Selection Bias and Sensitivity as Moderators of Prekindergarten Age-Cutoff Regression Discontinuity Study Effects: A Meta-Analysis

The age-cutoff regression discontinuity design (RDD) has emerged as one of the most rigorous quasi-experimental approaches to determining program effects of prekindergarten on literacy and numeracy outcomes for children at kindergarten entry. However, few pre-K meta-analyses have focused attention on validity threats. The current random-effects meta-regression tests the moderating effects of prominent threats to validity, selection bias and sensitivity, on impact estimates generated from age-cutoff regression discontinuity studies from large-scale programs. Results from averaging dependent standardized mean difference effects suggested small positive moderating effects of total attrition and robust 3-month bandwidths on reading effects, but not on math. However, these results were not statistically significant. In contrast, results generated from robust variance estimation yielded a small statistically significant association between total attrition and math effects. These mixed results may warrant further research on prekindergarten evaluation methodology, evaluation estimation methods, and the totality of evidence used to inform policy.
Date: July 2023
Creator: Stewart, Genea K.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Newly Opened High School Campus: The Principal's Process in Creating the Teacher Profile to Hire the Inaugural Staff (open access)

Newly Opened High School Campus: The Principal's Process in Creating the Teacher Profile to Hire the Inaugural Staff

This study sought to explore the hiring process, including the creation of the teacher profile, of four suburban North Texas high schools implemented when hiring teachers for the first year of the campus' existence. An exploratory sequential mixed methods research design was applied, and three data collection tools were implemented: an electronic survey, interviews with campus administrators, and the analysis of campus hiring process artifacts. Survey data suggested that participating campus principals valued those domains and indictors on ASCD's Qualities of Effective Teachers and the Teacher Quality Index. Administrator interview data revealed that campus administrators who opened high school campuses in North Texas ISD and hired teachers for the inaugural year valued teachers aligned to the campus administrator's mission, vision, philosophy, and values. In addition, artifacts provided by the four interviewed administrators indicated the implementation of the campus administrator's mission, vision, philosophy, and values when developing the teacher profile and subsequent interview questions in collaboration with the campus leadership team involved in the hiring process. Recommended actions for campus administrators of new high school campuses, and recommendations for further research are also included.
Date: May 2023
Creator: Redden, Jennifer N.
System: The UNT Digital Library

Lasso Regularization for DIF Detection in Graded Response Models

Previous research has tested the lasso method for DIF detection in dichotomous items, but limited research is available on this technique for polytomous items. This simulation study compares the lasso method to hybrid ordinal logistic regression to test performance in terms of TP and FP rates when considering sample size, test length, number of response categories, group balance, DIF proportion, and DIF magnitude. Results showed better Type I error control with the lasso, with smaller sample sizes, unbalanced groups, and weak DIF. The lasso also exhibited more stable Type I error control when DIF was weak, and groups were unbalanced. Lastly, low DIF proportion contributed to better Type I error control and higher TP rates with both methods.
Date: May 2023
Creator: Avila Alejo, Denisse
System: The UNT Digital Library

Parenting Highly and Profoundly Gifted Children: Perspectives on Competence, Belonging, and Support within a Sociocultural Context

Limited research exists regarding the experiences and perspectives of parents of highly and profoundly gifted children. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of parents of highly and profoundly gifted children in developmental and cultural contexts. Semi-structured interviews were followed by thematic analysis regarding parental efficacy and parents' perceived support in parenting and educational communities to provide rich insights and to illuminate the voices of parents. In seeking academic and/or social emotional support, parents join groups designed to connect parents with experts in the field of gifted education and parent advocates of gifted children. A purposive sample was selected from parents who are members of networks and organizations serving profoundly gifted students. A self-report survey was distributed to parents enrolled in networks and/or organizations serving gifted students and parents of gifted students (e.g., SENG, Davidson Institute). Participant interviews were transcribed and qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis. A qualitative descriptive analysis identified areas in which parents of highly and profoundly gifted children express the need for support within developmental and cultural contexts. Implications from the study aim to bring attention to the lived experiences of these parents to inform educators, counselors, and communities of parents' …
Date: May 2023
Creator: Johnson, Rebecca M.
System: The UNT Digital Library

