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Item A Case Study Analysis of the Fiesta Bowl Youth Football Clinic and Kaboom Playground BuildRiley, Haley; Riley, Haley; Atwater, ChristopherThis project served as a case study of community programs currently hosted by the Fiesta Bowl Organization, in Phoenix, Arizona. The first program studied was the Youth Football Clinic, which is a collaborative effort hosted annually in October alongside Positive Coaching Alliance, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix and Special Olympics. The second program studied was the Kaboom! Playground Build, which takes place annually through a local partnership with the City of Phoenix and a corporate partner who underwrites a portion of the project, and is subject to change year to year. In the process of researching this topic and conducting the case study, the author visited each of the programs, participated as a volunteer and surveyed local participants. This project was designed to serve as a resource for the Fiesta Bowl organization, as well as other non-profits that seek community partnerships to fund similar programs.Item A Case Study of 1.5 Generation Chinese American Women's Perspectives of Nutrition Education(2013-08) Karczmarczyk, Diana F.; Karczmarczyk, Diana F.; Samaras, Anastasia P.The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of 1.5 generation (defined as immigrants who enter the United States between the ages of 12 and 15) Chinese American women regarding nutrition education. Although much has been written about the importance of delivering culturally competent nutrition education, insufficient attention has been given to the needs and experiences of this generation of Chinese American women. In addition, there is little disaggregated research on the unique needs and perceptions of Asian American subgroups, including those of Chinese Americans, the largest Asian community in the US. This research is focused specifically on 1.5 Chinese American women to provide an in-depth understanding of their perspectives about nutrition. The qualitative case-study research design uses a Three Tier Structure Approach, designed by the researcher and adapted from the Mears' (2009) Gateway Approach, entailing an open-ended written narrative followed by two interviews organized within a Three Tier Structure Approach. In Tier One, in response to a question on beliefs about nutrition in the US, five participants identified and shared a critical incident through an open-ended written narrative. Of those five participants, three then completed Tier Two and Tier Three, which entailed semi-structured face-to-face interviews to further probe their individual perspectives about their experiences with nutrition education, sources of knowledge, messages in their community, eating and food preparation behaviors, and their perspectives on and recommendations for delivery of nutrition education. Although the participants in this study were demographically similar in terms of current age, age at immigration, and place of birth, their experiences with nutrition education in the US varied. In addition, none of the participants reported receiving formal nutrition education from a health-care professional or nutritionist. Messages participants had received about nutrition education varied and came from family, friends, and the media.Item A Case Study of an Interactive Whiteboard District-Wide Technology Initiative Into Middle School Classrooms(2011-05-12) Gruber, Barbara; Gruber, Barbara; Norton, PriscillaThis study examined the impact that a district-wide technology initiative involving interactive whiteboards had on teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and practices and whether this impact was consistent with the overall goals of the initiative. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as its framework, this case study using a mixed methods design examined a district-wide interactive whiteboard technology initiative in middle schools. This study occurred in two phases. Phase one occurred during the semesters when the initiative occurred and captured data that described how the initiative manifested itself in teachers’ attitudes, beliefs, and instructional practices. This was followed 18 months later by phase two which captured data that examined the intent of the initiative and how this intent was interpreted by all stakeholders. Combining a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data provided a more complete representation of how a district-wide technology initiative involving Promethean boards manifested itself in the classroom, how its intent was interpreted by multiple stakeholders, and possible reasons why the initiative manifested the way it did. Findings of this study examined patterns of use that emerged when a district-level Promethean board initiative was implemented, teachers’ attitudes and beliefs related to the initiative, contextual influences on adoption of the innovation, and factors of social influence which impacted the initiative. The first goal established by the district for use of the Promethean board was generally met with some variations at the school and individual levels. However, the second goal directed at student achievement was poorly communicated and largely unmet. Patterns of use and teacher attitudes and beliefs were most strongly reflected in and influenced by four factors: professional development, school-based leadership, communication channels, and