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The rise in the number of students found to have autism has been staggering over the past ten years. Accommodating these students effectively and appropriately in a public school is a challenge many teachers are deemed with, sometimes without adequate training. This study was aimed at affecting the underlying social misunderstandings inherent to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and an at-risk general education peer through a comprehensive intervention consisting of peer mentoring, interactive social stories and video modeling strategies. Observations, student interviews, vignettes and student and researcher journals served as data sources. Three fourth grade boys, including a student with autism, a peer with behavioral concerns and a model peer, participated in an intervention designed using a multiple baseline across behaviors. The target students, including the student with autism and the peer with behavioral concerns increased their ability to demonstrate three distinctive skills, attending to task, raising hand and academic responding. Analysis of the data also showed an overall increase in levels of engagement and motivation. Strong friendships developed among all three participants. Implications suggest that a comprehensive approach is effective in reducing unwanted social behaviors and promoting positive social skills and gives further insight into the target students' motivation.
ContributorsZamora, Roxanne N (Author) / Puckett, Kathleen (Thesis advisor) / Warren, Gina M (Committee member) / Mathur, Sarup (Committee member) / Hart, Juliet (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
The purpose of the research conducted and presented in this thesis is to explore mentoring programs for ASL/English Interpreters, with a focus on the question "Is a Peer Mentoring Program a successful approach to mentoring working and novice interpreter?" The method of qualitative data collection was done via questionnaires and interviews with past participants of a Peer Mentoring Program and questionnaires to identified persons who have experience creating and running mentoring programs. The results of the data collection show that a Peer Mentoring Program is a successful approach to mentoring working and novice interpreters. This research provides valued information in regard to the experience of persons in a Peer Mentoring Program as well as successful aspects of such a mentoring approach.
ContributorsBolduc, Dawn J (Author) / Margolis, Eric (Thesis advisor) / Appleton, Nicholas (Committee member) / Cokely, Dennis (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
President Obama's (italic)Completion Agenda (/italic) is a plan that emphasizes improved student retention and persistence. The agenda also emphasizes the important role community colleges play in moving the nation toward economic prosperity. Current statistics indicate that nearly 48% of first-time college students are lost to attrition before the end of a student's first year of college. Student success is largely determined by student experiences during the first year; in order to address the (italic) Completion Agenda (/italic), colleges will need to support initiatives designed to help first-year students succeed. This study investigated the effectiveness of peer mentoring and college success courses on developing the self-efficacy of first-year community college students by evaluating the effectiveness of two course formats of a college success course; one format uses support of a peer mentor(s) and the other format does not use support of a peer mentor(s). The self-report College Student Self-Efficacy Inventory (CSEI) served as a data source instrument designed to measure the college experience in general and, in particular, the degree of confidence students have in their abilities to successfully perform a variety of college-related tasks. The CSEI consisted or 20 questions designed to measure three principle factors: academic self-efficacy, social self-efficacy, and social integration self-efficacy. Student demographic factors, including gender, age range, ethnicity, educational background, and data pertaining to the participants' educational goals and enrollment history, were also examined. Analysis methods included descriptive statistics, a t-test, and a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) measuring differences for each factor based on whether the student was supported by a peer mentor or not. Data analysis revealed no immediate measurable differences between the two formats; however, findings could suggest that the seeds of college success were nurtured and the experience of being enrolled in either course format of a student success course has yet to be realized. It was assumed that understanding the relationship between the two course formats and development of students' self-efficacy would provide useful insight into the effectiveness, merit, or value of peer mentoring and college success courses.
ContributorsMiranda, Vivian (Author) / Mcintrye, Lisa (Thesis advisor) / Hesse, Marian (Committee member) / Solley, Anna (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The impact of peer-leadership programs on undergraduate students has been studied since the inception of higher education. Programs such as peer-mentoring, peer-counseling, and peer-advising are regularly used within the college environment as there are proven benefits to both student leaders and mentees. However, there is limited content on students who plan to pursue higher education careers and experiential programs that prepare them for the field. Thus, this action research study is designed to examine the influence of a peer-advising program on participants who have identified their interest in various careers in the college setting. Employing a mixed-method approach to inquiry, the study connects Kolb’s (2005) Experiential Learning theory, and Chickering’s (1964) Vectors of Student Development to a hands-on learning experience designed to improve participants’ competency and clarity in their potential career choice. This study was conducted with the purpose of illustrating the role of experiential learning opportunities in higher education, particularly with a unique focus on undergraduate students desiring careers in the higher education field.
Four senior students were positioned as peer-advisors assisting fellow students with academic related matters over one semester as a means of gaining competency and clarity in their pathway toward working in higher education. The results of the study indicate that peer-advising participants attributed program participation to increased career competency and clarity. There were also 64 student-advisee participants who found the program to be beneficial to their overall advising needs, as well as one professional advisor who found the program to be effective in decreasing her advising load during the study. The results of this study align with outcomes of pinnacle research and scholarship on experiential learning, and support the growing acknowledgment of the importance of applied learning experiences in higher education.
Four senior students were positioned as peer-advisors assisting fellow students with academic related matters over one semester as a means of gaining competency and clarity in their pathway toward working in higher education. The results of the study indicate that peer-advising participants attributed program participation to increased career competency and clarity. There were also 64 student-advisee participants who found the program to be beneficial to their overall advising needs, as well as one professional advisor who found the program to be effective in decreasing her advising load during the study. The results of this study align with outcomes of pinnacle research and scholarship on experiential learning, and support the growing acknowledgment of the importance of applied learning experiences in higher education.
ContributorsHutchinson, Anika L (Author) / Caterino, Linda C (Thesis advisor) / Brown, Andrea (Committee member) / Sullivan, Linda (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2017
Description
The transition from high school to college can cause an undue amount of attrition for fully qualified, college-intending first-generation students. Although the students may have overcome multiple obstacles to be accepted to a college and arrive at the transition over summer, it can feel overwhelming to complete the flood of tasks without access to a supportive network to guide and interpret the intricate steps. Many programs focus on college preparation and access to college but do not devote attention to the delicate transition from access to enrollment during the summer months. The term opportunity melt for students who confirm their enrollment and do not enroll in any institution of higher education in the fall semester. This study identified the influence of strategic peer mentor support during the summer months for Chico State students who applied, were admitted, and accepted their college admission. This action research intervention applies key concepts of academic capital theory and follows up on previous cycles of action research in the California State University system to identify barriers for those who intended to enroll but decided not to attend any Cal State or other institution of higher education in the Fall semester after high school graduation.
ContributorsRyan, Shawn (Author) / Dorn, Sherman (Thesis advisor) / Kim, Jeongeun (Committee member) / Weston, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022