Festival of Scholars

Student Abstracts

Dual Immersion Education: An Analysis of Reading Achievement in English and Spanish

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Dual Language education, or Two-Way Immersion (TWI), is a subject of passionate debate. Those who oppose this approach to education cite early evidence that educational instruction in a “minority-language student’s native language is detrimental to academic success,” (Marian, Shook, Schroeder, 2013). After further examination, several educators are defending the effects that immersion has on academic language achievement. In an article highlighting the success of immersion education for student participants, professor Lindholm-Leary (2012) finds that “students in immersion programs perform at or above grade level on standardized reading and math tests in English. They score similar to their statewide peers by about grades 5-7, if not sooner,” (Lindholm-Leary, 2012). The aim of the study was to examine whether two-way immersion programs benefit student academic achievement in both minority- and majority-language students. Using a quantitative comparative data approach, the specific question and examination this study addresses is how TWI programs effect reading achievement of 4th and 5th grade students in both their native and second language. The data of student standardized reading scores involve 72 students attending a Southern California public charter school that follows a TWI program on campus. From this data and its analysis, the researcher is able to provide supports to the immersion program on campus by highlighting the benefits that have risen in student reading academic achievement in both English and Spanish, as well as provide administration any additional data that may lead to further examination of academic achievement.

Student(s):
Adriana Alfaro

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Reading Apprenticeship's Relationship to Student Success in Community College Dev Math Courses

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Community colleges provide educational opportunity to a variety of goals including certificates, associate degrees, or transfer. These institutions are open-access which presents challenges to completion for students due to typically long developmental mathematics sequences. The purpose of this study was to explore a Reading Apprenticeship (RA), which is a teaching and learning framework, in developmental math sections at a large urban community college. Differences students’ math self-efficacy, persistence, and grade were analyzed for groups of students who were registered for an RA-led developmental math course compared to those who were in non-RA-led developmental math courses. RA is centered on metacognitive conversation through the social, personal, knowledge-building, and cognitive dimensions. A quantitative quasi-experimental and correlational study used a pre and post-test design provided to students (N=537) across 34 sections of developmental math courses. Math self-efficacy was measured by pre and post-test. Math GPA and persistence data was provided by the research office with the dataset. There was no significance found between treatment and control group in math self-efficacy change, math GPA, and persistence in math (defined as registering for a math course in the following term). The results do lead to a discussion of the professional learning culture on this campus and areas of future research.

Student(s):
Myriam Altounji

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Therese Eyermann

Through the Eyes of the User: Student Perceptions of iPad Use- Tool or Toy?

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Technology has become as commonplace in the classroom as the number two pencil. Today’s classroom is filled with various technological devices that are used to enhance and differentiate the learning process for the students. Studies have shown the benefits of using technology in the classroom as well as teacher perceptions of the technology that they are implementing. There is a need for research examining the perceptions of the user of these technologies: the student. Specifically, this study focused on the students’ perception of 1:1 iPad use in the classroom. An online survey was created in order to examine the student perceptions. The participants were fifth graders from the three classes at a Southern California elementary school. The data from the survey was analyzed and conclusions were made regarding student perceptions of the iPad they use daily at school. The results from this study will help teachers and districts be mindful when implementing curriculum and other aspects of the classroom that involve iPads. Understanding how the students actually perceive these devices can help use them more effectively.

Student(s):
Elizabeth Averell

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Persistence of International students in Liberal Arts Universities

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In 1974, 150,000 International students were enrolled in US universities. By 2013, the number was 819,644! These students face unique challenges studying in a U.S. and may be forced to leave school due a variety of reasons. International student participation increases the diversity of campuses, provides economic benefit to the institution and fosters global understanding. The purpose of this study is to investigate and discover the factors that affect persistence and GPA in International students in the U.S. The research questions for this research are: What are International student perceptions concerning their campus climate; Is there a relationship between those perceptions and plans to persistence; and Is there a relationship between those perceptions and GPA? Sandler’s Chilly Climate and Tinto Retention Theories were used to create a survey that measured feelings of belongingness, and engagement as related to persistence and academic performance in the U.S. 178 International students from five Liberal Arts Colleges responded to the survey. Factor analysis resulted in eight scale variables. Hierarchical multiple regression and correlation analysis was used to analyze the data collected. The result of this study showed that: Students felt most positive about Instructor Support, Security and least positive about Sense of Belonging and Misconception & Linguistic Discrimination; Student who felt they had Instructor Support and did not face Misconception & Linguistic Discrimination were more likely to persist; Students with strong English Communication skills, who didn’t use Peer Academic Support, did not face Misconceptions and Discrimination and felt a Sense of Belonging had higher GPAs.

