Motivating and inhibiting factors that affect student participation in distance education at Idaho State University

Leu, Chin-Wuu Idaho State University 2002 해외박사(DDOD)

The purpose of this study was to identify motivating and inhibiting factors that affected student participation in distance education at Idaho State University, and to examine if there were any statistically significant differences in motivating and inhibiting factors based on the selected demographic variables. Two types of distance education were investigated in this study: Online (asynchronous) and compressed video (synchronous) courses. The population of this study consisted of those students who took either online or compressed video courses in the early summer session, 2002, at Idaho State University. Forty-three online and 176 compressed video course students voluntarily responded to the surveys. The data analysis results using descriptive statistics indicated the extent to which participants agreed or disagreed with those factors listed in the surveys as motivating or inhibiting their participation in distance education. The rank and sample mean of each factor, which represented its degree of importance perceived by participants, were revealed in this study. The data analysis results using inferential statistics indicated there were some significant differences in those motivating and inhibiting factors based on several demographic variables, which might warrant further study. The different perceptions in motivating and inhibiting factors between two or more groups of a demographic variable could be distinguished by their ratings and group means. This study provided a systematic research procedure to investigate distance education. The conclusions and recommendations of this study could benefit students who will participate in distance education at Idaho State University.

Special education and No Child Left Behind: Exemplary principal perceptions of effective strategies in meeting Adequate Yearly Progress

Blount, Cyndee R University of Virginia 2007 해외박사(DDOD)

The purpose of this study was to gather knowledge about the challenge of No Child Left Behind and special education by asking principals who have successfully met Adequate Yearly Progress to share what they attribute to their success. The questions guiding this research included: (1) To what do principals of successful schools meeting AYP in the sub-category of special education attribute their success in the areas of (a) building-level leadership; (b) curriculum; (c) assessment; (2) What processes and evaluation methods did principals use and what challenges and mistakes did principals experience when making decisions to increase special education student outcomes? (3) To what extent do principals' perceptions align with the Minnesota Department of Education Leadership Standards for Special Education?. This descriptive research used an applied research design. Interviews were conducted to answer research questions one and two. To answer research question three, interview protocol was designed from The Minnesota Department of Education leadership standards for principals of special education programs. Data were analyzed through coding of the interviews using Guba's (1978) method of convergence and divergence (Patton, 2003, p. 465). The results of this study noted ten essential themes, perceived by leaders, as having an impact on meeting the mandates of NCLB. Principals discussed the following: building strong partnerships, a focus on IEP/accommodations, staffing issues, provisions of school time, staff/professional development, curriculum alignment, resource allocation, instructional services, alternative assessments, benchmark assessments and data analysis. When principals were asked to describe the process, challenges, and ideas used to sustain success, there were no consistent responses. The findings concluded that the Minnesota Department of Education Leadership Standards does align with principal perceptions. Of the thirteen standards, only two, mission and school climate, were not discussed. The current literature supports the findings of the research and offers several implications for leaders. First, principals should consider systems thinking when beginning new opportunities in an organization. Second, when leaders begin to implement change, they should consider situational leadership to guide the level of support given to employees. Third, in order to sustain a level of success, principals should consider the style and traits of a transformational leader.

The influence of Lilian G. Katz on early childhood education: An oral history

Wellen, Lauren A Northern Illinois University 2005 해외박사(DDOD)

This oral history was designed to investigate the life story and influences of Lilian G. Katz on early childhood education. The following research questions guided the study: (1) In what ways have Dr. Katz's life experiences and life stories influenced the direction of her work in the field of early childhood education? (2) What events, actions, beliefs, and attitudes shaped Dr. Katz's career development and mentoring at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)? (3) What events and actions have influenced Dr. Katz's career beyond the UIUC? (4) What have been Lilian G. Katz's contributions and impact on the field of early childhood education with respect to teacher education, curriculum design, dissemination of information, and leadership?. The data gathered for this study included audio recordings of in-depth interviews with Dr. Katz; responses to questionnaires from others who were part of her professional life; notes from the symposium given in her honor by the UIUC, and the former ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education; and her presentation at the National Association for the Education of Young Children conference on November 1, 2001. E-mail communication was also used to collect and verify information, and primary and secondary sources were reviewed. Dr. Katz's original quotes were retained in the body of the document to preserve the perspective and personality of the educator. Data explained how the four themes emerged. The themes were Lilian G. Katz as: (1) pioneer, (2) orchestrator, (3) internationalist, and (4) mentor. Political, historical, and educational influences of the era provide context for the events in Dr. Katz's life. The themes explain the data collected and provide a basis for the discussion of the oral history. Dr. Katz has dedicated her life to the field of early childhood education and contributed to it through her extensive research, publications, lecturing, teaching, and leadership. Learning about her life and the lives of other early childhood educators can guide the future directions of early childhood education.

