2021 Doctoral Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mixed methods study is to provide data points that address the accuracy of the screening process for students to be accelerated in mathematics courses prior to entering middle school in the South Fayette Township School District. This screening process is a decision that happens prior to sixth grade but has long-lasting implications related to the courses students can take in high school and their trajectory for college and career goals. Prior to this study, the district had never conducted a review of the process that was internally developed. The three research questions that drove this study led to an evaluation of student data related to the five most recent cohorts of students that had been accelerated (150 students), as well as a review of participant feedback from a mathematics teacher perspective survey in which 17 teachers completed. The outcome of this study indicated that the screening process has shown to be successful for over 90% of the students that had been identified through the screening process. However, there was a recommendation that resulted from both the student data and teacher feedback for the district to consider changing one of the criteria in order to enhance the screening process.

The onset of the Covid-19 global pandemic took the world by surprise in the spring of 2020. As the world rapidly changed and adapted to new health and safety measures, school districts were left to decide how they would pivot instructionally, but also plan for an uncertainty that the pandemic would bring from a financial standpoint. The potential financial liability of the pandemic forced schools to make tough decisions on how to continue into the 2021 year and balance yearly budgets. A newly created Pre-Kindergarten program was launched at the start of the 2019-2020 school year, and was nearly eliminated in order to cut costs for the upcoming school year. In the end the school board agreed to continue the program in the 2020-2021 school year, but the fate of the Pre-Kindergarten classroom and program would continue to be revisited for its effectiveness in preparing students for kindergarten. The purpose of this research study is to examine the effectiveness of the district created pre-kindergarten program by examining the growth of student literacy and mathematics skills. Benchmark assessment data was analyzed throughout the school year for pre-kindergarten students, as was the STAR assessment data for students who had previously attended the pre-kindergarten program and were currently enrolled in kindergarten within the district. Teachers also participated in the study to provide qualitative data regarding the effectiveness of the program in preparing students for kindergarten.

This mixed method action research study explored the benefits peer coaching could provide to further establish a cost-effective professional development opportunity that promotes a collaborative culture among early childhood educators. Serving as a pilot, the study was completed to understand educators' interest in an alternate, interactive professional development option, provide opportunities for educators to collaborate across three different programs, and be exposed to new skills and instructional practices. Three research questions were developed to gain an understanding of educators' perception of peer coaching, perceptions of the other early childhood programs within the educational organization, and changes to their instructional practices after participation. The research design consisted of an electronic collection of quantitative data obtained before and after the intervention, through twenty survey questions. Qualitative data was gathered through six open-ended reflection questions completed by the educators following each of the three completed observations. Through data analysis, the results indicated participation in the study, did alter educators' perceptions of peer coaching and other early childhood programs, and changed instructional practices. Based upon these findings, the peer coaching study was a successful pilot and should be utilized, studied, and analyzed across all three early childhood programs in future research.

With the goal of increasing both student accountability for learning and college readiness skills, many high schools have adopted the collegiate practice of the using final exams. Peters Township High School is one such school whose practice of using final exams has come under scrutiny. Very little research exists on the efficacy of this practice at the secondary level. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study at Peters Township High School to determine if final exams were a valued practice that provided students with the skills and practice needed to be successful in college and if they were an accurate measure of student learning. The framework for this study was the four research questions focused on discovering teacher perceptions about the purpose of the final exam and its reliability as a measure of student learning, analyzing the historical impact of final exam grades on student grades, and comparing the high school and college experiences. A mixed-methods approach was taken using qualitative and quantitative data from teacher and alumni surveys and analyzed alongside quantitative data on historical final exam grades and final grades. The data revealed that high school and collegiate practices were not aligned and that final exam grades were not an accurate representation of student learning. However, the research showed that when weighted properly and incorporated as part of a comprehensive assessment plan, the use of final exams can improve student retention and capacity to study.

This study explored the secondary principals’ and secondary teachers’ perception of the Walkthrough Observation Tool. A mixed method approach was utilized to collect data. A quantitative data approach was conducted through the use of pre-and post-intervention surveys. The quantitative data allowed for a complete understanding of the participants perception throughout the action research project. A Qualitative data approach was conducted to collect data through pre-and-post interviews. The qualitative data provided interview opportunities to examine if and how a participants perception may have shifted throughout the action research project. Findings indicate that the secondary principals’ and secondary teachers perception of the Walkthrough Observation Tool improves instructional practices. Results indicate that secondary principals and secondary teachers believe that the Walkthrough Observation Tool has enhanced their instructional practices to promote professional growth. A common improvement between the secondary principals’ and the secondary teachers’ was that the Walkthrough Observation Tool may be refined to improve assessments.