Student(s):
Jeff Bajah

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Therese S. Eyermann

Perceptions of Private High School Leaders on Test-Optional College Admissions

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As students transition from high school to college, specific leaders at private high schools play an important role in guiding them throughout the college selection process. My experience in the admissions circuit on the college side has found that these private high school leaders not only write letters of recommendation but also make recommendations on where students should pursue their postsecondary education. This study seeks to explore the attitudes and perspectives these private high school leaders have on the college application process. I will be focusing on one aspect, standardized testing, to describe how preconceived notions from private high school leadership can influence the choices prospective college students make. I will be conductive a qualitative research study using an ethnographic approach to better understand how various admissions standards around standardized testing influence college choices.

Student(s):
Majelane Bautista

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

Moving from Hispanic Enrolling to Hispanic Serving: A Qualitative Study of Support Programs

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This study aims to understand the experience of Latino/a students in college as it relates to academic and supportive programs and ongoing needs. The goal is to begin to develop evidence-based educational programming that improves retention, completion, and engagement for Latino/a students. Students will provide overall experience as a Hispanic/Latino student and each identify the programs that best support their academic goals. This study is also interested to identify any gaps that may exist and allow interviewees to suggest the programs they would most like to see added. A qualitative research design is used to consider the academic support experiences of two Latino students attending a private university. A narrative research approach is used. This study specifically aims to understand the experience of Latino/a students to recognize the most successful academic support programs for this population while identifying areas where needs are not currently being met. A narrative research approach is appropriate for this study because it typically focuses on collecting stories and interpreting those experiences.

Student(s):
Eduardo Beltran

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

The Invisible Population in Higher Education

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The homeless often times are seen on street corners, city parks, sleeping under bridges or in their vehicles, and even “couch surfing.” One would never think that this very same person could be sitting in a college course. Homelessness has increased in our communities due to a variety of factors. But those who are homeless also want and have a right to educational opportunities; for many who are homeless, attending college is one venture that could impact their lives in countless ways. Not only is there very limited research on the experiences of this nontraditional student group, it appears not to be on the forefront of administrators in higher education. This critical ethnographic qualitative research study will explore the experiences and interactions of administrators and staff with college students facing homelessness at four year universities. It will also attempt to identify some of the academic barriers along with identifying resources available on university campuses to aid in the academic success of these students. The stories of the experiences and interactions described by administrators and staff will aid in my understanding the higher education systems that are implemented.

Student(s):
Tiffany Bonner

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

Examining the Career Aspirations of Community College Deans

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Many senior-level administrators such as vice presidents in California’s public community college system are part of the baby boomer generation. As this generation prepares to retire, there may be fewer mid-level administrators such as community college deans who can replace them. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the career aspirations of California community college deans to understand the reasons that they expressed for pursuing or not pursuing senior-level positions in community colleges. The researcher interviewed three community college deans from a large, urban community college district. Data from the interviews were transcribed from audio recordings of the interviews and then analyzed, coded, and organized into general themes and categories that reflected the perceptions and experiences of the participants. The results of this study could be used to help guide those who are directly involved with succession planning by helping them to: 1) create professional development activities that may better identify talented, mid-level leaders in the pipeline; 2) encourage, mentor and prepare talented mid-level leaders for the skills and competencies needed to be successful as a senior-level administrator; and 3) recognize and address the specific reasons why mid-level leaders may be reluctant to pursue senior-level positions, such as issues regarding work-life balance; motivational factors; and institutional barriers, such as those experienced by under-represented groups in senior administration such as women and persons of color.

