading-related activities. Professional development (PD), specifically coaching via performance feedback delivered through email, may provide a viable alternative to other types of trainings (e.g. workshops) that are often ineffective. This study investigated the impact of PD on the instructional behaviours of teachers of children between the ages of three and five, as well as the subsequent impact on children's level and complexity of engagement during book reading sessions. A single-case multiple baseline design was applied across three teachers and six children in two preschool classrooms. Results of the study indicate that PD produced change in teacher's behaviours, specifically, their increased implementation of specific evidence-based storybook reading strategies following intervention. Child level behaviours were not significantly changed as a result of the intervention. Implications for the results are provided for implementation of PD in early childhood settings.
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Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: FSU_migr_ste_faculty_publications-0016, 10.1080/03004430.2013.853055
Format: Citation

Title: The Effects of Team-Based Learning on Social Studies Knowledge Acquisition in High School.
Creator: Wanzek, Jeanne, Vaughn, Sharon, Kent, Shawn, Swanson, Elizabeth, Roberts, Greg, Haynes, Martha, Fall, Anna-Maria, Spisak, Stephanie, Solis, Michael
Abstract/Description: This randomized control trial examined the efficacy of team-based learning implemented within 11th grade social studies classes. A randomized blocked design was implemented with 26 classes randomly assigned to treatment or comparison. In the treatment classes teachers implemented team-based learning practices to support students in engaging in dialogue about course content, application of content to solve problems, and use of evidence to support responses. Significant differences in favor of...
Show moreThis randomized control trial examined the efficacy of team-based learning implemented within 11th grade social studies classes. A randomized blocked design was implemented with 26 classes randomly assigned to treatment or comparison. In the treatment classes teachers implemented team-based learning practices to support students in engaging in dialogue about course content, application of content to solve problems, and use of evidence to support responses. Significant differences in favor of the treatment group on content acquisition were noted (Hedges' g = .19). Examination of differences in response to the treatment indicated groups of students classified with high or moderate pretest scores benefitted from the treatment, whereas a group of students classified with low pretest scores did not benefit from the treatment.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: FSU_migr_fcrr-pubs-0006, 10.1080/19345747.2013.836765
Format: Citation

Title: Reflective Pedagogy: Making Meaning in Experiential Based Online Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L.
Abstract/Description: The use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective...
Show moreThe use of reflective pedagogies has long been considered critical to facilitating meaningful learning through experientially based curricula; however, the use of such methods has not been extensively explored as implemented in virtual environments. The study reviewed utilizes a combination of survey research and individual interviews to examine student perceptions of the meaningful learning which occurred as a result of their participation in two Web-based courses that utilized reflective pedagogies. One course focuses on topics related to service-learning and the second on placement-based internships. Both were instructed using online coursework based in reflective pedagogies to compliment on-site placements within local communities.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0001X
Format: Citation

Title: Teaching and Learning Social Justice through Online Service-Learning Courses.
Creator: Guthrie, Kathy L., McCracken, Holly
Abstract/Description: Creating a virtual classroom in which diverse students feel welcome to discuss and experience topics related to social justice, action, and change is a study in the value of connectedness and collaboration. Through a combination of technologies, pedagogies, and on-site experiences, virtual cultures develop that encourage the formation of demanding yet stimulating learning environments in which communications and interactions are intellectually transformative. This article explores student...
Show moreCreating a virtual classroom in which diverse students feel welcome to discuss and experience topics related to social justice, action, and change is a study in the value of connectedness and collaboration. Through a combination of technologies, pedagogies, and on-site experiences, virtual cultures develop that encourage the formation of demanding yet stimulating learning environments in which communications and interactions are intellectually transformative. This article explores student perceptions of their participation in an online service-learning course while working in local service organizations. Qualitative methodology was used to identify the philosophical intersection at which multiple pedagogies meet: social justice, service-learning, civic engagement, and leadership as instructed in a web-based environment. This study illustrates the capacity for intentionally constructed online educational experiences focused on social justice, civic engagement, and leadership to affect learning and to provide educators with pedagogical best practices to facilitate requisite change in teaching practice., In this study, students working in local service organizations participated in an online service-learning course, and their perceptions were documented. Students shared discussions and experiences related to social justice, action, and civic engagement, as part of their web-based learning environment. Findings in this study illustrated the potential of online educational experiences to inform instructional best practices and create learning environments that are transformative.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_edlp_faculty_publications-0002, 10.19173/irrodl.v11i3.894
Format: Citation

Title: Effects of Spatial Visualization and Achievement on Students' Use of Multiple Representations.
Creator: Erbilgin, Evrim, Fernandez, Maria L., Jakubowski, Elizabeth M., Aspinwall, Leslie N., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Recently, there has been a growing interest in research on students' use of multiple representations in mathematics education. This study focused on how and achievement affect students' use of multiple representations. The methodology used was case studies. The researcher conducted 16 interviews with four 8th grade students from the same regular mathematics class: one high achieving-high spatial ability, one high achieving-low spatial ability, one low achieving-high spatial ability, and one...
Show moreRecently, there has been a growing interest in research on students' use of multiple representations in mathematics education. This study focused on how and achievement affect students' use of multiple representations. The methodology used was case studies. The researcher conducted 16 interviews with four 8th grade students from the same regular mathematics class: one high achieving-high spatial ability, one high achieving-low spatial ability, one low achieving-high spatial ability, and one low achieving-low spatial ability. The students were asked linear equation and function problems requiring the use of different representations. Additionally, the mathematics class was observed for 7 hours. The Wheatley Spatial Ability test was applied to the class of 8th graders to determine the spatial ability levels of the students. The students' achievement levels were determined from students' Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, linear equation class exam scores, and consultation with the teacher. The findings suggest that both achievement and spatial visualization has effects on students' use of multiple representations.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0431
Format: Thesis

Title: Application of Workforce 2000/2020 Analysis to a Southern Rural Community.
Creator: Zuokemefa, Pade, Easton, Peter, Jones, Maxine, Herrington, Carolyn, Biance, Michael, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Since publication of the Hudson Institute report on Workforce 2000: Work and Workers in the 21st Century in 1987 and the appearance of its sequel, Workforce 2020, a decade later, a popular form of analysis of economic trends and adult education needs has emerged and its conclusions have been widely cited. The approach has, however, been developed and almost entirely applied at the "macro" level of regions, States and the country as a whole. This dissertation assesses the applicability and...
Show moreSince publication of the Hudson Institute report on Workforce 2000: Work and Workers in the 21st Century in 1987 and the appearance of its sequel, Workforce 2020, a decade later, a popular form of analysis of economic trends and adult education needs has emerged and its conclusions have been widely cited. The approach has, however, been developed and almost entirely applied at the "macro" level of regions, States and the country as a whole. This dissertation assesses the applicability and utility of a Workforce 2000/2020 type of analysis for a rural Southern minority community by performing a "double diagnosis" that involves 1) using the Workforce 2000/2020 framework to examine the learning challenges, needs and opportunities facing a small Southern rural community (Gretna, Florida) as it enters the 21st century; and 2) at the same time assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Workforce 2000/2020 as an approach to these issues in local rural and minority communities by observing and analyzing the results of this "experiment" with local stakeholders. The methodology used for this study was a "mixed method" procedure that combined an "embedded" case study framework with action research. Sampling was done at the community level (City of Gretna), and within-case (or local sampling scheme). Within-case or local sampling used elite, snowball and key informants strategies to identify stakeholder groups and choose participants within each group. The study was performed in three sequential phases. In the first phase, a Workforce 2000/2020 study was conducted of demographic and economic trends in the city of Gretna and their impact on labor supply and demand using both qualitative and quantitative data. In the second phase, these substantive results were analyzed with local stakeholder representatives and the patterns compared to those characteristics of "macro" Workforce 2000/2020 studies. Finally, the experience of the Gretna analysis itself was assessed and compared to the methodology of macro Workforce 2000/2020-type studies to examine the applicability of this approach to a rural minority community and the modifications required. The macro Workforce 2000/2020 analysis suggests that, nationwide, the skill level of our workforce is insufficient to meet the competitive challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. In short, there is a growing mismatch (or at least a growing risk of one) between a high level of demand for skilled labor and an inadequate supply of existing workers or new job entrants having those qualifications. Analysis of the situation in Gretna, however, suggests something rather different. There appears to be much less mismatch. The demand for skilled labor is very low and the supply of human resources is almost equally low. In fact, the picture for Gretna is more one of a region mired in low-level equilibrium of supply and demand than one of a disequilibrium created by unmet opportunity. The Workforce 2000/2020 approach offers several strengths and weaknesses. As a principal strength, the effort to line the supply of human resources against the demand for it provides some unique insight into the situation of the community and serves to assemble types of data and groups of actors, like educators and business people that are not often or as systematically brought into dialogue. On the other hand, however, the approach pays little attention to historical and social context, does not prescribe participatory measures designed to include the voices of those concerned, and puts preponderant emphasis on supply-side factors to the detriment of a critical understanding of the roots of demand. An attempt was made to remedy these principal shortcomings in the approach used for this study.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0473
Format: Thesis

Title: Making Sense of Students' Understanding of Fractions: An Exploratory Study of Sixth Graders' Construction of Fraction Concepts Through the Use of Physical Referents and Real World Representations.
Creator: Stewart, Veon, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Bunea, Florentina, Aspinwall, Leslie, Fernandez, Maria L., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study was an investigative, whole class descriptive research, on the development of twenty sixth graders' understanding of fractions as they interacted with physical referents, hands-on task-based activities and activities that model real life situations during eight weeks of a teaching sequence. The study was conducted in a metropolitan school situated in southeast Florida. The teaching sequence consisted of 12 task-based activities that spanned 20 sessions with each session lasting for...
Show moreThis study was an investigative, whole class descriptive research, on the development of twenty sixth graders' understanding of fractions as they interacted with physical referents, hands-on task-based activities and activities that model real life situations during eight weeks of a teaching sequence. The study was conducted in a metropolitan school situated in southeast Florida. The teaching sequence consisted of 12 task-based activities that spanned 20 sessions with each session lasting for approximately 60 minutes. Data was collected through audio- and video-recording, in addition to the numerous written tasks. The task-based activities that the students were involved with during this study were analyzed to gain an insight into their understanding of fractions in the context of subdividing, comparing and partitioning of continuous and discrete models and the connections they made with the fraction ideas generated through these activities. The study also examined how these students make sense of fractions and investigated how their performance differed when fractions were presented using different models. Herscovics and Bergeron's (1988) extended model of understanding, and the partitioning strategies identified by Charles and Nason (2000) and Lamon (1996) provided the theoretical framework through which the investigation was explored. Results from the study revealed that the participants exhibited an understanding of unit and non-unit fraction based on the components of the above-mentioned model of understanding. The students also displayed a number of different partitioning strategies. The knowledge growth that was evident in the whole class confirms earlier studies as to the significant role that partitioning plays in the basic development of the fraction concept. Although discrete models were used by the students, a majority of the students exhibited a preference for using continuous models as forms of reference for given fractions. The students appreciated working with fractions that model real world situations. Preliminary findings from this study seem to indicate that students should be introduced to fraction concepts via partitioning activities. The partitioning activities should be introduced in grades earlier than sixth grade. Further research can be undertaken to investigate the role partitioning activities play in the development of students' ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0390
Format: Thesis

Title: A Model for Assesing Future Retirment Adequacy of Recent College Graduates: Who Is at Risk of Under-Saving?.
Creator: Stiles, Jason L., Schwartz, Robert A., Cooper, David J., Dalton, Jon C., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of...
Show moreThis study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of intention for these students regarding retirement investment? Identifying the segments of the new college graduate population that are particularly unprepared to act on retirement financial decisions is the first step toward intervening in a persistent and growing problem. Higher education administrators equipped with this information, as with existing efforts in student retention, have the ability to develop targeted strategies to improve educational outcomes. The theory of Optimal Retirement Investment is advanced as a result of the study. Conducted at two large four-year public universities, this study confirmed previous academic and popular observations that students are unprepared and will likely under-save for retirement. The study employed a quantitative causal comparative methodology and included the development of an online survey and two stochastic simulation models. The data generated from the survey and models were analyzed through reliability analysis to develop sub scales, and correlation and multiple regression analysis to identify factors influencing retirement literacy, retirement intention, and ultimately projected retirement savings balances.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0384
Format: Thesis