Global education politics and policy: Discourses, coalitions, and coconstruction among globally committed national, state, and district actors

Tichnor-Wagner, Ariel The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 2016 해외박사(DDOD)

Our world today is more interconnected than ever before due to unprecedented levels of economic, political, social, and cultural globalization. There is growing recognition among policymakers, practitioners, and NGOs that schools must prepare students to live in a global society. Global education is one way of teaching that aims to prepare students with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed for citizenship in a globalized world. This three-article dissertation examines the politics and policies of global education in the United States on national, state, and local levels. The first article examines dominant discourses that national policy entrepreneurs have evoked when advocating for global education. A content analysis of documents disseminated by advocacy groups, foundations, government institutions, NGOs, and professional educator organizations promoting global education found that neoliberal and nationalist discourses were used most frequently overall. Yet neoliberal and nationalist discourses were also "stacked" alongside other discourses and not used by multiple NGOs. The second article uses the advocacy coalition framework to understand the evolution of state global education policy in one critical case: North Carolina. Analysis of interviews with 26 key informants and over 140 policy documents revealed that a broad coalition of governmental and non-governmental actors representing education, policymaking, and business sectors coalesced around four major policy objectives: systemic integration of global content and perspectives, language programs, international partnerships, and teacher training focused on global competency development. These beliefs translated into state policy incrementally passed between 2000 and 2015. Strategies that coalition members identified as catalyzing policy action included incremental will-building, setting a vision and following through, and creating hubs. The third article uses policy co-construction theory to explore how two globally committed school districts in North Carolina adapted state global education initiatives. Findings from this comparative case study demonstrate district-level actors' agency in adapting state global education initiatives based upon local context and multi-directional influences. Overall, these three studies illuminate the beliefs, strategies, structures, and contexts that have shaped the adoption and implementation of global education policies on a national, state, and local scale and hold implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to instill global competencies in K-12 students.

Building curriculum for teacher education: A study of video records of practice

Bacevich, Amy E University of Michigan 2010 해외박사(DDOD)

Research has long recognized the value of video technology in supporting preservice teachers' learning, and recent technological and conceptual advances further demonstrate its potential as an everyday tool for teacher education. This dissertation examines video's role in efforts to develop a "practice-based" curriculum for teacher education. Within a practice-focused theoretical framework (Reckwitz, 2002), this case study addresses features of the enacted curriculum that emerged as preservice teachers regularly shared and discussed videos of their teaching. The primary research question is: What curriculum for teacher education can develop over time through instructional use of video records of preservice teachers' practice?. Data were collected in a master's level secondary teacher education program in which preservice teachers used video technology to record their teaching throughout the student teaching semester. The data included recordings of 16 discussions in which preservice teachers discussed their teaching videos with their peers, recordings of teacher educators' planning meetings, and documents related to the teacher education program and course. Through an activity theory lens, I examined the loose structure provided by the teacher educators' instructional model for video discussions and the ways participants developed this model within discussions. Through verbal analysis methods (Chi, 1997), I identified the discourse moves enacted by participants, the categories of content addressed, and the degree of alignment with the theoretical conception of teaching as a practice. The findings reveal a curriculum that emphasized the teacher's authority to act in ways that influence her students' classroom experiences---particularly their participation and engagement---while accounting for the nuances of particular teaching contexts. The enacted curriculum was characterized by preservice teachers' collective engagement in clinical reasoning and the interplay of evidence from both the video and their experiences, within an instructional setting characterized by a "culture of nice." The findings illustrate the promise and challenge of using videos of preservice teachers' teaching as a practice-based approach to teacher education; the dissertation addresses implications at the teacher education program level and for the larger project of developing curriculum for practice-based teacher education.