peer interactions. Together, these four factors were identified as the primary influences in the initiative’s successes and limitations.Item A Case Study of Novice Teachers' Mathematics Problem Solving Beliefs and Perceptions(2014-05) Baker, Courtney Katharine; Baker, Courtney Katharine; Hjalmarson, Margret A.The problem solving standards of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) (NGACBP & CCSSO, 2010) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (2000) are at times foreign to pre-service teachers who previously experienced algorithm-emphasized instruction. Once in their own classrooms, these individuals face an ongoing struggle between implementing what they have learned and resorting to their past experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the problem solving beliefs and perceptions of two novice teachers, Elizabeth and Kerri, in a TFA cohort. A descriptive case study approach is used to identify the influences of academic and personal backgrounds, the elementary mathematics methods course, and the CCSSM on their beliefs and perceptions of problem solving. Findings indicate that previous experiences shaped many of Elizabeth and Kerri's problem solving beliefs and perceptions. However, the way each interpreted the CCSSM greatly influenced the manner in which they perceived their ability to incorporate problem solving into their instruction. Additionally, the use of purposeful planning of the standards of mathematical practice (NGACBP & CCSSO, 2010) influenced the perceived success of teaching elementary mathematics through problem solving. In light of these findings, implications include the need to align the content of elementary mathematics methods courses with professional development opportunities offered for in-service teachers.Item A Case Study of the Adoption of an Innovative Mathematical Teaching Practice (Using Anchoring Contextualized Problems) by a Small Group of Algebra II Teachers: A Diffusion of Innovation Analysis(2014-08) Rankin, Bradley David; Rankin, Bradley David; Hjalmarson, Margret A.This study explores how cognitively demanding tasks administered prior to units of study (Anchored Contextualizing Problems - ACPs) impact the concerns and perspectives of high school, Algebra II teachers towards Standards-based approaches to teaching mathematics. Participants were observed prior to the study in order to gauge their teaching styles as traditional or reform-oriented. After receiving the first ACP, the participants completed a survey to determine their thoughts, opinions, and interest in the ACP. A professional development (professional development) on the first ACP was conducted and the survey was administered again. The participants were individually interviewed to more individually gauge their perspectives on ACPs and Standards-based approaches. After the participants administered the first ACP to their students, they reconvened as a group to discuss their thoughts and opinions on the administration and to learn about the second ACP. Prior to administering the second ACP to their students, the participants completed the survey a final time. The participants all met again after the administration of the second ACP for a final group discussion. Finally, a second round of individual interviews was conducted to gauge changes in the participants' concerns and perspectives towards ACPs. Results indicate that the participants adopted the ACPs for the following reasons: (a) They were directly related to the skills covered in the units of study for which the ACPs were created; (b) they served as referencing tools when introducing a topic in a unit of study; and (c) they helped fulfill the participants' desires to incorporate deeper meaning, reflective of NCTM's Process Standards (2000), into their teaching practices. This study will also relate Rogers' (2003) theory on diffusion of innovations to the methods used in this study as a means of introducing ways for diffusing other educational innovations to educators.Item A Comparative Analysis of High School Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Quality in Traditional Pathway and Second Career Teachers’ Classrooms(2008-12-15T16:16:12Z) Barna, Eric G.; Barna, Eric G.The purpose of this study was to determine if the students of teachers who are career switchers perceive a difference in classroom quality when compared to students taught by teachers who are from a traditional pathway. Additionally, this study investigated whether career switchers report that they plan instruction differently than traditional pathway teachers. A mixed methods design was used to compare students’ perceptions of teacher quality as defined by the Student Perception of Classroom Quality (SPOCQ) (Gentry and Owen, 2004) in the classes of four pairs of high school teachers in a small and diverse suburban school district who were matched on content. Four of the teachers gained entry into the classroom through a traditional academy-based pathway, and four came through a career-switcher program. Their students were surveyed using the SPOCQ while teachers completed the Teacher Experience Survey (TES) and were interviewed using the Teacher Interview Guide (TIG). Major findings of this study indicated that students of traditional pathway teachers perceived higher levels of appeal (p = .003), challenge (p < .001), choice (p =.015) and meaningfulness (p < .001) as measured by the SPOCQ. Additionally, traditional pathway teachers reported they were