Browsing by Subject "achievement"
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Item A Developmental Perspective on Reciprocal Effects of Teacher-Student Relationship and Achievement Across the Elementary Grades(2010-10-12) Barrois, Lisa KatherineThe current study utilized structural equation modeling to test an indirect model of the effects of Teacher-Student Relationship Quality (TSRQ) on reading and math achievement via the indirect effects of TSRQ on engagement over the entire grade school period (grades 1-5). The use of this design allowed for the testing of reciprocal causal pathways and stationarity effects across the first five years of post-kindergarten schooling. It was hypothesized that structural relationships between TSRQ, engagement and achievement would vary across the grade school period with early experiences with teachers influencing students? patterns of engagement which would become stable, influencing future teacher-student relationships and long-term achievement. Additionally, muti-group analyses were utilized to determine if gender or ethnicity impacts the fit of the structural model. Results indicated that the effect of TSRQ on engagement is invariant across time. For both math and reading target outcomes, the null hypothesis that effects are invariant (i.e., constant) across time could not be rejected. Additionally, results did not indicate that gender or ethnic group membership impacted the structural fit of the model. The current sample was limited to elementary school students and may not have provided a sufficient age span to investigate the developmental trends in teacher-student relationships that were predicted. Additionally, while the influence of TSRQ on engagement and achievement remains constant, the process through which TSRQ influences achievement may vary at different developmental periods. Study limitations and implications were also discussed.Item Characteristics of a sense of belonging and its relationship to academic achievement of students in selected middle school in Region IV and VI Education Service Centers, Texas(Texas A&M University, 2005-02-17) Capps, Matthew AlanThe purpose of this research is to investigate the feeling of belonging that students may or may not have and the relationship of student sense of belonging to the overall academic achievement of a school. Students were surveyed on their sense of belonging in selected middle schools. The students scored themselves on the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale, which revealed an overall mean score of belonging. Students from high-performing schools were compared to students from low-performing schools in regard to their sense of belonging. Additionally, teachers were asked to rate their perception of the students? sense of belonging. The teachers? scores were compared to the students? scores in both high- and low-performing schools. Lastly, teachers were asked to provide qualitative information about the schools? role in creating a sense of belonging. An extensive review of the literature regarding sense of belonging reveals support of the importance of sense of belonging in student achievement. There is also extensive evidence regarding variation of sense of belonging among minority groups and the important role of teachers in creating a sense of belonging for students. This study found that there is no significant difference in students? reported sense of belonging between high-performing schools and low-performing schools on the Psychological Sense of School Membership scale. There is a significant difference between the teachers? perception of the students? sense of belonging and the students? reported sense of belonging on the Psychological Sense of School Membership scales. Teachers reported important roles in creating an environment of belonging. The qualitative data provided by teachers support evidence from the literature review indicative of schools with sense of belonging. High-performing schools do not report much information regarding discipline and routine as being important parts of creating belonging. However, low performing schools often report these as important to creating a sense of belonging for students. Implications of the research include: Teachers may not have an accurate understanding of students? sense of belonging and how to create a sense of belonging in schools. Further study should try to gain better understanding of the relationship between sense of belonging and minority status.Item Cultural Value Discrepancy and Adolescents' Adjustment Outcomes in Chinese Immigrant Families: The Role of Parental Psychological Control(2014-07-09) Chang, Yu-PeiChinese immigrants are the second largest immigrant group (after Mexican immigrants) according to 2010 United States Census. Their successful adjustment bears important implications for policy making, the economy, public health, and directions for research at both the societal and individual levels. This study examined academic achievement and depressive symptoms among a group of Chinese American adolescents and their immigrant parents. Moreover, this study examined whether the parental practice of psychological control mediates the link between parent-adolescent cultural value differences and adolescent schooling and mental health outcomes (i.e., academic achievement and depressive symptoms). Demographic factors such as family?s socioeconomic status and adolescents? and parents? gender were considered in analyses. Results indicate that multiple domains of parental psychological control serve as