Matching Items (23)
Description
ABSTRACT Research literature relating to the use of humor as a teaching method or curricula specifically designed to include humor was reviewed to investigate the effects of humor on student learning in various environments from elementary schools to post-secondary classrooms. In this multi-method study, four instruments and a humor treatment were selected to test the hypothesis that students who receive humor-embedded instruction would perform better on assessments than students who did not receive humor instruction. These assessments were analyzed to show student growth in achievement and memory retention as a result of humor-embedded instruction. Gain scores between a pre- test and two post-tests determined student growth in achievement and memory retention. Gain scores were triangulated with student responses to open-ended interview questions about their experiences with humor in the classroom. The gain score data were not statistically significant between the humor and non- humor groups. For the short-term memory gain scores, the non-humor group received slightly higher gain scores. For long-term memory gain scores, the humor group received higher gain scores. However, the interview data was consistent with the findings of humor research from the last 20 years that humor improves learning directly and indirectly.
ContributorsMcCartney Matthews, Melissa Lee (Author) / Danzig, Arnold (Thesis advisor) / Satter Anderson, Kelly (Committee member) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
ABSTRACT External accountability is embedded in every school system across the United States. This dissertation study focuses on how ten principals negotiate the accountability system placed upon their school by the state of Arizona. The federal accountability policy, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), requires that states use a standardized assessment to document student achievement. Arizona's policy to meet the federal requirements of NCLB is Arizona Learns (AZLearns). AZLearns outlines the formulas for determining which schools are achieving and which schools need to improve. Each school is tagged with a label annually. The labels are Excelling, Highly Performing, Performing Plus, Performing, Underperforming and Failing. The foundation of this study lies in the interpretation, application and negotiation of a school's label by its principal. To investigate the relationship between external accountability and the daily life of a principal, I interviewed ten Arizona elementary school principals. The research questions of this study are: (R1) What effects do external accountability measures have on the development of the organizational capacity of a school? (R2) How do Arizona principals negotiate their school's assigned label in their everyday professional practice? (R3) What are Arizona principals' views of the state accountability process? A qualitative, phenomenological research methodology was used to interview the participants and analyze their stories for common themes. The commonalities that surfaced across the experiences of the principals in response to the labels placed on their school are Accountability, Achievement and Attitude. This study found that Accountability was based on multiple interpretations of policies enforced by the federal government, state or district guidelines and parent or school expectations. Achievement was a result of multiple factors including data collected from test scores, the quality of teachers or instruction and the personal goals of the principals. Attitude was a process embedded in the high stakes testing era, boundaries or conflicts within the location of the school and the personal experiences of the principals. This research is an attempt to share the multiple voices of principals that may lead to alternative meanings or even provoke questions about the labeling system in Arizona schools.
ContributorsMcNeil, David Michael (Author) / Davey, Lynn (Thesis advisor) / Mccarty, Teresa (Committee member) / Donofrio, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The term "White flight" and its effects are well documented in large urban city centers. However, few studies consider the same effects on smaller American communities. This case study investigates Lexington, Nebraska, a rural community of approximately 10,000 citizens, that has experienced a population influx of minorities in the last 25 years. The population shift has increased the representation of Hispanic, Asian, and now Somali students in the Lexington Public School system, which, in turn, has been accompanied by a dramatic decrease in White, Anglo students. This study attempts to identify and describe the reasons for the exodus of White students from the public school setting. Possible reasons that might explain the decreases in White student enrollment may include overcrowding in schools, unsafe school environments, and/or less one-on-one attention with classroom teachers.
ContributorsFarnsworth, Joseph C (Author) / Glass, Gene V (Thesis advisor) / Danzig, Arnold (Committee member) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
There is a nationwide gap in which African American, Hispanic and low-income students perform significantly lower than their peers. Research suggests that teachers hold lower expectations for these students resulting in lower achievement. There are four main factors that influence teacher expectations: stereotypes, teacher self-efficacy, school culture, language and formal policies and programs aimed at increasing teacher expectations. The purpose of this study was to inquire into the following questions: (1) What are the factors that influence teachers' academic expectations for low-income and minority students? (2) What are teacher's perceptions on the effectiveness of formal policies and programs that are aimed at increasing teacher expectations? More specifically, do teachers feel that top-down formal policies, such as teacher evaluations, uniform curriculum, and performance-based pay are effective in impacting their expectations, or do teachers believe that bottom-up policies, such as book studies and professional learning communities, make more of an impact on increasing their expectations? Ten teachers were interviewed in a school district that is consistent with the state and national achievement gap. The findings revealed that teacher expectations are influenced by the four factors I found in the research as well as two other factors: a cultural disconnect among teachers and students and teachers' level of motivation. A combination of top-down and bottom-up formal policies and programs are needed as teachers are individuals and all respond to various forms of formal policies and programs differently.