Student(s):
Phyllis Braxton

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

Educators' Perspectives of Their Roles in Battling Childhood Obesity

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) estimate that roughly 20% of school-age children are obese, making childhood obesity an urgent American health problem. Schools are in a unique position to address this pressing issue because of the amount of time students spend with teachers. The purpose of this study was to investigate, through the lens of social cognitive theory (Nutbeam et al., 2010), perceptions of educational leaders and physical education teachers regarding their roles in battling childhood obesity and to examine factors within and outside schools’ control in addressing the issue. This qualitative case study used data collected from 11 educators (eight teachers and three administrators) to address this important problem. Three themes surfaced as factors within an educator’s scope of impact that can make a difference in addressing the obesity epidemic: the informative role of educators, the impact of school culture, and goal setting and journaling. Other factors outside educators’ control were also discovered. The implications from this study suggest that increased funding and provision of daily physical education, the implementation of goal setting and journaling, fostering a robust school culture that actively addresses obesity, and working collaboratively with parents may each reduce the incidence of childhood obesity.

Student(s):
Kathryn Buckly

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michael Owens

Student Use of “Kahoot” and Achievement in a 6thGrade Social Studies Class

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Middle school students are likely spending much of their free time using technology: communicating with friends, watching YouTube, or playing a video game. In contrast, they most often use pencils and paper while in the classroom. There appears to be a disconnect between how students process information inside and outside of school. The research question is whether there is a relationship between student use of a technology and student achievement. The purpose of the study was to explore whether student use of the technology activity, “Kahoot” increases achievement in a 6th grade social studies class. Kahoot may be a tool for reviewing content while informing the teacher of students’ level of understanding. The research design was quantitative. There were two classes, an experimental group and a control group. Both classes were taught the same content in the same manner. When the time came for a summative assessment, the control group was given non-technological activities such as oral review and a worksheet. The experimental group used Kahoot with partners. Then, both classes took a formative assessment, an end-of-unit test consisting of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions. After parental and administrator approval, data was collected as scores from the assessment.

Student(s):
Marisa Cirillo

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Carlos Dominguez

Implementing and Using Technology in Foreign Language Instruction

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Two strong advocates for the technology component of instruction of a foreign language are Altun (2015) and Mutlu (2013). In this present study, qualitative data from test scores and qualitative data from a voluntary student questionnaire are used as the foundation to support the research of both Altun (2015) and Mutlu (2013). The participants are students from three Spanish-3CP classes. Students had several technology supports added the second semester including: Language Apps, Music to learn basic concepts and on-line tools for grammar practice/review. The test scores improve once the technology aspect is implemented. The questionnaire supports the data that the students found it easier to acquire the language with the added technological supports. This research was conducted with the purpose of improving future teaching practice.

Student(s):
Bridgette Clyne

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Perspectives of K-12 General Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion of Students With Disabilities

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The research has shown that students with disabilities have benefitted at a much slower rate from the effects of Brown v. Board than other marginalized groups as historically, disabilities have “been cast in the sphere of abnormality and individual pathology.” (Liasidou, 214, p. 120) For this study I am looking to answer the question of what the perspectives are of K-12 general education teachers regarding inclusion and working with people with moderate to severe disabilities. This information will help districts and school administrators to better understand the needs and concerns of educators when working with students who have moderate to severe disabilities and what types of professional development courses to offer to credentialed teachers or how to better tailor credential programs to meet these concerns. For data collection, I will use a mixed approach utilizing aspects of a constructivist grounded theory design as well as an ethnographic design and purposeful sampling to collect my data. I will conduct interviews ranging from 30 to 60 minutes with K-12 credentialed general education teachers in the K-12.

Student(s):
Javier Cruz

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

Examining the Role of Associate Teachers at Independent Schools

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The avenues for which one becomes a teacher in a private school are varied. Historically, private schools did not require certification to teach in their schools. As competition has increased for talented teachers in both private and public schools, some private schools have initiated programs to train their own future teachers. This study seeks to examine a pilot program at a private independent school, which was developed with the intention of training their future teachers. In this program, associate teachers’ work under the direction of a lead teacher in a collaborative classroom. Qualitative data will be collected in the form of interviews and questionnaires to investigate, from the perspective of the associate teacher, their sense of self-efficacy, professional acceptance, and effect on student outcomes. The data will provide insight into the associate teacher program, and speak to the effectiveness of its efforts to prepare associate teachers for lead teaching positions.

