Theses/Dissertations - Educational Psychology
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Browsing Theses/Dissertations - Educational Psychology by Author "Educational Psychology."
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Item The acquisition of electronic portfolio support staff expertise : a theoretical model.(2011-01-05T19:39:02Z) Filkins, Daniel Treadgold.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the different methods in which electronic portfolio support staff acquired their expertise. In this study, five electronic portfolio support staff members served as a purposeful sample for analysis. Data were gathered over the course of one semester using individual and group observations, interviews with each study participants, demographic information, narrative prompts, and concept maps. Data were collected from each of the data sources and analyzed using NVIVO 8. Data were then categorized into thirteen different behavioral categories of expertise taken based on the literature. Further analysis revealed four predominant themes of expertise that were observed from each research participant: (a) domain knowledge, (b) performance, (c) problem solving, (d) deliberate practice in the domain over time, and (e) participation in a learning community. Next, a cross-case analysis was used to study the similarities and differences in the experience of each study participant in their journey to acquire electronic portfolio expertise and knowledge. Findings from the within and across case studies indicated that direct experience with the electronic portfolio was a major contributor of acquisition of expertise for each of the research participants. Domain performance tended to improve as the electronic portfolio support staff member acquired more domain experience through deliberate practice over time. Findings also indicated that problem solving skills improved through direct interaction with the electronic portfolio and through observation of more advanced electronic portfolio support staff members. Within the context of a learning community, the factors of domain knowledge, performance, problem solving, deliberate practice over time, and preservice teacher relationships interacted with one another in producing electronic portfolio expertise.Item An analysis of critical thinking skills with gifted and general education students : relationships between cognitive, achievement, and demographic variables.(2012-11-29) Kettler, Todd.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.Critical thinking is an often-stated educational objective in gifted education as well as general education. Yet for all the attention that 21st Century education has placed on thinking skills, including critical thinking, methods of assessing critical thinking are not well-developed or widely used. This study investigated the critical thinking skills of upper elementary students using two tests of critical thinking. Participants (n =208) were fourth grade students in a suburban school district in North Texas. Participants completed both the Cornell Critical Thinking Test and the Test of Critical Thinking. Existing data was collected from the school district, allowing for analysis of the relationships between critical thinking, cognitive ability, student achievement, and demographic variables. As part of the study, critical thinking skills were compared between identified gifted students and general education students. First the study found there was a significant relationship between the two measures of critical thinking (r =.60). Second, identified gifted students outperformed general education students on both measures of critical thinking (d =1.52 and d = 1.36). Third, evidence collected in the study supported significant relationships between cognitive ability and critical thinking as well as academic achievement and critical thinking. There was no evidence to support gender differences in critical thinking and weak evidence to support any critical thinking differences attributed to ethnicity or economic disadvantage. Multiple regression analyses were conducted predicting both tests of critical thinking. Data supported that cognitive ability and academic achievement were strong predictors of critical thinking. A random effects analysis of variance was conducted to rule out potential random effects associated with the participants nested in three different schools chosen at random in the participating school district.Item Collegiate student-athletes' academic success : academic communication apprehension's impact on prediction models.(2010-06-23T12:21:52Z) James, Kai'Iah A.; Robinson, Eric L.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.This dissertation study examines the impact of traditional and non-cognitive variables on the academic prediction model for a sample of collegiate student-athletes. Three hundred and fifty-nine NCAA Division IA male and female student-athletes, representing 13 sports, including football and men’s and women’s basketball provided demographic information (i.e., race, academic classification, gender, scholarship status) and provided responses to the Academic Communication Anxiety Test instrument. The Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services provided precollege and college academic information (high school GPA, SAT/ACT score, collegiate GPA) and this information along with data provided by the participants was entered into a multiple regression analysis. The purpose of the study was to determine which variables predicted student-athlete college GPA and if participation in a revenue-generating versus a nonrevenue-generating sport impacted college GPA. The analyses indicated that the ACAT was a valid and reliable measure (alpha = .94) with three factors. In addition, high school core GPA, study hall hour requirement, academic classification, and pre-college standardized test score made significant contributions to the prediction equation. Participation in a revenue-generating sport was found to significantly impact GPA.Item Cyberbullying : what are the psychological profiles of bullies, victims, and bully-victims?