Title: Measures of Tongue Strength and Perceptual Characteristics of Speech in Parkinson Disease.
Creator: Prendergast, Tamika Michelle, Stierwalt, Julie, LaPointe, Leonard, Heald, Gary, School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The present study examined tongue strength and speech characteristics in six individuals with Parkinson disease across two sessions of approximately 20 months. The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was used to measure tongue strength. In addition, speech samples were recorded and rated for respiration, articulation, resonance, and phonation by five speech-language pathologists experienced in the assessment and treatment of dysarthria. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare tongue...
Show moreThe present study examined tongue strength and speech characteristics in six individuals with Parkinson disease across two sessions of approximately 20 months. The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was used to measure tongue strength. In addition, speech samples were recorded and rated for respiration, articulation, resonance, and phonation by five speech-language pathologists experienced in the assessment and treatment of dysarthria. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare tongue strength measures across the sessions. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were also conducted to compare the judges' perceptual ratings over time. Results revealed a significant reduction in tongue strength at the second session. Perceptions of speech characteristics specifically, consonant imprecision, vowel imprecision, rate, and overall speech also demonstrated a consistent pattern of degradation over time, though those changes were not statistically significant.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0442
Format: Thesis

Title: African American Students' Graphic Understanding of the Derivative: Critical Case Studies.
Creator: Stringer, Eddy W., Aspinwall, Leslie N., Shaw, Kenneth, Easton, Peter, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Data suggests that a significant loss of African American students from STEM majors occur between their freshmen and sophomore year. This attrition corresponds to the time period when students encounter the calculus sequence. For this reason, calculus persists as a serious barrier preventing African American students from entering STEM fields. There has been a dearth of research studies on how African American students learn or engage in the learning of calculus. In this study, I developed...
Show moreData suggests that a significant loss of African American students from STEM majors occur between their freshmen and sophomore year. This attrition corresponds to the time period when students encounter the calculus sequence. For this reason, calculus persists as a serious barrier preventing African American students from entering STEM fields. There has been a dearth of research studies on how African American students learn or engage in the learning of calculus. In this study, I developed cases describing two African American participants – Matt and Danny- and their methods used to complete tasks and create meaning for the graphs of functions and their derivatives. Three research questions were investigated: 1. What is the role of graphic representations in African American male community college students' construction of the derivative in calculus? 2. How do African American male community college students synthesize graphic and analytic meaning of the derivative in calculus? 3. What pedagogical approaches are the most effective in assisting African American students with visual understanding of derivative graphs? During the task-based clinical interviews, the participants were presented with both analytic tasks and graphic tasks and asked to calculate derivatives when presented with analytic tasks (symbols) and to draw derivative when presented with the graphs as I sought to gain understanding of the mathematical processes. The participants' understanding of the derivative was different because of their preference for mathematical processing. Matt relied on analytic processing and symbolic representation. His understanding of the derivative merely involved the manipulation of formulas, which is dominated by most college mathematics examination. Danny relied on a combination of analytic processing and geometric processing and preferred to primarily operate on graphic representations. His understanding of the derivative was associated with both analytic representations (formulas) and graphic representation. This study found that the participants' knowledge was strongly associated with their mathematical processing capabilities. Matt's overreliance on his memory and analytic thinking impeded his understanding of derivative graphs. This one-sided thinking caused Matt's knowledge (procedural and conceptual) to be disconnected and only understood how to complete tasks when asked questions in the right context. Danny's harmonic thinking enabled him to complete tasks with much less difficulty than Danny. Danny's flexibility with his thinking allowed him to understand the changes in the slope of the tangents of graph when he was not presented with a formula to associate with the graphs. Both participants would frequently use verbal –description to aid their understanding of the behavior of derivative graphs when their analytic and visual thinking would fail. The study demonstrates that using graphical representation for functions and their derivative have the potential for producing richer understanding of the concept of the derivative. It also demonstrates that some African American students need further understanding of graphs with a cusp, a sharp corner, a vertical line, vertical asymptotes, or any other discontinuity. It also shows that students are able to connect their procedural knowledge with their conceptual knowledge when students are able to work between both graphic representation and analytic representations.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0397
Format: Thesis

Title: Foreign Language Reading Anxiety: Investigating English-Speaking University Students Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language in the United States.
Creator: Zhao, Aiping, Hasson, Deborah J., Wood, Susan, Lan, Feng, Kennell, Patrick, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The aim of this study was to explore the foreign language reading anxiety among learners of Chinese in colleges in the United States. Early studies on foreign language anxiety had an obvious focus on the language skill of speaking (e.g., Aida, 1994; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986; Phillips, 1992; Young, 1986) and the foreign language anxiety study related to other language skills such as reading, listening and writing have not drawn researchers' attention until very recently (Cheng, Horwitz &...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to explore the foreign language reading anxiety among learners of Chinese in colleges in the United States. Early studies on foreign language anxiety had an obvious focus on the language skill of speaking (e.g., Aida, 1994; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986; Phillips, 1992; Young, 1986) and the foreign language anxiety study related to other language skills such as reading, listening and writing have not drawn researchers' attention until very recently (Cheng, Horwitz & Schallert, 1999; Saito et al., 1999; Vogely, 1998). Foreign language reading anxiety is a construct that is related to but distinct from general foreign language anxiety (Saito, Horwitz, & Garza, 1999; Sellers, 2000; Shi & Liu, 2006). Alphabetic and syllabic target languages such as English, Spanish, and Japanese have been studied in the foreign language reading anxiety research but logographic language has rarely been included. By including Chinese, a logographic language, as a target language in research on the foreign language reading anxiety, this study intended to expand the understanding of the nature of foreign language reading anxiety and also the reading process of Chinese as a foreign language. According to the sociocognitive perspective of reading (Bernhardt, 1991), reading is a meaning-reconstruction process where readers interact with not only the text-based components but also the extra-text components of a reading passage. Text-based components are such as word recognition, phonemic/graphemic decoding, and syntactic features. In reading a Chinese passage, learners of Chinese usually spend excessive time on word recognition due to the non direct relation between the form and the pronunciation of a Chinese character. Humans are limited in cognitive capacity (Eysenck, 1992). Therefore, after most of the cognitive capacity is used in dealing with word recognition, very little cognitive capacity is available for the activation of discourse knowledge, prior knowledge, and metacognition that deal with the extra-text components. The inefficient reading process might lead to reading anxiety among readers. Bernhardt (2005) pointed out that the role of affect such as anxiety had been neglected from the previous reading models, which might explain some more of the variance in reading performance. A review of the previous studies demonstrated that many fundamental questions concerning foreign language reading anxiety such as the sources of foreign language reading anxiety and the relation between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance had not been thoroughly investigated. Two basic assumptions raised by Saito et al. (1999) informed the proposed study. First, foreign language reading anxiety was a construct that was related to but distinct from foreign language anxiety. Second, foreign language reading anxiety varied depending on different target languages. In this study, the researcher explored the following specific research questions. 1. What is the foreign language reading anxiety level among English speaking university students learning Chinese as a foreign language in the United States? 2. What background variables are related to foreign language reading anxiety? a. Is gender related to foreign language reading anxiety? b. Is course level related to foreign language reading anxiety? c. Is time spent in China related to foreign language reading anxiety? 3. Is there a relationship between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance? A survey research design was employed in this study. Survey research has been widely used in foreign language anxiety studies (e.g., Horwitz et al., 1986; Saito et al., 1999). A total of 125 learners of Chinese in a large public research university in the U.S. took part in this survey study. The primary data source came from the two anxiety instruments, namely, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986) and Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (Saito et al., 1999) and also a background information questionnaire. Data from an email interview were the secondary data source triangulating the results obtained from the primary data source. Statistical analysis such as 2*2*2 factorial ANOVA and Pearson Product - Moment correlation analysis were adopted in this study. The study found: 1.The level of foreign language reading anxiety was similar to the level of general foreign language anxiety among learners of Chinese. Reading Chinese as a foreign language was anxiety-provoking to some students. Unfamiliar scripts, unfamiliar topics and worry about the reading effect were identified as the main sources of foreign language reading anxiety. 2. There was a significant course level effect on the level of foreign language reading anxiety with intermediate students having a significantly higher level of foreign language reading anxiety than elementary students. 3. There was a significant negative correlation between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance. The findings suggest that reading was as anxiety-provoking to learners of a non-cognate non-western language as speaking did. The unfamiliar scripts were found to be the major source of foreign language reading anxiety, which confirmed one of the hypothesized sources of Saito et al. (1999). The finding about the significant course level effect on the level of foreign language reading anxiety also conformed to the studies done among learners of Japanese (Kitano, 2001; Saito & Samimy, 1996; Samimy & Tabuse, 1992). This finding reminded instructors of Chinese that as students advanced into higher level classes their foreign language reading anxiety increased due to the new characters needed to be learned and the increasing level of difficulty of the reading passages. Measures such as raising students' radical awareness, choosing reading passages that fit students' proficiency level, providing background information about the topic of reading passage and giving evaluation feedback after the reading activity were suggested to decrease students' level of reading anxiety. The limitations in both the research design and the statistical analysis were acknowledged. The limitations in research design mainly came from the exclusion of advanced class students, the cancellation of the face to face small group discussion, the inclusion of the researcher's students, and the use of non standardized reading scores. The mean replacement of the missing data, the small cell size in the ANOVA analysis and the ceiling effect of the reading score were the limitations existing in the statistical analysis procedures. Future research was suggested to include advanced level students in examining the role that unfamiliar culture elements played in foreign language reading anxiety as advanced level students had more opportunity to encounter cultural elements in the more authentic reading materials. The relation between foreign language reading anxiety and the use of different word recognition strategies, different topics and styles of reading passages are also worth exploring.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0529
Format: Thesis

Title: Unique but Inclusive Individuality: A Dialogue with John Dewey and Liang Shuming Toward Educational Reform in China.
Creator: Zhang, Huajun, Milligan, Jeffrey Ayala, Anderson, Tom, Easton, Peter, Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This dissertation is written in the context of the radically changing Chinese society, in which the individual easily gets separated from the meaning of life and follows the dualistic social conventions for success. This problem is consistent with the situation of the present educational practice in schools. Education does not respond students' disconnection from the radically changing society and thus cannot provide a meaningful resource for cultivating individuals' self-identity. Thus, this...
Show moreThis dissertation is written in the context of the radically changing Chinese society, in which the individual easily gets separated from the meaning of life and follows the dualistic social conventions for success. This problem is consistent with the situation of the present educational practice in schools. Education does not respond students' disconnection from the radically changing society and thus cannot provide a meaningful resource for cultivating individuals' self-identity. Thus, this dissertation suggests a philosophy of education which highlights the cultivation of students' unique but inclusive individuality so that the individual learns how to nurture one's own mind in this radically changing context rather than getting lost and feeling empty. This conception of individuality is inspired by the American pragmatist John Dewey and the Chinese Confucian scholar Liang Shuming, a contemporary of Dewey. I use a methodology of comparative philosophy of education to discuss my proposal on individuality and education. I am not trying to write Dewey and Liang's thought in a "right" way; neither am I trying to compare Dewey and Liang's thought for judgment. It is more about dialogue and communication, to learn from different but related thoughts for solving the problem in the present. I am using a pragmatic approach to launch a philosophical discussion. Because my concern is shared by Dewey and Liang in their respective projects, this dialogue can be meaningful for my question. After discussing Dewey's and Liang's thoughts, I propose a new idea of education: to cultivate a unique but inclusive individuality by going through inner struggles and gaining self-enlightenment. Finally, the dissertation proposes story-telling as a teaching approach to create new space for students and teachers in school. Story-telling is a method that the individual can interpret life experience in multiple ways to explore different alternatives and possibilities she may have and to find the consistent meaning to connect the past to the present. It is also a method of self-expression when the individual goes through inner struggle and finds connection with the world outside. In this effort, the individual is developing a mind of her own. Narrative is thus a method worth trying in the current educational practice to formulate a new philosophy of education which emphasizes the development of unique and inclusive individuality as one goal of education.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0538
Format: Thesis

