Digital Commons Network^™

Using Process Mapping As A Tool To Improve Institutional Procedures For Rural Transfer Students: An Action Research Study, Alison Rife Weston

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This study investigated the transfer pathway between a rural university and a community college to understand what procedural barriers exist for student degree attainment within existing structures. Process mapping was used as the intervention to examine the influence of enrollment and student services processes and investigate the perceptions of process mapping among student affairs staff and allow them to make suggestions for changes to policy and procedure in their work. Participants were selected for their role in the transfer process at one of the two institutions and convergent mixed methods methodology through a constructivist lens was used to collect and …

Understanding K-12 Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence: Theory, Measurement, And Validation, Ke Huang

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Teacher emotional intelligence (EI) plays an important role in teachers’ professional lives. After surveying the topic and the gaps in the relevant literature, I conducted three studies to advance our current understanding of teachers’ EI. The first study involved a meta-analysis review that examined the relationship between K-12 teachers’ EI, self-efficacy, and burnout. It found that there is a significant positive relationship between K-12 teachers’ EI and teacher self-efficacy as well as a significant negative relationship between teachers’ EI and teacher burnout. The second study involved developing and testing the Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence Scale (TEIS), which measures teachers’ EI in …

In Pursuit Of Equity And Excellence: Using Value-Added Measures To Guide Educational Policy, Practice, And Parental High School Decision-Making, Lavare Henry

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The quality and effectiveness of schools in Jamaica are a matter of national interest due to the significant investment made by the country in the public education system. While there have been limited studies assessing the performance of high schools, one noteworthy study (The Patterson Report) used value-added measures to evaluate school quality (Patterson, 2021). The Patterson report was significant as it attempted to separate the school's contribution from external factors when evaluating the performance of Jamaican high schools. The student's performance on the Caribbean Examination Council's exams was compared against their intake performance on Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). …

Development Of The Thriving In Eating Recovery Scale: A Measure For Life Beyond Disorder, Morgan Walker

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Researchers, clinicians, and individuals with eating disorders have varying perspectives regarding the outcomes of eating disorder recovery. This study introduced the concept of thriving in recovery with the development of a new assessment: the Thriving in Eating Recovery Scale (TIERS). The purpose of this study was to establish initial evidence for the reliability and validity of the TIERS to assess the behavioral, social, and psychological markers of eating disorder recovery. A non-clinical sample of 1,247 participants, recruited by Amazon’s Mechanical Turk online crowdsourcing site, provided initial data on the TIERS, as well as the Eating Disorders Recovery Questionnaire (EDRQ), Brief …

Place-Based Estuary Science Education At Machicomoco State Park, Anna Caputo

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Project description:

This experiential estuary science field trip program was initially created as a master's capstone project by Anna Caputo in partnership with Machicomoco State Park, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (CBNERR). The ultimate goal of the project is to strengthen community estuarine literacy in the local area by teaching students who will be future marine scientists, community leaders, watermen, and environmentally conscious citizens. The program is designed to highlight the coastal habitats at the state park, the issues those habitats are facing, and how science and monitoring efforts done …

Developing A Measure Of Leadership Development For Sport Club Student Leaders: A Cross Sectional Research Design, Daniel Gardner

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This research study was designed to explore potential variables of Sport Club student leaders’ contexts on their leadership development. My specific unit of analysis was the degree to which Sport Club student leaders demonstrated leadership outcomes in leadership skills that aligned with the Sport Club student leaders’ contexts. I defined Sport Club contextual variables as being the individual, organizational and institutional variables that differentiate Sport Club teams from interest-based student organizations. I devised a cross sectional study research design with a post-positivist lens in order to study a population of Sport Club student leaders at NIRSA (formerly the National Intramural …

Navigating The Male Preserve Of Higher Education Leadership: A Feminist Poststructural Discourse Analysis Of Presidential Inaugural Addresses By Women At Colonial Colleges, Amanda Gwen Goldstein

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Followers grant legitimacy to leaders whom they perceive to be a good fit for the role, yet the conceptual framework for this study illustrated how dominant discourses related to gender and leadership continue to negatively affect a woman’s potential in achieving legitimacy as an academic president. This study examined the predominant discourses taken up by women during their inaugural addresses to legitimate their role as leaders of the colonial colleges—a unique sample of institutions because of their long legacies of male leadership and strong organizational sagas deeply rooted in masculine preferences and cultures. The inaugural address represents a celebration of …

A Community Of Practice For Literacy Leaders: An Action Research Study, Amy Paulson