ContributorsCraig, Tina (Author) / Mccarty, Teresa (Thesis advisor) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Miller, Lynn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
As schools across Arizona worked to meet NCLB's AYP requirement in 2010-2011, they were also labeled and sanctioned by AZ Learns. This phenomenological study focused on six effective high school principals in two Arizona school districts to ascertain how accountability policies impacted the principals' job responsibilities, autonomy, and ability to pursue social justice on their campuses. Interviews were conducted in three phases: superintendents, three principals from the superintendents' recommendations of effective school leaders, and three teachers from each school. In addition to analysis of individual principal leadership patterns, comparisons were made across districts, and from school to school within the same district. The goal of the study was to determine if and how principals were able to accomplish their goals for their school. The principals' leadership styles were examined through a Vortex Leadership Framework that posited principals at the center of a vortex of varying leadership roles, interests, and external forces, including accountability, autonomy, and limited resources. Key findings included (a) high school principals' responsibilities now include selling change to their staff, (b) principals' accountability is limited more by district constraints than by state or federal accountability, (c) principals must contend with rigid one-size fits all accountability standards that do not always meet the needs of their students, and (d) principals' autonomy is tied to their resources, including funding for staffing and programs.
ContributorsBatsell, Holly (Author) / Powers, Jeanne M. (Thesis advisor) / Mccarty, Teresa (Committee member) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
This Honors Thesis evaluates a recreation program entitled Operation Recreation that was implemented at Camp Raymond, a Boy Scout Camp in Northern Arizona. The mission of Operation Recreation is to enhance each Scout's knowledge and passion for the Scouting Ideals, Patrol, and Personal Growth Methods of Scouting. Data were collected to evaluate Operation Recreation and measure whether the two program goals were met. The program development cycle was used to design Operation Recreation to meet the unique programming needs of Camp Raymond. Operation Recreation is a week-long recreation program that gives Scouts the opportunity to participate in activities that develop their knowledge of the Scouting Ideals, encourage an increase in engagement of the personal growth method, and create a time devoted to practicing the patrol method. Analysis of evaluation results was conducted and suggestions for modifications are made.
ContributorsClarke-Telfer, Jasmine Miranda (Author) / Rodriguez, Ariel (Thesis director) / Andereck, Kathleen (Committee member) / Knoll, Cindy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Community Resources and Development (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2013-12
Description
This study was designed to capture the conversations and practices of seven educators who navigate teaching and learning decisions in their Title 1 elementary school. This case study was conducted to answer the research question, "What are the behaviors and practices of a newly formed collaborative team of educators working within a professional learning community (PLC)?" In order to understand how this collaborative team worked together, data was collected through a survey, interviews, focus group discussion and questionnaire, observations of collaborative team meetings and artifacts generated from the team's work. The findings revealed that (1) participants spent the majority of their collaborative team time focusing on how to best prepare students for district and state standardized assessments; (2) teachers described themselves as learners who look to their colleagues to enhance their knowledge and skills; (3) members of PLCs need dedicated collaborative time to ensure all students and adults in the organization learn at high levels; (4) discussing and using student learning data can be difficult; (5) educators gravitate to colleagues who have similar philosophies and beliefs and (6) PLCs need supportive district, school and teacher leadership to accomplish their goals. This research study provides validation that the PLC process is a complex process of professional development designed to support school reform in an era of increased school accountability. The recommendations for school leaders are to create supportive leadership structures that allow all students opportunities to learn, build trusting environments, and provide clarity and focus of the vision for all stakeholders. District leadership needs to establish a priority for PLC work by embedding the processes in the vision, mission and goals of the district, examine policies to ensure they support the concepts of PLCs, provide access to resources and create a forum for critical conversations about teaching and learning. Policy makers need to ask the right questions so that they can design appropriate accountability systems that encourage collaboration.
ContributorsFourlis, Andi (Author) / Danzig, Arnold (Thesis advisor) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Kriekard, John (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The phenomenon that prompted this study was the increasing number of teens with cell phones and the issues, both legal and nonlegal, that permeate to schools. The trend among teens called teen sexting is receiving national and local attention. Sexting typically involves teens using texts to send cellular messages that may include naked photographs or shared videos containing sexual content. This study reviewed 4 main issues (a) the policies for student use of cell phones on campus to regulate teen sexting issues, (b) whether teen sexting awareness and prevention curriculum is being implemented, (c) the extent to which teen sexting is perceived as a problem by school leaders on campus, and (d) the degree to which there is a need for curriculum about teen sexting awareness and prevention. School district policies for student cell phone regulation were accessed online and their content analyzed. The search for curriculum was done through telephone calls to school district curriculum and instruction department leaders. Questionnaires were administered to principals, assistant principals, school counselors, and school security leaders. Their responses provided data for the study of leadership perceptions on the sexting issue. The purpose of this study was to present the research findings and provide recommendations for cell phone policy and suggest the development of effective curriculum about cell phone safety. The findings of this research showed that school district policy considers teen sexting as a student offence of a sexual nature using electronic devices for bullying, intimidation, threats, harassment, and defamation. Currently, there is limited curriculum for teen sexting awareness programs in Arizona schools. Few incidents of teen sexting get reported to school leaders; however, when they do, the consequences for teen sexters are both legal and nonlegal. The results of this study provide insight for schools leaders and school policy makers regarding issues and response options for student cell phone use, specifically teen sexting issues, and suggest the direction school administrators should take in creating effective teen sexting awareness curriculum for students.
