Master of Education (M.Ed.) Theses

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Browsing Master of Education (M.Ed.) Theses by Subject "4th grade"

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    A Comparison of Fourth-Grade Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Scores At A Selected School District Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers
    (2016) Morelli, Caroline E.; Kariuki, Patrick
    The purpose of this study was to examine the difference between selected school districts on 4th grade students Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program scores when taught by highly qualified teachers. The sample for this study was made up of five elementary schools in northeast Tennessee. Data were collected using the Tennessee State Report card archived data. Using the Tennessee Report Card, data were obtained for each selected school on fourth grade Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program as well as the percentage of highly qualified teachers at individual schools. Data were analyzed using qualitative procedures. Schools were ranked in order from highest to lowest percent of highly qualified teachers. Next, schools were ranked using the percent of proficient students in each testing subject. Results indicated that the schools in which the percentages of highly qualified teachers were high, student test scores also increased. Trends included all schools displayed similar Math testing results. Social Studies scores had the highest percentage of students in the advanced category. Similarly, schools with the lowest percentage of highly qualified teachers ranked the lowest in one or more test categories. Results imply that the qualifications of teachers play a direct role in student learning and test scores.
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    The Effects of Targeted Academic Feedback and General Feedback on Fourth Grade Students' Achievement at a Selected Elementary School
    (2015) Vines, Christina; Kariuki, Patrick
    The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of targeted academic feedback and general feedback on student achievement. The sample consisted of 67 students from three fourth grade English Language Arts classrooms. The classes were composted of 38 females and 29 males. Data were collected using four teacher-made tests. Each test was developed from two similar units on English grammar taught in the fourth grade. Each English Language Arts unit was divided in half and was similar in level comprehension and difficulty. During the first half of unit one, students were given targeted academic feedback during instruction. Throughout the second half of the unit one the teacher provided general feedback during instruction. A test was given after each half unit was taught. The order was reversed for the second unit. Data were then analyzed using a paired samples t-test. The results indicated a significant difference between the two types of feedback given during instruction, targeted academic feedback and general feedback t(66)=2.358, p<0.05, ES=0.3. The findings of this study suggest that targeted academic feedback during instruction was superior to general feedback during instruction.
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    The Examination of Motivational Reading Strategies of Fourth Grade Students at a Selected Elementary School
    (2015) Mendonca, Kristen; Kariuki, Patrick
    The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivational reading strategies of fourth grade elementary students. At a chosen elementary school in rural Northeast Tennessee, all 61 fourth grade students and their parental figures were selected to participate in this study. Data were collected using open-ended questionnaires, observations, and interviews. After analyzing the data, the results revealed two prominent trends. The first prominent trend was students’ preference of extrinsic motivational reading strategies. The second prominent trend was parental figures’ responses contributing both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational reading strategies as the force behind their student’s motivation to read. The data further revealed students’ text interest, pride, self- efficacy, and self- confidence were factors in students’ motivation to read. Results suggest two prominent implications. First, a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational reading strategies should be implemented in order to reach each student’s reading motivation needs. Second, intrinsic motivational reading strategies need to be implemented more often in order to instill life-long reading motivation.