Browsing by Author "Wallner, Barbara, committee member"

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Open Access
Academic engagement: university student athletes meta-analysis
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Wightman, Lowell, author; Makela, Carole, advisor; Timpson, William, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member; Engle, Terry, committee member
The purpose of this analysis was to understand the role of academic engagement for university student athletes' perceptions of how academic engagement influences their academic success. The meta-analytical process in this study focused on student athletes' awareness of the academic environment and opportunities for engagement and interpretation of how these factors influence their academic performance (e.g., comments like "Having an open study hall available every day, along my path to class and practice that includes study resources removes so many obstacles to staying focused on my class work."). From the analysis of the students' perceptions, the intent was to review academic engagement constructs and their relationships with National Collegiate Athletic Association Academic Progress Rating, U.S. Department of Education, and National Student Survey of Engagement standards for the purpose of identifying how these are similar and different. Similarities and differences inform advising/guiding students' understanding of the scholarship expectations, their interactions with faculty and staff, and their performance as students. In addition, it was important that this study inform coaches, administrators, and faculty about pedagogical strategies and environmental conditions supporting scholarship student athletes' academic engagement and academic performance. The analysis stage of this meta-analytical study systematically discovered data that answered this study's research questions in whole or part. Methodology provided guidance for discovering key findings focused on the impact of environmental settings influencing academic engagement. Examples of prosocial environment influences on academic engagement, defined by social emotional learning theory, provided findings linked to improving student athletes' academic performance. That being said, there were no concrete literature intersections, but there were literature references implying that student athletes may connect prosocial environments to academic engagement or academic performance. As the data crystallized themes and patterns emerged indicating that student athletes did not connect academic engagement or their academic performance to maintaining their scholarship or participation on their teams. In addition, this study found student athletes academically engaged in the presence of a socially and emotionally competent instructors. It was shown in the findings, pedagogical strategies used by instructors promoting social emotional constructs created an engaging and competent environment resulting in academic performance improvement.
Open Access
Assessing college students' sustainability literacy: the development, use, and analysis of an assessment tool
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Harmon, Renée, author; Makela, Carole, advisor; Kaiser, Leann, committee member; Switzer, Jamie, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
This dissertation discusses the development, use, and analysis of a knowledge-based multiple-choice sustainability literacy assessment tool used in Spring 2016 at Colorado State University (CSU). CSU is a leading institution of sustainability education and research, and a participant of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). A component of STARS includes assessing college students' sustainability literacy. The study, and the sustainability literacy assessment tool described, were designed within the framework of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL). Data sets were collected and analyzed from a sustainability literacy assessment given in Spring 2016. Findings from the study show students performed highest in environmental sustainability literacy and lowest in social sustainability literacy, two of three dimensions of the TBL. Additionally, four focus groups of students were held at CSU in Spring 2017. The focus groups informed the study of how students' defined the concept of sustainability and the three dimensions of the TBL. Findings from the focus groups indicated the design of the assessment tool did not garner meaningful results. The assessment tool was designed with knowledge-based multiple-choice questions, which did not accurately assess sustainability literacy, according to its definition. Recommendations for redesigning the assessment tool include designing questions that assess students' ability to apply systems-thinking and conduct critical thinking and problem-solving. Sustainability educators should seek to encourage transformational learning when teaching sustainability education. With the recommendations for assessment redesign, the researcher also includes suggestions of unique ways institutions of higher education can assess students' sustainability literacy.
Open Access
Defining and assessing teaching effectiveness in higher education
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Marquitz, Michele S., author; Makela, Carole, advisor; Wallner, Barbara, committee member; Shelton, Paul, committee member; Vaske, Jerry, committee member
Teaching effectiveness in higher education is challenging. Given the number of stakeholders and the reasons for assessing teaching effectiveness creates additional challenges. Yet when tying teaching effectiveness to successful student learning outcomes and combining those interests to a case study project, the views of faculty, administrators, and students provided insights and contributed to the body of knowledge of faculty members' performance. Through three manuscripts, we explore defining and assessing a teaching effectiveness process in a case study, using Student Evaluations of Teaching instruments to provide feedback on teaching effectiveness, and the role students' written comments may play in course and instructor feedback. From analyzing student course surveys to creating qualitative and quantitative instruments with the input of faculty members, teaching effectiveness must ensure successful student learning outcomes. The journey to define and assess teaching effectiveness in higher education was an arduous one presented through three manuscripts. Each manuscript provides insights for new and established faculty members. The first abstract presents a case study at a Research I: Doctoral University. Through a research assistantship and partnering with a department challenged to define and assess teaching effectiveness for higher load faculty members, three instruments were developed to determine best practices of effective teachers. The second abstract used quantitative methods and research to assess students' feedback on faculty members' teaching. And the third abstract used qualitative methods to assess themes in written comments from students' evaluation of teaching surveys.