ContributorsMaguire, Cindy Lee Strickland (Author) / Appleton, Nicholas (Thesis advisor) / Davey, Lynn (Committee member) / Duplissis, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2010
Description
This phenomenological qualitative study examines the experiences of volunteer tourism on host communities using social representations theory. The experiences of three stakeholder-groups (community residents, volunteers, and nongovernmental organizations) are considered. Overall objectives of this project are to investigate the following questions: a) what are the effects of volunteer tourism on a community as perceived by different stakeholders; b) what effects do volunteer tourists have on the community compared to other forms of tourism as perceived by different stakeholders; c) how do the various stakeholders perceive the different forms of tourism in communities in which they live or work; and d) why and how do nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) use volunteer tourism as a strategy for their projects. This study attempts to describe and interpret these meanings with a high degree of depth and richness using interviews, observation, and document analysis. Each chapter is written as a stand-alone paper to be published in a journal and describes the perspectives of the three groups interviewed with the final chapter a summary and comparison from all three groups. Findings show that there are both positive and negative impacts of volunteer tourism in favela communities, with the majority of the three groups expressing its positives and its importance to the community. All groups mentioned similar positive and negative elements of volunteer tourism with some elements that were unique to each group. This study also attempted to compare and contrast the differences between volunteer tourism and favela tours. The findings show that volunteer tourism helps recreate the social representations of the favela thereby improving self-esteem in the community, helps breakdown preconceptions, and helps create community pride. The community feels as equals with the volunteers and describes the interactions as friendships, sharing cultural experiences, and exchanging of knowledge. Conversely, all three groups described favela tours as dehumanizing using words like `safari tour' or `zoo tour' and felt that their community was being sold as a commodity. However, the interviews showed that all three groups, although had strong opinions about the ethical implications of favela tours, still felt conflicted when comparing it with some of the potential social and economic benefits that it may bring.
ContributorsAquino, Jessica Faustini (Author) / Andereck, Kathleen (Thesis advisor) / Mcgehee, Nancy (Committee member) / Phillips, Rhonda (Committee member) / Wang, Lili (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Wildlife has been critically affected by human-induced change and in some areas, species extinction may be as high as 35%. Despite the overwhelming evidence of species extinction, habitat loss, and global climate change, current public support for conservation programs is low. One potential way to promote pro-conservation behavior is through transformative experiences as outlined in Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (TLT). TLT works to explain the process through which people create new worldviews that can influence both attitudes and behaviors. This mixed methods dissertation seeks to understand transformative experiences and their short-term consequences in the context of wildlife viewing opportunities. Three studies were conducted to: 1) explore the key components of wildlife experiences that prompt transformation; 2) compare transformative experiences and visitor outcomes across captive and natural wildlife viewing opportunities; and 3) understand the short-term impacts of a natural gorilla-based wildlife viewing opportunity. The first study used semi-structured photo elicitation interviews. These interviews uncovered three major themes that provide evidence of critical components for fostering transformation during wildlife encounters. These themes were used to create two novel scales assessing transformative wildlife experiences. The second study used onsite visitor surveys to compare TLT and visitor outcomes at the North Carolina Zoo and at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s Conservation Gallery in Rwanda. Structural equation modeling showed that onsite transformation occurred at both sites and directly influenced conservation caring, which mediated the relationship between onsite transformation and species- and biodiversity-oriented behavioral intentions. The final study included a follow-up questionnaire for visitors from the gorilla trekking experience 4-months after their trek. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three distinct levels of short-term response to the trek. Qualitative results from the follow-up questionnaire were also considered in the context of the three groups. Overall, this dissertation adds to the growing body of literature examining the transformative nature of wildlife experiences and contributes two novel scales that can be used in future studies. In addition, it adds to the limited onsite research examining terrestrial, African wildlife experiences. The theoretical and managerial implications for the findings from all three studies are discussed at length.
ContributorsSampson, Marena Elizabeth (Author) / Budruk, Megha (Thesis advisor) / Andereck, Kathleen (Committee member) / Larsen, Dale (Committee member) / Farrell, Tracy (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023