less reliant on the textbook and were more likely to rate their master’s program as relevant professional development. The results of the study suggest that future studies of teacher pathways need to explore the effects of the pathway on their graduates’ classroom quality in order to ensure that the teachers who are being placed in the classroom are perceived by their students as creating effective classroom environments.Item A Comparative Analysis of How Skills-based and Scenario-based Simulations Support Learning with EFAST as an Exemplar Skill(2015-12) Battista, Alexis; Kitsantas, AnastasiaThis study presents an investigation into how learning was supported in skills- and scenario-based simulations, and examines the influence of simulation context on the activities, guided participation, self-efficacy, and learning outcomes of student healthcare professionals. Using a mixed-methods comparative case study design, eight student healthcare professionals, naïve to ultrasound, were recruited to learn the Extended Focused Assessment using Sonography for Trauma (EFAST) exam. Following completion of a pretest evaluation of EFAST performance, students were randomly assigned to partake in either two skills-based or scenario-based simulation practice sessions. Qualitative data included video recordings of simulations, and student’s written reflections. Quantitative data included the EFAST self-efficacy scale and the Radiology Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (RAD-DOPS), which assessed students’ performance of the EFAST. Activity theory and guided participation informed analysis of students’ engagement during participation in skills-based and scenario-based simulations. Descriptive statistics were used to examine students’ performance on RAD-DOPS assessments and self-efficacy beliefs. Findings suggest that learning was supported in both simulation contexts when students, together with peers and faculty, engaged in clinically relevant activities, using culturally relevant tools and artifacts. The findings also suggest that students’ activities, guided participation, learning reports, and SE differed. All students reported learning the EFAST; however, scenario-based students reported learning about their role as member of the healthcare team, and how to integrate the EFAST into patient care. Students in skills-based simulations rated their self-efficacy for EAST numerically higher than did scenario-based students. Skills-based students were rated more highly on the posttest. Recommendations for practice are discussed.Item A Comparative Analysis of White and Black College Students’ Attitudes and Behaviors toward Participating in Wildland RecreationWine, Virginia Callie; Wine, Virginia Callie; McDowell, JacquelineResearch has noted that Blacks are noticeably absent from wildlands, even in regions of the country where Blacks are highly concentrated. Surveys of public lands and other wildland areas have shown that an overwhelming majority of the recreationists are White. It is suggested that more research is needed in order to understand the visitation, recreation patterns, attitudes and behavior toward participation in natural areas (e.g., wildlands) among Blacks. Using a sample of Black and White students who attend George Mason University as the target population, the purpose of this study was to examine college students' attitudes and behaviors toward participating in wildland recreation, as well as their perceived cause for national low participation trends of Blacks and facilitators to increase their participation rate. A non-experimental convergent parallel mixed methods design was used to assess the attitudes and behavioral differences of students toward wildland recreation using online survey. It was found that Blacks were not absent from wildlands and parks, as literature suggests. However, it was discovered that the majority of Blacks had higher visitation rates in natural areas that were in suburban and urban settings. In comparison, Whites were more likely to visit areas that were more solitude and required specialized equipment, skill-sets, and education.Item A Comparative Case Study of the Characteristics of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Focused High Schools(2009-07-25T22:39:57Z) Scott, Catherine Elizabeth; Scott, Catherine ElizabethThis study examined the characteristics of 10 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focused high schools. A comparative case designed was used to identify key components of STEM school designs. Schools were selected from various regions across the United States. Data collected included websites, national statistics database, standardized test scores, interviews and published articles. Results from this study indicate that there is a variety of STEM high school programs designed to increase students’ ability to pursue college degrees in STEM fields. The school mission statements influence the overall school design. Students at STEM schools must submit an application to be admitted to STEM high schools. Half of the STEM high schools used a lottery system to select students. STEM high schools have a higher population of black students and a lower population of white and Hispanic students than most schools in the United States. They serve about the same number of economically disadvantaged students. The academic programs at STEM high schools are more rigorous with electives focused on STEM content. In addition to coursework requirements, students