NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

Undergraduate Engineering Students' Understanding of Heat, Temperature, and Radiation

Katharyn E.K. Nottis et al. — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:20:01 PDT

Difficulty understanding heat and temperature concepts has been recognized in engineering education. Confusion has been shown to persist after instruction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether undergraduate engineering students’ knowledge of four heat transfer concept areas significantly changed with instruction and whether this varied by major and GPA. Two hundred twenty-eight undergraduate engineering students from six institutions were assessed prior to and after instruction. Results showed significant improvement in most concept areas but mean scores were below mastery. Previously documented misconceptions persisted after instruction. Significant differences were found by major and GPA. Suggestions for future research provided.

The Effect of College Student Demographic Variables on Teacher Enmeshment

Mark S. Walzer et al. — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:20:00 PDT

Interactions between students and faculty outside of class appear to be linked to greater achievement during and after college (Anaya & Cole, 2001; Hathaway, Nagda, & Gregerman, 2002). However, sometimes there can be blurred personal boundaries and a lack of autonomy in relationships or what has been labeled enmeshment. The purpose of the current pilot study was to investigate the effect of race/ethnicity, gender, year in college, and college major on faculty-student relationships and teacher enmeshment. Teacher enmeshment was measured with the Teacher Enmeshment subscale of the Separation-Individuation Test of Adolescence (SITA; Levine & Saintonge, 1993). A sample of 165 undergraduate and graduate students from education and psychology classes at a small, private liberal arts institution in the Northeast participated. No significant differences among the different demographic groups were found on the total teacher enmeshment score. However, significant differences were found among students with different majors, by gender, and by race on individual items. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are provided.

The Effectiveness of Imagery Interventions on the Vocabulary Learning of Second Grade Students

Marisa Cohen — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:02:14 PDT

This study investigated the impact of imagery interventions on the vocabulary acquisition abilities of second grade students. Participants were randomly assigned to three different conditions: word only, dual coding, and image creation. Students were measured on the amount of words they successfully acquired. While no significance was shown between the interventions across word categories, a significant difference was found between the image creation and word only interventions within the science terms category. Students reported that the imagery interventions facilitated the ease with which they learned the words. This has implications as to the successful presentation of vocabulary in the classroom.

Curry in Cambridge: The First Year

Eleanor Vernon Wilson — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:02:06 PDT

Exposing future teachers to challenges associated with global diversity (cultural, ethnic, religious and economic) is of major importance in the 21st century. This is a study of the first year of an international student teaching placement for American students. The paper presents the reflections and learnings of the program director of this first year program and highlights some of the challenges of such a program. The paper emphasizes the need to reflect on desired outcomes and carefully study the benefits for all involved, the English schools and teachers and faculty, along with the American students. The director reflects that she was not aware of the complexities of asking our students to learn a new curriculum without allowing them time to absorb the specific English standards and how complex a matter it is to reconcile the requirements of an American program with the English school system. The view from both sides of the Atlantic is essential to more thoughtfully coordinate the educational goals of this new Curry/Cambridge venture.

What's inside the Pandora's box of student teaching? Lessons learned from student teachers education personnel preparation

Lucia Buttaro — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:46:21 PDT

The purpose of this critical study is to improve Adelphi University's student teaching program protocol in order to enhance future teacher candidates and cooperating teachers, standard procedural information, as well as factors that contribute to teacher candidate success. Fourteen Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) teacher candidates were observed, completed journals, and shared their personal experiences in their student teaching placement. Data gathered from a variety of sources illuminated the need to improve communication and collaboration between the parties of the student teaching triad (university supervisor, cooperating teacher, and teacher candidate). In order to develop a strong partnership and therefore confident and competent teachers.

The Effect of Mathematics Self-Efficacy on Mathematics Achievement of High School Students

Xing Liu et al. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:40:59 PDT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement of high school sophomores across the United States. Using regression analysis for complex sample survey data from the Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS, 2002) (n = 11726), the current study indicated that mathematics self-efficacy and mathematics achievement were positively related, and mathematics self-efficacy was a significantly positive predictor of mathematics achievement. Results from this study, which is generalizable to the population of approximately three million high school sophomores, suggest that mathematics self-efficacy of high school students should be promoted to increase their achievement.

The New York City Teaching Fellows Program: A Case Study in Alternative Certification in Mathematics

Brian Evans — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:56:23 PST

The purpose of this study is to understand the mathematical content knowledge new teachers have before and after taking a mathematics methods course in the New York City Teaching Fellows program. Further, the purpose is to understand attitudes toward mathematics Teaching Fellows have over the course of the semester. Findings revealed a significant increase in mathematical content knowledge and positive attitudes toward mathematics. Relationships were found between attitudes and self-efficacy. Finally, Teaching Fellows found that classroom management was the biggest issue in their teaching, and that problem solving and numeracy were the most important topics addressed in the methods course.