(2010-10-08T16:13:07Z) Aoyama, Ikuko, 1977-; Saxon, Terrill F.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purposes of the present study were to classify youth into subgroups based on their involvement in cyberbullying, to examine group differences in terms of internalizing problems, and to examine moderator effects of peer relationships and sex. The research questions of the present study were: 1) Are there any differences between bullies, victims, bully-victims, and those not involved in cyberbullying, in terms of their internalizing problems (self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and stress)?; 2) Are there moderating effects of peer relationships between these groups and their internalizing problems?; and 3) Are there moderating effects of sex between these groups and their internalizing problems? In the present study, a cyberbullying survey was conducted with 463 public middle and high school students in central Texas. The participants were selected from two different school districts to include diverse samples. Students' cyberbullying experiences, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, and peer relationships were measured. As a result of group classification, 2.3% of the participants were categorized in the victim group, 2.0% were in the bully group, 10.9% were in the bully-victim group, and the rest of the students (84.9%) were categorized in the not-involved group. Participants who were involved reported higher levels of internalizing problems than those who were not involved. Among them, the bully-victim group scored significantly higher on depression, anxiety, and stress compared to the rest of the groups. With regard to interaction effects of peer relationship and sex, practical effects were very small. These findings indicate that both males and females have equal risk of developing internalizing problems due to cyberbullying and better peer relationship was not a strong buffer against internalizing problems.Item Does viewing bullying violence affect the allocation of attention in young adults?(2012-08-08) Sulak, Tracey N., 1975-; Saxon, Terrill F.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of the current study was to experimentally test the relationship between symptoms of inattention and vicarious experiences of bullying. The research questions of the current study were: 1) Can vicarious bullying induce symptoms of inattention?; 2) What happens to inattention after multiple exposures to vicarious bullying?; and 3) Are there sex differences in inattention after exposure to bullying experiences? The participants were graduate and undergraduate students from a private university with a 0.2% diagnosis rate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Participants viewed four videos with three depicting scenarios of bullying, and after each video, the Stroop test was used to assess inattention. Heart rate was also assessed following each video. After finishing participation in the video phase of the experiment, participants completed a demographic survey, a bullying experiences survey, and the Screener for Inattentive Symptoms. The findings indicated exposure to vicarious bullying led to an increase in symptoms of inattention. The effects appeared to be cumulative, such that with additional exposure to vicarious bullying, a participant’s symptoms of inattention increased. The heart rate of participants appeared to mirror the symptoms of inattention, with heart rate increasing over the course of the experiment. There were no significant differences in reaction to vicarious bullying by sex. Implications of the findings include the need to assess experiences with bullying when diagnosing ADHD inattentive.Item The effects of a computerized study program on the acquisition of science vocabulary.(2013-05-15) Rollins, Karen, 1961-; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The following study examined the difference in science vocabulary acquisition comparing computer-assisted learning and a traditional study review sheet. Fourth and fifth grade students from a suburban school in central Texas were randomly selected and randomly assigned to either experimental group or control group. Both groups were given a pre-test to measure prior science vocabulary knowledge and to measure differences within the groups. Both groups learned 24 science vocabulary words over a two-week period. Both groups had the opportunity to study for five days. The experimental group studied using Study Hall 101 (Raley, 1999/2006), an interactive computer game designed to increase learning of vocabulary. The control group studied the vocabulary words using a paper review sheet. At the end of the two-week intervention, both groups took an immediate post-test assessing science vocabulary learned. Another test was given two weeks later to assess retention of the words. A mixed repeated measures 2 X 3 ANOVA was used to analyze the interactions. A repeated measures was used to analyze which group improved. Independent t-tests were used to analyze the differences between experimental and control groups. Analysis showed that although the groups had similar pre-intervention scores, the students’ scores were significantly different at post and delayed post-tests. Students who studied science vocabulary words using Study Hall 101 (Raley, 1999/2006) showed a significant statistical difference in the amount of science vocabulary words they learned and retained as compared to the review sheet group. In addition, effect sizes indicated large and moderate strengths for science vocabulary words learned (d = 0.76) and for words retained (d = 0.58) when using Study Hall 101 (Raley, 1999/2006).Item Evaluation of resurgence after functional communication training of two communication responses.