Physical education at the crossroads: An examination of physical education challenges, changes, and best practices at three liberal arts colleges

Williams, Debra D University of Pennsylvania 2010 해외박사(DDOD)

This dissertation is a qualitative case study of how three liberal arts colleges rationalized and provided physical education courses despite a trend in higher education to reduce or eliminate physical education from the curriculum. Kalamazoo College, Bennett College for Women, and Barnard College for Women continue to provide physical education and all students must fulfill a physical education requirement to graduate. Guided by a liberal arts ideal defined in terms of a curriculum that offers a broad base of courses in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, each school carries out its mission and purpose through a set of core beliefs that includes physical education. For example, through general education requirements, a major subject requirement, electives, and physical education requirements, the structure and content of each school's curriculum strongly associates a functional relationship between education and wellness. This research sheds light on how wellness education---a combination of physical education and health and fitness concepts---relates to the fulfillment of a liberal arts education, and also sheds light on why it makes sense to provide physical education for college students. The study examines three cases through the lens of a liberal arts college standard where physical education represents and fulfills a degree requirement and also represents the opportunity to advance the health of students. This research found a strong commitment to wellness as an educational philosophy about student learning and student development. By creating and sustaining an educational environment that develops intellectual skills and habits of the mind, each school employed actions that focused on goals aimed to help students become more enlightened and well-rounded individuals. Further, through a confluence of curriculum decisions that supported physical education at these three colleges, a commitment to wellness education has allowed physical education to maintain relevance amidst trends that question its value and purpose. As a best practice aimed at encouraging students to participate in physical activity, physical education is a means to an end that is purposeful, goal oriented, traditional, and a way of doing things at Kalamazoo, Bennett, and Barnard.

Education and Later-Life Blood Pressure: Evidence From Compulsory Schooling Laws and College Expansion in the United States

Irish, Amanda Michelle University of California, San Francisco ProQuest D 2023 해외박사(DDOD)

More schooling predicts better cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes, but a causal relationship between education and later-life blood pressure (BP) outcomes is less clear. Most prior work also evaluates the effect of education at the mean of BP, giving little insight into effects across the whole outcome distribution. We leveraged natural experiments, variation in compulsory schooling laws (CSLs) affecting K-12 education in the US as well as variation in the availability of colleges by state in the US, to evaluate how increased education impacted later-life BP. We also evaluate the intention-to-treat (ITT) association of college availability with later-life BP. We used quantile regression to evaluate the effects of education along the distribution of BP.We performed two-sample instrumental variable (IV) analyses using data from the US Census and from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to evaluate how variation in CSLs and college availability impacted later-life BP. In these analyses, we used linear regression in the first stage and both linear and quantile regression in the second stage. In the ITT analysis, we used linear and quantile regression. All models were adjusted for individual- and state-level covariates. To evaluate whether the effects of education varied by race and sex, we also generated results with race by sex interaction terms. We found no evidence of an effect of education on BP in the overall study population for the CSL IV analysis. In the college IV analysis, we found that increasing the number of colleges in a state decreased SBP, although confidence intervals included the null in CQR models. In the overall ITT analysis, we found no evidence of an association for 2-year colleges, but a small decrease in SBP associated with each additional 4-year college.In subgroup analyses, however, we found important differences in the effect of education. In the CSL IV analysis, among White women, each additional year of K-12 education consistently lowered SBP across the SBP distribution, while among Black men, education consistently elevated SBP across the SBP distribution. In the college IV analysis, among White women, each additional 2- or 4-year college consistently lowered SBP across the SBP distribution while effect estimates in other subgroups all included the null. In ITT analyses, we found that women had decreased SBP at the upper end of the SBP distribution while men had increased SBP over the same range. Black women consistently had decreased SBP associated with additional 2- and 4-year colleges, although estimates were imprecise.In subgroup analyses, however, we found important differences in the effect of education. In the CSL IV analysis, among White women, each additional year of K-12 education consistently lowered SBP across the SBP distribution, while among Black men, education consistently elevated SBP across the SBP distribution. In the college IV analysis, among White women, each additional 2- or 4-year college consistently lowered SBP across the SBP distribution while effect estimates in other subgroups all included the null. In ITT analyses, we found that women had decreased SBP at the upper end of the SBP distribution while men had increased SBP over the same range. Black women consistently had decreased SBP associated with additional 2- and 4-year colleges, although estimates were imprecise.