mediating mechanisms by which parent-child value differences influence adolescent depressive symptoms. Implications for clinical service and future research are discussed.Item Hope as a Strategy for Improving Student Achievement and Dissuading Repeat Pregnancy in Pregnant and Parenting Adolescents(2011-08-08) McNeill, Elisa HutsonThis dissertation examines the construct of hope and its ability to be taught to pregnant and parenting adolescents as a strategy to improve academic achievement and dissuade repeat adolescent pregnancy. A systemic review of the literature examined fourteen (n=14) empirical studies to ascertain if a relationship existed between achievement and the construct of hope. With 92% of the studies reporting a positive correlation between hope and achievement, one can answer yes to the question of an existing relationship between hope and achievement. A manuscript is presented to summarize the development and implementation of a curriculum, designed to develop requisite skills among adolescent mothers to elevate their levels of hope. The Helping Optimize Planning Efforts (HOPE) curriculum presents specific methods for adolescent mothers to enhance skills related to goal setting, goal attainment and the use of positive self-talk as a mechanism for developing hope or increasing existing levels of hope. The study attempted to assess the ability of the HOPE curriculum to enhance the adolescent mother?s level of hope with the underlying assumption that increasing levels of hope might decrease the probability of a repeat adolescent pregnancy. Findings suggested there was a significant difference in the scores for the Dispositional Trait Hope Scale (DTHS) pre-test (M = 68.5, SD = 7.0) and the DTHS post-test scores (M = 73.2, SD = 5.61) (t(11) = 3.18, p = .009) indicating an increase in global hope. A significant difference was also found in between the State Hope Scale (SHS) pre-test scores (M = 39.0, SD = 4.84) and SHS post-test scores (M = 41.5, SD = 5.21) (t(11) = 4.19, p = .002) indicating an increase in the students point in time level of hope. The evaluation of the curriculum indicated that adolescent mothers can be taught to increase their levels of hope using the HOPE curriculum. Data collected during the evaluation of the HOPE curriculum was further analyzed to identify the constructs that contribute to the building of hope in adolescent mothers. The data suggests that two distinct components, agency and pathway, contribute to increase the level of hope. Examination of the subscales within the DTHS, showed there was a significant difference between the pre-test agency (M = 25.42, SD = 5.81) and the post-test agency scores (M = 27.85, SD = 3.65) (t(11) = 2.83, p = .017). Also, among the DTHS pathway subscale, a significant difference was found between the scores on the pre-test (M = 25.08, SD = 3.58) and the post-test score (M = 26.67, SD = 2.35) (t(11) = 2.22, p = .048). These findings suggest that the increased level of hope on the DTHS for was a reflection of the improvements in components, agency and pathway. These findings suggests that adolescent mothers can be taught to be more hopeful when the components of agency and pathway are developed.Item Impacts of graduate student content specialists serving in middle school classrooms on teachers and graduate students(2009-05-15) Mowen, Diana L.Improving student achievement is a major concern across the United States. One strategy being implemented to help students achieve in math and science is the partnering of teachers with professionals in math and science careers. One such program is the Fellows Integrate Math/Science in Rural Middle Schools program, from which this research stems. The intent of the program was to match middle school teachers with graduate students preparing for careers in science, technology, mathematics, or engineering fields. The graduate students spent ten hours a week in classrooms, interacting with teachers and students. Improved student performance in math and science, improved teacher content knowledge, and improved graduate student communication skills were expected program outcomes. This research assessed the impact of program participation on the teachers and graduate students involved. Data were collected from 33 middle school teachers and 33 graduate students over the course of two years of program participation. Questionnaires included a pre post measurement of knowledge, experience, and comfort level with education related groups and issues and summative program evaluations. Major findings of the research included: 1. Teacher knowledge, experience, and comfort levels with education related groups and issues did not change significantly because of participation in the program. 