(2014-09-05) Zoch, Tamara L.; Davis, Tonya Nichole, 1979-; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The current study examined the effects of multiple evaluations of resurgence of challenging behavior. A functional analysis identified the function of participants' challenging behavior. Participants were taught two alternative communication behaviors that served the same function as the challenging behavior. After the participants were taught the first communication behavior, a test for resurgence was implemented, in which reinforcement was withdrawn for using the alternative communication device. Then, a second alternative communication was taught to the participants and reinforced. Next, reinforcement was available for both alternative communication devices. In the final test for resurgence, neither alternative communication behavior was reinforced. This study used an A-B-C-D-B'-C design to evaluate participant responses.Item Examination of the effect of professional development on the attitudes of pre-service teachers regarding inclusion of students with autism.(2012-11-29) Ward, Angela Kristine.; Ivey-Hatz, Julie K., 1971-; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.An experimental design was conducted to examine the change in mean scores of pre-service teachers after targeted professional development. A two-factor repeated measures design was used with professional development as the independent variable and raw scores on The Teacher Attitudes Toward Inclusion Scale (TATIS) as the dependent variable. A total of 65 participants responded to four administrations of the TATIS. Professional development targeting the characteristics of autism spectrum disorders and teaching strategies demonstrated to be effective in the literature was provided to a random sample of the participants. Results demonstrate a change in raw scores of participants in the experimental group following professional development. The scores of the participants in the control group remained constant across administrations of the TATIS. Significant differences were noted when comparing groups of participants specifically between participants majoring in secondary education and those majoring in special education.Item An examination of the Flynn effect in the National Intelligence Test in Estonia.(2013-05-15) Shiu, William.; Beaujean, A. Alexander.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.This study examined the Flynn Effect (FE; i.e., the rise in IQ scores over time) in Estonia from Scale B of the National Intelligence Test using both classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) methods. Secondary data from two cohorts (1934, n = 890 and 2006, n = 913) of students were analyzed, using both classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) methods. CTT analysis compared the summed score for each subtest between the cohorts. IRT analysis examined item invariance across the time period and then, for each subtest, linked the latent variable scores between the two cohorts using the invariant items. IRT analyses revealed that each subtest displayed invariance on over 50% of the items (i.e., partial measurement invariance). Additionally, results from the current study found positive score gains but also revealed reverse FEs. CTT analysis showed three subtests had a FE (Vocabulary [.74], Analogies [1.09], and Comparisons [1.71]), while two subtests had a reverse FE (Computation [-.33] and Information [-.03]). The IRT analysis found that four subtests had a positive FE (Information [.44], Vocabulary [.79], Analogies [1.02], and Comparisons [1.51]), with only the Computation (-.10) subtest displaying a negative FE. The results con rm previous research that the FE continues in Estonia. Using CTT methods, Must, te Nijenhuis, Must, and van Vianen (2009) found positive gains on the Estonian NIT subtests Computation (.15), Information (.94), Vocabulary (.65), Analogies (1.81), and Comparison (2.34). An implication of the current study shows the viability of IRT to supplement CTT when analyzing the FE. The IRT procedures demonstrated in the current study provides a counter argument that the rise in IQ scores is a psychometric artifact, at least in the domains of Comprehension-Knowledge, Fluid Reasoning, and Visual Processing. As this study was unable to examine causative factors involved in the FE, future studies should examine if the score gains might be attributed to some environmental cause (e.g., nutrition, education) or biological cause (e.g., heterosis).Item An explanatory history of gifted education : 1940-1960.(2010-06-23T12:24:41Z) Robins, Jennifer H.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.This study provides an explanatory history of the field of gifted education from 1940–1960. The study focused on the overall context of these years, the individuals who influenced the field, the streams of research and educational practices in the field, and the changes that occurred during this period. Each of the four areas was addressed using a framework developed to view and interpret the data. The framework consisted of four lenses, which included legislation, educational practices, gifted education publications, and advocacy efforts. These four areas, with the overarching context as a backdrop, combined to provide an explanation of what was occurring in the field of gifted education during 1940–1960. Using primary and secondary sources, in addition to interviews, the study offers an overview of the field of gifted education during the two-decade period. These materials served as data that were categorized into the framework and reviewed for both similarities and differences. Identifying how the pieces fit together helped provide a narrative account of the field of gifted education during the period between 1940–1960.Item An exploration of flow through the leisure pursuits of adult science fiction fans.