Title: The Impact of Engagement on the Academic Performance and Persistence of First-Year College Students at a Four-Year Public Institution.
Creator: Zhou, Juan, Hu, Shouping, Rice, Diana, Dalton, Jon, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Higher education stake holders and policy makers attach great importance to the accountability issue. Among the accountability measures, student academic performance and persistence are the two most commonly used college outcomes. Numerous studies have been focused on the factors affecting academic performance and persistence to provide implications for institution administrators in improving the accountability issue. Among the various factors, student engagement is a very popular variable...
Show moreHigher education stake holders and policy makers attach great importance to the accountability issue. Among the accountability measures, student academic performance and persistence are the two most commonly used college outcomes. Numerous studies have been focused on the factors affecting academic performance and persistence to provide implications for institution administrators in improving the accountability issue. Among the various factors, student engagement is a very popular variable that is demonstrated to be related to college outcomes. Engagement is defined as (Hu & Kuh, 2002, p.555) "the quality of effort students themselves devote to educationally purposeful activities that contribute directly to desired outcomes". However, the engagement studies mainly looked at the outcomes throughout the college years. Few studies explored the relationship between engagement and student outcomes for freshmen. This study aims at expanding the research in this area. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between first year college student engagement and their outcomes—academic performance represented by GPA and persistence. There are two guiding research questions to this study: 1) Is there a significant relationship between student engagement and student persistence among first year college students? 2) Is there a significant relationship between student engagement and student academic performance among first year college students? For the first question, since persistence was treated as a dichotomous variable in the study, binary logistic regression was used. For the second question, since GPA was treated as a continuous variable, multiple regression was used. The study also explored the impact of certain student characteristics on student outcomes. The set of characteristics includes gender, race/ethnicity, high school GPA, SAT/ACT scores, father's education level, mother's education level, financial aid, and enrollment status. The study utilized NSSE data from a southeastern four year public institution, combining it with student records obtained from the registrar's office from the same institution. There are 466 freshmen included in this study. These freshmen entered the university in the Fall semester of 2004. They took part in the NSSE survey in the Spring of 2005.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0517
Format: Thesis

Title: Exploring a Program for Improving Supervisory Practices of Mathematics Cooperating Teachers.
Creator: Erbilgin, Evrim, Fernández, Maria L., Aspinwall, Leslie N., Chicken, Eric, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Steadman, Sharilyn C., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida...
Show moreErbilgin, Evrim, Fernández, Maria L., Aspinwall, Leslie N., Chicken, Eric, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Steadman, Sharilyn C., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: The purpose of the study was to understand how a program based on educative supervision supported the supervisory knowledge and practices of mathematics cooperating teachers. Educative supervision referred to a supervision style where the supervisors challenge student teachers' teaching methods by asking open-ended questions, discussing critical incidents from their teaching, moving away from being evaluative, and being sensitive to their zone of proximal development (Blanton, Berenson, &...
Show moreThe purpose of the study was to understand how a program based on educative supervision supported the supervisory knowledge and practices of mathematics cooperating teachers. Educative supervision referred to a supervision style where the supervisors challenge student teachers' teaching methods by asking open-ended questions, discussing critical incidents from their teaching, moving away from being evaluative, and being sensitive to their zone of proximal development (Blanton, Berenson, & Norwood, 2001). The case study method was followed in this study, where the case was the designed program. The program consisted of online discussions on reading materials or video clips, face to face communications, conducting weekly post-lesson conferences with the student teachers, and reflections on those post-lesson conferences. Three mathematics cooperating teachers and their student teachers were the participants of this study. Qualitative data analysis techniques were applied to all data sets to understand how the program supported the supervisory knowledge and practices of the cooperating teachers. Data was mainly analyzed from three perspectives. First, the amount of conversational time used by each participant was calculated. Secondly, content of the post-lesson conferences was classified into the following categories: Mathematics, Pedagogy, Mathematics Pedagogy, Teacher-Student Relationship, Classroom Management, and General Teacher Growth. Thirdly, the types of communications used by each participant were collapsed into the following categories: Questioning, Assessing, Suggesting, Describing, Explaining, and Emotional talking. Data analysis indicated some changes in the supervision style of the participating cooperating teachers towards the educative supervision. First, the percent of talking done by the student teachers in the post lesson conferences increased after the discussion of educative supervision in the program. Secondly, mathematics pedagogy became the most discussed content category in the post-lesson conferences. Furthermore, the depth of talks on mathematics pedagogy grew. Thirdly, the cooperating teachers moved away from conveying their feedback directly to the student teachers; they started asking open-ended questions to have the student teachers reflect on their teaching. Finally, having student teachers reflect on their teaching became a central goal for all of the cooperating teachers.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0555
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effects of Kindergarten Entrance Age on Children's Reading and Mathematics Achievement from Kindergarten Through Third Grade.
Creator: Yesil-Dagli, Ummuhan, Jones, Ithel, Kamata, Akihito, Wolfgang, Charles H., Lake, Vickie E., Connor, Carol McDonald, Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability...
Show moreYesil-Dagli, Ummuhan, Jones, Ithel, Kamata, Akihito, Wolfgang, Charles H., Lake, Vickie E., Connor, Carol McDonald, Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: This study examined the longitudinal effects of age of entry into kindergarten on children's reading and mathematics achievement in kindergarten, first- and third-grade. Early entrants, younger-ontime, medial-ontime, older-ontime and delayed entrants were compared. The effect of absolute age of children at the time of kindergarten entry and relative age of children to their classmates was explored. Children's gender, race, socioeconomic status (SES), and preschool attendance were controlled....
Show moreThis study examined the longitudinal effects of age of entry into kindergarten on children's reading and mathematics achievement in kindergarten, first- and third-grade. Early entrants, younger-ontime, medial-ontime, older-ontime and delayed entrants were compared. The effect of absolute age of children at the time of kindergarten entry and relative age of children to their classmates was explored. Children's gender, race, socioeconomic status (SES), and preschool attendance were controlled. Children's beginning cognitive ability levels in reading and mathematics were controlled in the kindergarten year. Data for the study came from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K). Cross sectional analyses were conducted by utilizing 2-level hierarchical linear model (HLM) analyses, and longitudinal analyses were conducted utilizing cross classified random effects model (CREM). HLM results suggested that delayed students scored higher than medial ontime students in the kindergarten, first and third grade in reading and in the kindergarten, and first grade in mathematics. Older-ontime students scored higher and younger-ontime students scored lower than medial-ontime students in the kindergarten and first grade in reading and mathematics. Early entrant students' performance was lower than medial-ontime students in all grades in mathematics and in the kindergarten and first grade in reading. The effect of the absolute age was evident in all grades except for the first grade mathematics. Relative age was associated with kindergarten and first grade reading achievement and kindergarten mathematics achievement. CCRM results suggested that delayed entrant students scored significantly higher than medial-ontime students by the third grade in mathematics. The effect of the absolute age of children's entrance age was significant in the third grade mathematics achievement. No performance differences were evident among older-ontime, medial-ontime, younger-ontime and early entrant students in the third grade mathematics performances. Furthermore, there were no age effects by the third grade on the reading achievement or on the growth rate for reading and mathematics achievement. It was concluded the gap that appears to exist in the kindergarten year due to age effects disappear or diminish, while the gap due to gender, SES and ethnicity widens as children progress in their school year by the end of the third grade.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0652
Format: Thesis

Title: Co-Study Art Education: A Study of Integrated Curriculum.
Creator: Doster, Jennifer Ruth Jones, Anderson, Tom, Shargel, Emanuel, Funk, Fanchon, Rosal, Marcia, Department of Art Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Art in elementary and secondary schools is often tagged as a superfluous class, to be removed or restricted at the first sign of a budget crunch, and offered only after "real learning" has taken place. The values of art are often overlooked. Art is a language that utilizes the creative parts of the brain and has served as the core for some integrated curricula. Teachers have been increasingly encouraged to integrate their curricula with other subject matter because integration is viewed as a...
Show moreArt in elementary and secondary schools is often tagged as a superfluous class, to be removed or restricted at the first sign of a budget crunch, and offered only after "real learning" has taken place. The values of art are often overlooked. Art is a language that utilizes the creative parts of the brain and has served as the core for some integrated curricula. Teachers have been increasingly encouraged to integrate their curricula with other subject matter because integration is viewed as a way to deal with our era's increased information load, state mandates for school administrators concerning student performance, standardized curricula and assessment, and concern over relevancy of school to the workplace. This study focused on how art could be integrated more effectively with other subjects, in general, and specifically with American history. This study examined how an evolution of integrated curriculum, called Co-Study Curriculum, used art in the delivery of American history. The research questions addressed were: (1) Will the Co-Study Curriculum process enhance students' perceptions of their understanding of American history?, and (2) Does the Co-Study Curriculum process of integrating art and American history have an effect on students' attitudes toward art? This is a qualitative study with quantitative components; the research type is consistent with classroom action research. The methods used for assessment included: a post assessment survey of students' perceptions on the impact of the Co-Study Curriculum process and its usefulness in the classroom, a pre and post assessment of students' attitudes toward art, interviews of selected students, and teacher researcher observations. Included, also, is a Co-Study Curriculum Guide that provides step-by-step instructions for implementing the art activities used in this study. Each art activity in the guide is aligned with the Florida Curriculum Framework, Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies. A five-year longitudinal pilot study of the Co-Study Curriculum process preceded this study and gave the impetus for it. Findings from this study support the research questions, specifically, that the Co-Study Curriculum positively affected students' perceptions of their understanding of American history and their attitudes toward art. Implications of this study support that art education should consider broadening its concept and educational role by offering not only courses within its discipline but also by expanding its role through encouraging teachers of other subject matter to collaborate and integrate art into the presentation of their curriculum. Further, this broadened role should be taught within art education courses at the university level.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0685
Format: Thesis

Title: Learning from the Beehive Collective: A Participatory Action Research Study of Image-Based Education in an Experimental Community.
Creator: Erler, Carolyn Ruth, Villeneuve, Pat, Milligan, Jeffrey, Anderson, Tom, Davenport, Melanie, Department of Art Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In developing a curriculum for the Beehive Collective's "Plan Colombia" campaign, I examine how multiple narratives offering different points of view on the same topic can help viewers discover the ways that images and words are used to construct arguments, shape opinion, and recruit true believers. Following Burke (1974), I argue that the goal of communication is to persuade, and visual works of persuasion or argument are no different in this regard. Young people who are politically...
Show moreIn developing a curriculum for the Beehive Collective's "Plan Colombia" campaign, I examine how multiple narratives offering different points of view on the same topic can help viewers discover the ways that images and words are used to construct arguments, shape opinion, and recruit true believers. Following Burke (1974), I argue that the goal of communication is to persuade, and visual works of persuasion or argument are no different in this regard. Young people who are politically disengaged because of the obvious insincerity of political actors can benefit from exposure to multiple narratives and counter-narratives that address the crucial connection of fakery to fact.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0552
Format: Thesis

Title: Establishment of Literacy Standards for an Oral Language: The Case of Nafara Discourse Patterns, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.
Creator: Diarassouba, Sidiky, Carroll, Pamela S., Hellweg, Joseph, Hasson, Deborah, Milligan, Jeffrey, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study sought to establish the rhetorical pattern of a major folktale genre known as mu'urii, in Nafara, a dialect of Senari, one of the major indigenous languages spoken in Côte d'Ivoire. This study will provide a basis for addressing the root causes of impediments to French (L2) literacy in Côte d'Ivoire. This study used oral folktales as a means of elicitation and vehicle of investigation. Three questions guided the researcher in this project. Question One was concerned with setting...
Show moreThis study sought to establish the rhetorical pattern of a major folktale genre known as mu'urii, in Nafara, a dialect of Senari, one of the major indigenous languages spoken in Côte d'Ivoire. This study will provide a basis for addressing the root causes of impediments to French (L2) literacy in Côte d'Ivoire. This study used oral folktales as a means of elicitation and vehicle of investigation. Three questions guided the researcher in this project. Question One was concerned with setting the conditions for establishing the discourse pattern of folktales in Nafara, while Questions Two and Three addressed the educational implications of findings that emerged from Question One. The research was framed in terms of two main theoretical foundations: 1) Discourse Analysis as a theory of human communication, and 2) the ethnography of communication. Nafara was oral until the present undertaking came to life. Therefore, a methodological field test was carried out to check the feasibility of the study. During this phase, Nafara grammar and lexicon were described, as a prerequisite for any textual analysis. This methodological field proved very beneficial as it allowed for setting a sound ground for the full study, during which further scrutiny into the materials collected allowed the investigator to get a better synthesis of the linguistic system of the language under investigation, by carrying out a description and analysis of more substantive Nafara texts. Discourse analysis was the major method of text analysis. It was supplemented with other methods, including ethnopoetics (an application of the ethnography of communication) and story grammar. Thus, using a combination of the foregoing methods, line, stanza, scene analysis and the narrative backbone of key events was identified to flesh out the discourse pattern in the Nafara genre in question. Establishing the rhetorical pattern is tantamount to building a model that reflects the way the notional content of the tale is organized to convey cultural meaning. Thus, after giving a full description of the rhetorical pattern based on one version of each popular tales, sketches of the rhetorical patterns that emerged from other tales were contrasted and compared with the more elaborate ones. First, versions of the same popular tale were set against each other, then the researcher looked across all the six versions, showing areas of differences and commonalities. The foregoing showed that while versions of the popular tales greatly differed in terms of supporting materials, the core discourse pattern was found to be constant across all versions of the tales. The researcher's contention is that awareness of the Nafara rhetorical pattern can serve as a vehicle for French (L2) education in Côte d'Ivoire, as it can provide a basis for teaching French grammar and composition through comparison and contrast with Nafara (L1) patterns. Therefore, knowledge of Nafara (L1) rhetorical organization is essential if the issue of underachievement in French (L2) education is to be efficiently tackled. Findings of this study will also provide a springboard for promoting reading and writing in Nafara. Another much expected spillover effect of this study is that its results will also offer options to writers (both native and non-native) by making them aware of differential issues in composition, according to the language and audience in view. The present study aimed to provide additional information for enhancing language education and learning in general in Côte d'Ivoire.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0740
Format: Thesis