Student(s):
Tamara Dillon, Tamara Dillon

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Maura Martindale

Best Practices for Multigrade Teaching in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Classrooms

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Nine combined or multi-grade deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) classes, ranging from grades one to five, were the focus of this qualitative inquiry. In each of the four elementary schools surveyed for the study, the teachers used a listening and spoken language approach to teach students in their special day classrooms. The study sought to determine the manner in which the teachers organized their combined classes, the nature of teachers’ feelings about this organization, and factors that contributed to making combination classes a positive experience for the teachers. Data was collected by means of an online survey of the nine participating teachers. This project was undertaken to determine themes in scheduling and organizing instruction for a first-year multi-grade DHH teacher.

Student(s):
Brittany Dorn

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Maura Martindale

Does Meeting Accelerated Reader Goals Improve Reading Ability?

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Accelerated Reader (AR) is a computerized reading program that is utilized in thousands of schools across the country to improve student reading skills. A review of the existing literature on AR revealed that there is much debate over its overall effectiveness. Krashen (2003) looked at existing research conducted on AR and found that none of the studies he examined showed evidence that AR increases literacy. Alternatively, Solley (2011) concluded that AR is a valuable tool for aiding reading instruction. Schools have spent large amounts of money to implement AR, with some schools making participation mandatory and part of a student’s grade. This quantitative study sought to determine if there was a relationship between students who met AR goals with a higher increase in reading ability compared to students who did not meet their AR goals. Data was analyzed from 108 students in grades two through four who attend a private school located in a suburban area of Ventura County. Reading growth over the course of one trimester was analyzed and compared to AR data to determine if students who meet their AR goals showed a higher increase in reading ability over those who did not meet their reading goals.

Student(s):
Catherine Fabian

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

How Teachers Are Providing Students with Intellectual Disabilities Access to Academics

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Education for students with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities has historically prioritized functional living skills, and compounded academic skills within a functional context. Research has shown that this population is capable of learning skills within an academic context when provided with the appropriate adaptations and modifications. The purpose of the quantitative study is to determine how teachers at one district are using Unique Learning System, a modified curriculum, in order to provide their students with meaningful access to the academic content areas of reading and math. Teachers participated by completing an online, quantitative, cross-sectional survey that utilized descriptive data. The survey was divided into four sections: 1) teacher demographics, 2) student demographics, 3) proficiency with curriculum components, and 4) lesson presentation and expectations. From this data, correlational statistics revealed the relationship between variables of interest such as trends in access as related to communicative competency. The results will help reveal the overall strengths and weaknesses in the target district’s use of a curriculum.

Student(s):
Jessica Galloway

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

SwB Program: Students' Transition, Adaptation and Contributions the Program's Policy

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The Science without Borders program (SwB), a Brazilian government scholarship program, was created in 2011 and its first stage of enrollment was between 2013 and 2015. Because of its infancy, the two Brazilian federal offices of coordination of educational studies, CNPQ and CAPES affirm that they need more research about the program. Knowledge developed from this research will allow the offices to work on improving existing policies to achieve better results with the process of internationalization of the Brazilian higher education. With policy changing, the program can contribute to the Brazilian workforce and education with the best prepared people in the country.The research questions to this study are: 1) What are the challenges that Brazilian international students face as they transition into the U.S. higher education system to earn an education in STEM? 2) How do they learn to navigate and address these challenges? 3) What are the participants’ suggestions to implement the Science without Borders program’s policies? In order to answer the research questions and contribute to the literature that will inform the involved agencies and ministry of education in Brazil, the design of this research is a qualitative narrative research. The present study had 3 participants, the data was collected through individual interviews with an open questionnaire about the students’ educational history before coming to the United States, their participation in the SwB Program, and their suggestions to the program’s policies. The interview was transcribed, analyzed and after detecting the most relevant codes, the results were written.

Student(s):
Cristiane Galvao

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Pena

Mystery Narratives: Can its Implication Impact Divergent Thinking to Stimulate Creativity?

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There is a documented need for student engagement in creative and divergent thinking which is essential to the Common Core Standards’ goals for increased creativity, problem solving, critical thinking and analytical skills in our college and career ready students. The hypothesis for this research study is to conduct mystery narrative anticipatory sets as an applied treatment daily to see mystery narrative anticipatory sets have an effect on divergent thinking skills. All content area curricula can benefit from divergent thinking. This research study will be conducted using a quantitative-experimental design to determine if mystery narratives have an effect on divergent thinking growth. This research follows a two-group pre-test-treatment-post-test design using the Wallach-Kogan Creativity Test. Mystery narratives as the anticipatory sets will be the treatment. The population will be a collection of seventy-three 7th grade students. During the span of six weeks, one group will be provided with mystery narrative anticipatory sets (Classroom A) while the other class period does not (Classroom B). They will be asked questions based on the four aspects of divergent thinking within the mystery narrative.