(2006-07-31T20:20:53Z) Little, Cindy C.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of this ethnographic, cross case study analysis was to a) explore why individuals have a sustaining interest in science fiction-related leisure activities, b) describe the role, if any that Csikszentmihalyi's theory of flow plays in the continuation of these activities, c) explain how these interests initially developed, and d) determine if science fiction related knowledge transfers to other domains. Results from interviews with 10 adult science fiction fans revealed that elements of flow were found across cases and that science fiction-related knowledge transferred to other domains. Patterns found relating to flow, development, change and evolution and transfer clustered into one of three overarching categories that contributed to the development of and sustaining interest in science fiction-related leisure activities. Practical significance as it relates to the role of interest in learning as well as possible avenues for future research was discussed.Item An exploratory study of the factors that influence pre-service teachers’ instructional practices with diverse students.(2011-12-19) Goree, Krystal.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of this study was to examine the complex array of factors in teacher education programs that influence pre-service teachers’ instructional practices with diverse students. Participants in the study included eight female 2008 graduates of a teacher education program at a private university. Factors considered were organized around four main themes: (a) campus factors (student demographics, social support, supervision, materials, mentoring, and curriculum), (b) individual characteristics (attitudes and beliefs, cognitive ability, and social support), (c) professional standards (knowledge, skills, and dispositions), and (d) university factors (seminars/courses, social support, supervision, collaboration, and curriculum). In an effort to closely examine variables, the researcher conducted interviews and reviewed archival data, including e- folio entries, observation notes, candidate reflections, and conference summaries. Due to the complex nature of the topic, this study entailed a descriptive, non-experimental cross case-study research design. The Classroom Instructional Practices Scale (Johnsen et al., 2002) was used to determine the degree to which each of the study participants differentiated instruction in the areas of content, rate, preference, and environment. After An Exploratory Study of the Factors That Influence Pre-service Teachers’ Instructional Practices with Diverse Students close examination of the 17 factors, four emerged as having the greatest influence on instructional practices of pre-service teachers with diverse students: (a) the beliefs of the individual interns, (b) characteristics of mentor teachers to whom the interns were assigned for their culminating field experiences, (c) characteristics of the intern supervisors and other university faculty members who worked with the interns, and (d) the coursework/seminars that the interns participated in during their culminating field experiences.Item Factors that predict the use of metacognitive strategies in the middle school classroom.(2008-06-10T21:03:39Z) Myers, Amy Eloise.; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of this qualitative cross-case study was to investigate the growth and transfer of metacognitive strategies in mathematical problem solving from a university course to the classroom. In this study, six preservice teachers with different levels of mathematics achievement and experiences were selected purposively for in-depth analysis. Data were gathered over one semester through videotaped course and classroom observations, interviews with preservice teachers and their instructors, electronic portfolios, and teachers’ reflections. Data collected through electronic portfolios were used to triangulate these data sources. Data drawn from these observations were analyzed by using the analytical tool, NVIVO7, which guided the factors identified from the literature and those that emerged. The factors that affected how the preservice teachers solved problems within the context of the course and the classroom were examined through reflections and semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the study. These data were analyzed to understand the preservice teachers’ behaviors in terms of task analysis; selecting, implementing, and evaluating problem-specific strategies; and monitoring and evaluating problem solutions. Analysis of classroom observations revealed that several aspects in the course and the middle school classroom potentially support teacher problem solving. Preservice teachers were given opportunities to experience success and challenges and reflect by engaging with the tasks and activities through multiple strategies. Findings from within and across case studies showed that each preservice teacher engaged with and interacted within the course and classroom differently. Their classroom practices showed differences in terms of (a) metacognitive skills, (b) reasoning about problem solving failures and successes, (c) attitudes towards math and teaching, and (d) instructional processes within the course and classroom. These differences brought about diverse opportunities and challenges for each teacher, which may have affected his or her development and transfer of problem solving skills. Furthermore, these analyses support the argument that students’ participation in classroom practices, in part, is the result of complex interactions including their self-efficacy beliefs and strategic knowledge.Item Faculty religiosity and attitudes towards persons with disabilities.