must also complete internships and/or a capstone project. Teachers who teach in STEM schools are provided regularly scheduled professional development activities that focus on STEM content and pedagogy. Teachers provide leadership in the development and delivery of the professional development activities.Item A Comparison of Perceptions From High School Students With and Without Disabilities About Their Science Co-Teaching Experiences(2015) Smith, Shantha Janell; Smith, Shantha Janell; King-Sears, MargaretAbstractItem A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study of Refugee Parent Experiences with Education and the Influence on Their Young Children's Education(2013) Campbell, Trina; Campbell, Trina; Kidd, Julie K.AbstractItem A Critical Look at Co-teaching Practices at the Secondary Level(2015) Takacs, Shanna E.; Takacs, Shanna E.; Bauer, Scott C.The purpose of special education is to ensure that students with disabilities are provided a free appropriate public education, while accessing the general education curriculum and receiving specialized instruction to address their unique learning needs. To maintain compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2010) and educate these students in the least restrictive environment, schools are adopting inclusive co-teaching practices that integrate students with disabilities into general education classrooms. Current research on co-teaching is focused primarily at the elementary level; therefore, this study examined the perceptions of secondary educators regarding their experience within the co-teaching model. This study replicated and extended a previous study conducted by Keefe and Moore (2004). It included interviews with building-level special education administrators, observations of co-taught ninth, tenth or eleventh grade content area classrooms, and interviews with the general and special education co-teachers regarding their perspective of the co-teaching model. The results revealed varying definitions and purposes for the co-teaching instructional model, a wide range of experiences teaching within the co-teaching paradigm, and numerous factors that impact co-teaching. The major factors that emerged from the data included the importance of the relationship between the co-teaching partners, a shared professional philosophy, compatible instructional practices, and administrative support. Ultimately, this pedagogy was designed to include students with disabilities with their non-disabled peers in order to establish a more heterogeneous community. Current practice shows that practitioners and scholars should continue reviewing and refining the implementation of co-teaching and its appropriateness for all students.Item A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Cognitive Styles in Arab and American Adult Learners Using Eye-Tracking to Measure Subtle Differences(2008-06-13T12:23:55Z) Qutub, Jolin Adeeb; Qutub, Jolin AdeebPeople of different cultures tend to have different cognitive processing styles. Philosophers throughout the years have believed that culture fundamentally shapes human social practices and intellectual processes (Nisbett, 2004). Cognitive styles have been found to be significantly associated with cultural background and learners' academic achievements (Bahoora, 1996; Kogan, 1976a; Witkin et al. 1954). One increasingly employed method of investigating various issues related to perceptual cognitive and visual processes is the study of eye movement. Over the last decade, eye movement has fulfilled its potential as a performance measure and window into observers' visual and perceptual cognitive processes (Salvucci & Goldberg, 2000). Recent studies have concluded that Western learners tend to have more analytical perceptual learning style whereas East Asians tend to have more holistic or contextual perceptual learning style (Nisbett & Norenzayan, 2002). Only a limited number of studies have examined cognitive perceptual differences between Middle Eastern and Western learners. This study aimed to help close this research gap by exploring cognitive perceptual differences among three groups who come from different cultural backgrounds: Saudi Arabians, immigrants living in the United States, and Americans. The different levels of cognitive perception were measured using the Tobii eye-tracking system during three different tasks: a visual attention, Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT), and visual problem-solving task. The importance of this study lay in its ability to highlight the differences between Middle Eastern (Saudi Arabian) and Western (American) learners' perceptual cognitive styles and examine if there were associated gender differences across the two cultures. The results of this study yielded important insights for both educators teaching Arab students living outside their country of origin and instructional designers charged with improving educational systems in Saudi Arabia. The results led to the conclusion that Americans and immigrants apply a more characteristically analytical cognitive style whereas Arabs apply a more characteristically holistic cognitive style to most tasks. Although the results from all three tasks did not show any significant differences between the genders, some differences arose while testing and analyzing some of the visual behaviors dealing with the allocation of visual attention and during problem-solving tasks.Publication A Delphi Study on Expert Instructional