Implementing the Difference in Differences (Dd) Estimator in Observational Education Studies: Evaluating the Effects of Small, Guided Reading Instruction for English Language Learners

The present study provides an example of implementing the difference in differences (DD) estimator for a two-group, pretest-posttest design with K-12 educational intervention data. The goal is to explore the basis for causal inference via Rubin's potential outcomes framework. The DD method is introduced to educational researchers, as it is seldom implemented in educational research. DD analytic methods' mathematical formulae and assumptions are explored to understand the opportunity and the challenges of using the DD estimator for causal inference in educational research. For this example, the teacher intervention effect is estimated with multi-cohort student outcome data. First, the DD method is used to detect the average treatment effect (ATE) with linear regression as a baseline model. Second, the analysis is repeated using linear regression with cluster robust standard errors. Finally, a linear mixed effects analysis is provided with a random intercept model. Resulting standard errors, parameter estimates, and inferential statistics are compared among these three analyses to explore the best holistic analytic method for this context.
Date: July 2023
Creator: Sebastian, Princy
System: The UNT Digital Library

Sleeping in a Creative Dream-Land: A Duo of Meta-Analyses on Sleep, Dream-Recall, and Creativity

This duo of meta-analyses explored relationships between creativity and sleep quality [Study 1], and creativity and dream recall [Study 2]. Studies on these topics noted personality influences in both creativity and sleep quality, as well as dream recall. Studies also identified potential connections between creativity, sleep, and dreaming by investigating the stage of sleep from which creative thinking could emerge. Twenty studies were eligible to code and analyze in Study 1 and 16 in Study 2. Analyses using two-level multivariate analyses showed a small and positive correlation between creativity and sleep (r = .147, 95% CI = [0.033, 0.257]), p = .012 [Study 1] as well as creativity and dream recall (r = 0.173, 95% CI = [0.089, 0.257]), p = .001) [Study 2]. Both Study 1 and Study 2 tested moderator variables via a meta-regression. Moderators were identified based on the nature of assessments used, sample characteristics, and study characteristics. Study 1 results indicated that the relationship between sleep and creativity was higher when creativity test modality was verbal than figural. Study 2 also found that test modality was a significant moderator, and conversely, the relationship was larger when creativity was measured by figural tests compared to the verbal …
Date: May 2023
Creator: Murphy, Leah K.
System: The UNT Digital Library

The Impact of Including Teacher and School Characteristics on Predicting Value-Added Score Estimates

Value-added models (VAMs) have become widely used in evaluating teacher accountability. The use of these models for high-stakes decisions making has been very controversial due to lack of consistency in classifying teachers as high performing or low performing. There is an abundance of research on the impact of various student level covariates on teacher value-added scores; however, less is known about the impact of teacher-level and school-level covariates. This study uses hierarchical linear modeling to examine the impact of including teacher characteristics, school characteristics, and student demographics aggregated at the school level on elementary mathematics and reading teacher value-added scores. Data for this study was collected from a large school district in north Texas. This study found that across all VAMs fitted, 32% of mathematics teachers and 37% of reading teachers changed quintile ranking for their value-added score at least once across all VAMs, while 55% and 65% of schools changed their quintile ranking of value-added scores based on mathematics and reading achievement, respectively. The results show that failing to control for aggregated student demographics has a large impact on both teacher level and school level value-added scores. Policymakers and administrators using VAM estimates in high-stakes decision-making should include teacher- …
Date: May 2021
Creator: Allen, Lauren E.
System: The UNT Digital Library

Accommodating People Safety Curriculum for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students