2. Graduate students experienced a decrease in knowledge, experience, and comfort level with several education related groups and issues from the beginning of the school year to the end. Knowledge decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. High school students b. Teaching college students c. Theories of learning d. Planning a project e. Following through on project tasks Experience level decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. Science education reform b. Current issues in K-12 education c. Teaching college students d. Theories of learning e. Assessing student learning Comfort level decreases were noted with the following groups and issues: a. Elementary school students b. University faculty engaged in K-12 education c. Science education reform d. Teaching college students e. Theories of learning f. Evaluating educational activities 3. Graduate student gender, race, and age were not found to be predictors of success in this partnership program.Item Relationships between student achievement and levels of computer technology integration by Texas agriscience teachers(Texas A&M University, 2004-09-30) Peake, Jason BooneThe purpose of this study was to determine if agriscience teacher integration of instructional technology was related to student achievement. Knowledge of these correlations will assist teacher educators in offering more appropriate professional development opportunities for agriscience teachers. This information will also assist secondary schools in making decisions regarding technology purchases for agriscience departments. Instructional technology researchers have worked since the 1960s to gain a better understanding of the role that instructional technology plays in student achievement. Many researchers have found that instructional technology influences student learning. In the early 1980s Richard Clark published controversial findings that media has no influence on student learning. These conflicting findings led to the development of this study. A survey was developed to collect information on the level at which teachers integrate technology into their instruction. The instrument was pilot tested, and a reliability measure of .95 was found for the 42 items measuring the technology skills of teachers. Section three of the instrument had a reliability of .93 for the nine items that were used to measure teacher integration of technolo gy. Teachers' demographics, teachers' technology integration skill levels, teachers' administrative use of technology skill levels, and teachers' technology integration levels were collected from a random sample of 150 agriscience teachers in Texas. Student achievement was measured using the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. Student data were collected on 10th grade students in classes taught by the 150 teachers selected to participate in the study. The Texas Education Agency provided all TAAS data in a single data file. The primary student variables used in the study to quantify math, reading, and writing achievement were the total number of multiple choice items correct for each of these three subject areas. A low positive correlation was found between student achievement in math and teacher instructional technology integration level (.14). Negligible positive correlations (r < .10) were found between teacher instructional technology integration level and student achievement on the writing portions and reading portions of the TAAS.Item The Effect of Field-Dependency and Seductive Augmentation on Achievement and Computer Self-Efficacy in a Virtual World(2012-02-14) Moghadasian Rad, ZahraKeeping a learner interested-and therefore engaged-in content to be mastered generally improves learning. One way to keep a learner interested is using seductive augmentation, which refers to the addition of entertaining text, graphics, sound, music, video or animation that is either irrelevant or only tangentially relevant to the learning objectives. Learner cognitive styles impact how individuals approach learning and problem-solving situations. With recent advances in technology, there has been an increased interest in the way such individual differences influence performance while learning. Research on the effects of cognitive styles has mainly focused on the role of field-dependence/independence. One of the recent advances in technology is the availability of virtual worlds as learning environments. This study investigated whether seductive augmentation in Second Life, a commonly used virtual world, affects the learning performance of field-dependent and field-independent education majors in an undergraduate class unit. A second focus of this study was to examine whether the computer self-efficacy of these learners changed after their two-month experience with the virtual world of Second Life. To determine if seductive augmentation in Second Life affects the achievement of field-dependent and field-independent learners differently, two different settings were designed in two different regions of Second Life. One setting was free of seductive augmentation, but the other setting included seductive augmentation in the forms of music, animation, text, videos and games. Thirty-six participants self-selected to the seductive setting and 48 to the non-seductive setting. The participants were pre- and post-tested on the instructional content presented both in Second Life and in real life classes; furthermore, to examine the influence on learners' computer self-efficacy, pre- and post-computer self-efficacy surveys were administered. The results of the study were obtained through two independent mixed-model factorial analyses of variance with repeats on the third factor (time) for achievement and computer self-efficacy scores. For the main effects, results indicated no significance for the between-group factors of field-dependency and seductiveness or for their interaction with either achievement scores or computer self-efficacy scores. The only significant factor was time as the main within-group factor for achievement scores. Therefore, the study did not find seductive augmentation effect in Second Life. In addition, there was no detectable change in the participants' computer self-efficacy as a result of their experience in this virtual world. The results of the present study contradict the findings of some previous research and support others.