(2013-09-16) Chen, David S., 1988-; Ivey-Hatz, Julie K., 1971-; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.Previous research suggests that religiosity may influence attitudes towards outgroups. The present study investigated the effects of faculty religiosity on attitudes towards persons with disabilities at large, faith-based private university in the southwest United States. The central research question of the study was, "How does a faculty member’s religiosity affect their attitudes towards persons with disabilities?" Participants (N = 79) responded to an online survey that included the Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons scale (Form O) and a self-reported measure of general religiosity. A polychoric correlation was used to examine the relationship between faculty religiosity and attitudes towards people with disabilities. The analysis did not find a significant relationship at the α = .05 confidence level. ANOVAs were conducted to examine interactions between gender, age, academic discipline, and income level.Item Functional behavior assessment : increasing pre-service general education teachers' self-efficacy in managing classroom behavior.(2014-09-05) Trepinski, Tonya Marie.; Saxon, Terrill F.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.A quasi-experimental design was conducted to examine differences in perceived self-efficacy of pre-service general education teachers towards classroom behavior management before and after instruction in functional behavior assessment. A complex repeated measures design was used with the professional development as the independent variable and the raw scores on the Classroom Management Self-Efficacy scale and the FBA General Knowledge Test as dependent variables. A total of 38 participants responded to three administrations as well as an additional retrospective self-efficacy scale. This additional scale was administered to compare means of the participants' perceptions of self-efficacy before instruction and their retrospective perceptions after instruction. Results demonstrated a change in all raw scores of the participants before and after instruction in functional behavior assessment. The second treatment scores remained fairly constant across their regularly scheduled sessions, whereas both groups showed a significant increase in raw scores after instruction in functional behavior assessment. Regarding the retrospective survey results, there were significant differences only in the factor of classroom behavior management self-efficacy.Item Identity correlates of academic achievement : how influential are self, academic and ethnic identity statuses among college students?(2012-11-29) Fearon, Danielle Dierdre.; Saxon, Terrill F.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of different identity statuses on academic achievement among a sample of students attending a community college. There were three identities of interest: ego, academic and ethnic. Participants’ overall grade point average was used as the measure of academic achievement. Identity was conceptualized using the Eriksonian-Marcian theoretical approach with ego and academic identities having four statuses: (a) achieved, (b) foreclosed, (c) diffused and (d) moratorium. The ethnic identity had two statuses: (a) commitment (achieved) and (b) exploration. A total of 163 students participated in the study. The data were analyzed using a series of path analyses. Results revealed that in the ego identity model, the status with the strongest direct effect was the ego identity diffused status. In the academic identity model, the status with the strongest direct effect was the academic moratorium status. In the ethnic identity model, the statuses had similar direct effects on academic achievement. The academic moratorium identity emerged as the most salient identity status. The findings have implications for educators and students as to how identity impacts students’ performance in the classroom.Item Individual differences and cognitive complexity investigated in community college writing.(2014-09-05) Thomson, David E.; Beaujean, A. Alexander.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.Synthesizing empirical findings about lifelong writing development, I tested a measurement of cognitive complexity (CC) toward understanding how the language of affect may interact with that language associated with acts of thinking. A community college in central Texas was the site of the study where I analyzed the essays of basic (n= 134) and advanced (n =89) composition students. Since vocational-track students make up about half of the enrollment, I compared those students' (n= 27) performance with traditional associate-degree seeking students (n =134). Additionally, I collected personality profiles from many of those students (n= 145) to explore any possible interaction of Neuroticism (N) on the affect component of the measure under investigation. Results showed small relations between CC and sex (Cohen's d} =.24), CC and course level (d =.18), and CC and N (r =.1). Just as women tended to outscore men on CC, so did basic composition students in comparison to their advanced peers. There was almost no difference between vocational and traditional college track students. Overall, this study may present evidence of a natural-word-usage ceiling evident in the automated textual analysis software used to measure CC. More clearly it showed that CC as measured in the present study negatively correlates with standardized reading (r =-0.14) and writing (r =-0.28) scores. I conclude by discussing the need to gather a broader lifespan sampling of whatever ability and trait characteristics detail CC as that realized in an academic community valuing the free and tolerant exchange of ideas.Item Individual differences as predictors of accidents in early adulthood.