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

As with other roles in education, the role of the literacy leader is one that is particularly susceptible to professional isolation. Recognizing the need for additional collaborative opportunities for literacy leaders in the District, this mixed methods action research study sought to implement an intervention in which a group of literacy leaders who are the sole literacy leader in their schools participated in a community of practice (CoP) focused on problems of practice identified by the group. The study examined how the select literacy leaders’ participation in a CoP influenced their perceptions of self-efficacy, isolation and trust with one another, …

Saints Action Research Program As Professional Development: A Program Evaluation, Derek Sebastian Porter

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Action research (AR) is a form of systematic inquiry by which practitioners address their own problems of practice. Professional development (PD) is a means by which teachers contribute to school improvement and student achievement. Too little research has gathered the qualitative perceptions of former participants in action-oriented professional learning programs, particularly in the realm of single-sex independent schools. This study’s goal, therefore, was to gain insight into how teachers recall experiencing action research as professional development. Two evaluation questions guided the study: (1) To what degree does the Saints Action Research Program reflect an effective model of professional development as …

Top Of The Lineup: College Baseball Players’ Perceptions Of The Trait Of Narcissism And Achievement Orientation And Their College Experience, Amelia Moore

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The top of the lineup is a baseball term that refers to the first few players at bat. In baseball it is a term to be revered as those players are considered exceptional. Baseball, as are many intercollegiate sports, is highly competitive. Therefore, with the high level of competition for a spot, in perspective, these college players are all the top of the lineup. However, at the college level these players have to make many sacrifices, meet challenges other students do not, and juggle to find a balance between being a student and being an athlete in order to allow …

Operationally Defining A Spiritually Competent Orientation: A Modified E-Delphi Study, Kenson Hiatt

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this mixed methods dissertation study is to determine an operational definition for a new construct: a spiritually competent orientation (SCO). The SCO construct has emerged in recent literature but has only been defined theoretically. An exploration of the literature from which it emerged implies the possibility of improving the way clinicians approach religion and spirituality (R/S) in mental health services. A broader review of relevant R/S literature revealed possibilities for understanding and beginning to define SCO, but there was not a consensus among scholars about the components of SCO. A mixed methods modified e-Delphi (or online Delphi) …

Teachers Building Trusting Relationships With Students In Elementary Schools And The Principals Who Support Them, Lindsay N. Kidd

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Trusting relationships between teachers and students is a cornerstone of success in the classroom. As a means for continuous professional growth, teachers should have an understanding of other teachers’ positive experiences with and accessible strategies for how to build these relationships. Current research is missing the narrative voices of elementary general education teachers in the discussion on trust in the classroom. In addition to how they can achieve trusting relationships, teachers need support from their principals. This study provides a phenomenological analysis of teachers’ perceptions of their responsibilities and actions that led to trusting relationships with students and the ways …

A Policy Evaluation Of A Scholarly Ethics And Integrity Requirement For Graduate Programs At A Large Rural Land-Grant Institution, Richard Lawrence Mayo Iii

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Graduate school may be the first time in a student’s higher education career where they apply ethical practices in a real-world study. Yet the problem of misconduct in graduate education has existed for decades. Specifically, students in graduate programs in business, pharmacy, and dentistry are the highest graduate student populations to admit to doing some form of cheating in their graduate program. This policy evaluation used Stufflebeam and Coryn’s (2014) context, input, processes, and products (CIPP) model of evaluation to examine the activities and processes of a scholarly ethics and integrity requirement for graduate students at a large rural land-grant …

Leading In Crisis: College & University Presidents’ Reflections On Their Response To Covid-19, Sean Michael Schofield

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous influence on higher education in America. While college presidents have led through multiple crises in the past several decades, this challenge is unique for both the depth of its influence (e.g., revolutionizing course and service delivery methods, financial upheaval and institutional closures, political implications of institutional decisions) and the fact that every college and university in the world was influenced nearly simultaneously, providing the inability to benchmark decisions. As college presidents were faced with series of unprecedented choices during the period from March 2020 through November 2021, this study sought to prompt reflection …

A Program Evaluation Of High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Implementing Tier I Instructional Practices Of A Multi-Tiered System Of Supports, Jay Subhash Samant

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this program evaluation was to examine teachers’ perceptions of their current skills in implementing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) interventions at one public charter school in Denver. The problem addressed in this study was the inhibiting conditions to implementing small-group instruction and Khan Academy interventions in the classroom. The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on providing quality professional development training on MTSS programming to staff, offering ongoing instructional coaching and feedback to ensure data-driven instructional strategies, and protecting collaboration time for teachers by creating professional learning communities. This mixed methods study incorporated staff …