Designers' Decision-Making(2023) Kwende, Maurine; Dabbagh, NadaInstructional designers make numerous decisions daily to perform their job, for example, what authoring tool to use, what model or strategy to use, and what design process to use to develop learning solutions. Decision-making is important in the field of instructional design. The literature revealed many factors or variables instructional designers rely on for decision-making including past experience, instructional design models, theories, context or situation, subject matter experts (SMEs), intuition, peers, employer demands, budget, time, and media. The literature also revealed challenges or barriers to decision-making, mainly budget, time, and employer demands. Despite these factors and barriers identified from the research literature, it is still not clear how instructional design decisions are made. There is no clear process for how expert instructional designers make decisions in the workplace. Using the Delphi method, this research sought to examine expert instructional designers’ consensus on the list of factors or variables that instructional designers use for decision-making in the workplace and the challenges that expert instructional designers experienced when making instructional design decisions. This study also sought to understand what expert instructional designers propose as a process to guide instructional design decision-making. The findings from the three rounds of iterative questionnaires validated the research findings and also indicated the most important factors instructional designers relied on for decision-making. An artificial intelligence intervention is proposed as a guide and a model to support design decision-making in the workplace.Item A Demographic Profile of Major League Soccer Metropolitan CommunitiesHoward, Andre; McDowell, JacquelineMajor League Soccer is in the midst of a growing movement as a professional Soccer League in North America. With its growth in the sport, Major League Soccer has gone through the process of expanding the league from 10 cities back in the inaugural season of 1996 to 32 teams in North America, with the most recent expansion selection and approval by the league committee happening in late 2019. Using a collective case study approach, this study sought to gain a better understanding of the demographic factors that characterize the metropolitan areas surrounding Major League Soccer (MLS) teams. An understanding of commonalities and differences in characteristics across each site can be used to identify key factors that should be considered when selecting expansion cities.Item A Design Research Project: Investigating an Integrated Mathematics Instructional System (IMIST) Focused on Inquiry Learning and Proficiencies in Symbolic Literacy, Conceptual Literacy, and Problem-solving for High School Mathematics(2019) Laura McConnaugheyThe combination of stakeholders’ concerns about mathematics education in the United States – students’ lack of proficiencies, problem-solving skills, and preparation for 21st century careers in stem fields – together with the conflict between educators using different and often fragmented curricula and instructional methods (traditional versus reform-based) suggested a need to develop an integrated framework to help teachers design curricula that used the best research-based practices to improve students’ achievement, engagement, and proficiencies in mathematics. This study was the second phase or enactment phase of a design research project that examined prototypical units for Algebra 2 and geometry. This study investigated the IMIST (Integration of Mathematical Inquiry, Symbolic literacy, and Technology) instructional system developed using principles from design thinking, a design pattern approach, and activity theory as a possible solution to help educators design curricula to meet the learning needs of students and to support students’ development of strong mathematical foundations in symbolic literacy, conceptual literacy, and problem-solving applications. The research questions for this study examined the impact of two IMIST units on students’ overall achievement and mastery of symbolic, conceptual, and problem-solving literacies; on students’ attitudes, engagement, and confidence in mathematics; and reports of their experiences using the IMIST unit learning activities.The IMIST system framework used unit learning objectives to identify authentic, contextual problem-solving applications with supporting symbolic and conceptual learning activities to build and scaffold learning needed for deep understanding of mathematical language and applications. Thirteen students, ages 10 to 15, participated in four separate case studies: two individual, one paired, and one small class. The treatment for each case study was a packet of learning activities designed and written by the researcher to support the learning objectives of a unit on quadratic functions for Algebra 2 students and a unit on right triangles and right triangle trigonometry for the geometry student. The instructor provided online or in-class lessons and discussions that introduced student-centered activities with summaries, reviews, and practice. Formal data collection instruments included demographic surveys, Math Attitudes and Perceptions Surveys, assessment data, pre-intervention interviews, and post-intervention interviews and surveys. The researcher kept a journal with observations and students’ comments