Open Access
Effects of interactive whiteboard technology on the achievement and engagement of elementary-aged students with high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder in the content of reading
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Stanley, Nicole, author; Gloeckner, Gene, advisor; Fidler, Deborah, committee member; Folkestad, James, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
This dissertation examined the effects of interactive whiteboards (IWB) during reading instruction on student engagement and achievement with three elementary-aged students with identified Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). To date, the majority of the literature references regular classroom instruction and not special populations. A quantitative-dominant mixed methods approach was implemented. It included experimental methods to collect achievement and engagement data, and a post-study interview to get a more in-depth understanding of the research. The same participants were used in both the quantitative and qualitative phases. The experimental phase consisted of two methods of delivery of the same reading intervention-traditional paper materials and on an IWB alternated in an A-B-A-B design. During the traditional delivery, students received books and corresponding worksheets in paper form. During the IWB condition, each student read the books and completed corresponding worksheets on the IWB. For the purpose of the study, data were collected on achievement and engagement of these three students. The percent of questions answered correctly answered on bi-weekly comprehension quizzes and word fluency was measured for student achievement. The frequency of joint attention (JA) behaviors was measured for student engagement. The second phase served a supporting qualitative component. At the conclusion of the experimental phase, structured interviews were conducted individually with each participant to examine the perceptions of the students on integration of the IWB into reading instruction. This study examined between and within-phase patterns of achievement and engagement for each student. It included descriptive statistics of the data, visual analysis with line graphs that displayed data phase-by-phase, and statistical analysis. In total, no noticeable differences or statistical significance was found in achievement or engagement between the two methods of intervention for the students with ASD. While a few correlations were found, they were only found in one variable in each category of achievement and engagement. All three participants did not have correlations for both of the two measurable variables for achievement. Also, all three participants did not have correlations for more than one of the four measured variables for engagement. Students expressed both positive and negative aspects of both conditions; however, a preference was given to the IWB. Suggestions for further research are incorporated as part of the study results. This dissertation may impact financial decisions related to purchasing technology for school administrators for their buildings. As demand for the use of technology in educational settings increase, along with the need for evidence-based interventions for students with ASD, administrators are faced with making decisions regarding the type of technology, the impact of technology, and the cost/benefits of particular technologies within school settings.
Open Access
Incorporating critical thinking: teaching strategies in Malaysian technical and vocational education (TVE) programs
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Sulaiman, Nor Lisa, author; Timpson, William M., advisor; Makela, Carole J., committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member; Nobe, Mary, committee member
Teachers should be critical thinking agents who guide students to become better critical thinkers through teaching strategies (Halpern, 1999). The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which polytechnic lecturers in Malaysia incorporate critical thinking into their teaching strategies. The web-based survey, Qualtrics, was used to disseminate the teaching strategies questionnaire to 4,529 lecturers at 27 Malaysian polytechnics. A non-experimental design was employed to explore: the most frequently used and effective strategies; and the relationships and differences among frequency of use, perception of effectiveness, and knowledge of critical thinking teaching strategies relative to the highest level of education, years of teaching experience, attendance at critical thinking workshops, and teaching major. The data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and thematic content analysis. The response rate for this study was 7.9 percent, which included 358 lecturers. The findings from rank-ordering indicated that among the 58 critical thinking strategies, open-ended questioning was rated as the most frequently used strategy and small group discussions were perceived as most effective by lecturers. From 58 strategies, EFA determined four factors within, reduced to 25 strategies. The findings from open-ended questions revealed cognitive and affective domains were used for student learning outcomes and rubrics, examinations, presentations, and lab experiments were incorporated to assess students' critical thinking. The findings of this study provide useful information to promote intellectual growth in enhancing critical thinking strategies among lecturers in Malaysia. Critical thinking training for lecturers at Malaysian polytechnics is recommended to improve the usage, perceptions, and knowledge of critical thinking teaching strategies.