Examining family and community influences on the attitudes to education and career aspirations of Hmong/Mong high school students

Thao, Nealcheng Xeng University of Minnesota 2009 해외박사(DDOD)

To date, little research has been conducted on the family and community influences on the attitudes to education and career aspirations of Hmong/Mong high school students. The Hmong/Mong refugees began their resettlement in the United States since 1975. The first wave came to the U.S. from 1975 to 1984; the second wave came here from 1985 to 1999; the third wave came from 2003 to the present time. The Hmong/Mong were a pre-literate ethnic minority people living in the highland areas in the northern part of Laos. They were recruited to fight the secret war in Laos and were admitted to resettle in the United States for their loyalty to the American government during the Vietnam War. The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to examine the family and community influences on the attitudes to education and career aspirations of Hmong/Mong high school students in the Twin Cities and its surrounding areas. The research questions which drove this study were: What is like to be a Hmong/Mong student at home and in the Hmong/Mong community? What are the influences on the education of Hmong/Mong students? What are the attitudes of Hmong/Mong students toward their education? What are the educational aspirations of Hmong/Mong students? What are the career aspirations of Hmong/Mong students? The literature review included an exploration of these influential and career aspirations factors. The research design included a series of in-depth interviews with fifty-two Hmong/Mong participants ages fourteen to twenty-two years old, male and female, northern and southern Hmong/Mong, different religious affiliation, and members from eleven clans. The data were collected between the months of December 2007 to July 2008. All interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. The interviews were in both Hmong/Mong and English. The transcripts were done by four individuals who are competent in both Hmong/Mong and English. Transcripts were analyzed for themes. Based on this analysis, results of the study were formulated. The findings of this study included the following items: - ( What is like to be a Hmong/Mong student at home and in the Hmong/Mong community? ) (a) Constant lecture is a means of communicating expectation for Hmong/Mong students; (b) Family continues to be the main source of influence on Hmong/Mong students' education; (c) The family past and current hardship is a tool to influence Hmong/Mong students' education; (d) The Hmong/Mong community hardship and their underdog status are a tool to influence Hmong/Mong students' education; - (What are the influences on the education of Hmong/Mong students?) (e) Positive connection with specific key teacher or counselor or administrator at school has positive influence on Hmong/Mong students' education; (f) Positive support network of peers influences and increases Hmong/Mong students' success in education; (g) The U.S. education system is perceived as excellent and it influences and increases Hmong/Mong students' academic success; (h) Positive self-esteem, pride, and strong character influence Hmong/Mong students' education; (i) After school programs and supportive programs increase Hmong/Mong students' success in education; - (What are the attitudes on Hmong/Mong students toward their education?) (j) School is important to Hmong/Mong students; (k) Success of others influences Hmong/Mong students' education; - (What are the educational aspirations of Hmong/Mong students?) (l) Hmong/Mong students have aspiration to move up their socio-economic status; (m) Hmong/Mong U.S.-born adolescents assimilate faster and become more individualistic; (n) Hmong/Mong culture is a source of resilience to Hmong/Mong adolescents; (o) Recent arrival Hmong/Mong students have high aspiration to continue school after high school; - ( What are their career aspirations?) (p) First generation Hmong/Mong adolescents have high aspiration in diverse career choice; and (q) Parental involvement has positive impact on Hmong/Mong adolescents' education and career choice. This study concurs with the Voluntary and Involuntary minorities' model of John Ogbu. The Hmong/Mong's experience in the U.S. education falls into the Voluntary Minorities category of John Ogbu. This study has crucial implications for policymakers, who are responsible for policies and programs that directly or indirectly affect the Hmong/Mong students' education; other groups that bear the implications of this study include postsecondary administrators, secondary administrators, families, advocates, individuals, and those for future research.

