News-Telegram 
COMMERCE, Texas -- Micheal Kessner, a 2008 curriculum
and instruction doctoral graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce,
has won a Recognition of Merit in the 2008-09 Phi Delta Kappa
International Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award Program.
An elementary science specialist at Lovejoy Independent
School District in Allen, Kessner received the award for her research
on the impact of hands-on, inquiry-based science curriculum on
teaching and learning.
"This is an extremely prestigious award for Dr. Kessner and
the College of Education and Human Services at Texas A&M
University-Commerce and we congratulate her," A&M-Commerce Dean Brent
Mangus said.
"By receiving such a high level of distinction, we are
demonstrating the high quality of our students and the expertise of
our faculty in mentoring our students we attract from undergraduate
to our doctoral programs," Mangus said.
PDK is a global association of education professionals. The
PDK Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award is designed to further
research in education. Fifty dissertations were received and reviewed
by a panel of education researchers.
"Research-discovering new and better ways for teachers to
teach and students to learn-is central to PDK's longstanding
mission," PDK Executive Director William Bushaw said. "We are
thrilled to honor Dr. Kessner's important work."
Kessner said the dissertation process was "long and rigorous,
but very fulfilling. I am deeply honored and privileged to be
recognized."
Information about Kessner's dissertation is included in the
June 2009 issue of the Phi Delta Kappan.
Her dissertation is titled, "How Does Implementation of
Inquiry-Based Science Instruction in a High-Stakes Testing
Environment Affect Fifth-Grade Student Science Achievement?"
In her research, Kessner studied three groups of fifth
graders to see how hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum impacted
students' achievement on the science portion of the Texas Assessment
of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exam.
She found students who used the hands-on science curriculum
had higher mean scores on the science portion of the TAKS exam.
Information about Kessner's dissertation is included in the
June 2009 issue of the Phi Delta Kappan, journal on education policy
and practice.
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