The Impact of Tagging/Metadata Creation Exercises on College Freshmen’s Metacognitive Skills

Hilary Wilder — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:55:59 PST

Tagging is the process of specifying keywords, categories, and other identifying information for online informational and creative pieces such as photos, audio clips, video clips and text pages so that it can be searched for and located by others as well as semantically connected to similar objects on the Web. It was hypothesized that the repeated process of tagging objects and then receiving feedback from peers who try to use the tags to select the correct object as part of an online game-like activity would lead to improved epistemological skills.

The Relationship of Student Demographics to 10th Grade MCAS Test Anxiety

Peggy McCaleb-Kahan et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:55:57 PST

The intensification of consequential testing situations is associated with an increase in anxiety among American students (Casbarro, 2005). Test anxiety can have negative effects on student test performance (Everson, Millsap, & Rodriguez, 1991). If test anxiety has the potential to decrease students’ test scores, it becomes a factor that can threaten the validity of any inferences drawn between test scores and student progress (Cizek & Burg, 2006).

There are several factors that relate closely to test anxiety (Cizek & Burg, 2006). Variables of key influence include gender, socioeconomic status, and teacher-manifested anxiety (Hembree, 1988). Another influence upon test anxiety is students’ participation in academic support programs to prepare them for exit examinations.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between 10th grade high school student gender, socioeconomic status, perceived teacher anxiety, and student preparedness with levels of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test anxiety. It appears that few studies have examined levels of high school test anxiety in regards to this specific high-stakes MCAS exit exam required for high school graduation.

A two-phase sequential mixed-methods research design was used to survey (N=156) 10th grade students represented by a sampling of (n=80) students with low socioeconomic status and (n=76) students with high socioeconomic status regarding their levels of test anxiety in relation to upcoming MCAS testing. A multiple regression analysis was used to measure the relationship between the predictor variables (gender, socioeconomic status, perceived teacher anxiety, and student preparedness) with the criterion variable of student test anxiety using the Test Anxiety Inventory (TAI). Personal interviews with (n=20) volunteer students provided rich explanations of students’ academic self-efficacy, their perceptions of their performance on the upcoming MCAS exam, and their use of strategies to reduce their levels of test anxiety. Personal interviews with (n=12) volunteer school administrators and teachers provided descriptions of their perceptions of how test anxiety affected their students’ performance.

A major quantitative finding of this study was that the variables of student socioeconomic status and student ratings of teacher anxiety accounted for the variance in students’ levels of surveyed test anxiety (R2 = .06, p = .033, small to medium effect size). These results indicate that different student populations vary in their readiness skills to successfully participate in consequential testing situations. Consequently, high-test anxious students would require emotional preparation as well as academic preparation when confronting high-stakes testing. The results have the potential to re-shape the format of schools’ MCAS test preparation efforts.

The Relationship of Self-Efficacy and GPA, Attendance, and College Student Retention

Stephen P. Becker et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:55:56 PST

The study determined the extent and manner; self-efficacy explains variation in GPA, attendance, and retention. The General Self-Efficacy Scale was adapted with a sample of N = 194, 34% male and 66% female. General and Specific factors had alphas of .72 and .75, respectively. Step-wise regression demonstrated General self-efficacy incremented the explanation of GPA variance 5% (p < .01). GPA was significantly correlated with non-attendance (r = - .72, p < .01, d = large) and retention (r = .52, p < .01, d = large). Non-attendance significantly correlated with retention (r = -.39, p < .01, d = medium).

Behavioral and academic effects of Skillstreaming the Adolescent for at-risk middle school students

Amy Evans et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:55:55 PST

Research links social skills deficits with academic failure. This study investigated whether socials skills training leads to improved social skills and academic achievement. Six middle school students, considered behaviorally at-risk, participated in a six-week social skills training intervention using Skillstreaming the Adolescent (Goldstein, McGinnis, Sprafkin, Gershaw, & Klein, 1997). Teacher and self-report measures and grades were collected at pre-intervention, mid, and end of intervention. Results showed significant differences in teacher ratings of the students’ cooperation but no achievement improvements. This study provides evidence that brief, targeted interventions may have positive effects on some aspects of social skills for at-risk students.

Parallel Reflections: The Interdisciplinary Process of Co-Constructing Meaning

Martha J. Strickland et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:54:38 PST

This paper reports the results of a study conducted by four teacher educators who represent four disciplines in education. The purpose was to understand how pre-service teacher reflections influenced teacher educator reflections within a course. Data collection methods included narrative and document review. Data analysis methods included multiple readings and discussions of individual portraits in search of answers to research questions. Findings include a parallel reflection model that illustrates a dynamic process that occurs within the dialogic space as student and professor thoughts and discourse are interwoven to make theory to practice connections, co-construct new knowledge and begin challenging existing beliefs and dispositions through their reflections.