as well as annotated class notes written during online and face-to-face classes to capture students’ questions and comments during discussions. A cross-case data analysis was developed to examine similarities and trends relevant to the study’s research questions. Data analysis of the individual and small class case studies examined students’ achievement scores overall and in the core literacies linking their comments from interview and survey data to support and explain their learning outcomes. Similarities and trends in students’ reports provided insights into the impact of the IMIST unit on attitudes and confidence as well as evaluations of learning experiences. The data analysis of the case studies and cross-case analysis identified themes describing how students learned using the IMIST unit activities.Publication “A FAMILY TREE CAN BEND, BUT IT CAN NEVER BE BROKEN”: TEACHERS AFFECTED BY CIVIL WAR UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL COHESION IN POST-CONFLICT LIBERIA(2022) Vonhm, Mainlehwon Ebenezer; Baily, SupriyaSocial cohesion is increasingly upheld by scholars and practitioners in the field of conflict resolution and peacebuilding as a necessary condition to achieve sustainable peace following violent conflict. What social cohesion means in a non-Western post-conflict society is, however, unclear. Especially lacking is a deeper understanding of social cohesion between/amongst victims and former perpetrators in post-conflict society, such as Liberia. Today, social cohesion is widely conceptualized in Western nations as social inclusion, similarity, or equality to address societal problems associated with globalization, migration, or marginalization. In conflict-affected settings, by contrast, social cohesion is conceived as encounters, participation, or collaboration to address problems associated with social division or mistrust. These two genres of conceptualizing primarily focus on the causes of conflict (i.e., disparities) that give rise to inequalities and that is understandable given the context in which they were developed. The critical question, however, is whether utilizing such conceptualizations of social cohesion to a non-Western post-conflict society is adequate to rebuild cohesiveness amongst adversaries after a civil conflict. To answer this question, this study adopted a qualitative case study centered on secondary school teachers who suffered (i.e., physical tortured, relatives killed, etc.) during the Liberian civil war to uncover how they learn to live in communities where former perpetrators also reside, so as to gain deeper understanding of social cohesion following brutal conflict. This study found that all the participants drew upon their cultural practices which is clustered around three major themes—forgiveness, ritual dining, and mutual care—to learn to live in communities where former perpetrators also dwell. This study asserts that these cultural practices combine to form a holistic process and provided insights for a deeper understanding of social cohesion after violent conflict which can best be represented by a concept, I termed a shared kinship culture. Hence, this study concludes that the current conceptualizations and theories of social cohesion are insufficient to explain how social cohesion is understood in a non-Western post-conflict society, like Liberia, because they tend to ignore the specific contexts, social realities, and rich repository of local knowledge and cultural practices in such areas.Item A Feminist Critique of Continuing Coaching and Administrative Inequalities after Title IX Implementation(2015-08-13) Rothenberg, Eryn Elizabeth; Rothenberg, Erin Elizabeth; Rodgers, R. PierreThis thesis describes how Title IX has contributed to the progress in women’s sports and female participation numbers at all levels since its implementation in 1972. However, while the law has contributed to increased participation on the playing field, Title IX has not generated similar opportunities for women in coaching and upper level administrative positions in sport. The areas that are examined in this thesis are women’s experiences in coaching and athletic administration, and the policies that shape the opportunities available to them. A detailed analysis was conducted pertaining to the case of Stanley v. The University of Southern California with the intention of identifying barriers that women face when working in the sport industry. Finally, based on the surveyed literature, as well as this case study, suggestions are offered for improving opportunities for women both on and off the playing field.Item A Formative Study Investigating the Acquisition of Early Reading Skills Among High School English Language Learners Beginning to Read English(2012-10-05) Bell, Athene Cooper; Bell, Athene Cooper; Zenkov, Kristien; Parsons, Seth A.A formative design experiment methodology was employed to investigate the acquisition of early reading skills for high school English language learners (ELLs) beginning to read English. A fundamental challenge facing high school ELLs entering schools in the United States for the first time is learning how to read. While there is considerable research evidence and literature regarding the teaching of reading to elementary aged ELLs, there is less evidence to support reading instruction for high school students learning to read English. This study sought to create a successful reading model for high school ELLs learning to read. The pedagogical