William & Mary’S Institutional Branding And Its Influence On The Self-Efficacy Of First-Generation Sophomores As They Select Majors And Career Paths: A Case Study, Jennifer Leigh Hoyt

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

My case study focused on the message communicated through the university’s fundraising campaign titled For the Bold and sought to determine if the campaign messaging influenced decision-making of first-generation sophomores (FGS) attending William & Mary as they selected majors and formed career choices. The campaign message emphasized the benefits of boldness, and, for FGS, the campaign’s message could have shaped their self-efficacy beliefs as they pursued majors and professional aspirations. The study applied Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory to determine how self-efficacy contributed to the decisions made by participants. Additionally, the use of Bronfenbrenner’s (1993) developmental ecology model helped situate …

The Relationship Between Student Support And Academic Success For Student Veterans At A Sample Of Ivy League Institutions, Robert Clay Thompson Jr

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Student veterans (SVs) represent a diverse and understudied sample of the college student population. Educational institutions are attempting to ascertain actions required to facilitate SV success on their campuses. The purpose of this study was to analyze a sample of the SV population at Ivy League institutions to understand the SVs’ engagement, academic resource use, and non-academic resource use. This dissertation examined the frequency of use of specific resources provided by institutions and their effect on SV grade point average (GPA) and feelings of inclusion. This cross-sectional quantitative research dissertation created a unique survey instrument to ascertain the answers to …

Understanding First-Generation Student Perspectives On Sense Of Belonging And A Student Success Program: A Program Evaluation, Angela D. Bartee

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this mixed-methods program evaluation was to assess how first-generation students related their participation in the Success Program at LU with their sense of belonging. I used the CIPP model to conduct the mixed-methods program evaluation. The evaluation questions were: (1) To what degree do first-generation students who participate in the Success Program report a sense of belonging? and (2) What components of the Success Program do first-generation students find meaningful, based on student perspectives? The General Belongingness Scale (GBS) was used to collect quantitative data by measuring the levels of sense of belonging reported by program participants. …

Social Comparison: An Unexplored Factor In Counselor Development, Kaitlin Jones Hinchey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Though social comparison behaviors have been widely studied in both occupational and academic contexts, no empirical study has investigated how social comparison presents in counselor education programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between social comparison orientation, counseling self-efficacy, sources of counseling self-efficacy, and program satisfaction. The researcher distributed paper and online surveys to capture self-report data from 242 counselors-in-training (CITs) from CACREP-accredited programs in the United States on the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM), the Sources of Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale (SCSES), an adapted version of the Counselor Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES-A), two subscales of the Psychology …

Perceptions Of Fraternity And Sorority Advisors On Alumni Chapter Advisors, Samantha Margaret Easby

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Greek letter organizations are unique student organizations because they are supported, not only by student affairs professionals, but also by alumni chapter advisors. These advisors can influence organizational culture unconsciously through their underlying assumptions and beliefs. The purpose of this study was to examine how Fraternity and Sorority Advisors (FSA) perceive the influence of alumni chapter advisors. A survey instrument collected data from 289 respondents on eight separate constructs based on current literature. Through data reduction the survey items became five factors: high-risk behaviors, leadership development and mentorship, diversity equity and inclusion, philanthropy and service, and persistence and retention. Multiple …

“I Stayed A Little Too Long In That Strength”: Transmiting The Strong Black Woman Narrative And Spiritual Coping Among Spiritual Black Women, Aiesha Lee

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to explore the transmission of the Strong Black Woman (SBW) narrative and spiritual coping among spiritual Black women. The researcher utilized a social constructivist framework to guide the research process. After a review of the literature, the researcher recruited five mother and daughter pairs for the study. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire, individual interviews, mother and daughter interviews, and identification of a meaningful scripture. To analyze the data, a cross-case synthesis of patterns related to the SBW narrative and spiritual coping resulted in five themes. Novel findings, implications, limitations, and …

Examining The Quality Of Teacher-Selected Social Studies Performance-Based Assessments: A Responsive Evaluation, Lynne Mardigian Bland

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In 2014, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) communicated a plan to replace five Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments with alternative assessments based on legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly (VDOE, 2014b, p. 1). School districts were able to choose the type of alternative assessment to implement, yet they were encouraged to use authentic performance assessments and a portfolio approach. One suburban school district in central Virginia chose a portfolio approach as the alternative assessment. Drawing upon the transdisciplinary approach of program evaluation (Mertens & Wilson, 2012), this study examined the quality of teacher-selected performance-based assessments implemented with students …

An Investigation Of Creative Thinking In Classical Schools, Amelia Louise Wildman