(2009-04-01T12:08:29Z) Young, J. Kenneth.; Beaujean, A. Alexander.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.Within the last decade, researchers within the field of epidemiology have begun to use measures of intelligence to predict health-related outcomes in the emerging sub-field of cognitive epidemiology (CE). Researchers within CE have been successful in demonstrating that intelligence is a significant predictor of important heath-related outcomes ranging from mortality to dementia (Batty, Deary, & Gottfredson, 2007; Snowdon, et al., 1996), often independent of potentially confounding variables (e.g., socioeconomic status). One health outcome that has not been thoroughly explored in the CE literature is accidents and unintentional injuries. Such health impairments pose a significant health threat for adults and children, due to their long term sequelae, both individually (Berger & Mohan, 1996), and at the public health level (Segui-Gomez & Mackenzie, 2003). Subsequently, their investigation and, ultimately, prevention appears to be a fruitful area of inquiry. One potentially confounding variable that has not been investigated extensively in the study of accidents, as well as CE literature in general is personality--despite a literature that suggests certain personality measures predict important life outcomes (Roberts, et al., 2007). The current study used probit regression with unobserved latent variables to investigate the relationship between cognitive ability (as measured during early adolescence) and personality traits in predicting accident incidence in early adulthood using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health dataset. Childhood socioeconomic status and adulthood physical activities were used as covariates. Findings suggest that neither childhood IQ nor personality proved to be meaningful predictors of accidents in early adulthood, but physical activity in adulthood was a consistent and meaningful predictor. Discussion, limitations, and suggestions for future research conclude the study.Item Long-term effects of a summer enrichment program on low-income gifted students.(2014-09-05) Kaul, Corina R., 1969-; Johnsen, Susan K.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology."Overlooked gems" is the term used in gifted education to describe high potential low-income students who are unable to excel because of significant barriers in their homes, environments, and educational systems, thus depriving America of a valuable resource. To address this issue, this study used a survey to measure longitudinal effects on low-income, gifted students who participated in a summer enrichment program for three or more years. The results showed positive social, emotional, motivational, academic, career, and generational effects. These findings expand knowledge relating to long-term effects of summer gifted enrichment programs, identifying those perceived as most beneficial and offers insight into multi-generational effects. The survey for this study, which is based on Lee, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Peternel's (2009) Model of Influences and Effects in Special Programs for Minority Gifted Students, aids practitioners and researchers in analyzing other programs and their effects on low-income students.Item Mediating meaning for individuals with Down syndrome : a phenomenological case study.(2012-11-29) McCullough, Michelle J.; Saxon, Terrill F.; Educational Psychology.; Baylor University. Dept. of Educational Psychology.The current phenomenological case study, based in part on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, set out to examine the lived experiences of individuals sharing and mediating meaningful communication with individuals who have Down syndrome. To accomplish this, the researcher interviewed several categories of caregivers who regularly interact with children diagnosed with Down syndrome: parents, teachers, and childcare providers. In addition, two adults diagnosed with Down syndrome were interviewed. The data was analyzed using horizontalization and constant comparative method of analysis. Within-case and cross-case analysis was performed to compare the categories of participants. The results from the qualitative analysis revealed a number of overall themes. First, the findings suggest that no clear, consistent, long-term mediating tool use was evident across settings, including sign language. Second, the current study raises the question of a possible relationship between early sign language use and later deficits in specific parts of speech. Further research is needed to examine if this relationship is found in a larger population of adults with Down syndrome whose parents used sign language in infancy and early childhood. Third, findings in the current study refer universally to frustration experienced by the child or adult with Down syndrome, which can result in cessation of all communication, stubborn refusal to cooperate, or unwillingness to engage in the process of education. Fourth, all participants consistently agreed upon the social nature of children and adults with Down syndrome, particularly with other special needs students, which suggests an avenue of mediation worthy of further investigation.