goal of this study was improved acquisition of early reading skills. Participants included one classroom teacher and nine students (eight native Spanish speakers and one native Chinese speaker). The classroom teacher taught only in English and did not speak Spanish or Chinese. According to the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) all students were designated at the lowest proficiency level of English acquisition within a school district 35 miles from one of the nation’s busiest economies. Informed by theories of language development and social constructivism, the instructional intervention of this study focused on the interactions of students as they worked within three distinct group configurations. These included guided reading, cooperative learning, and computer assisted instruction groups that were integrated into one instructional reading model. Throughout the course of the intervention, students rotated to each of the three groups during daily 90-minute class sessions over a period of 14 weeks. Each group was configured based on students’ individual reading skill levels and areas of need. The intervention was iteratively adapted based on factors that inhibited its effectiveness. Quantitative data were collected prior to and after implementation of the intervention to establish a baseline of performance and to determine progress toward the pedagogical goal. The Scholastic Phonics Inventory (SPI) was administered at pre- and postintervention and was analyzed by total percentage of accuracy and fluency on five SPI subtests that included letter names accuracy, sight words accuracy, sight words fluency nonsense words accuracy, and nonsense words fluency. In all subtests, students’ mean scores were higher on posttests compared to pretest scores, even though scores on all parameters varied. A Wilcoxon signed- rank test was also conducted at postintervention to evaluate the students’ performance on each of the five SPI subtests and on the cumulative SPI fluency score. Results of the Wilcoxon were significant, indicating students’ progress toward the pedagogical goal. Qualitative data were coded for recurring themes derived from classroom observation and field notes, student and teacher interviews, classroom artifacts, and informal discussions with the teacher. Analyses revealed that progress toward the pedagogical goal was related to the following: Working in small groups allowed the students to solve their own academic problems through interaction with each other; participating in a variety of groups coordinated for skill instruction enhanced ELLs’ early reading skills and vocabulary development; creating a classroom environment that encouraged oral language interaction enhanced ELLs’ movement from passive to active learning; and the use of technology for early reading skills instruction engaged ELLs in class work. Results indicated students’ progress toward the pedagogical goal. Implications for future research suggest that further investigation of multiconfigured reading interventions as designed in this study may be warranted. This might span the range of ESOL and content area classes in which ELLs participate throughout high school. Additionally, the evidence from this study suggests that future research might benefit from formative design studies as described in this investigation.Item A History of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Academic Reform Movement and Analysis of the Academic Progress Rate in Division I-A Institutions(2013-08) Singleton, Jill; Singleton, Jill; Wiggins, David K.This study investigates the accuracy and institutional variables that contribute to the NCAA academic reform measure, the Academic Progress Rate (APR). The APR is the NCAA's newest measure and it is meant to be a "real time" measurement of academic progress for student athletes that takes eligibility, graduation rate, retention, and progress towards degree into its calculation (Denhart, et al., 2009). After a historical review of NCAA academic reforms from the Savage Report through Proposition 48 and finally the policies enacted through the Academic Performance Program, a non-experimental quantitative secondary research analysis study of the APR was conducted. This study examined the 117 Division I-A institutions that participated the Bowl Championship Series during the 2004-05 season. The 2004-05 academic year was chosen because it is the first time the APR was officially published--and the student cohort corresponds to the most recently published federal graduation rate. Each institution was categorically grouped based on institutional characteristics to determine if there are differences in APR mean scores based on t-test and ANOVA analysis. Important variables that were investigated include enrollment size, admission standards, private vs. public institutions, athletic conference affiliation, athletic budgets, and teams' on-field performance. Results showed that the APR has too much error to be a viable way to determine academic success and did not increase the overall graduation rate of student athletes in revenue sports. Results from the categorically analysis warranted four major findings: admissions standards of the institutions greatly contributed to APR scores; the more money spent on athletics, the higher the APR scores; athletic performance does not matter in terms of APR scores; and football is the revenue sport that causes the most problems when it comes to academic issues and reform.