Title: An Examination of Factors Influencing Student Performance and Persistence in a Heavily-Text Based Secondary Online Learning Environment.
Creator: Seay, Cheryl Hogg, Driscoll, Marcy P., Piazza, Carolyn, Dennen, Vanessa, Reiser, Robert, Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how secondary education students perform and persist in a heavily text-based online learning environment. The study explored the following research questions: 1. How does reading achievement level influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? 2. How does student motivation influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how secondary education students perform and persist in a heavily text-based online learning environment. The study explored the following research questions: 1. How does reading achievement level influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? 2. How does student motivation influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? 3. How does the design of online instructional materials and the learners' preferred mode of processing information influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? 4. What are students' perceptions of instructional effectiveness and how do these perceptions influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? 5. What are students' perceptions of school and parental support and how do these perceptions influence learners' performance and persistence in a heavily text-based secondary online learning environment? The study focused on students from low performing high schools who were enrolled in a state-required Florida Virtual School course, Life Management Course. The number of study participants was based on students enrolled in the course between August 2006 and July 2007, and a convenience sample of approximately 1,000 students were surveyed based on low-performing school enrollment data, course enrollment data and survey response rates for the Florida Virtual School. The intent of the researcher was to use a two-phase sequential explanatory mixed methods approach to better understand this phenomenon. The first phase involved, data including state-based reading assessment scores and responses to survey instruments were collected for each participant. The second phase involved learner support surveys administered to each study participant and an examination of the course in which they were enrolled. The general design of the study in this phase was a multiple-case design in which each individual participant was the unit of analysis. A cross-case analysis was conducted to identify possible patterns that emerged from the analysis of the individual participants or single case. However, due to the nature of the data collected, the qualitative aspects of data became the researcher's primary focus. The study involved two dependent variables: (1) student performance and (2) student persistence and the following independent variables: (1) student characteristics, (2) literacy skills, (3) motivation, (4) instructional design, (5) instructional effectiveness, and (6) learner support. The actual sample size for the study was 965 participants; however, there were only eight respondents. A preliminary review of the data collected revealed that there was not variance in either the performance or persistence outcomes; each of the respondents not only passed the Life Management course, but also persisted and received a course grade. Due to this lack of variance, the researcher was unable to perform statistical analysis which might establish a predictive relationship between the dependent and independent variables of the study. However, through the development of summary profiles for each of the eight respondents and descriptive data, the researcher was able to make some general observations about the individual cases and the aggregate data. Limitations and implications of the study, as well as recommendations for future research are provided.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0287
Format: Thesis

Title: A Longitudinal Comparison of Vocational and Non-Vocational Education Students in Leon County Public Secondary Schools: A Study of May 1999 & May 2000 High School Graduates.
Creator: Erefah, Ebenezer W., Thomas, Hollie, Rehm, Marsha, Snyder, William R., Greenwood, Bonnie B., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to compare vocational and non-vocational education students in public secondary schools in Leon County, Florida, to see whether high school graduates who were in vocational education programs in their 9th through 12th grades had more advantages in graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment, and wages, over their non-vocational education counterparts. In order to achieve this purpose, data for Godby, Leon, Lincoln, and Rickards High Schools' May 1999,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to compare vocational and non-vocational education students in public secondary schools in Leon County, Florida, to see whether high school graduates who were in vocational education programs in their 9th through 12th grades had more advantages in graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment, and wages, over their non-vocational education counterparts. In order to achieve this purpose, data for Godby, Leon, Lincoln, and Rickards High Schools' May 1999, and May 2000, high-school and post-highschool were collected, analyzed, and compared. Eighth grade data were also collected to determine the subjects' socioeconomic status. A sample of 2,698 students was obtained from the four high schools involved in this study. The data for the investigation were obtained from the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) "Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program" (FETPIP) and "Educational Information and Accountability Services" (EIAS) databases. Through "skewed" (rearranged) students identification numbers, it was possible to track each high school graduate to their eighth grade data. The analytical method heavily relied on descriptive statistics with intensive use of tables. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to summarize and analyze the data. Findings The study indicated that students in high school vocational education programs may have some advantages over non-vocational education students in terms of high school graduation, postsecondary school enrollment, employment and probably wages. The data indicated that participation in vocational education programs were distributed among the students that were representative of both the lower socioeconomic status (LSES) and the higher socioeconomic status (HSES) categories, male and female, black and white. The data further indicated that vocational education programs may have motivational values to the advantage of academically disadvantaged students, especially those within the LSES category, thereby enabling them to remain in school and graduate. Analyses of the data showed that in most cases, vocational education students, especially within the LSES, reported a higher rate of graduation from high school than their non-vocational education colleagues. The data further showed that in some cases, especially among the LSES black students, the more vocational education credits or courses a student earned in high school, the more likely the student graduates from high school. The study also indicated that vocational education high school graduates were very competitive against their non-vocational education high school counterparts in terms of college enrollments. In some cases, especially among the LSES students, vocational education high school graduates reported higher rates of university enrollments than non-vocational education students. Regarding community college enrollment, the study indicated that both vocational and non-vocational education high school graduates were more attracted to the Associate in Arts (AA) degrees (college transfer option) than the Associate in Science (AS) degree programs (more professional and work option). The study further indicated that most vocational education high school graduates who enrolled in undergraduate BS degree programs were majoring in the fields similar to the vocational education programs in which they were trained in high school. Higher rates of employment were also reported among vocational education high school graduates than among non-vocational education counterparts. The study further showed that high school graduates who had participated in a Diversified Cooperative Education vocational program (internship or on-the-job training program), Business Technology Education, Computer Science Education, and Family and Consumer Science Education in high school were more likely than were non-vocational education colleagues to be employed in professional fields such as banks, doctors offices, law enforcement, hotels, and with more hours, and presumably better wages. The study also indicated that in some cases, vocational education high school graduates who were working in the fields for which they were trained in high school earned more wages with more working hours than did their non-vocational education colleagues. Since these were only high school graduates with limited occupational skills and job experience, the wage differences between vocational and non-vocational education high school graduates may not be very wide. Conclusions: Participation in vocational education enhanced the chances of high school graduation, especially if the students earn two or more vocational education credits or courses, improved the chances of enrollment in undergraduate BS, AA, and AS degree programs, and also improved the prospect of job opportunities and higher wages, especially among the students and high school graduates who worked in the fields for which they were trained in high school. These benefits of vocational education over non-vocational education were more noticeably among lower socioeconomic status black male and female, and white female students and high school graduates.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0554
Format: Thesis

Title: Preschool Children's Multimodal Meaning Making: Verbal and Nonverbal Comunication within Two Different Clasroom Settings.
Creator: Dogan, Zubeyde, Jones, Ithel, Rutledge, Stacey, Rice, Diana, Valente, Joseph, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study investigated the effects of two different classroom contexts, sociodramatic play and a teacher led activity, on children's use of verbal and non-verbal communication. Additionally, the effect of children's gender on their use of verbal and non-verbal communicational modes was examined. Participating in the study were 24 children between the ages of 37 and 55 months old, who were attending two preschools. The data collection was completed through observation of children's play and...
Show moreThis study investigated the effects of two different classroom contexts, sociodramatic play and a teacher led activity, on children's use of verbal and non-verbal communication. Additionally, the effect of children's gender on their use of verbal and non-verbal communicational modes was examined. Participating in the study were 24 children between the ages of 37 and 55 months old, who were attending two preschools. The data collection was completed through observation of children's play and teacher-led reading-retelling -drawing activities. Children were observed on two occasions for each activity, and the total observation time was 40 minutes per child. The observations were conducted during a three week period. Data analyses were completed by using Descriptive and Repeated measurement ANOVA statistical techniques. The study's findings, consistent with current thinking, showed that in the two preschool contexts (open and closed field) the young children used multimodal communication when interacting with their peers. The observations illustrated that children used their facial expressions to communicate their willingness or unwillingness to start or continue playing, or participating in teacher-led activities. While the pointing gestures were used to accompany requests, or direct the attention of others; the metaphoric gestures were used to supplement language when explaining. According to the findings, children use language to serve a variety of functions during different classroom activities. In the play context, language is used mostly to serve imaginative and interactional functions. In the closed-field context, where the interaction was led by the teacher, the most common language function used by the children was informative language.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0719
Format: Thesis

Title: Gender Wage Differential and the Under-Representation of Women in IT Education Programs & IT Workforce.
Creator: Aydin, Necati, Lunstrum, John P., MacDonald, Victoria M., Cobbe, James H., Hansen, John H., Harris, Douglas N., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State...
Show moreAydin, Necati, Lunstrum, John P., MacDonald, Victoria M., Cobbe, James H., Hansen, John H., Harris, Douglas N., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: This study examines the determinants of earnings and gender wage differentials for Florida's IT graduates and IT workers by using the Mincerian regression model and the Blinder-Oaxaca wage decomposition model. Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) data and Census Microdata (PUMS) are used in both models to shed some light on the increasing under-representation of women in the IT workforce. The study finds that there has been little or no gender wage difference...
Show moreThis study examines the determinants of earnings and gender wage differentials for Florida's IT graduates and IT workers by using the Mincerian regression model and the Blinder-Oaxaca wage decomposition model. Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) data and Census Microdata (PUMS) are used in both models to shed some light on the increasing under-representation of women in the IT workforce. The study finds that there has been little or no gender wage difference for IT graduates from the Community Colleges (CC) and Post-Secondary Education (PSE) programs, while there has been an increasing gender wage difference for the Public University (SUS) IT graduates since 1993. The gender coefficients from the Mincerian regression models indicate that the rate for the SUS IT graduates increased from its low value of 2% to the high value of 12% in the year 2002. The gender wage differential rates for the SUS IT graduates measured from the Blinder-Oaxaca model are consistent with the Mincerian Regression results. The wage decomposition model reveals that the gender wage differentials for SUS IT graduates increased from 10% in the year 1996, to 18% in the year 2002. The model further indicates that 30% of this wage gap in the year 2002 was due to gender discrimination. The study finds that a proxy experience variable overestimates the impact of experience on earnings for female workers. The study presents a notable difference between the impact of the actual experience variable based on FETPIP data and that of a proxy variable based on the PUMS data.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0010
Format: Thesis