Children with disabilities are three to four times more likely to be abused than their non-disabled peers due to the impact of challenges related to behavior, cognition, language, social skills, and communication skills. In September of 2018, the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) specifically noted the need to establish maltreatment prevention and response curricula and promote research and advocacy surrounding maltreatment of children with disabilities. One common curriculum recommended is Kidpower®. While Kidpower® shows promise in increasing people safety skills and offers some basic accommodations for use with disabled populations, a complete accommodation plan for deaf or hard of hearing students has not been developed. The purpose of this study was to explore how Kidpower® curriculum could be accommodated to meet the unique needs of deaf and hard of hearing students from the perspective of the deaf education community, including deaf adults, deaf education teachers, deaf education teacher preparation faculty, and parents with deaf or hard of hearing children. A combination of focus groups and interviews were utilized to review lessons and homework from the Kidpower® curriculum. Participants gave feedback on obstacles and ideas for accommodations and modifications that would mediate the challenges. Data were inductively coded and analyzed for …
Date: May 2021
Creator: Johnson, Jennifer A. L.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Class Enumeration and Parameter Bias in Growth Mixture Models with Misspecified Time-Varying Covariates: A Monte Carlo Simulation Study (open access)

Class Enumeration and Parameter Bias in Growth Mixture Models with Misspecified Time-Varying Covariates: A Monte Carlo Simulation Study

Growth mixture modeling (GMM) is a useful tool for examining both between- and within-persons change over time and uncovering unobserved heterogeneity in growth trajectories. Importantly, the correct extraction of latent classes and parameter recovery can be dependent upon the type of covariates used. Time-varying covariates (TVCs) can influence class membership but are scarcely included in GMMs as predictors. Other times, TVCs are incorrectly modeled as time-invariant covariates (TICs). Additionally, problematic results can occur with the use of maximum likelihood (ML) estimation in GMMs, including convergence issues and sub-optimal maxima. In such cases, Bayesian estimation may prove to be a useful solution. The present Monte Carlo simulation study aimed to assess class enumeration accuracy and parameter recovery of GMMs with a TVC, particularly when a TVC has been incorrectly specified as a TIC. Both ML estimation and Bayesian estimation were examined. Results indicated that class enumeration indices perform less favorably in the case of TVC misspecification, particularly absolute class enumeration indices. Additionally, in the case of TVC misspecification, parameter bias was found to be greater than the generally accepted cutoff of 10%, particularly for variance estimates. It is recommended that researchers continue to use a variety of class enumeration indices during …
Date: December 2020
Creator: Palka, Jayme M.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Assessing Self-Determination Inventory: Validity for Students with Disabilities and Typically Developing Students (open access)

Assessing Self-Determination Inventory: Validity for Students with Disabilities and Typically Developing Students

Students' self-determination (SD) can positively influence their ability to make choices in planning for their future. The current study is a preliminary validity study on the most recent 21-item version of Shogren and Wehmeyer's Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI-SR). The SDI-SR was administered to 316 students (ages 13-22) and results were examined with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results of the EFA on a 7-factor solution (TLI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.04; SRMR = 0.02) aligned with the theoretical basis for the SDI:SR as well as results for the 7-factor CFA using simulated data (TLI = 0.913; RMSEA = 0.047; SRMR = 0.072 and CFI = 0.931); however, the CFA 7-factor solution results on the present study data were slightly lower than what is considered acceptable model fit (TLI = 0.883; RMSEA = 0.04; RMSR = 0.047). These results combined suggest that theory-based 7-factor solution does capture seven latent constructs in this data. A CFA was also conducted with a 5-factor structure based on factor loading from an EFA using the present research data resulting in a better model fit (TLI = 0.912; RMSEA = .075; SRMR = 0.046; and CFI = 0.940) as well as …
Date: May 2020
Creator: Nix, Susan Michele
System: The UNT Digital Library

Using Kidpower® Social Narratives to Teach Individuals with Autism about Bullying

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at an increased risk to be victims of bullying due to the core characteristics of the disorder. Prior research has focused on understanding bullying from the perspectives of individuals with ASD, parents, and practitioners through interviews and questionnaires. However, limited evidence exists using interventions to teach individuals with ASD about how to identify and respond to bullying. This study employed Kidpower® bullying narratives to teach individuals with ASD how to identify and respond to various bullying scenarios. Kidpower was selected to provide practitioners with a pre-established curriculum to utilize, rather than creating materials for each student. A multiple probe design across three participants was utilized to (a) teach individuals with ASD how to identify and respond to bullying drawings on Kidpower narratives, and (b) add an experimental study to the limited literature base pertaining to strategies for teaching about bullying to individuals with ASD. A fourth participant was also included as a case study. Progress for all participants was measured using the percentage of correct responses to 10 questions. Three out of four participants reached the mastery criterion of 90% over two consecutive sessions. Sessions for the fourth participant concluded after seven intervention …
Date: December 2020
Creator: Anderson, Chelsi
System: The UNT Digital Library

