Theses and Dissertations from UMD
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/2
New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
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Item AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF READ 180® ON FOURTH GRADE READING ACHIEVEMENT AND HOW SELECTED TEACHERS IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM(2011) Hubbard, Anne Judith; McLaughlin, Margaret J.; Special Education; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examined the effects of the READ 180®® program on the reading achievement levels of fourth grade students who participated in the READ 180®® program (Scholastic Incorporated, 2005) compared to fourth grade students who were reading below grade level but who were not participating in the READ 180®® program. The study compared the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) scores of each group administered in September 2009 and May or June 2010. The mean reading achievement gain for each group was compared to determine if there was a significant difference between the reading scores. Results of the One-Way ANCOVA yielded no significant statistical differences, at the probability level (p level) of .05, in the posttest SRI reading score means for students in READ 180®® and non-READ 180®® reading programs, after controlling for initial differences on the pretest SRI scores. However, if the probability was set for p=< .10, the results of the study would demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the posttest SRI scores. Although there was evidence READ 180®® was statistically significant and beneficial to students, the results are not conclusive. The results of the Two-Way ANCOVA showed no significance of interaction between reading program status and TerraNova Third EditionTM qualification criteria on posttest reading scores. The study also investigated whether teachers supplemented the standard READ 180®® program with other reading interventions, activities, and modifications based upon the needs of the students. Teachers who taught READ 180®® and special education teachers who assisted with READ 180®® implementation were surveyed using a web-based survey program. Survey results indicated teachers supplemented the standard READ 180®® program including Whole Group, Small Group, and Independent Reading Group rotations with reading interventions, activities, and modifications based upon the needs of the students. Supplementary activities included the use of Internet resources, reading materials, Smartboard activities, and alternate methods for evaluating student progress. The use of other commercially available materials and activities for written language instruction were included to expand the READ 180®® curriculum. Modifications and interventions were rarely made to READ 180®® Software instructional sessions, with the exception of keyboarding devices and headsets.Item Effect of Instructional Consultation on Academic Achievement in Third Through Fifth Grade(2011) Maslak, Kristi Samantha; Strein, William; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The present study evaluated the effect of Instructional Consultation (Rosenfield, 1995) on the academic achievement of third through fifth grade students. Students whom teachers did (n = 201) and did not (n = 8119) select as the focus of consultation were balanced on their estimated propensity to be selected using logistic regression of observed covariates. Multilevel modeling compared students in the two treatment conditions on teacher assigned grades and standardized measures of reading and math, net of prior achievement. A small, but statistically significant negative effect of the program (d = -.13) was found for standardized measures of math. No significant differences were found on the other outcome measures. Limitations include model misspecification, missing data, and treatment diffusion.Item DEAF SPACE AND THE VISUAL WORLD - BUILDINGS THAT SPEAK: AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF(2010) Tsymbal, Karina; Bovill, Carl; Architecture; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Deaf Space and the Visual World is a set of principles providing understanding of the perceptions and special needs of the deaf. More frequently deaf and hard of hearing school children are attending mainstream public schools, in which deaf-friendly design is not well-understood or implemented. This work analyzes these principles and applies them to the design of a mainstream elementary school at a site within the King Farm community of Rockville, Maryland. Primarily, the ideas of establishing visual connectivity, circulation, collective being, and sense of home guided the school design. These are reflected in numerous design features of the school that will benefit not only the deaf students, but hearing and other special needs children as well. The ultimate objective of this work is to promote understanding of the needs of the deaf in educational settings, as well as to establish a useful set of architectural guidelines.