Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership Theses and Dissertations by Subject "Achievement"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Elementary School Transition and the Reading and Math Achievement of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, or Emotional Behavioral Disturbance
    (University of Oregon, 2015-08-18) Hood, Donald; Stevens, Joseph
    Transition from elementary to middle or junior high schools has been associated with slowed reading and mathematics achievement for students in general education as well as students with disabilities. Little is known about how this transition affects students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or emotional/behavioral disturbance (EBD). Reading and math scores from state achievement tests used for federal accountability reporting were analyzed from 125,646 Oregon students between 2006 and 2013. About half were female, about half qualified for free or reduced price lunch, and about 34% identified as an ethnic or racial minority. Piecewise longitudinal growth models were analyzed using hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling, separately for reading and math achievement. Scores for all students, on average, rose slightly faster before transition than after transition. Students who experienced a school transition in Grade 6 were more negatively impacted than those who transitioned in Grade 7, while students who stayed in the same school from Grade 3 to 8 experienced the least impact. Initial scores in reading and math for students with ASD were lower than students without disabilities; students with EBD were lower still, and students with TBI had the lowest. Before transition, students with ASD and EBD accelerated faster in reading than students without disabilities whereas in math, students with ASD or EBD showed improved scores immediately after transition. Students with EBD maintained post-transition trajectories similar to students without disabilities. Students with EBD had the most pronounced deceleration in reading scores after the transition whereas students with TBI had the most deceleration in math.
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    An Exploration of the Role of English Language Proficiency in Academic Achievement
    (University of Oregon, 2015-01-14) Withycombe, Adam; Conley, David
    The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between English language proficiency scores as measured by the ACCESS for ELLs and achievement and growth scores on the reading subtest of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP). The sample consisted of 2,006 3rd-5th grade English language learners (ELLs) from a large Midwestern school district. Results confirmed that an increase in English proficiency is associated with higher reading achievement scores. The unique variance explained by each of the domain scores (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) on the ACCESS for ELLs supports the use of a weighted composite score for decision making purposes. When considering within-year MAP growth by differing levels of proficiency, a curvilinear trend emerged. The two lowest proficiency groups demonstrated significantly lower reading growth than the two moderate and two highest proficiency groups. The greatest growth was seen by the two groups in the middle of the proficiency spectrum. Given the increased demands on measuring the achievement and progress of all students, including ELLs, and the use of standardized achievement scores for program and teacher evaluation, the results of this study suggest that a dichotomous classification of ELL/non-ELL might not accurately reflect the variability in growth at various levels of English proficiency. Implications for interpreting and using scores by ELLs are discussed.
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    Exploring the efficacy of electronic response devices in ninth-grade science classrooms
    (University of Oregon, 2009-06) Dey, John A., 1971-
    Student use of electronic response technology has been prevalent in postsecondary institutions and is beginning to penetrate K-12 classroom settings. Despite these trends, research exploring the impact of this technology in these settings has been limited. The extant research has relied heavily on survey methodologies and largely has focused on student/teacher perception or implementation practices while remaining silent on learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to broaden the scope of research models used to explore electronic response technology and its impact on student learning. The study took place in a ninth-grade science classroom at a large high school with a comprehensive curriculum. Study participants were first-year high school students enrolled in one of two sections of the freshman science sequence focusing on Physical Science content. One section, serving as the Treatment group, used electronic response devices on a daily basis to respond to preplanned teacher questions. The other section, serving as the Comparison group, relied on traditional methods of interaction such as raising hands to respond to questions. They responded to the same set of preplanned questions and differed only in the manner of response, with the teacher asking the class and then calling on one of the students to answer. The study focused on academic achievement, as measured by student performance on a pre- and posttest, as well as student engagement, measured by momentary time sample data taken throughout the entire class with focused attention on periods of teacher questioning. The analysis of academic achievement employed an ANOVA, and no statistically significant difference was found between the groups. Engagement data were analyzed using an independent samples t test, and statistically significant differences were found between the two groups. Findings from this study indicated that, when using electronic response technology in their science classes, students demonstrated significantly higher levels of engagement across an entire class period as well as during teacher questioning. Implications of the study have been framed around the promise of electronic response technology for engaging and motivating students.
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    Is Technology the Answer? Investigating Students' Achievement and Engagement in Mathematics
    (University of Oregon, 2016-10-27) Schuetz, Rachael; Biancarosa, Gina
    With millions invested in educational technology, what is its impact on student achievement and engagement? This question formed the basis for a review of the current literature on the impact of iPads and other instructional technology on student academic growth and motivation in public schools. The research supports technology’s positive impact on student achievement and engagement, but more research is needed in order to better understand how iPad use impacts students in the early elementary mathematics classroom. This dissertation study examines the effects of an iPad-based math intervention, as compared to a traditional paper-pencil approach, on second graders’ achievement and engagement in mathematics. The students were assigned to treatment and control groups in matched pairs based on sex and pre-test scores. Then students engaged in a four-week math intervention, using either the iPad or paper-pencil. At the end of each intervention, students completed quantitative posttests given by their classroom teachers. Students then switched treatment and control groups for a second four-week math intervention. Quantitative pre-post assessments include Bridges math unit tests, easyCBM math tests, and a Likert-scale engagement measure. After the two interventions were completed, qualitative focus group data were collected from the teachers involved in the study, giving a more complete view of student engagement. With finite intervention time and resources, schools need to know how to best improve student achievement and engagement in mathematics. This study fills a documented research gap and will help inform school decisions regarding instructional technology in the early elementary math classroom.
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    A study of mathematics homework
    (University of Oregon, 2009-09) Omlin-Ruback, Holly I.
    After spending the day learning in elementary school, most children across the United States are given homework , assignments to be completed outside of the regular school day. Most research on homework conducted in elementary schools focuses on the relationship between achievement and time spent on homework. Little, if any, research has investigated the types of mathematics homework assigned to elementary students and its relationship to achievement. Given the continued practice of assigning homework and the gap in literature regarding research that investigates type of homework, as well as the paucity of homework research at the elementary level, there is a need for further research. Thus, the focus of this dissertation was to investigate the type of mathematics homework assigned to fifth-grade students, their interaction with the assigned homework and the relationship to achievement on a statewide test. This exploratory descriptive study used a convenience sample of fifth-grade students from a school district in the Pacific Northwest to examine the type of mathematics homework assigned to fifth-grade students, their interaction with the assigned homework, and the relationship between the homework students completed and their achievement on the statewide standardized test in mathematics. The majority of homework collected was correctly completed Direct Contact Practice homework. Furthermore, the mathematical strand of Calculations and Estimations was the most frequently assigned strand. Correlational analysis indicated that weak correlations with student total RIT scores on the statewide standardized test in mathematics existed in several areas. There was a correlation of .29 between the number of correct homework interactions and state test score, a correlation of .36 between the number of Direct Contact Practice homework and the RIT score, a -.28 correlation between the number of Other homework items completed and the RIT score, and a .26 correlation between the total number of homework interactions and RIT score. When the relationship between homework categorized by math strand and the state stranded math score was examined, there was a .36 correlation between the number of Algebra homework interactions and score on the algebra strand of the statewide mathematics assessment. Limitations of the study are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.