A Multi-Site Case Study of Middle School Reading Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of Response to Intervention

Early reading intervention has not eradicated reading deficiencies at the middle school level. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), adolescents continue to read below grade level in middle grades. Response to intervention (RTI) is one method of combating this educational concern. This study examined the impact of implementation of a RTI program within one district across multiple middle school campuses. Using individual structured online questionnaires, focus groups, and document analysis, the researcher employed a qualitative, multi-site case study design to evaluate the perceptions of impact of RTI through the lens of middle school reading teachers. Participants included a convenient purposive sample of middle school reading teachers in a suburban school district of about 24,000 students in North Central Texas. I present a review of relevant research at the middle school level to provide a framework for the current study. Additionally, an outline of methodology, research questions, and the proposed data analysis plan are provided. I discuss the intended use of constant comparative analysis to report findings in themes. Particularly, facilitators, hindrances, and impact are a priori themes for reporting.
Date: August 2021
Creator: Norris, Frankie L
System: The UNT Digital Library
Using Student Response Systems to Increase Academic Engagement for Secondary Students with Specific Learning Disability in General Education Settings (open access)

Using Student Response Systems to Increase Academic Engagement for Secondary Students with Specific Learning Disability in General Education Settings

Secondary students with specific learning disabilities often have challenges with academic engagement and performance within the general education setting. Opportunity to respond strategies, such as student response systems, have shown promise in supporting academic engagement for students without disabilities. However, there are few studies examining the relationship between student response systems and academic engagement for older students with specific learning disabilities. The purpose of this study was to pilot the use of Google classroom as a student response system on academic participation and disruptive behavior for high school students with specific learning disability. While the study began as a multiple baseline across participants single-subject research design, the design was changed due to school closures as a result of COVID-19. A high-school student with specific learning disability participated in a study using an AB non-experimental design. The student response system resulted in an abrupt change in academic participation for the participant. The student and teacher perceived the intervention to be effective and appropriate for increasing participation and decreasing disruptive behavior. This study contributes to a limited body of research on student response systems for secondary students with specific learning disabilities.
Date: May 2021
Creator: Triplett, Patrick C
System: The UNT Digital Library
Institutional Pluralism and the Organization's Response: A Case Study of Chinese Women's Ice Hockey (open access)

Institutional Pluralism and the Organization's Response: A Case Study of Chinese Women's Ice Hockey

In recent years, the sport of women's ice hockey is growing fast worldwide. Upon winning the bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics, women's ice hockey in China started to develop rapidly. However, the development of women's ice hockey in China has encountered numerous challenges. These challenges include addressing traditional Chinese culture, gender norms, and the process of sport reform. This study used a qualitative case study methodology to examine the perspectives of Chinese women ice hockey players, coaches, club administrators, government administrators, and the parents of youth hockey players to understand how women's ice hockey navigated itself within the institutional complexity to gain legitimacy, and how the different institutional logics impacted the identities of organizations within women's ice hockey in China. An abductive grounded theory approach was used to analyze the transcriptions and archived documents. Findings indicated that there were challenges for the development of women's ice hockey in China at macro level, meso level, and micro level. Actors such as hockey administrations, professional clubs, and ice hockey coaches and players at different levels adopted multiple forms of institutional work to find out ways to incorporate institutional structures that mitigated the fact that there were multiple logics. In addition, …
Date: May 2020
Creator: Li, Hongxin
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reading and Mathematics Growth Patterns of High-Achieving Students: An Investigation of School-Year and Summer Trends (open access)