Student(s):
Jeannie Gianni

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Maura Martindale

Striving for Independence: What do Educators See When 1:1 Paraprofessional Support is Removed?

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With the advent of the Individuals with Disabilities Act and most recently the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, more and more children with special needs and their families are exercising their legal right to be educated alongside their typical peers in the general education classroom. For the students with special needs, this can mean the use of para-professional (para) 1:1 support. While the use of 1:1 support can help to facilitate placement in the general education classroom, it can, however, lead to dependencies on the para by the students they are supposed to serve. This study surveyed teachers and paras who have worked with students after their 1:1 support has ended to see if dependencies were created out of that type of support. Using a quantitative approach, a short survey was created to gather data about prompt dependency, interaction with other students and teachers, concentration, and choice making skills as reported by teachers and paraprofessionals who work in a Southern California special education center where 1:1 support is not practiced. Results of this study will help to understand the issues faced by students after 1:1 support has ended.

Student(s):
Philip Griffin

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Revitalizing Engineering and STEM Programs

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There has been much controversy over the decline in the number of minority students who successfully pursue degrees in engineering fields and attain successful employment in their engineering major. Various industries across the United States have been aware of this decline for over a decade. Current research findings show that the persistence of Black males and minorities in engineering programs are lower in relationships to other students who are not minorities (Day, B. W., 2015), with many facing barriers to success academically and securing employment in engineering fields. The purpose of the study is to explore the need for revitalizing the engineering transfer program on campus; redesigning the program with a curriculum that will include interventions to support student success; preparing students for the rigors of the engineering curriculum; and creating pathways for employment in engineering. Data gathered through this study will add to the current research answering the many questions as to why minorities are not working in their STEM degree fields. Using a qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach, the research will explore students’ opinions as it relates to revitalizing an engineering transfer program focusing on success. Purposeful sampling will be used to select student participants who are enrolled and majoring in STEM fields.The interview data will be coded with initial categorizes developed per the phenomenon Creswell (p. 427). Themes will be derived from the categorized data with sub-categories used to reflect the core phenomenon. Strategies (actions) will be developed in response to the core phenomenon.

Student(s):
La Vonne Hamilton

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Peña

Seeking Intellectual Diversity: A Narrative of Using Ayn Rand in Higher Education

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Diversity studies are very common in higher education today. However, these often only include ethnicity and gender issues. This research focuses on another relevant topic for higher education: intellectual diversity. This research specifically uses the controversial writer and philosopher, Ayn Rand, as an illustration of the issues facing intellectual diversity in higher education today. The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of professors who teach Ayn Rand as part of their curricula as a means to better engage with the topic of intellectual diversity. This study serves as one of the first qualitative studies that addresses intellectual diversity through the lens of professors who teach unpopular ideas, as exhibited through the use of Ayn Rand. This qualitative research used a narrative counter-storytelling approach through the lens of critical theory to tell the stories of 16 professors who taught Ayn Rand and to understand their views on intellectual diversity. Four main themes emerged when analyzing the data through in vivo coding. These included the professors’ perception of intellectual diversity, the experience the participants had in using Ayn Rand in their classes, the student perception of the teaching of Ayn Rand, and how colleagues responded to their teaching of Ayn Rand. This research demonstrated that there are issues with intellectual diversity in higher educationand that more awareness of intellectual diversity needs to be promoted in higher education.

Student(s):
Deanna Heikkinen

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Michael Owens

Utilizing a Strength Based Intervention to Improve Self-Efficacy in Low Income First Generation Students

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The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether utilizing a strength based intervention would improve academic outcomes and self-efficacy in low-income, first generation students. Of a random sample of a diverse group of 93 students, 47 took the Donald Clifton StrengthsFinder Survey and participated in a six-week strengths intervention program at comprehensive University in Southern California. All 93 participants received a pre and posttest self-efficacy survey. Data analysis from an independent sample t test revealed that there was a significant difference in academic outcomes for those who participated in a strength based intervention. A separate independent samples t test revealed that there was no significant difference in self-efficacy change scores for those who participated in the strength based intervention. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that participation in the strength based treatment group was the strongest predictor for improved academic outcomes. An additional multiple hierarchical regression analysis also revealed that participation in the strength based treatment group was the strongest predictor for improved self-efficacy change scores. The study concludes with a summary of how strength intervention may contribute to academic practices.