Open Access
Investigating volunteer retention at a small, municipal public garden
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Mason, Tyler, author; Irlbeck, Nancy, advisor; Graves, Leila, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
Volunteers are essential to the success of nonprofit organizations. Botanical gardens and arboreta utilize volunteers for guest services, public programs, grounds maintenance, field trips, and tours. Like other nonprofit organizations, botanical gardens face volunteer retention problems. Much psychological research has been conducted on volunteer behaviors, including factors that influence volunteer motivation, retention, and recruitment in adult 4-H volunteers leading youth educational programs. However, there is a deficiency in research focused on factors influencing volunteer retention in botanical gardens. Therefore, this mixed-methods study aims to fill that void by collecting and analyzing data gained through mailed questionnaires, field observations, and personal interviews. Triangulating these data sets revealed people are motivated to volunteer at a small, municipal public garden because they want to feel useful, enjoy learning, enjoy socializing, and want to belong to a community. Volunteers are motivated to keep coming back because they continue to learn, develop new friendships, feel a sense of accomplishment, and enjoy working with plants and people. Understanding what drives volunteers' actions provides a framework for improving the volunteer coordination program at the a small, municipal public garden.
Open Access
Job satisfaction of new teachers in Malaysia: understanding challenges and experiences of leaving the profession
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Jusoh, Ruzina binti, author; Kaminski, Karen, advisor; Banning, James, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member; Doe, Sue, committee member
This study focuses on new teachers' job satisfaction and their challenges and experiences during their probationary period. This research concentrated on how their challenges and experiences affected their choice to leave the profession. Basic Interpretive Qualitative method was utilized to explore and understand new teachers' challenges and experiences during their probationary period. The sample for this study consisted of ten new teachers, eight females and two males who teach in the state of Selangor. The primary themes from the data were organizational, personal, and system. The organizational category was associated with school administrators' leadership style, expectation, support, workload and professional development courses, which was the main reason for leaving the profession. Personal related to financial problems was one of the reasons new teachers were leaving the profession. Finally, system, related to teacher placement, was also mentioned as one of the reasons for leaving the profession. The results of this study have application for the school organization seeking to retain new teachers in the profession. The major contributions of this study are related to new teachers' job satisfaction associated with leaving the profession and greater insight into practical applications and consideration necessary for the retention in the profession. It is important for individual new teachers to have an understanding of how to overcome challenges to enhance their job satisfaction.
Open Access
Museum and school partnership for learning on field trips
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2009) Bhatia, Anuradha, author; Makela, Carole J., advisor; Sarkar, Ajoy Kumar, advisor; Loomis, Ross J., committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
School field trips are the most common type of partnership between museums and schools. Museums of all specialties offer programs to children of all ages/grades keeping their physical, intellectual, and cognitive development in mind. By partnering with schools, museums support curriculum standards and supplement classroom teaching. The purpose of this phenomenology was to explain the partnership between a local history museum, the Fort Collins Museum (FCM), and Poudre School District’s (PSD) schools for learning on 2nd grade field trips. Museum educators and school teachers are the representatives of the two institutions. Their perceptions and processes regarding museum field trip delivery and integration were studied and the partnership was explained on the basis of purpose and level of interactions.
Open Access
Organizational training and relationship building for increasing public participation in a public school district
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Poynton, John, author; Venneberg, Donald, advisor; Makela, Carole, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member; Carcasson, Martin, committee member
From the early twentieth century to the present, citizen participation in U.S. public institutions--particularly schools--has continually decreased. The trend has been linked to the bureaucratization of public schools and their increasing reliance on expert knowledge for solutions to school- and education-related problems. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a parent training program designed to increase a school district's capacity for public participation. The program--known as Leadership St. Vrain--provided citizens knowledge about school district operations and management (know-how) and relationship-building opportunities with key decision makers (know-who). The mixed-methods study was designed to include two original survey instruments, follow-up interviews, and archival documents to evaluate the effect of the training on participants. Participants reported strong growth in domains for knowledge, relationship, willingness, efficacy, and action. Follow-up interviews with training participants and parents who served as school Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) presidents, as well as an analysis of archival documents indicated a secondary ripple-effect among PTO members who did not take the training, as well as with other citizens and the larger community.