Reading and Mathematics Growth Patterns of High-Achieving Students: An Investigation of School-Year and Summer Trends

Rambo-Hernandez and McCoach's analysis into the longitudinal growth of high-achieving students offered two conclusions about the reading growth of high achieving students: high-achieving students lose less ground in reading during the summer, but they exhibit less growth over the school year. This study will seek to replicate the reading results of the Rambo-Hernandez and McCoach's study and include an analysis of mathematics growth with initially high-achieving, third grade students in both the school and summer months. Through a three-level hierarchical linear model covering 1541 third graders, this study analyzes the differences between the school year and summer growth rates of the high-achieving students against other students that scored above the mean on MAP assessments. Students identified as being in the top 10% nationally at the start of the third grade grew less over the course of the school year compared to their peers in both mathematics and reading but showed signs of accelerated growth at the end of the study.
Date: December 2022
Creator: Hurst, Lucas Thor
System: The UNT Digital Library

Measuring Creativity in Academic Writing

The demand for a creative workforce has never been higher, yet schools struggle to teach and assess creativity among students predictably and efficiently. Compositions are an effective way to incorporate creativity across the curriculum; however, essays are time consuming for teachers to score for objective quality or subjective creativity. In this study, I explored a) if high creativity scores are related to high quality and sophistication in academic writing, and b) if extant text-mining tools effectively identify quality, sophistication, and creativity in academic essays. I collected 230 essays written by Grade 11 students. Four human-raters analyzed these essays for quality, sophistication, and creativity, and I used text-mining tools designed to assess creativity to analyze the same. Using correlations - including the variables semantic distance (measured against the GloVe corpus), entropy (measured with Shannon's Entropy Index), and idea density (measured with CPIDR5.1) - I assessed both human-raters' and text-mining tools' proficiency at identifying quality, sophistication, and creativity in academic essays. Quality, sophistication, and creativity were also regressed on these same text-mining variables to assess which method - human or computer – and which of the text-mining tools - best predicts these dependent variables. Human-raters' creativity scores correlated with human-raters' quality scores …
Date: December 2022
Creator: Nagel, Janessa Helen Bower
System: The UNT Digital Library
Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Make Better Parents? A Qualitative Exploration of Parents' Experiences during an Historic Period (open access)

Did the COVID-19 Pandemic Make Better Parents? A Qualitative Exploration of Parents' Experiences during an Historic Period

Predicated on the literature, parenting practices are subject to change following high-impact events. This understandably applies to the COVID-19 pandemic, a calamity of sheer magnitude. Despite the presence of maladaptive parenting behaviors in the pandemic, upsides (e.g., compassionate parenting practices, strengthened child-parent bond) did transpire as well. The present study is focused on whether and how parental betterment occurred and unfolded during the pandemic. The explicit research goal is to elucidate what positive parental responses and changes were and what drove those responses and changes. The study employed the phenomenological study to make a fine-grained inquiry into the researched phenomenon. Fourteen parents of varying demographic characteristics constituted the sample. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted over Zoom for data collection. Thematic analysis was performed to code the data. I eventually constructed four themes: (1) targeted parental responses and changes, (2) refined parenting skills and practices, (3) heightened understanding of children and parenting, and (4) unsettled parenting styles. Each theme reflects a critical facet of the parenting experiences during the pandemic. In the discussion, effort is invested in parsing out what could elevate the quality of parental responses and what may contribute to the positive parental changes, as well as in pointing …
Date: December 2022
Creator: Xiao, He
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Relationship between Racial Colorblindness and the Self-Reported Implementation of Multicultural Teaching Practices among Teachers of Gifted Students (open access)

The Relationship between Racial Colorblindness and the Self-Reported Implementation of Multicultural Teaching Practices among Teachers of Gifted Students