Student(s):
James Henry

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Therese Eyermann

A Closer Look at Critiques in the Classroom

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Working together and collaborating with peers can aid student learning and support cognitive growth. That same kind of collaboration can help art students during the creative process. Collaboration can be included along with the artistic process through the use of critiques. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of critique methods in a visual arts classroom in order to discover the impact of using in-process critique components during the creative process. The questions this study was aiming to answer are as follows: What impact does the implementation of in-process critique collaborative methods have on students’ creative thinking when solving artistic problems? Does the ability to get feedback and make changes to works of art in-progress influence students’ satisfaction with the final results? This study was conducted in an arts classroom where middle school students were asked to participate in the critique and feedback process and then answer open-ended questions during different stages of working through an art project.

Student(s):
Meri Jagard

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Training General Education Teachers for Inclusion

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This study focuses on finding an effective way of preparing general education teachers to work in an inclusive special education model where all students with IEPs are included in the general education classroom. Both prior research and the results of the pre-training survey showed that the majority of teachers do not feel that they have all of the tools and training they need to successfully implement an inclusion based special education model. The goal of the project was to see that if data was collected via a survey on the needs of the general education teacher, could the special education staff member at that site make an appropriate training that would help the general education teachers feel prepared to work with students of varying ability in the general education classroom. The training was created by the researcher, based off of the teacher's expressed needs, and presented as an online training module. A follow up survey provided data on whether or not the teachers found this specific training, provided by the school site special education teacher, effective (data is still being collected and analyzed).

Student(s):
Nicholas Jerrems

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Maura Martindale

Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Using Technology for Assessment

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When implementing new technologies, strategies, or curriculum in the classroom countless studies have suggested that the major factor in implementation is teacher attitudes. As technology becomes a larger and more integral part of the classroom, its uses have expanded to include assessing student learning. Therefore, a need has arisen to examine the teachers’ attitudes towards implementing these technologies in their classroom for the purpose of assessment. This study investigates what elementary school teachers think about using technology to assess student learning and how they use technology to assess student learning in their classroom. This study was a quantitative action research project. This study surveyed forty elementary school teachers in a local district about their perceptions, feelings, and experience with using technology to assess student learning in their classroom. This data was then analyzed for relationships between implementation and use of technology and the teachers’ attitudes towards it. With the prevalence of online testing and assessments, it is necessary for administrators to understand the attitudes of the teachers to be able to effectively implement technology for assessment in the classroom.

Student(s):
Ryanne Maloney

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

A Sense of School Belonging of African Americans in Elite, Predominately White Independent Schools

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A School sense of belonging is at risk in an education system that questions the achievement, performance, and ability of African Americans (Tillman & Scheurich, 2013). A sense of school belonging for this study is defined as being accepted, valued, included and encouraged by others in the life of the school community, which is a vital component in student success. The success of African American students has been impeded for years, partly due to their lack of inclusion in the school community (Uwah, McMahon, & Furlow, 2008). The purpose of this study was to examine through the lens of Critical Race Theory the extent to which African American students feel a sense of school belonging in predominately white independent schools (PWISs). This case study is rooted in the experiences of 13 African American students who graduated from seven different PWISs in Southern California. Through semi-structured interviews and school website data analysis, this study found that the obstacles that hinder a sense of school belonging are racism and discrimination, inequities of power and privilege, and lack of representation in the curriculum. The implications from this study are that PWISs should 1) increase the number of African American personnel 2) increase the number of African American students, and 3) establish a school-wide initiative that assesses the school’s climate and provides accountability for schools in order to enhance their commitment to ethnic and cultural diversity.