Title: Florida Preservice Teachers' Attitudes Toward African American Vernacular English.
Creator: Abdul-Hakim, Isma'Il, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The study assessed the attitudes of preservice teachers in the state of Florida by using the African American Teacher Attitude Scale (AAETAS), a four point 46-item Likert Scale designed by Hoover et al (1997). This study also sought to determine which nine demographic variables were associated with the preservice teachers attitudes. The demographic variables were comprised of 1.) race, 2.) university attended, 3.) hometown size, 4.) gender, 5.) age, 6.) socio economic status, 7.) primary...
Show moreThe study assessed the attitudes of preservice teachers in the state of Florida by using the African American Teacher Attitude Scale (AAETAS), a four point 46-item Likert Scale designed by Hoover et al (1997). This study also sought to determine which nine demographic variables were associated with the preservice teachers attitudes. The demographic variables were comprised of 1.) race, 2.) university attended, 3.) hometown size, 4.) gender, 5.) age, 6.) socio economic status, 7.) primary language spoken at home/ in community, 8.) exposure to AAVE through high school course work, and 9.) exposure to AAVE through university course work. The Likert Scale (questionnaire) was comprised of statements that were made by educators during the 1970s. The questionnaire was graded and the researcher used the standard deviation and mean to set the ranges of under 110 (low), 110-153 (middle), and 154 or above (high). Furthermore, the researcher compared the ranges of the current study with the ranges (under 120/deficit, 120-159/difference and 160 or above) set by Hoover et al (1997). The researcher conducted a multiple regression analysis on the scores (dependent variable) and the demographic variables (independent variables). The subjects for this study were preservice teachers as well as education majors at two large universities in North Florida. The sample was a sample of convenience. A total of 153 preservice teachers completed the surveys. The results of the study indicate that language spoken at home and hometown population are closely associated with preservice teachers' attitudes. In addition, the results revealed that suburban bidialectical preservice teachers (i.e. those who speak both Standard English (SE) and AAVE as their primary languages at home) viewed AAVE more positively than preservice teachers from rural and urban areas who either speak SE, AAVE or both.
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Date Issued: 2002
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0011
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effects of Social Relationships and Temperament on Kindergarten Students' Use of Literate Language.
Creator: Atay-Turhan, Tulay, Jones, Ithel, Hanline, Mary Frances, Wolfgang, Charles H., Lake, Vickie E., School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined the effects of social relationships and individual differences in the forms of gender and temperament on kindergarten students' use of literate language. Literate language is defined as a specific oral language register. It was hypothesized that friend compared to non-friend context would elicit more literate language, or verbalizations indicative of reflection upon cognitive and linguistic processes. Same gender dyads of 64 kindergarteners were observed during their...
Show moreThis study examined the effects of social relationships and individual differences in the forms of gender and temperament on kindergarten students' use of literate language. Literate language is defined as a specific oral language register. It was hypothesized that friend compared to non-friend context would elicit more literate language, or verbalizations indicative of reflection upon cognitive and linguistic processes. Same gender dyads of 64 kindergarteners were observed during their interactions about a story in friend and non-friend dyads, and measures of oral language were collected. The effects of peer relationships, gender, and temperament were analyzed on the measures of oral language including literate language, linguistic terms, cognitive terms, emotion terms, conflicts, and resolutions. By using within-subjects design, the same students were observed both in friends and nonfriends conditions. Children's oral language derived from their interactions during literacy writing sessions and play episodes. Furthermore, children's oral language measures were examined to determine the correlation between them and literacy measures. The research findings suggested that different peer relationships differentially affect children's interactions and early literacy. The differences were mostly favorable to the friends group as predicted. Both male and female students generated more linguistic terms and resolved more conflicts while interacting with friends. Furthermore, female friends used more emotion terms in friends condition than they did in nonfriends condition. Interestingly, however, male nonfriends outperformed male friends in the literate language measure, which is opposite to the prediction. Even though the literate language scores of children with inhibited temperament were higher in friends condition than that of in nonfriends condition, it was statistically not significant. It was concluded that interacting with friends facilitated the oral language use of kindergarten students. Interpretation of the results of the study was provided in light of previous research and theory. Implications of the study were also discussed along with suggestions for future research.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0036
Format: Thesis

Title: An Exploration of Jordanian English Language Teachers' Attitudes, Skills, and Access as Indicator of Information and Communication Technology Integration in Jordan.
Creator: Abu Samak, Zeinab Tawfik, Hasson, Deborah, Palmer, Barbara, Carroll, Pamela, Lupo-Anderson, Angela, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study explored factors that may influence the attitudes towards information and communication technology (ICT) by Jordanian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL). This study replicated research with extension by Albirini (2004), who explored attitudes ICT among teachers of EFL in Syria. This study's focus was ICT use among EFL teachers in Jordan. The Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers, 1995), and the theoretical relationship between attitudes and behavior posed by the Theory of...
Show moreThis study explored factors that may influence the attitudes towards information and communication technology (ICT) by Jordanian teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL). This study replicated research with extension by Albirini (2004), who explored attitudes ICT among teachers of EFL in Syria. This study's focus was ICT use among EFL teachers in Jordan. The Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers, 1995), and the theoretical relationship between attitudes and behavior posed by the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980) served as a theoretical framework. A multi-sections survey in Arabic language was administered to the EFL teachers in the first and second districts of the capital city of Jordan, Amman for the scholastic year 2005-2006. A random sample of 363 was utilized. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that Jordanian EFL teachers have positive attitudes towards ICT. Jordanian EFL teachers' perceptions of ICT perceptions from highest to lowest in mean scores were: observability, relative advantage, complexity, and compatibility. Jordanian EFL teachers have moderate positive cultural perceptions of ICT. Jordanian EFL teachers have a moderate computer competence and have a high access to ICT. Also, Jordanian EFL teachers' access to ICT was higher than Syrian EFL teachers. However, the location of access was different: in Jordan, school was the place where most Jordanian EFL teachers have access while home was the place that most Syrian EFL used. It was also found that Age and teaching experience had a negative correlation with attitudes, whereas qualification had a positive correlation with attitudes. There was a weak positive correlation between training and attitudes. Type of training, obtaining an ICDL Certificate, and length of training were explored. Gender, teaching methods, and Grade level were found not significantly correlated with attitudes towards ICT. 64% of the total variance in Jordanian EFL teachers' attitudes towards ICT was explained by the four main independent variables of the study: attributes cultural perceptions, competence, and access. More studies are needed to add to EFL instruction and ICT integration in the Arab region. Future qualitative studies are needed to provide deeper insight.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0106
Format: Thesis

Title: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Content Analysis of Two State Level Correctional Institutions' Pre-Release Handbook Curriculum Designs, Looking Through the Lenses of Two Philosophical Orientations of Education.
Creator: Camp, Sarah N., Brooks, Jeffrey S., Ratliffe, Thomas, Lang, Laura, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to discover how Minnesota's Department of Corrections, Making a Successful Transition: Adult Pre-Release Handbook (2005), and Indiana's Department of Corrections, Pre-Release Re-Entry Program Offender Handbook (2005a), curriculum designs promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when examined through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The study included a...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to discover how Minnesota's Department of Corrections, Making a Successful Transition: Adult Pre-Release Handbook (2005), and Indiana's Department of Corrections, Pre-Release Re-Entry Program Offender Handbook (2005a), curriculum designs promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when examined through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The study included a review of the ideologies of punishment, correctional education, and the department of corrections pre-release handbooks from the states of Minnesota and Indiana. The methodology implemented was a mixed methods content analysis. The design focused on a sequential explanatory, symbolized as QUAN - qual. Quantitative content analysis was implemented with the software NUD*IST. Qualitative content analysis required preliminary human coding completed by the researcher. The quantitative constructs discussed and examined were curriculum design and law-abiding citizenship. Curriculum design was supported according to the Functionalist and the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientations. Law-abiding citizenship was supported by terms from Mann (1838), Wynne (1986), Lickona (1993), and Hopkins (2002), the U.S. Department of Education (2005), and the Josephson Institute of Ethics (2006). The quantitative constructs applied represented the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientations. There were three that embodied the Functionalism philosophical education orientation associated with Durkheim, (1933) and Roosevelt (New Deal Network, 2003). Also, there were three that characterized the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientation associated with Plato, (514-520) and Nussbaum (1997). The ideologies of punishment have shifted throughout time because of political, economical, and social reasons, and these shifts have affected correctional education. Correctional education has undergone many reforms, but no reforms pertained to curriculum design. The handbooks were tools designed to guide offenders upon release and aid in the promotion of law-abiding citizenship. These pre-release handbooks were one of many education programs that were to aid in reducing recidivism rates. Hence, the intent of this study was to promote a new area of correctional education research, which improves offenders' probabilities of becoming law-abiding citizens, public safety, and public order, thus assisting in reducing recidivism rates. The mixed methods content analysis design ascertained how promoted the correctional education goal of law-abiding citizenship of adult offenders, when looked through the lenses of the philosophical education orientations of Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment. The results revealed that both Minnesota's and Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook incorporated the traditional and concept-based curriculum designs in the initial quantitative methods. This was achieved using the terminology according to the constructs curriculum design and law-abiding citizenship. For instance, terms that represented the traditional curriculum in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook showed that term ORDER #2 was applied 28 out of 33 times. As well, in the Indiana DOC pre-release handbook EDUCATION was applied 15 out of 28 times. The terms that represented the concept-based curriculum in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook depicted that the term THINK #2 appeared and was applied all of 17 times. However, in Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook, THINK #2 appeared and was applied all 99 times. Also, these results supported that both pre-release handbooks were comprised of the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical orientations. As well, the data divulged that the pre-release handbooks promoted the correctional educational goal of law-abiding citizenship. This was shown through the use of the term RESPONSIBILITY, which appeared and was applied to the study all of 16 times in the Minnesota DOC pre-release handbook. Similarly, RESPONSIBILITY appeared 16 of 17 times in Indiana's DOC pre-release handbook. However, further inquiry was needed because the data did not definitively answer the research questions. The qualitative methods provided the confirmation that was required to answer the research questions. This was accomplished when the constructs from the functionalism philosophical education orientation and the Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical education orientation were applied to both pre-release handbooks. The results were blended with the quantitative results reaffirming that the pre-release handbooks consisted of both the traditional and concept-based curriculum designs, supported by the Functionalism and Liberal/Enlightenment philosophical orientations. Moreover, verifying that the pre-release handbooks promoted the correctional educational goal of which law-abiding citizenship. Incidentally, the study revealed that Minnesota's and Indiana's Department of Corrections pre-release handbook support their state's mission statement in both of the quantitative and qualitative techniques. Also, both pre-release handbooks were developed to meet the objectives and needs of society (Chapman, 2002). Hence, the goal of correctional education was to release law-abiding citizens from prisons (Bosworth, 2002), and thereby enhanced the "social order and public safety" of society which was a basic principle of corrections (American Correctional Association, 1986, p. 58).
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0067
Format: Thesis

Title: Investigating Expertise: A Mixed-Methods Examination of the Curricular Framework within the Subject-Matter Preparation, in Literature, of Secondary English Teacher Candidates.
Creator: De Luise, Rachel Bailey, Steadman, Sharilyn, Schwartz, Robert A., Carroll, Pamela Sissi, Yancey, Kathleen, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Using a mixed methods approach, the researcher examined the phenomenon of subject-matter preparation within the curricular framework of secondary English teacher programs by examining program structure, literature coursework, and teacher candidate reflections. In this inquiry, the researcher used a two-part lens to observe both macro and micro-level phenomena: first, by gaining a national perspective in regard to program structure in the area of literature preparation and course learning...
Show moreUsing a mixed methods approach, the researcher examined the phenomenon of subject-matter preparation within the curricular framework of secondary English teacher programs by examining program structure, literature coursework, and teacher candidate reflections. In this inquiry, the researcher used a two-part lens to observe both macro and micro-level phenomena: first, by gaining a national perspective in regard to program structure in the area of literature preparation and course learning expectations, and second, by taking a closer, microscopic look at teacher candidates currently engaged in teaching literature during their final internships. From a social and political context, this research focuses on the issue of teacher preparation in regard to quality. From an educational perspective, it examines how we can better prepare teacher candidates to enter the teaching field. And from a researcher's viewpoint, it speaks to the major question of what the situation looks like within subject-matter preparation currently, and what types of programs encourage or inhibit the development of subject-matter expertise among secondary teacher candidates. Within a qualitative paradigm, the findings present a picture of what a typical pathway toward preparation might look like for a secondary teacher candidate at a large, doctoral-granting institution with a flexible literature curriculum. This study uses a grounded theory approach to explore what type of curricular context might aid or inhibit the development of subject-matter expertise within disciplinary preparation. It concludes with a discussion of implications and recommendations for teacher educators, professors of literature, and policymakers.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0061
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effect of Guided Questioning on Student Achievement, Self Regulatory Behavior, and Self-Efficacy in a Biology for Non Majors Class.
Creator: Debroux, Margie L., Wager, Walter W., Reardon, Robert C., Driscoll, Marcy P., Keller, John M., Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined the effect of guided questioning prompts within cooperative learning groups on group performance and individual achievement, self-regulation, and domain self-efficacy. In comparison to the less guided questioning prompts, the more guided questioning prompts would be used to facilitate reflection activities within a group, which would serve as a model for learners to incorporate such reflective activities into their individual self-regulation. It is anticipated that the...
Show moreThis study examined the effect of guided questioning prompts within cooperative learning groups on group performance and individual achievement, self-regulation, and domain self-efficacy. In comparison to the less guided questioning prompts, the more guided questioning prompts would be used to facilitate reflection activities within a group, which would serve as a model for learners to incorporate such reflective activities into their individual self-regulation. It is anticipated that the development of individual self-regulation will increase domain-specific self-efficacy, and in turn, improve academic achievement. A pretest-posttest comparison group design was utilized in which 37 learners enrolled in two sections of a non-majors biology course at a Southeastern community college worked in cooperative learning groups of three to four learners. Over the course of four weeks, the cooperative learning groups were given either more guided questioning prompts (MGQP) or less guided questioning prompts (LGQP) to facilitate discussion about planning and monitoring group processes to create a group project of a presentation and paper. Pre- and post- intervention survey data were collected in regard to individual academic achievement, self-regulatory behaviors, and biology self-efficacy. This study did not find any quantitative support for the hypotheses and the qualitative data yielded mixed support for the hypotheses. Cooperative learning groups in the MGQP treatment level produced papers that appeared to be more collaborative and were more likely to mention specific activities that worked well during the process of developing the project. However, cooperative learning groups in the LGQP treatment level demonstrated less variance in their progress toward the project goal, especially during the meeting prior to project submission. In addition, members of the cooperative learning groups in the LGQP treatment level were more likely to mention the social aspects of the project, such as being committed to the group. The implications and limitations of this study are presented as well as recommendations for future research.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0065
Format: Thesis