An International Professional Development Collaboration in Literacy Education

Miriam Pepper-Sanello et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:54:37 PST

An International Professional Development Collaboration in Literacy Education is a report of an international professional development project in Guatemala designed to improve literacy instructional practices and thereby raise student achievement in reading and writing. The opportunity for coaching Guatemalan teachers in teaching literacy strategies and skills provides data for this participatory action research study. This research is intended to contribute to cross-cultural understanding by graduate and undergraduate students in literacy, improved pedagogical techniques, international outreach in developing countries, and student academic success worldwide.

Surviving a Doctoral Program: Student Perspectives of Support Services

Felice D. Billups et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:53:56 PST

This sequential exploratory mixed method design sought to investigate doctoral student perspectives regarding support services that impede or assist in the completion of an Ed.D. program at a small, northeast university. First phase qualitative methods utilized focus groups to identify student opinions and recommendations regarding program improvements. Students emphasized the need for better pre-enrollment preparation, a comprehensive orientation & advising program, and ongoing academic support services through program completion (writing assistance, research skills development, mentoring). Tinto’s (1987) interaction theory provided the basis for this study, using his six transformative dimensions for growth and development to frame the findings.

Validating the Instrument: Students' Perceptions on Learning Calculus

Su Liang — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:53:55 PST

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate the instrument, Students’ Perceptions on Learning Calculus. The SPLC contains three scales and 31 items. The three scales include Usefulness of Calculus, Professor Efficacy, and Work Ethic. The surveys were given to the students who registered for Calculus I, Calculus II, and Business Calculus at Uconn in spring, 2009. 340 students completed the survey. An exploratory analysis was applied to validate the instrument. Using principal axis factoring with oblique rotation, the analysis suggests that 7 items should be dropped and that the remaining 24 items are best represented by the three factors.

Financial Planning for College: What Parents Do To Prepare

Catherine A. Manly et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:53:54 PST

This study explores reported parental financial college preparations and the amount parents have saved for college, with a goal of determining strategies used by different parents based on parental college aspirations and expectations for their child, as well as the highest reported parental and grandparental educational levels. Regression analysis indicates that parents' expectations, but not their aspirations, correspond to engagement in financial planning. Family education is strongly associated with taking some financial planning actions and the amount saved. The results may be helpful to those who are working to increase the effectiveness of disseminating college financial information to parents.

The Homework Debate: How Much Homework is Helpful for Students to Acquire Mathematical Procedural Knowledge?

Nicholas D. Hartlep et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:52:27 PST

The effects of using homework guides and homework logs on students’ abilities to solve word problems involving basic addition and subtraction facts were studied. Students received one of three versions of addition and subtraction timed tests once per week—every Friday—that focused on measuring automaticity of basic addition and subtraction facts. Thirty-one first-grade students participated in this action-research study. Students’ automaticity of basic addition and subtraction facts increased over the course of this study. Results indicated that homework guides positively affected student motivation to put forth more effort on homework. Additionally, word problems that involved basic subtraction facts appeared more difficult to solve; whereas, word problems that involved basic addition facts appeared easier to solve.

Examining the Challenges of Teaching for Social Justice in Sarajevo

Brian Kirby Lanahan et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:52:26 PST

Social justice is a critical principle of democracy. Societies seeking to become democratic must infuse social justice issues into their schools. In this qualitative study the researchers examined the extent to which social justice is being taught in Sarajevo’s educational system. With only a few exceptions, the findings indicate that education in Sarajevo has not reformed since the 92-95 conflict. Instead, Sarajevo’s curriculum has become more fragmented and less multicultural, and its schools are not preparing children to think democratically and work for social justice. Unless educational reforms accelerate, there is a real danger that the country may return to civil conflict.

Establishing a Professional Learning Community in a High School Setting

Youness Elbousty et al. — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:51:14 PST

Although many teachers state their willingness to participate in efforts to establish a Professional Learning Community (PLC) in their schools, the reality is often that a great deal of internal resistance disrupts the creation of a collaborative effort. While teachers may understand that working in isolation, rarely collaborating or conferring about their students and teaching practices, may fall short of optimizing students' learning, and while they may be interested in collaborating with colleagues, our research demonstrates that collaborative efforts meet with a variety of challenges throughout the process.

High Stakes Testing Literature Review and Critique

Youness Elbousty — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 09:50:46 PST

Standardized testing has been long established in most of the schools in United States. States have attached "high stakes" to tests as a response to the federal law NCLB. Under this law, schools had to develop or alter their assessments which are administered to gauge school progress. While many agree that high‐stakes testing has an impact on students; studies have been conducted to vet whether such impact has propitious or harmful outcomes. In this paper, I review and critique the literature on high stakes testing coupled with a close scrutiny of the research methods utilized in the articles under review.