Student(s):
Betrina Moore-Southall

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Diane Rodriguez-Kiino

Perception and Implementation of Critical Thinking Instruction in Secondary Science Classrooms

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Critical thinking is an essential skill for students as they prepare for college and careers. “The ability to promote deep learning is directly impacted by faculty knowledge and incorporation of critical thinking concepts” (Rowles, Morgan, Burns, and Merchant, 2013, p. 32). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between teacher perception of critical thinking and implementation of critical thinking instruction. Participants in the study were given an electronic survey consisting of twenty four questions. Twelve questions focused on perception of critical thinking and twelve questions focused on implementation of critical thinking instruction. Data from the survey was analyzed to determine the correlation between perception and implementation. The results of this study may be used to identify the need for professional development or teacher training in critical thinking pedagogy.

Student(s):
Kristen Mussack

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

The use of PBL in the 21st Century Classroom: The Effectiveness of PBL with the CCSS

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The new Common Core State Standards has brought “philosophical, curricular, instructional, and assessment changes to public education.” (Wallender, 2014). One of these instructional changes has been school districts focusing on the use of Project- Based Learning (PBL) as a teaching strategy to meet the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The focus of this qualitative research study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PBL) as a strategy for teachers to use for implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The design of this study was a qualitative data collection with individual interviews. The researcher interviewed six elementary school teachers, each at a different grade level. The researcher used these interviews to analyze teachers’ perceptions of PBL, their comfort level using PBL, and their observations of student engagement and achievement.

Student(s):
Leann Olsen

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Carlos Dominguez

Benefits of Reclassification for Long Term English Language Learners in California Public Schools

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The State of California has almost 1.4 million English Learners, according to the California Department of Education (2015). Some of these students are placed in English Language Development courses, while others are in mainstream courses. In order to become Reclassified Fluent English Proficient, the student must pass the California English Language Development Test (CELDT), a test taken annually by students to gauge their academic English skills. This narrative case study researches the experiences of students as English Learners and how those experiences have shaped their performance on the CEDLT. The goal of this research project is to collect narrative data from the point of view of Long Term English Language Learners who are now seniors in high school and have taken the CELDT test for the last time without successfully becoming Reclassified Fluent English Proficient. Research will be done by using qualitative grounded theory methodology by interviewing the 5-7 participants who have all been enrolled in public schools in the U.S. since elementary school. Once this data has been collected, sorted, categorized and analyzed, the results could be used to better prepare future generations of Long Term English Language Learners for the CELDT thus allowing them to secure the benefits of reclassification during their K12 careers.

Student(s):
Sarah Page

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Carlos Dominguez

Softball’s Effect on Academic Performance and Completion of Advanced Degrees

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As the Latina population has grown, sport studies research has produced little understanding of women as active participants in the development of strategies and tactics for academic success (Jamieson, 2003). The purpose of this research study was to examine the effects softball has on academic performance of female Hispanic/Latina student athletes (FHLSA) seeking to obtain an advanced degree, who come from low socioeconomic communities. A qualitative study was used in order to examine first-hand the family and economic status, social/ cultural, and educational performance that affect college completion rates of Hispanic female softball players. Each of the (3) three participants took place in a semi-structured interview process. The data collected provided insight regarding the impact of the study’s primary influencing factors on the student athletes’ success in obtaining an advanced degree.

Student(s):
Eric Prieto

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Lory Selby

Professional Development Schools and Student Achievement

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The National Center for Education Statistics (2012-2013) published that higher percentage of Black (45%), Hispanic (45%), and American Indian/Alaska Native (36%) students attended high-poverty public schools than did Asian (16%) and White (8%). The issues and challenges experienced in urban school settings include the resources available, community context, quality of teachers, preparation of future teachers, and the characteristics of students (Foote, 2005). Laboratory or professional development schools were started with the idea of being connected to higher schools of education to provide best-practice classroom environments focused on research and implementation of educational theory. With the decline of laboratory schools there is a need of strong connections among schools, colleges, and communities. The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe how a school-university partnership creates a pedagogy of success and college aspirations in students at high percentage minority, low-income, culturally and linguistically diverse schools. I seek to find what role school-university partnerships play in influencing academic achievement and college aspirations in minority, low-income students. The study will explore the experiences of students, parents, and teachers at a professional development school using a narrative approach in order that participants tell their stories. The importance of my research is to identify how professional development schools significantly impact student achievement and college aspirations in students. As a result of my study, educational leaders and teachers can better assess their roles, counselors can better involve parents, and colleges and universities can better work with parents and high need schools to close the achievement gap.