Title: Identification and Analysis of Pedagogical Techniques in Decartes' La Géométrie.
Creator: Dean, Amanda Saxon, Clark, Kathleen M., Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Aspinwall, Leslie, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Much research has been conducted about the philosophy and mathematical writings of René Descartes, but that which focuses on pedagogy does so in a holistic manner. The present study uses a systematic approach to identify pedagogical techniques within each sentence of Descartes' La Géométrie. Next, the study provides an analysis of La Géométrie based on the techniques identified, their frequencies, and patterns of use within the text. The results of this analysis indicate that Descartes placed...
Show moreMuch research has been conducted about the philosophy and mathematical writings of René Descartes, but that which focuses on pedagogy does so in a holistic manner. The present study uses a systematic approach to identify pedagogical techniques within each sentence of Descartes' La Géométrie. Next, the study provides an analysis of La Géométrie based on the techniques identified, their frequencies, and patterns of use within the text. The results of this analysis indicate that Descartes placed a high value on the use of demonstration, particularly in conjunction with deductive reasoning and multiple representations; that Descartes believed his method of approaching mathematical problems was superior to other methods; and that Descartes was in fact concerned with whether his readers understood his ideas or not.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0062
Format: Thesis

Title: Community Schools in Mali: A Multilevel Analysis.
Creator: Capacci Carneal, Christine, Monkman, Karen, Miles, Rebecca, Easton, Peter, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Community schools are alternative education strategies hailed in some circles as successful educational development endeavors. In Mali, support for community schools began in 1992 using nonformal education strategies to engage rural Malians in a three-year endeavor to provide literacy, numeracy, vocational, and life skills to children in rural areas with limited access to formal schools. Today there are over 1700 community schools in Mali offering the full primary cycle. This study examines...
Show moreCommunity schools are alternative education strategies hailed in some circles as successful educational development endeavors. In Mali, support for community schools began in 1992 using nonformal education strategies to engage rural Malians in a three-year endeavor to provide literacy, numeracy, vocational, and life skills to children in rural areas with limited access to formal schools. Today there are over 1700 community schools in Mali offering the full primary cycle. This study examines community schools in Mali from multiple standpoints to analyze various stakeholder understandings of and experiences with them from three separate, yet overlapping levels: international, national, and local. What are the notions and practices regarding community schools at each level? Where do opinions of community schools converge and what are the differences in opinion at the various levels? The community schools in Mali, in this study supported with the assistance of Save the Children/USA, serve as a case study to present an embedded and layered analysis of the various viewpoints attributed to community schools by different stakeholders. The study includes an overview and examination of the nature and history of community schools in Mali based on analytical document reviews and field research done during the 1999-2000 academic year. Interpretive frameworks are considered to analyze why community schools are popular educational development strategies. The research contributes to a more integrated understanding of uses of and perceptions regarding community schools in Mali. At different levels diverse experiences exist regarding community schools. Results from the study include that communication between stakeholders at various levels is often challenging, that different ideas exist about what constitutes a "community" school, and that there is both harmony and disharmony in opinion regarding the direction of the community schools, particularly when referring to their ability to serve local versus national and international needs. Though community schools offer educational opportunities to marginalized children in Mali, there is debate over their purpose and ability to contribute to social change and development in rural, undeveloped areas. Paradoxically, though hailed for their "alternative" nature, community schools more often serve "traditional" education efforts and the international goal of achieving "education for all."
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0088
Format: Thesis

Title: A Comparative Analysis of Business Majors' Attitudes Toward Disability, Job Applicant Disability Status, and the Placeability of Persons with Disabilities.
Creator: Albritton, Felix Reginald, Ebener, Deborah J., Macpherson, David A., Menchetti, Bruce M., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State...
Show moreAlbritton, Felix Reginald, Ebener, Deborah J., Macpherson, David A., Menchetti, Bruce M., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: In this study, undergraduate students majoring in business (n = 124) were asked to examine then rate the overall strength of a job applicant's qualifications. The main thrust of this investigation was to examine the association between job applicant disability status and the strength of rating given the job applicant for employment. Three focal areas comprised this study. The first examined the impact of (a) disability status of the job applicant, (b) attitudes of the participants toward...
Show moreIn this study, undergraduate students majoring in business (n = 124) were asked to examine then rate the overall strength of a job applicant's qualifications. The main thrust of this investigation was to examine the association between job applicant disability status and the strength of rating given the job applicant for employment. Three focal areas comprised this study. The first examined the impact of (a) disability status of the job applicant, (b) attitudes of the participants toward people with a disability, and (c) prior contact with people having a disability on the hiring decisions of the participants. The second focal area examined the extent to which the association between the job applicant's disability status and strength of rating given the applicant varied depending on the participants' (a) attitudes toward people with a disability and (b) extent of prior contact with disability. The third focal area examined the extent to which attitudes toward people with a disability may be influenced by a job applicant's disability status and whether attitudes toward people with a disability mediate the association between the job applicant's disability status and the strength of rating given the applicant for employment. The Attitude Toward Disabled Persons (ATDP) Scale, Form – O (Yuker, Block, & Campbell, 1960) provided a measure of attitudes. A six-point job applicant rating scale was used to measure the propensity for hiring the applicant. A four-point scale was adopted to provide a measure of prior contact with disability. The demographic factors of age, gender, and race/ethnicity were also incorporated into the analyses. The participants of the study were randomly assigned to one of two groups based on their class membership. One group of participants viewed a video depicting the job applicant sitting in a wheelchair when greeted by the interviewer while participants assigned to the second group viewed a video showing the job applicant walking when being greeted. Results of bivariate as well as multivariate analysis indicated that the participants in both groups comprising this study tended to rank both job applicants favorably without regard to their disability status. Ratings submitted by participants viewing the job applicant not in a wheelchair versus those viewing the job applicant in a wheelchair were 1.295 and 1.370 respectively (p = 0.6920). Multivariate analysis revealed that a significant amount of the variance in attitudes toward people with a disability was explained by the set of independent variables (R2 = 0.1459, p = 0.0092). The variance in attitudes toward people with a disability was explained primarily by disability status (â = 7.2895, p = 0.0011) and Hispanic ethnicity (â = 7.9547, p = 0.0241), with those viewing the job applicant in a wheelchair having more positive attitudes toward people with a disability than those viewing the job applicant not in a wheelchair, and those of Hispanic ethnicity having more positive attitudes toward people with a disability than whites. The implications for assessment and placement practices in the field of vocational rehabilitation have been provided as well as suggestions for future research.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0046
Format: Thesis

Title: Automated Essay Scoring in an English as a Second Language Setting.
Creator: Dikli, Semire, Hasson, Deborah, Jeong, Allan, Kennell, Patrick, Wood, Susan, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The main purpose of this study was to explore how two ESL students who are exposed to the AES feedback as opposed to two who are presented the written TF incorporated the type of feedback they received into their drafts. The participants consisted of adult ESL students who were attending at the Intensive English Center at a university in North Florida. A class of 12 students was divided into two groups. Approximately half of the students were exposed to computerized feedback (AES group) and...
Show moreThe main purpose of this study was to explore how two ESL students who are exposed to the AES feedback as opposed to two who are presented the written TF incorporated the type of feedback they received into their drafts. The participants consisted of adult ESL students who were attending at the Intensive English Center at a university in North Florida. A class of 12 students was divided into two groups. Approximately half of the students were exposed to computerized feedback (AES group) and the other half received written feedback from the teacher (TF group). However, the focus of this study was four case study students (two from each group). The data were collected through various sources: a) diagnostic essays, b) student essays on five writing prompts (both first and subsequent drafts), c) analytic and/or holistic feedback that were assigned to the essays either by the MY Access!® program or by the teacher, d) demographic, computer literacy, and opinion surveys, e) student and teacher interviews, and f) classroom observations. The results of the study revealed that the nature of the AES feedback and written feedback was different from each other. While the written TF was shorter and more focused, the AES feedback was quite long and generic. The MY Access!® program provided extensive amount of feedback points on all five traits. The document (essay) analysis results revealed that the program suggested twice as many usable feedback points as written feedback points provided by the teacher. However, the students who were exposed to the MY Access!® program used only the half of the usable feedback points suggested. The results also showed that both feedback pairs were quite similar within pairs, and they were substantially different across pairs in terms of the feedback points they were suggested on five traits. Furthermore, while the extent to which each pair used the type of feedback they received in their drafts was quite similar within pairs for most traits, it varied dramatically across pairs for all prompts with the exception of the mechanics and conventions feedback. This study is unique because there has been no research published regarding the use of an AES system in an ESL classroom setting at the time of this study was being conducted. It is the only study that focused on the feedback capacities of an AES program rather than its scoring ability.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0080
Format: Thesis

Title: Preschool Aggression within the Social Context: A Study of Families, Teachers, and the Classroom Environment.
Creator: Adams, Jennifer Leigh, Jones, Ithel, Ratliffe, Thomas, Lake, Vickie E., Wolfgang, Charles H., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State...
Show moreAdams, Jennifer Leigh, Jones, Ithel, Ratliffe, Thomas, Lake, Vickie E., Wolfgang, Charles H., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the extent, if any, of possible relationships between child (gender and race), family (birth order, parental age at child's birth, educational level, marital status, household income, and the biological father living in the home), teacher (proximity and perception), and classroom (global quality and location) variables and aggression (physical, relational, telling, and avoidance). Expulsions from preschool occur at an alarming rate due to...
Show moreThe purpose of this correlational study was to examine the extent, if any, of possible relationships between child (gender and race), family (birth order, parental age at child's birth, educational level, marital status, household income, and the biological father living in the home), teacher (proximity and perception), and classroom (global quality and location) variables and aggression (physical, relational, telling, and avoidance). Expulsions from preschool occur at an alarming rate due to aggressive acts in the classroom against peers and teachers. A total of thirty children and their families, six teachers, and three for-profit community child care centers participated in this naturalistic examination of aggression within the social context. Data collected using the Preschool Social Behavior Scales (Crick, Casas, & Mosher, 1997), the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale – Revised (ECERS-R) (Harms, Clifford, & Cryer, 1998), child observation log, and a family questionnaire provided a rich source of data from multiple informants. Pearson Moment Product Correlations and hierarchical linear regression were used to analyze existence of possible relationships. Consistent with previous studies, gender was a critical factor, as boys were more likely to exhibit physical aggression. Interestingly, child and family variables were not a factor in predicting aggression within the social context of the classroom. Rather, the findings suggested that teacher proximity was critical in the prediction of aggression in the classroom, as the teacher's proximity increases so does the likelihood of aggression. Teachers and children agreed on children who were physically aggressive; however, they did not agree on relational aggressors, thus suggesting further importance of the social context. This study provides support for the use of alternative measures for classroom quality, such as the calculation of play units rather than the use of the ECERS-R, which did not predict aggression. The actual location of the aggressive act was suggested to predict children's aggression in the classroom; specifically, blocks, cubbies, open table tops, and the areas that were undefined for children had the highest frequencies of aggression. Implications for early childhood practitioners include critical examination of the components of the classroom environment, including adequate quantities and quality of play materials, organized play spaces, a balance of open ended and specific use or closed centers, and the floor plan of furniture and traffic patterns within the classroom. Additionally, the teacher proximity must be utilized to reduce the likelihood of aggression among young children. Teacher training is a possible intervention for reducing expulsion in preschools. Future research is recommended in similar community based settings in order to generalize these findings to a larger population.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0114
Format: Thesis