Culturally responsive instruction is recommended as a tool to help mitigate disparities in the recruitment and retention of culturally diverse students in gifted programs. However, the endorsement of colorblind racial ideology has been associated with lower multicultural teaching competency and the adoption of deficit perspectives among teachers. In addition to informing teachers' perceptions of students' abilities and potential, endorsing colorblind racial ideology may make it more difficult for teachers to recognize disparities that adversely impact students from traditionally minoritized and underrepresented groups. The current study examines the relationship between colorblind racial attitudes and multicultural teaching competency among teachers of students who have been identified as gifted and talented. In a large sample of Texas teachers, multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between colorblind racial ideology, multicultural teaching knowledge, and the implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices when teaching gifted and talented students. Results indicate that racial colorblindness, sex, and multicultural teaching knowledge are all significant predictors of the self-reported implementation of culturally responsive instruction, while gifted-specific training and the proportion of students of color had no effects. Implications relate to the necessity of addressing teachers' racial beliefs and ensuring that gifted-specific professional development equips teachers with the …
Date: December 2022
Creator: Ottwein, Jessica K.
System: The UNT Digital Library

Comparing Raw Score Difference, Multilevel Modeling, and Structural Equation Modeling Methods for Estimating Discrepancy in Dyads

The current study focused on dyadic discrepancy, the difference between two individuals. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to compare three dyadic discrepancy estimation methods across a variety of potential research conditions, including variations on intraclass correlation, cluster number, reliability, effect size, and effect size variance. The methods compared were: raw score difference (RSD); empirical Bayes estimate of slope in multilevel modeling (EBD); and structural equation modeling estimate (SEM). Accuracy and reliability of the discrepancy estimate and the accuracy of prediction when using the discrepancy to predict an outcome were examined. The results indicated that RSD and SEM, despite having poor reliability, performed better than EBD when predicting an outcome. The results of this research provide methodological guidance to researchers interested in dyadic discrepancies.
Date: May 2020
Creator: McEnturff, Amber L
System: The UNT Digital Library
Influence of Quiet Eye Self-Training on Internal Processes and Performance Outcomes (open access)

Influence of Quiet Eye Self-Training on Internal Processes and Performance Outcomes

Use and effectiveness of the quiet eye (QE) technique has been a topic of interest in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of QE self-training on college students' internal processes associated with performing a novel task. Specifically, college students' internal processes were examined to understand how QE self-training influenced performance on a novel aiming task. College students (N = 106; M = 21.84 ± 1.79) voluntarily participated in QE self-training intervention. Participants' self-efficacy, self-regulation, and mindfulness was examined before and after QE self-training intervention over a 7-week period, with performance being measured weekly. Following intervention, interviews and follow-up survey were used to gather information about perceptions of using QE self-training instruction. Results indicated outcome performance improved from pre- to post-intervention. Additionally, participants mindfulness acting with awareness and non-judging of inner experiences was influenced by QET self-training. Findings from this study may help sport coaches and performance psychology professionals provide attentional focus training instruction to individuals with diverse levels of skills while also providing future directions for applied practice and research.
Date: December 2021
Creator: Casey, Taylor BreAnn
System: The UNT Digital Library
Measurement Invariance of a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Measure (PCL-5) in College Student and Amazon's Mechanical Turk Samples (open access)

Measurement Invariance of a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Measure (PCL-5) in College Student and Amazon's Mechanical Turk Samples

College student and Amazon's Mechanical TURK (MTURK) samples are regularly utilized in trauma research. Recent literature, however, has criticized these samples for not being generalizable to the general U.S. population. Measurement invariance (MI) using confirmatory factor analyses (CFA), is rarely utilized in trauma research, even though the analysis can determine whether groups are invariant across factor structure, factor loadings, item intercepts, and residual error variances on a given measure of PTSD symptom severity. The purpose of this study was to determine whether college student (n = 255) and MTURK (n = 316) samples are invariant on the PCL-5. Model fit indices indicated the 7-factor Hybrid model was the best fitting model, but the 6-factor anhedonia model was the most parsimonious model. Both models demonstrated equivalence in factor structures (configural invariance), factor loadings (metric invariance), intercepts (scalar invariance), and residuals (strict invariance), indicating MTURK and college student samples are similar in regards to PTSD symptom severity. These findings provide evidence that these groups can be combined in future studies to increase sample size for trauma research. Only the Anhedonia factor exhibited mean differences between groups, which may be related to true differences between college students and MTURK survey-takers. Thus, there is …
Date: August 2020
Creator: Bedford, Lee
System: The UNT Digital Library
Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development: A Mixed Methods Study (open access)

Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Development: A Mixed Methods Study

Research has identified job context, specific attributes of professional development (PD), and perceived teacher input as factors that contribute to teachers' attitudes. This sequential mixed methods study tested those findings together and further investigated teachers' beliefs and attitudes about their own professional learning. The first phase of data collection included a 5-item attitude survey, demographic information, and two short-answer questions. Multiple regression analysis of the sample (N = 328) showed four statistically significant contributors to teacher attitude: (i) socioeconomic status of the school, (ii) teacher years of experience at the campus, (iii) content area taught, and (iv) degree attained by the teacher. During the second phase, six focus groups were conducted which confirmed earlier findings and revealed four themes in teachers' attitudes: (1) a need and desire for collaborative, engaging PD; (2) perceived interference from outside forces that supplant teachers' own PD goals and wishes; (3) a need to establish a context and a cohesive plan for long-term career and campus goals; and (4) a subgroup of teachers who believe that PD has little inherent value. Limitations and implications are included.
Date: May 2020
Creator: Shurtleff, Kay
System: The UNT Digital Library
Coaching Athletes with Post-Traumatic Stress: Exploring Trauma-Related Competencies and Coaching Efficacy (open access)

Coaching Athletes with Post-Traumatic Stress: Exploring Trauma-Related Competencies and Coaching Efficacy

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) assess cycling coaches' trauma-related competencies, as measured by trauma knowledge (i.e., trauma-specific education, familiarity with post-traumatic stress [PTS]), stigma of persons with PTS (i.e., fear/dangerousness, help/interact, forcing treatment, negative emotions), and interpersonal skills (i.e., self-reported emotional intelligence, perceived quality of coach-athlete relationships); and (b) examine the influence that trauma knowledge and stigma of persons with PTS has on coaching efficacy specific to coaching trauma-impacted athletes (i.e., trauma-informed coaching efficacy), after controlling for general coaching experience. Descriptive statistics indicated the majority of coaches had no trauma-specific education, a high degree of familiarity with PTS, and a low level of stigma via four attribution variables. Moreover, participants highly appraised their own emotional intelligence, the quality of their coach-athlete relationships, and their trauma-informed coaching efficacy. A hierarchical regression analyses indicated that familiarity with PTS helped to explain additional variance in trauma-informed coaching efficacy over and above demographic and general coach experience variables. The study establishes trauma-informed coaching as a distinct area of research and highlights the need for improved continuing education opportunities for coaches related to psychological trauma and PTS.
Date: August 2020
Creator: Leibovitz, Amanda Patricia
System: The UNT Digital Library
Relationship between the Big Five and Creative Self-Beliefs in Undergraduates in Terms of College Enrollment and Major (open access)

Relationship between the Big Five and Creative Self-Beliefs in Undergraduates in Terms of College Enrollment and Major

Supporting creativity in undergraduate education is important for the future development of society. To do this, an understanding of undergraduate characteristics is needed. A systematic literature review of the relationship between the Big Five personality factors and little-c creativity in undergraduates identified 19 studies. The creativity assessments within these investigations represented several conceptions of the construct with domain-general, self-reported measures of Person as most common. Results suggest that both Openness to Experience and Extraversion have strong, consistent, positive relationships with creativity. Few significant relations were found concerning Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Notable differences were found between NEO and IPIP inventories in regard to the strength of the relationship between the Big Five personality factors and creativity. Additional differences were also found concerning which students were assessed. Given these results along with previous research, six descriptive discriminant analyses (DDAs) were conducted to identify differences between honors and non-honors undergraduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and those in non-STEM majors in relation to personality and creative self-beliefs. Surveys, which included a 120-item, 5-point scale measure of the Big Five and a 50-item, 5-point scale measure of creative self-beliefs, were completed by 573 undergraduates. No interaction effects were observed. However, …
Date: May 2020
Creator: Soles, Kathryn L.
System: The UNT Digital Library