Open Access
Remote sensing to quantify in-field soil moisture variability in irrigated maize production
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Siegfried, Jeffrey Alan, author; Khosla, Raj, advisor; Longchamps, Louis, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
Agriculture is the largest consumer of water globally. As pressure on available water resources increases, the need to exploit technology in order to produce more food with less water becomes crucial. The technological hardware requisite for precise water delivery methods such as variable rate irrigation is commercially available. Despite that, techniques to formulate a timely, accurate prescription for those systems are inadequate. Spectral vegetation indices, especially Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, are often used to gauge crop vigor and related parameters (e.g. leaf nitrogen content and grain yield). However, research heretofore rarely addresses the influence of soil moisture on the indices. Canopy temperature measured using inexpensive infrared thermometers could also serve as an indicator of water stress, but current methods which exploit the data can be cumbersome. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine 1) if vegetation indices derived from multispectral satellite imagery could assist in quantifying soil moisture variability in an irrigated maize production system 2) the period of time which a single image is representative of soil moisture conditions 3) to determine the relationship between synchronous measurements of crop canopy temperature and in-field soil moisture tension, and 4) to understand the influence of discretionary crop canopy temperature stress thresholds on the relationship between soil moisture tension and crop canopy temperature. A variable rate irrigation pivot was used to form six water treatment zones. Each zone was equipped with both a set of tensiometers installed in the center of the plots at 20, 45, and 75cm depths and an infrared thermometer pointed into the crop canopy to individually monitor conditions in the water treatment zones. Water was applied for each treatment as a percentage of the estimated evapotranspiration (ET) requirement: i.e., 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, and 140 percent of the ET. Data collected from tensiometers was paired with the image pixels corresponding to the ground location of the tensiometers and with the synchronous canopy temperature data. Statistical analysis was performed separately to assess whether vegetation indices and canopy temperature are representative of soil moisture at several crop growth stages. Findings from this study indicate that Red Edge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index could quantify variability of soil moisture tension at V6 (six leaf) (r2 = 0.850, p = 0.009) and V9 (nine leaf) (r2 = 0.913, p = 0.003) crop growth stages. Results suggest that satellite-derived vegetation indices may be useful for creating time-sensitive characterizations of soil moisture variability at large field-scales. When integrated with a stress threshold, synchronous canopy temperature was able to quantify soil moisture tension with some success during the reproductive crop growth stages. Further study is necessary to investigate additional crop growth stages, more crops, and other sources of multispectral imagery. Future studies are also needed to evaluate field-scale yield implications of variable rate irrigation management.
Open Access
School choice impacts within a local school district
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Chisesi, Lawrence J., author; Cutler, Harvey, advisor; Alves Pena, Anita, committee member; Shields, Martin, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
In the mid 1990's, changes in Colorado state law and local school district policy resulted in the opening of magnet and charter schools within a school district in Northern Colorado. Parents now had multiple school choice options that were independent of school assignment based on residency. I use student level data to analyze school choice impacts within the district as they unfolded over time. I test first if there are student achievement gains that can be attributed to school choice. In theory, when parents can better match the needs of their children to the offerings at different schools, student achievement should increase. Using multilevel modeling I find little evidence that school choice yields achievement gains compared to residential based school choice, but do find that some schools that offered differentiated curriculums yielded gains. The negative impacts on student achievement attributed to low family income and from when students change schools explain much of the variation in test scores. I next examine how local public schools may compete for students once parents are given expanded school choice rights. Economic theory suggests that competition for students would force lower performing schools to improve or risk losing their students to higher achieving schools. I test to see if the choices that parents make to attend schools outside their neighborhoods are influenced by prior year academic achievement, the income and ethnic composition of a school and changes in the size of a local school's attendance zone. I find that shrinking attendance zones preceded students choicing into other schools, motivating schools to compete for students. Past performance matters as well, but so does the composition of the student body and how representative the student body is of the community that surrounds the school. Parents show preferences to associate with families with similar incomes and ethnic background. Finally, I study how school choice impacts housing decisions. If school choice breaks the link between residency and local schooling then house prices should reflect this change. Parents would be less willing to pay a premium to live near a higher performing school and should receive less of a discount to purchase a home near a lower performing school. Using prices paid by cohorts of home buyers that subsequently placed their children into district schools, I find support for the hypothesis that the house price-school quality link evaporates with school choice and that changes in housing valuations can be modeled as a function of the number of families choicing into and out of school attendance zones. Prices appear to be moving towards an equilibrium whereby local school quality and distance to the assigned school no longer contribute value to the price of a home.
