Associations Between Teacher Interactional Quality and Student Achievement: a Classroom-Level Analysis of Randomized and Non-Randomized Teacher Assignments in the Measure of Effective Teaching Project

The powerful role teachers have on students’ learning and academic performance has been well established in the empirical literature. However, researchers have not been successful in explaining what exactly it is about teachers that foster students’ academic success in the classroom. The premise of this dissertation was that teachers who provide affirming, supportive, and organized interactions, also known as teacher interactional quality, have beneficial effects on students’ academic achievement. This dissertation used the largest education dataset of United States students, known as the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET), to examine the association of teacher interactional quality on classroom achievement. The MET dataset incorporated random assignment in the placement of teachers to classrooms of students and collected multiple measures of teacher quality. This investigation contributed to the existing body of research on teacher quality by examining the associations between teacher interactional quality in fourth and fifth grade classrooms and achievement outcomes. In addition, the distribution of teacher interactional quality across classrooms with different percentages of free or reduced lunch receipt was examined. Findings indicated that teacher interactional quality and free or reduced lunch percentage were associated with English/language art classroom achievement outcomes when teachers went about their everyday practices in the classroom and when teachers were randomized to classrooms of students. Teacher interactional quality was associated with math classroom achievement outcomes only during the business-as-usual year when teachers went about their usual teaching practices in the classroom. Furthermore, teacher interactional quality impact on English/language art classroom achievement outcomes changed based on the proportion of free or reduced lunch in the classroom during the business-as-usual year but not during the year when teachers were randomly assigned to classrooms of students. Recommendations are derived for conducting longitudinal follow-ups with students who have been exposed to certain levels of interactional quality, examining the experiences of students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicities, and pursuing the distinction between classrooms with and without typical random assignment of teachers. Teacher preparation programs have the ability to identify desirable teacher dispositions and positive interactional styles early on in the program through multiple observations and reflective opportunities. If preparation programs are able to better identify teacher qualities that have an impact on student learning, this information can be used to attract, prepare, support, and retain teachers who are skilled in their interactions and emotionally attuned to the needs of students. This information can be used as a foundation for states and districts as they develop mentoring, coaching, professional development, and teacher evaluation systems for strengthening the recruitment and retention of high quality teachers

Hey Doc, Wanna Skype? An Explorative Study on Rural Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a relatively new tool in the healthcare industry and is a potential tool for improving health care in rural communities. The present study investigated Health Care Providers and Consumers perceived use and implementation of telemedicine in Western Colorado and Eastern Utah. Results and implications will be further discussed

The link between critical thinking and personality: individual differences in a concern for truth

This study explored the relation between a concern for truth (a measure of critical thinking disposition), the big five personality traits, and demographic variables. College students (N = 367, 75% women) completed an online survey that assessed a concern for truth and personality. Correlational analysis indicated a concern for truth was significantly related to openness, neuroticism, and agreeableness. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that openness, age, grade point average (GPA), neuroticism, and class rank were significant predictors of a concern for truth. Openness was the most significant predictor of a concern for truth and accounted for 13% of the variance between students. Implications of these findings in relation to critical thinking education and future research are discussed

Accreditation by Design: Construction of an Instrument to Measure Teacher Candidates’ Perceptions of Preparedness to Meet InTASC Standards

The InTASC Candidate Self-Perception Instrument (ICSPI) is an innovative, high-quality educational measurement tool designed to support the assessment and accreditation efforts of a wide variety of educator preparation programs (EPP). The procedures used for the creation and refining of items for the ICSPI are presented, including empirical estimates of reliability from a trial implementation across three semesters. Evidence of instrument validity is discussed, while observed reliability estimates were found to be above acceptable levels for all subgroups. The ICSPI can be used to evaluate EPPs’ course offerings and requirements, align course outcomes with educational standards, provide data to advise programs of relative strengths and weaknesses, and improve teacher preparation

Accreditation by Design: Construction of an Instrument to Measure Teacher Candidates\u27 Perceptions of Preparedness to Meet InTASC Standards

The InTASC Candidate Self-Perception Instrument (ICSPI) is an innovative, high-quality educational measurement tool designed to support the assessment and accreditation efforts of a wide variety of educator preparation programs (EPP). The procedures used for the creation and refining of items for the ICSPI are presented, including empirical estimates of reliability from a trial implementation across three semesters. Evidence of instrument validity is discussed, while observed reliability estimates were found to be above acceptable levels for all subgroups. The ICSPI can be used to evaluate EPPs’ course offerings and requirements, align course outcomes with educational standards, provide data to advise programs of relative strengths and weaknesses, and improve teacher preparation