dc.contributor.author	Harkins, Amy
dc.coverage.spatial	United States, Georgia	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2020-08-04T21:10:44Z
dc.date.available	2020-08-04T21:10:44Z
dc.date.issued	2020-07
dc.identifier.other	33944759-7B75-AB84-486F-2D8519C84A6D	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10428/4301
dc.description.abstract	The purpose of this dissertation is to determine if student performance on MOS certification exams is affected by other factors, specifically motivation based on expectancy, value, and cost factors, and reading comprehension, based on the Lexile level. The study examined if there is a relationship between the motivation level of students and their performance on the MOS certification exams, focusing on the MOS Word, MOS Excel, and MOS PowerPoint certification exams. The study also examined if there is a relationship between the reading comprehension levels of students and their performance on the MOS certification exams. The literature indicates researchers have examined the existence of a relationship between motivation and reading comprehension in other areas in school, but have not researched these factors on the MOS Certification exams or any other industry credential exam. The present study investigated all three variables in the expectancy-value-cost theory of motivation model (expectancy, value, and cost) to determine if differences in student motivation towards each of the MOS program areas and how these differences relate to performance on the MOS certification exams. The present study also investigated how the reading comprehension level of students (determined by the Lexile level) related to performance on each of the MOS Certification Exams. The sample of this study came from three diverse public high schools and one public middle school in Northeast Georgia (N = 258). Analyses included preliminary demographics analysis, inferential statistics including Pearson’s Correlation, a sig. (2-tailed value) or p-value, and a multiple linear regression model (ANOVA) after testing all assumptions of homoscedasticity, multicollinearity, and linearity. Results of this study suggest that expectancy-value-cost factors, particularly expectancy and cost impacted student performance on the MOS certification exams. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that reading comprehension impacted student performance on the MOS certification exams. This study may prompt further research on the impact of the expectancy-value-cost factors of motivation and reading comprehension to focus on performance on industry certification credentialing exams. Keywords: certification exams; middle and high school students; MOS certification; motivation; reading level; testing;	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	Chapter I: INTRODUCTION 11 -- Problem Statement 14 -- Purpose 14 -- Scope 15 -- Research Questions 15 -- Theoretical Framework 17 -- Methodology 18 -- Analysis Overview 19 -- Significance 20 -- Definitions 21 -- Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEW 23 -- Student Motivation 23 -- Reading Ability and the Effects It Can Have on Academic Achievement 30 -- Lexile Framework 36 -- Relationship Between Factors and Academic Performance 38 -- Chapter III: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 39 -- Research Design 39 -- Population and Sample 40 -- Population 40 -- Sample 43 -- Demographic Characteristics 45 -- Instrumentation 48 -- Motivation 48 -- Reading Comprehension 51 -- Performance on MOS Certification Exam 52 -- Methods 53 -- Data Collection Procedures 53 -- Data Analysis Procedures 55 -- Limitations 57 -- Chapter IV: RESULTS 58 -- Missing Data Analysis and Assumption Tests 59 -- Normality 59 -- Homoscedasticity 62 -- Multicollinearity 65 -- Linearity 65 -- Descriptive Statistics 66 -- Gender 66 -- Ethnicity 68 -- School Groups 75 -- Performance in Different Grades 80 -- Summary of Demographic Findings 85 -- Findings Related to Research Question 1 87 -- Findings Related to Research Question 2 90 -- Findings Related to Research Question 3 93 -- Chapter V: CONCLUSIONS & DISCUSSION 96 -- Explanation of the Problem 96 -- Research Questions 97 -- Highlights of Literature Review 98 -- Motivation and Academic Performance 98 -- Reading Comprehension and Performance 98 -- Participant Group 99 -- Findings 99 -- Performance by Gender 100 -- Performance by Ethnicity 100 -- Performance by Schools 101 -- Performance in Different Grades 103 -- Research Question 1: What is the Correlation, if any, Between the Motivation of Middle and High School Students and Their Scores on MOS Certification Exams? 104 -- Research Question 2: What is the Correlation, if any, Between the Reading Comprehension Levels of Middle and High School Students and Their Scores on MOS Certification Exams? 106 -- Research Question 3: How Does Motivation and Reading Comprehension of a Student Predict MOS Scores? 106 -- Discussion of Findings 107 -- Recommendations for Teachers 111 -- Recommendations for Future Researchers 112 -- REFERENCES 114 -- APPENDIX A: Motivational Surveys 121 -- APPENDIX B: Parental Consent Form 125 -- APPENDIX C: Child Consent Form 129 -- APPENDIX D: IRB Approval Form 131 -- APPENDIX E: Appendix Tables 133	en_US
dc.format.extent	1 electronic document, 142 pages.	en_US
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.rights	This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.	en_US
dc.subject	Dissertations, Academic--United States	en_US
dc.subject	Examinations	en_US
dc.subject	Georgia	en_US
dc.subject	High school students	en_US
dc.subject	Microsoft software--Examinations	en_US
dc.subject	Microsoft software	en_US
dc.subject	Middle school students	en_US
dc.subject	Motivation (Psychology)	en_US
dc.subject	Reading comprehension	en_US
dc.subject	Reading--Ability testing	en_US
dc.subject	Teachers--Certification	en_US
dc.title	The Predictive Role of Reading Level and Motivation In Middle and High School Students' Mos Certification Performance	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology of the Dewar College of Education and Human Services	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Downey, Steve
dc.description.committee	Mammadov, Sakhavat
dc.description.committee	Hsiao, E-Ling
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Education in Leadership	en_US