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In the last few decades, classical education has greatly expanded across the United States. The philosophical roots of classical education span over 2,000 years of history, yet very little educational research has focused on these ever-expanding schools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between implicit beliefs related to creativity and the uses of instructional practices related to creative thinking among classical school teachers. This study used quantitative research methods including exploratory factor analysis, multiple regression analysis, and bivariate correlations to establish a research basis for the importance of facilitating creativity, imagination, and wonder in classical …

An Investigation Of Experiential Learning: A Program Evaluation Of The William & Mary D.C. Summer Institutes, Roxane O. Adler Hickey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

The principal purpose of this program evaluation was to determine how the 2010–2019 alumni of the William & Mary (W&M) D.C. Summer Institutes (DCSI) perceived their participation helped them achieve career readiness. Existing literature on experiential learning methods and practices has suggested great value in such opportunities, but less information existed about the outcomes of internship programs in higher education. As leaders consider what their institutional operations look like following the COVID-19 global pandemic and demand for quality internships rises, research on what works in high-impact programs, such as DCSI, offer valuable data for faculty, administrators, and students. A total …

What's In A Name? Selected Secondary English Teachers' Experiences Of Engaging In Formative Assessment, Sarah P. Hylton

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Formative assessment’s evolution over the last 50 plus years has led to the ubiquitous use of the term and ostensibly its practice, yet very little research has specifically addressed teachers’ experiences of formative assessment, particularly in the realm of secondary English. This study’s goal, therefore, was to gain insight into how teachers experience engaging in formative assessment. By exploring their experiences, this descriptive phenomenological study sought to discover what meaning selected teachers ascribe to formative assessment and to thereby elevate teachers’ voices in the formative assessment conversation. This research question guided the study: What are secondary English teachers’ lived experiences …

Exploring The Role Of Virtual Reality Perspective Taking On Teachers’ Cognitive Empathy: An Action Research Study, Dong Bin Shin

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Empathy is an important instructor variable that improves learning outcomes by creating a safe learning environment (Herbek & Yammarino, 1990). Advancements in virtual reality technology and 360-degree videography allow individuals to empathize with others through a perceptual illusion called embodiment (Bertrand et al., 2018). The purpose of this mixed-methods action research study was to explore the effect of virtual reality perspective taking (VRPT) on teachers’ cognitive empathy. Additional goals included examining how teachers’ beliefs about cognitive empathy impacted teacher-student interactions and teaching practices. Lastly, the study sought to understand teachers’ perceptions regarding the efficacy of VRPT as a viable, professional …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The Rise Framework When Implemented With Second Grade Students Reading Below Grade Level: A Program Evaluation, Heather France Gentry

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Ensuring that students are reading on grade level by third grade is a critical factor that is correlated with future success both in the classroom and in future career and earnings potential for each child (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2012 ; Sum et al., 2009). National data focused on the number of students reading below grade level depicts an alarming number of students who are not meeting grade-level benchmarks for reading (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019). When students struggle to meet grade-level expectations in reading through participation in instruction within the regular classroom, a pull-out intervention program is often …

Online Faculty Development: Disorienting Dilemmas In Learning To Teach Online, Katalin Wargo

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

This dissertation explores how faculty development for online teaching in higher education might facilitate transformative learning and the transfer of instructional practices across teaching modalities. The first manuscript examines how the essential constructs of transformative learning are promoted in online faculty development and which elements of faculty development help to foster transformative learning. The second manuscript describes a case study that emerged from a university faculty development seminar to prepare instructors to teach online. The purpose of this study was to examine how, if at all, the Online Faculty Development Seminar changed five participants’ perspectives of teaching. This study found …

A Program Evaluation Of Fundations In A Private Urban Elementary School, Megan Storey Hallam

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Early reading skills are strongly associated with long term academic and life achievement. Despite the recognized importance of literacy, indicators point to a literacy crisis in the United States. Research and policies have highlighted the necessity of selecting reading programs with documented effectiveness and implementing them with fidelity. This mixed methods program evaluation investigated the extent to which the Fundations reading program is being implemented with fidelity at a private urban elementary school and if there has been a change in student reading performance since introducing the program. This study also explored teachers’ perceptions regarding program strengths and challenges along …

It’S All About The Climb: Problem-Based Learning In The Arts & Sciences, Alexis Harvey

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a method of instruction that challenges students to answer questions in a practical manner using their understanding of learned course content. The question at the heart of this study concerns if and how faculty in one institution are currently using PBL. I used an exploratory descriptive case study to research the perceptions of Arts & Sciences (A&S) faculty on the use of PBL as an instructional approach to support the academic learning of students. The use of PBL is suggested in the university’s general education requirements, and yet may not be familiar to the all Arts …