Student(s):
Leticia Ramos

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Edlyn Peňa

The Engagement and Development of Students in Online Bachelor Degree Programs

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This study contributes to the body of literature on effective student engagement strategies in online higher education. The purpose of the study was to quantitatively examine how online colleges’ engagement efforts affected student development outcomes. For the purposes of this study, student engagement referred to the learning environment, learning community, student support team, as well as social engagement opportunities. These concepts served as independent variables which were evaluated in terms of their ability to affect student development. Student development refers to students’ intellectual, emotional, political, and overall development. A random sample of online college seniors and recent alumni (N=186) from 36 online bachelor degree programs across the United States completed a questionnaire. The engagement variables were measured in terms of how frequently students engaged in various activities and with various individuals. The intellectual, emotional, and political development variables measured how capable students felt performing various tasks before and after online study. Overall growth was measured by asking participants whether they believed they grew intellectually, emotionally, and politically as a result of studying at their online college. The results indicated statistically significant positive correlations between the online learning environment and all student development variables. They indicated a similar relationship between all student engagement variables and overall growth. The results also show that three of four student development variables (overall growth, intellectual growth, and emotional growth) can be predicted by student engagement. The most significant predictor was the online learning environment.

Student(s):
Jacquelynn Thomas

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Therese Eyermann

Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities on the New California Math Assessment

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The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) was officially adminstered for the first time in the spring of 2015. This assessment differs from previous standardized assesments with a language based model of mathematics. Students with learning disabilities in reading have long performed below their peers without a disability and even peers with a learning disability in math only on math assessments. This study sought to examine how students with a learning disability in reading would compare to their peers without a disability or with another form of a learning disability on the mathematics assessment of the CAASPP. This project will highlight how the construction of math assessments can impact the performance of students with a learning disabaility. A quantitative method was used in the design of this study so as to evaluate if the differences between the groups with a learning disability and without are significant.

Student(s):
Kendra Vejtasa

Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Maura Martindale

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Graduate School of Education: Poster Symposium

Student Abstracts

Dual Immersion Education: An Analysis of Reading Achievement in English and Spanish

Reading Apprenticeship's Relationship to Student Success in Community College Dev Math Courses

Through the Eyes of the User: Student Perceptions of iPad Use- Tool or Toy?

Persistence of International students in Liberal Arts Universities

Perceptions of Private High School Leaders on Test-Optional College Admissions

Moving from Hispanic Enrolling to Hispanic Serving: A Qualitative Study of Support Programs

The Invisible Population in Higher Education

Examining the Career Aspirations of Community College Deans

Educators' Perspectives of Their Roles in Battling Childhood Obesity

Student Use of “Kahoot” and Achievement in a 6thGrade Social Studies Class

Implementing and Using Technology in Foreign Language Instruction

Perspectives of K-12 General Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion of Students With Disabilities

Examining the Role of Associate Teachers at Independent Schools

Best Practices for Multigrade Teaching in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Classrooms

Does Meeting Accelerated Reader Goals Improve Reading Ability?

How Teachers Are Providing Students with Intellectual Disabilities Access to Academics

SwB Program: Students' Transition, Adaptation and Contributions the Program's Policy

Mystery Narratives: Can its Implication Impact Divergent Thinking to Stimulate Creativity?

Striving for Independence: What do Educators See When 1:1 Paraprofessional Support is Removed?

Revitalizing Engineering and STEM Programs

Seeking Intellectual Diversity: A Narrative of Using Ayn Rand in Higher Education

Utilizing a Strength Based Intervention to Improve Self-Efficacy in Low Income First Generation Students

A Closer Look at Critiques in the Classroom

Training General Education Teachers for Inclusion

Elementary Teachers' Attitudes Towards Using Technology for Assessment

A Sense of School Belonging of African Americans in Elite, Predominately White Independent Schools

Perception and Implementation of Critical Thinking Instruction in Secondary Science Classrooms

The use of PBL in the 21st Century Classroom: The Effectiveness of PBL with the CCSS

Benefits of Reclassification for Long Term English Language Learners in California Public Schools

Softball’s Effect on Academic Performance and Completion of Advanced Degrees

Professional Development Schools and Student Achievement

The Engagement and Development of Students in Online Bachelor Degree Programs

Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities on the New California Math Assessment