Open Access
Stuck in the middle: Generation Xers lived experiences in the workforce while navigating between Baby Boomers and Millennials, and perceived impact on their job satisfaction
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Dickson, Suzanne Armatas, author; Lynham, Susan A., advisor; Peila-Shuster, Jackie, committee member; Steger, Michael, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
Generation Xers are defined as those individuals born between the years of 1965-1980, and represent between 46-49 Million in the U.S. population, and are considered a much smaller cohort than Boomers (80 Million) and Millennials (78 Million). Gen Xers argue that they are overshadowed by the notable influence of the Boomers and a perceived anticipation of the Millennials to become "the next great generation" in the workforce and as such, describe themselves as "stuck in the middle" while waiting for Boomers to retire so they may advance in their careers. However, pronounced demographic trends may have exacerbated Gen Xers' perceptions of neglect and being stuck in the middle. These demographic trends include Boomers continuing to work and Millennials entering the workforce and bringing with them vastly different work preferences, values and expectations than the proceeding generational cohorts. These two dimensions --Boomers continuing to work, and Millennials entering and beginning to influence the workforce--suggest a potentially enigmatic challenge for the smaller but still relevant cohort of Gen Xers with the potential impact on Gen Xers being relatively unknown. This exploratory study was to examine the unique workforce experiences of Gen Xers as it related to being stuck between the Baby Boomers and Millennials and thereby, gain understanding of the perceived impact to their job satisfaction. To describe, understand and find meaning in the participants co-constructed findings, a hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was utilized that was grounded in a constructivist paradigm. The findings from this study represent the individual, shared and co-constructions of six participants which resulted in twelve global themes. The twelve themes include: 1: "Stuck in the middle" is experienced and expressed differently by Gen Xers; 2: Gen Xers have anxiety about their professional future; 3: There are challenges unique to Gen Xers; 4: Gen Xers have perceptions about themselves and their work role; 5: There are generational similarities and differences; 6: Unique work culture impacts generational issues; 7: There may be economic influences on their career; 8: Historical context shapes who Gen Xers are as adults; 9: Baby Boomer influences contribute to job dissatisfaction; 10: Extrinsic motivators; 11: Intrinsic motivators; 12: Job satisfaction or dissatisfaction can carry over to life. The global themes are further comprised of organizing and basic themes to provide additional breadth and depth of understanding of this phenomenon. The study concludes by acknowledging that the voices of the Generation X participants have been heard through the compilation of their personal stories. It is noted that their stories and experiences were largely influenced by three primary factors which include recognition of the individuality of Gen Xers, lack of mutual exclusivity between generational cohorts, and the significance of context in understanding one's lived experience. Finally, drawing from the findings, recommendations are provide to inform research, theory and practice.
Open Access
The meaning of work for five Generation Y employees: a hermeneutic phenomenological study
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2014) Coates, Tabitha K. L., author; Lynham, Susan A., advisor; Glick, Scott, committee member; Jennings, Louise, committee member; Wallner, Barbara, committee member
Research on Generation Y is inconsistent and incongruent, making it difficult to understand the organizational impact of this cohort in the workforce. This exploratory study sought to provide an in-depth examination of Generation Y to understand some work related patterns and meaning among the cohort at a deeper, more intrinsic level than prior studies. The purpose of the study was to explore and understand how five Generation Y employees perceived and described their notion of the meaning of work, based on their lived experience of the phenomenon. To understand and analyze the constructed meaning of the meaning of work, this study was grounded in the interpretive paradigm. The methodology used was that of hermeneutic phenomenology. The findings from this study are representative of the individual, shared, and co-constructions of ten essential themes including: the meaning of work is influenced by education; the meaning of work is the opportunity to do work that is meaningful; the meaning of work is balance; the meaning of work is completing tasks and being compensated to meet our basic needs; the meaning of work is the importance of social relationships; the meaning of work is considering and exploring all opportunities; the meaning of work is influenced by our social networks; the meaning of work is a reflection of who we are; and the meaning of work is working for an organization that functions well; and the meaning of work is influenced by the current state of the economy. The essential themes are presented using thick descriptive quotes from the participants and supporting literature. In addition, the ten essential themes were composed of essential sub-themes and essential sub-sub-themes that provided additional layers of depth in understanding the phenomenon for the five participants. This study provided a voice for the Generation Y participants, allowing researchers and practitioners to begin to build knowledge about the relationship between this generational cohort and the evolving nature of work. Recommendations are provided for using the findings to inform research, theory, and practice. First, suggestions are made for research regarding accumulating knowledge from diverse prospective, sampling, narrowly defining constructs, and improving methodology. Second, recommendations are provided for future theorizing and theory building. Last, I discuss how the findings of this study will inform practice related to the meaning of work phenomenon at the organizational, individual, and generational levels.