Perceptions of collaboration: A comparison of educators and scientists for COSEE Great Lakes

Kim, Chankook The Ohio State University 2007 해외박사(DDOD)

The Great Lakes region of North America, holding 20% of the world's fresh water and home to ¼ of the U.S. population, can provide its 13 million K-12 learners with a relevant context for science learning, unique opportunities for exploring local environmental issues, and connections to global issues. By linking Great Lakes research scientists with educators, students, and the public, the COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) Great Lakes pursues its goal of enhancing science and environmental literacy of both adults and students. This doctoral research had a three-fold purpose in the COSEE Great Lakes context. First, this study aimed to characterize the population of Great Lakes scientists and K-12 teachers in the Great Lakes region targeted as potential audiences for activities of COSEE Great Lakes. Second, this study aimed to identify factors that may affect educational collaboration between teachers and scientists. Third, this study was conducted as a part of an ongoing process of evaluating overall COSEE program outcomes related to increasing educational collaborations. This dissertation consists of three research reports on professional development and interprofessional collaboration of K-12 teachers and scientists. The first report in Chapter 2 investigates primary and secondary teachers' views of collaboration with scientists and incorporates the findings of teacher surveys into discussions about professional development programs for educators. From 180 schools randomly selected in the eight Great Lakes States, 194 primary and secondary educators responded to a mailed survey. Through the survey responses, the educators reported that while they have positive attitudes toward their collaboration with scientists, their professional preparation has not equipped them with enough understanding of the process of science and the professions of scientists. Regression analysis shows that five predictor variables account for a majority of the variance in explaining educators' experience in collaboration with scientists (a combined predictive ability of 32%): attitudes towards collaboration, professional preparation (science competencies), teaching experience in years, contemporary views of science/science education and perceived institutional supports. The second report in Chapter 3 is an attempt to reveal interactions in education by scientists whose research is focused on the Great Lakes, and incorporates the findings into discussions about scientists' potential for the role of education partner. In this parallel study, marine and aquatic scientists were recruited to complete a survey at a conference on Great Lakes research in 2006. Through 94 scientist responses, scientists reported that they were involved in educational outreach more frequently as a "resource" than a "partner" in Morrow's framework (2000). Professional training of scientists and their lack of knowledge in education may explain the ways in which scientists are involved in educational outreach. The results show that most scientists had little chance to obtain knowledge in professional education during their professional science training. Scientists' lack of knowledge in education was demonstrated by their unfamiliarity with key terms/concepts in education. Regression analyses shows that four predictor variables account for a majority of the variance in explaining scientists' experience in collaboration with teachers (a combined predictive ability of 42%): familiarity with terms in education, professional training (educational competencies and collaborative cultures) and age. The third report in Chapter 4 elaborates on the results and discussions in Chapters 2 and 3 by comparing the two groups and by identifying implications of the findings for teacher-scientist collaboration. Comparing responses from educators (n=194) and scientists (n=94), this study answers how educators differ in the perceptions of education collaboration from scientists, in addition to two other research questions: how do educators in the Great Lakes region collaborate with scientists, and what barriers may deter their participation in collaboration. Regression analyses for the two groups suggest that to foster mutual learning in teacher-scientist collaboration, further consideration must be given to increasing educators' science competencies and scientists' collaborative attributes when we develop professional development programs for educators and scientists.

The impact of globalization and multinational corporations on the education system in Costa Rica and its implications for the implementation of 21st-century skills and school leadership

Mendoza, Alejandra Maria University of Southern California 2014 해외박사(DDOD)

The world has become more economically interconnected and education is significantly linked to the global economy. Costa Rica went through changes in economic development in the 1980s that set the stage for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the 1990s. The county once relied on agricultural exports, but the political leadership decided that the direction of the country should move toward attracting FDI. Since the 1990s, Costa Rica has seen major investments by multinational corporations (MNCs) because of the country's commitment to education. The Ministry of Education (MEP) has made changes in the school system to prepare students with technology skills and 21st-century skills, as this will impact the country's knowledge-ready work force. However, the Costa Rican school system faces challenges in ensuring that all students finish secondary school and are equipped with the skills needed to work for MNCs. Shifts in the focus of education have been made in the county, but more work is needed if Costa Rica is to keep up with the needs of MNCs and continue to develop its knowledge-based economy. Changes in the economy unequivocally mean changes in the education system; for this to occur, political, corporate, and education leaders must work together as these changes greatly affect these stakeholders. This study describes the impact of globalization and MNCs on the education system in Costa Rica and the possible implications for implementation of 21st-century skills and school leadership. It also identifies how political, corporate, and school leaders have contributed to the development of policies that ensure implementation of 21st-century skills that prepare students to be part of a knowledge-ready work force.