Title: A Qualitative Study: Algebra Honor Students' Cognitive Obstacles as They Explore Concepts of Quadratic Functions.
Creator: Eraslan, Ali, Aspinwall, Leslie, Shargel, Emanuel I., Jakubowski, Elizabeth, Fernández, Maria L., Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: With the paradigm shift from a behavioral to a constructivist perspective in teaching and learning of mathematics, students' thought processes have become a major focus for learning and students' learning of the specific subject matter has been analyzed and approached more qualitatively. In parallel to this development, the present study attempted to describe two algebra-honor students' cognitive obstacles in the learning of quadratic functions. In particular, along with students' concept...
Show moreWith the paradigm shift from a behavioral to a constructivist perspective in teaching and learning of mathematics, students' thought processes have become a major focus for learning and students' learning of the specific subject matter has been analyzed and approached more qualitatively. In parallel to this development, the present study attempted to describe two algebra-honor students' cognitive obstacles in the learning of quadratic functions. In particular, along with students' concept image and definition for the quadratic function (Tall & Vinner, 1981), five other aspects of quadratic functions were examined to identify students' cognitive obstacles surrounding quadratic functions. These five aspects, adapted by Wilson (1994) who identified the most important aspects of the function concept for deep understanding, were as follows: translating, determining, interpreting, solving quadratic equations, and using quadratic models. A multiple case study involving two algebra honor students was designed and implemented. Two honor students under the pseudonyms of Richard and Colin were purposely chosen and voluntarily participated in this study. Data were obtained from one-on-one clinical interviews, students' written work (a test, quiz, and questionnaire), and classroom observations. The analysis particularly focused on identifying students' cognitive processes as they worked on quadratic tasks during the interviews. The whole data were analyzed through the lens of an integrated framework using Schoenfeld's (1989) level of mathematical analysis and structure and Tall and Vinner's (1981) framework of concept image and concept definition. The study revealed the cognitive obstacles that Richard and Colin encountered during the study of quadratic functions. In light of these obstacles, the following four assertions were made in this study: (1) one of the obstacles arises from a lack of making and investigating mathematical connections between algebraic and graphical aspects of the concepts, (2) another cognitive obstacle arises from the need to make an unfamiliar idea more familiar, (3) a third cognitive obstacle arises from the disequilibrium between algebraic and graphical thinking, and (4) the image of the quadratic formula or absolute value function has a potential to create an obstacle to mathematical learning. This study has important applications for classroom teaching. By identifying the students' cognitive obstacles based on the six aspects of quadratic functions, the study indicates which obstacles are associated with certain aspects of quadratic functions. Moreover, in light of these obstacles, it emphasizes the interrelation and complementary aspect of algebraic and graphical thinking in an ongoing back-and-forth process in learning and teaching of quadratic functions.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0557
Format: Thesis

Title: The Attitudes and Beliefs of a Female Science Teacher: Implications in Relation to Gender and Pedagogical Practice.
Creator: Zapata, Mara, Gallard, Alejandro J., Ruscher, Paul H., Davis, Nancy T., Milligan, Jeffrey, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Recognizing the role of the larger patriarchal structure in framing social expectations, identifying preconceived notions about gender, and the self-concept of students is critical in understanding what goes on in science classrooms and why. This study examines the relationships between teaching science and gender dynamics in society, and the way in which a female science teacher brings her life experiences to the classroom through her pedagogical practices and interactions with students....
Show moreRecognizing the role of the larger patriarchal structure in framing social expectations, identifying preconceived notions about gender, and the self-concept of students is critical in understanding what goes on in science classrooms and why. This study examines the relationships between teaching science and gender dynamics in society, and the way in which a female science teacher brings her life experiences to the classroom through her pedagogical practices and interactions with students. These interactions and intents of the teacher are shaped by society, both academically and socially, thus influencing the development and perpetuation of gender identity and doing gender in society. In this case study of a female science teacher, numerous observations, field notes, researcher interpretations, and assertions were developed. As meanings were negotiated, intent of actions was defined using significant statements, clustered to produce invariant meaning units. Both the participant's intents and how she interpreted her experiences were central to the understandings sought in this study. The findings of this study point to the tensions between Laura's attitudes and beliefs and her pedagogical practices, disconfirming these as they pertain to gender in relation to teaching and learning science. The findings also support questioning the role of intentionality and a teacher's perceived ability to adhere to intentions while practicing within the norms established by the social institution of schools operating within the larger structures of society. The major findings and implications are relevant to the manner teachers are prepared and encouraged to enact their practice by departments and boards of education, prepared by institutions of higher education and subsequent participation in professional development. Specifically, calling attention to how these educational frameworks emphasize or de-emphasize the role of teachers and promote cognizance in terms of the culture of schools, reflective of the larger structures of society. Understanding the larger social structures and manner in which science in particular is formally packaged with its hegemonic reality and power arrangements reflective of such society is important if teachers are going to enact their practice in ways that facilitate this understanding to students.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0593
Format: Thesis

Title: An Assessment of Teachers' Experiences in Scientific Research as a Method for Conceptual Development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Inquiry.
Creator: Dutrow, Jeff, Southerland, Sherry, Gilmer, Penny J., Herrnkind, William, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This purpose of this study was to assess the development of teachers' conceptual understanding about inquiry in a professional development program designed to provide scientific research experiences as a means for increasing the practice of inquiry-based teaching. The teacher's experiences in inquiry-based scientific research were the focus of reflective journal sessions employed as a pedagogical tool. The lead scientist also participated in the journaling process in order to develop a...
Show moreThis purpose of this study was to assess the development of teachers' conceptual understanding about inquiry in a professional development program designed to provide scientific research experiences as a means for increasing the practice of inquiry-based teaching. The teacher's experiences in inquiry-based scientific research were the focus of reflective journal sessions employed as a pedagogical tool. The lead scientist also participated in the journaling process in order to develop a template describing his role as facilitator of the research experiences. The lead scientist's template, representing his conceptions of inquiry, was consolidated into a set of three essential features: Provocative Phenomena, Questions, and Ownership. These features were compared to the teachers' perceptions of their inquiry-based research experiences. Results from this comparison showed that each of the features of inquiry were intelligible to the teachers. There were no significant differences between teachers' perceptions of inquiry when sorted by grade level. This study suggests that the identification of a Provocative Phenomena is an essential feature of inquiry that has been largely overlooked. Other important implications of this research include the ability of elementary teachers to profit from such experience, and the difficulty in constructing understandings of inquiry. Suggestions for future research are included.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0621
Format: Thesis

Title: The Effect of Mental Training with Biofeedback on Entering Optimal Individual Affect-Related Performance Zones.
Creator: Edmonds, William Alexander, Tenenbaum, Gershon, Glueckauf, Robert, Kamata, Akihito, Jr., Francis D. Kelly, Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida...
Show moreEdmonds, William Alexander, Tenenbaum, Gershon, Glueckauf, Robert, Kamata, Akihito, Jr., Francis D. Kelly, Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: An investigation is reported by which a multimodal assessment of affect was incorporated by measuring introspective (verbal reports) and objective (heart rate and skin conductance) measures in a laboratory setting for the purpose of applying a biofeedback intervention using Blumenstein & Bar-Eli's (2001) Wingate Five-step approach. The foundation of this experiment was based on an empirically supported concept (i.e., probabilistic determinations of Individual Affect-related Performance Zones;...
Show moreAn investigation is reported by which a multimodal assessment of affect was incorporated by measuring introspective (verbal reports) and objective (heart rate and skin conductance) measures in a laboratory setting for the purpose of applying a biofeedback intervention using Blumenstein & Bar-Eli's (2001) Wingate Five-step approach. The foundation of this experiment was based on an empirically supported concept (i.e., probabilistic determinations of Individual Affect-related Performance Zones; Kamata et al., 2002) in order to verify the utility and effectiveness of the intervention by manipulating affective performance states in a racecar simulator. Nine male participants complete five separate time trials of a simulated racing task and then were randomly assigned to one of three arousal regulation treatment conditions (three participants per group): (1) optimal arousal-regulation, (2) poor arousal-regulation, and (3) attention control. Following the BFB intervention, the participants underwent another series of race trials to determine the effectiveness of the arousal regulation intervention. The results indicate general and relative similarities in the strength and direction of the perceived and physiological states between the participants; however, the subtle details of the participants' unique performance zones, and the probability of achieving each zone was revealed to be unique between the participants and between the groups. The results indicate that (a) the BFB manipulation resulted in the expected changes for all the groups, and (b) there were some large individual differences between the participants, necessitating the idiosyncratic approach. The results are further discussed in the context of the stimulus-response specificity principle (Andreassi, 1989), Sternbach's (1966) individual response-stereotypy, as well as the Inverted-U hypothesis (Yerkes & Dodson, 1908). Future research directions and practical implications are also offered.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0600
Format: Thesis

Title: College Student Spiritual Quest: Influences of Community Service Involvement and Diversity-Related Experiences.
Creator: Eberhardt, David Michael, Dalton, Jon C., Rice, Diana, Beckham, Joseph, Schwartz, Robert A., Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The spiritual life of college students has largely been overlooked by many American colleges and universities. However, a surge of interest in college student spirituality has emerged in recent years. This interest has led to research that has attempted to define and identify aspects of spirituality, as well as determine the importance of spirituality to other areas of student development. Minimal research, however, has attempted to connect student spiritual development to collegiate...
Show moreThe spiritual life of college students has largely been overlooked by many American colleges and universities. However, a surge of interest in college student spirituality has emerged in recent years. This interest has led to research that has attempted to define and identify aspects of spirituality, as well as determine the importance of spirituality to other areas of student development. Minimal research, however, has attempted to connect student spiritual development to collegiate experiences and influences in the campus environment. This study attempted to reduce this gap in the professional literature by examining how traditional-aged college student involvement in community service and experiences with diverse peers impacts their spiritual quest, a concept which focuses especially on students' search for meaning, purpose and understanding in their lives. Through a quantitative, longitudinal, national panel study, college students were surveyed in summer, 2004 and spring, 2007. The survey included items that asked students about their spiritual and religious beliefs and practices, and related experiences, goals, attitudes, and opinions. Utilizing one public research institution's data from this national study, factor and path analyses were employed to determine if significant relationships existed between race, gender, pre-college spiritual quest, community service involvement, diversity-related experiences (defined broadly to include interactions across race/ethnicity, religion, politics, and other differences), and collegiate spiritual quest. Results indicated significant direct effects from pre-college spiritual quest and diversity-related experiences on collegiate spiritual quest, but not for community service involvement. A strong indirect effect for community service involvement emerged however, through diversity-related experiences. Neither race nor gender exhibited significant direct or indirect effects on collegiate spiritual quest. Total effects on collegiate spiritual quest were significant for pre-college spiritual quest, community service involvement, and diversity-related experiences. The strongest direct influence among all variables existed from community service involvement towards diversity-related experience, but greatest total influence occurred from pre-college spiritual quest to collegiate spiritual quest. Limitations of the study include a convenience sample of small size, gender imbalance, and single institution for all participants. A lengthy, self-report survey and history effect from the tragic shooting in April, 2007 at Virginia Tech also may have impacted this study. Implications of the findings are considered finally. For developmental theory, the results suggest that spiritual quest grows and evolves during college within students' broader spirituality, and that identity development is closely tied to the development of spiritual quest. Further research is proposed with an emphasis on in-depth qualitative study to follow up on this study's findings, as well as replication of the study at different types of institutions to examine more thoroughly the influences found here. Outcomes regarding educational policies and developmental practices are outlined, including the addition of spiritual quest development as an explicit and anticipated outcome in institutions' promotion to students of community service and diversity experiences. Means by which institutions can foster spiritual quest in service-learning and volunteer initiatives are offered, along with ideas for the enhancement of diversity-related programming to highlight the development of spiritual quest.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0602
Format: Thesis

Title: School Culture: Exploring Its Relationship with Mental Models and Leadership Behaviors in Schools.
Creator: Duncan, Doreen Agatha, Lick, Dale W., Tate, Richard, Funk, Fanchon, Easton, Peter, Hassler, Laura, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among variables reflecting the cultures, mental models or thinking styles, and leadership behaviors for elementary, middle, and senior high schools. This study explored the characteristics of thinking styles and leadership behaviors as they related to school culture. It was important to find out how these constructs, differ depending on school level, gender, position and years of experience. The three constructs were school culture,...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among variables reflecting the cultures, mental models or thinking styles, and leadership behaviors for elementary, middle, and senior high schools. This study explored the characteristics of thinking styles and leadership behaviors as they related to school culture. It was important to find out how these constructs, differ depending on school level, gender, position and years of experience. The three constructs were school culture, mental models or thinking styles and leadership behaviors of school administrators. School administrators studied consisted of both female and male principals and assistant principals from K-12 schools in Riverhills County (a pseudonym). This research design was a quantitative correlational study. The Pearson Product –Moment, multiple regression analyses, and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), were used to examine the research questions to determine the relationships between the dependent and independent variables. Instead of the usual alpha level of a = .05 that is recommended for educational research, the decision was made to control for the family-wise error rate and to set a more rigorous level of significance for alpha (a = .01). The survey instruments utilized to measure the constructs of mental models, leadership behaviors and current school culture were: the Inquiry Mode Questionnaire (Bramson-Harrison, 1982), the Leadership Orientations Self-Survey (Bolman & Deal, 1991), and results of the Whole School Effectiveness Survey (Riverhills County School). For the two primary questions: relationships were found between school culture and mental models, but they were not of statistical significance; relationships between school culture and the four frames of leadership behaviors were not of significance. There were four secondary questions to further explain the relationships of the three constructs. Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses showed statistically significant relationships between the four frame and dimensions of leadership behaviors and demographic variables. Characteristics of current school culture had statistically significant inverse relationships with gender of school administrators. School level one(elementary schools) had statistically significant relationships with all the characteristics of current school culture (assumptions, behaviors, beliefs, norms and values). Statistically significant differences were found between the idealist and realist mental models for female and male school administrators. Finally, effectiveness as manager and leader were found to be statistically significant with the four frames of leadership behaviors (i.e., structural, human resource, political and symbolic).
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0640
Format: Thesis

Title: The Relationship of Teacher Knowledge and First-Grade Reading Outcomes in Low-Income Schools.
Creator: Duggar, Staci Walton, Piazza, Carolyn L., Torgesen, Joseph K., Palmer, Barbara C., Tate, Richard, Roehrig, Alysia D., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability...
Show moreDuggar, Staci Walton, Piazza, Carolyn L., Torgesen, Joseph K., Palmer, Barbara C., Tate, Richard, Roehrig, Alysia D., Department of Childhood Education, Reading and Disability Services, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: This study explored the relationships between teacher knowledge and first-grade reading outcomes in low-income schools. Three teacher knowledge measures were adapted to assess alphabetic principle knowledge, comprehensive language knowledge, and vocabulary knowledge. Student phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension outcomes were assessed using the DIBELS and SAT/10. Sixty-nine teachers and 1146 first-grade students in 15 low-income schools participated. Results showed a...
Show moreThis study explored the relationships between teacher knowledge and first-grade reading outcomes in low-income schools. Three teacher knowledge measures were adapted to assess alphabetic principle knowledge, comprehensive language knowledge, and vocabulary knowledge. Student phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension outcomes were assessed using the DIBELS and SAT/10. Sixty-nine teachers and 1146 first-grade students in 15 low-income schools participated. Results showed a wide range of scores on the teacher knowledge assessments, indicating a need for some of the participant teachers to improve their knowledge. In addition, teacher knowledge was compared to student outcomes and the significance of these relationships was varied. For all three teacher knowledge tests, student outcomes in phonics were significantly related to initial student differences. Student outcomes in fluency were significantly related to initial student differences for teacher knowledge about the alphabetic principle and comprehensive language knowledge. Student outcomes in reading comprehension were significantly related to initial student differences for teacher comprehensive language and vocabulary knowledge. When controlled for initial student differences, there were significant positive relationships between teacher alphabetic principle knowledge and student comprehension and teacher vocabulary knowledge and student fluency, and a significant negative relationship between teacher vocabulary knowledge and student phonemic awareness. The relationships between teacher alphabetic principle and comprehensive language knowledge and student phonemic awareness were non significant.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0647
Format: Thesis

Title: Building Community: African Dancing and Drumming in the Little Village of Tallahassee, Florida.
Creator: Davis-Craig, Andrea-Latoya, Villeneuve, Pat, Young, Patricia, Rosal, Marcia, Anderson, Tom, Department of Art Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A socially created community has emerged in Tallahassee, Florida, with West African dancing and drumming at its core. This phenomenological study is to describe and understand the nature of the African dancing and drumming community in Tallahassee, Florida, and its function within its participants' lives as focused on from a group paradigm using a participant case study design. The basic research question is what are the factors that allow African dancing and drumming to help build "community...
Show moreA socially created community has emerged in Tallahassee, Florida, with West African dancing and drumming at its core. This phenomenological study is to describe and understand the nature of the African dancing and drumming community in Tallahassee, Florida, and its function within its participants' lives as focused on from a group paradigm using a participant case study design. The basic research question is what are the factors that allow African dancing and drumming to help build "community" as the participants describe community? This research uses social survey document analysis, participant observation, interviews (personal and oral history), and focus group methodology to 1) provide an accurate historical account of the development, major milestones, and contributors to the Tallahassee African dance and drum scene, 2) determine what the participants mean by the term "community" and establish a definition of community based on their meaning utilizing the McMillan and Chavis (1986, 1996) model, and 3) identify what factors led to the creation and sustaining of this sense of community. Based on my research, I was able to develop a context specific definition for the term community: The Tallahassee African Dance and Drum community consists of multi-generation members, relating and functioning like a family, providing support and energy for one another, while paying homage to the African cultural traditions, developing through an organic evolution and maintaining through a love for the art. Additionally, through this research process I have identified a set of key elements necessary to create and sustain the members' sense of community. These elements are: (a) appreciation of tradition; (b) concept of family; (c) communication; (d) support; (e) energy; (f) love of the arts. I have found that in the Tallahassee African dance and drum community, dance has extended beyond a classroom experience and has integrated itself into a way of functioning for most participants. The embracing of family along with the cultural and organizational traditions (social organization) that are in place has created a village (in the African sense of the word) in the capital city of Florida.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0801
Format: Thesis

Title: Reading in an Online Hypertext Environment: A Case Study of Tenth-Grade English Students.
Creator: Dail, Jennifer S., Carroll, Pamela S., Milton, Sande, Wood, Susan N., Palmer, Barbara, Department of Middle and Secondary Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Literacy emerges as a key concept in English language arts classrooms and in education in general. The components of literacy important to classroom instruction come under continuous political fire as schools, classrooms, and society continue to change. Technology represents a recent change in the literacy demands and practices in today's classrooms. Computers and access to the Internet and the hypertext documents it contains illustrate a prevalent means through which technology has...
Show moreLiteracy emerges as a key concept in English language arts classrooms and in education in general. The components of literacy important to classroom instruction come under continuous political fire as schools, classrooms, and society continue to change. Technology represents a recent change in the literacy demands and practices in today's classrooms. Computers and access to the Internet and the hypertext documents it contains illustrate a prevalent means through which technology has infiltrated classrooms. As a result, more and more students turn to the Internet for information and more and more teachers create assignments that require students to access the Internet. In this study, a tenth-grade English language arts class was observed to identify the following: 1) the environment of a tenth-grade classroom using computers regularly in the new millennium, and 2) the processes tenth-grade students use when reading online hypertext. Existing research regarding literacy and reading comprehension was examined to then create a foundation for examining the role of computers and hypertext in literacy activities. This framework was used as a lens through which to view the activities in the classroom in which the research was conducted. This study employed a variety of methods in identifying the two key issues. The methods utilized in this study included the analysis of observational field notes, attitudinal surveys, transcribed video tapes of think aloud protocols, cookie files, and student responses to reading comprehension questions. Students participated in online hypertext reading designed specifically to meet the coinciding curricular goals of their classroom. Cookie files tracked students' movements throughout the hypertext and reading comprehension questions identified their understanding of the hypertext. Think-aloud protocols and follow-up interviews with selected students further illuminated the reading processes these students employed while interacting with the hypertext document. This study found that in a classroom environment where computers are an ongoing component of instruction there exists a social dimension to working in that context whereby students share knowledge with each other. Other components of this classroom environment found through the study included students searching for information via the Internet and using the computer for a variety of purposes inside and outside the school environment. This study also found that students utilize a variety of strategies when reading hypertext via the Internet, including: scrolling the document, skimming the text, note-taking by hand, summarizing information, and relying on prior knowledge. Despite employing traditional reading strategies, students scored low on the comprehension questions assessing their understanding of the hypertext. The findings of this study indicated that students need direct instruction in the applying reading strategies in this new literacy context.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0857
Format: Thesis

Title: A Descriptive Analysis of Concurrent Instruction in Secondary Choral Rehearsals.
Creator: Zrust, Adam Charles, Bowers, Judy K. (Judy Kay), Clendinning, Jane Piper, Thomas, André J. (André Jerome), Fenton, Kevin, Florida State University, College of Music
Abstract/Description: Although many teachers use concurrent instructional strategies, little is known about how or when they function in rehearsal, or how frequently they are employed. The purpose of the present study was to examine pitched and unpitched concurrent instructional behaviors as they occurred naturally in secondary choral rehearsals over time. Three master teachers (two male, one female) with at least 10, 20, and 30 years of teaching experience, respectively, recorded their rehearsals over the course...
Show moreAlthough many teachers use concurrent instructional strategies, little is known about how or when they function in rehearsal, or how frequently they are employed. The purpose of the present study was to examine pitched and unpitched concurrent instructional behaviors as they occurred naturally in secondary choral rehearsals over time. Three master teachers (two male, one female) with at least 10, 20, and 30 years of teaching experience, respectively, recorded their rehearsals over the course of approximately six weeks, from the introduction of a new piece of literature, through the point in time when it is deemed “performance-ready” by the director. Data were recorded, on average, twice per week, in the form 15-20 minutes of audio footage, and sent to the researcher for analysis. Results indicate that mean concurrent instruction was present for 25.88% of a given rehearsal. The most frequently used pitched behavior was singing and the most frequently used unpitched behavior was the academic hustle. Potential implications for music education practitioners and directions for future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: FSU_SUMMER2017_Zrust_fsu_0071E_13949
Format: Thesis

Title: LGB Sponsorship Stigma: An Athlete's Sexuality and Its Effect on Their Endorsement Effectiveness.
Creator: Pereira, Benjamin R. (Benjamin Rudy), James, Jeffrey D., Du, James, Kim, Amy C. H., Florida State University, College of Education, Department of Sport Management
Abstract/Description: In 2018 we continue to live in a divisive society, including divisions across racial and gender boundaries and among those with different sexual orientations. Athletes today, partially as a result of the pervasiveness of social media, are choosing to be more visible, and share more of their personal lives, many times in an effort to use sport as a platform for change. This study investigated whether athletes’ personal lives, particularly their sexual orientation, effects their ability to...
Show moreIn 2018 we continue to live in a divisive society, including divisions across racial and gender boundaries and among those with different sexual orientations. Athletes today, partially as a result of the pervasiveness of social media, are choosing to be more visible, and share more of their personal lives, many times in an effort to use sport as a platform for change. This study investigated whether athletes’ personal lives, particularly their sexual orientation, effects their ability to serve as a brand endorser. Historically, Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Queer (LGBTQ) athletes have chosen to refrain from discussing their sexual orientation. LGBTQ athletes from across the spectrum, both out and closeted, have expressed that a main reason for not “coming out” at all, or coming out after gaining a level of celebrity, typically post retirement from their sport, is a fear of losing endorsements and/or sponsorship deals. Data was collected from a group of students (n=217) from a large public university in the Southeastern United States. A 2 (Male/Female) x 2 (Heterosexual/Homosexual Athlete) between-subjects experimental design was used to examine perceptions of endorser fit, attitudes and purchase intentions. The results signaled that public knowledge of an athlete’s sexuality does not have a significant effect on the athlete’s ability to serve as a brand endorser, in the context of attitude towards the endorser, brand, product, and purchase intent.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: 2018_Su_Pereira_fsu_0071N_14805
Format: Thesis

Title: Analyzing Teachers' Use of Oral Language During Literacy Instruction.
Creator: Lashington, Jessica Kimberly, Florida Center for Reading Research
Abstract/Description: Researchers are increasingly finding connections with oral language and children's growth in literacy. Some have questioned if teachers oral language have a big impact on the reading skills of children. To analyze this, video footage has been gathered following children and teachers from 1st grade to 3rd grade during literacy instruction. The two overarching goals of the study are (1) to explore development of oral and silent reading fluency (including reading prosody) and their relation with...
Show moreResearchers are increasingly finding connections with oral language and children's growth in literacy. Some have questioned if teachers oral language have a big impact on the reading skills of children. To analyze this, video footage has been gathered following children and teachers from 1st grade to 3rd grade during literacy instruction. The two overarching goals of the study are (1) to explore development of oral and silent reading fluency (including reading prosody) and their relation with reading comprehension for first through third grade students, and to examine whether the relation varies as a function of students' word reading proficiency; and (2) to document and describe classroom instruction in oral and silent reading fluency, and further identify promising instructional practices for oral and silent reading fluency development. These videos were already captured from a larger longitudinal study and now are being transcribed to analyze the teacher's oral language. My contribution in this project was to transcribe the teacher's language during instruction using the SALT software. Once transcribed, coding will be developed to see if teachers' oral instruction has a significant influence on children's learning over the 3 years of observation. Because of the large volume of video observations, the transcriptions have not yet been analyzed yet, but once completed it will allow the researchers to answer the questions on teachers' oral language. This project also aims to assist in the development of other questions concerning children's literacy and the influential factors that could contribute to their development.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: FSU_migr_undergradsymposium2015-0017
Format: Citation

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