Digital Commons Network^™

Student Loan Debt: Exploring The Economic Influences On Federal Student Loan Default For Students That Attended Public, Two-Year Institutions, Brian Perry

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Over the past 30 years, a shift occurred in higher education that saw more of the burden for paying for postsecondary education placed on students. Combined with rising tuition and fees, this has led students to take on increasing amounts of student debt. Despite the historic rise in student loans, surprisingly little attention has focused on those students who default on their student loans. Additionally, the academic literature on student loans has predominately focused on traditional students at four-year institutions, despite the fact that nearly half of all undergraduates attend public two-year institutions. Finally, those studies that include economic factors …

Leadership Strategies And Multi-Frame Thinking Of Rural School Superintendents’ During Periods Of Crisis, Steven J. Moses

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the leadership strategies used by rural, public-school superintendents in the Central Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky during and following the flood of 2022 that was considered a natural disaster. The context of this study was framed by a 1 in 1000-year flooding event that devastated school districts and communities in Eastern Kentucky. The geographic boundaries of this study were limited to school districts that were part of counties identified as “Appalachian” by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In addition, school districts in this study were also identified as rural by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) …

Profiles Of Satisfaction And Frustration Of Undergraduate General Chemistry Students’ Basic Psychological Needs At The Beginning And End Of The Semester, Cara E. Worick

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The early college years represent an adjustment period characterized by motivational destabilization and academic and career-related uncertainty for many STEM majors (Robinson et al., 2019). Although students who begin college less academically prepared than their peers are at greater risk of struggling in introductory STEM courses, many still struggle in these courses despite adequate academic preparation (Perez et al., 2014). Self-determination theory proposes that motivation, optimal functioning, and psychological well-being occur through the satisfaction, as opposed to the frustration, of three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (Ryan & Deci, 2020). Although many studies in educational settings demonstrate …

Autism In Agricultural Education: A Case Study Of An Adolescent With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Their Parent On Career And Technical Education, Grace Miller

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a unique and often misunderstood diagnosis. Little is known about the experiences of adolescents with ASD. As students with ASD graduate high school, many are under- and unemployed. Career and technical education (CTE) in U.S. schools is intended to prepare all students for careers post-secondary. Agricultural education is one of the predominate career clusters within CTE. This qualitative single case study sought to create a platform for both a student and their parent to share their experiences in agricultural education and CTE. Participants were an adolescent with ASD who had taken at least one year …

Exploring The Individual Impact An Appalachian Higher Education Institution Had On Fostering Solidarity, Capacity, And Agency Of Female Appalachian Students Seeking To Improve The Quality Of Life For Themselves And Their Appalachian Communities., Analiese Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Appalachian women navigating higher education encounter multifaceted challenges, often confronting marginalization and a lack of representation within academic spaces. This study investigates the experiences of female Appalachian students at Mountain University in Kentucky, aiming to shed light on their journey and the university's impact on their lives and communities. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews, the research explores themes of solidarity, capacity, agency, and Quality of Life. Findings reveal a robust sense of solidarity among Appalachian peers and faculty, fostering a supportive environment conducive to personal and academic growth. Participants express opportunities to engage with their communities positively, contributing to …

The Co-Curriculum Of College Student Employment: Perspectives From Supervising Practitioners, Brittany Begley Wildman

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

College student employees are not only serving the overall mission of their institutions, but also developing career readiness skills through daily interactions while at work. In this study, I explore the perceptions of the supervisors of student employees as both managers and student affairs professionals. Through one-on-one interviews with supervisors, discussing their interactions with students, I explore the implicit and explicit curricula they provide to their students using a curriculum analysis framework. I then compare the resulting learning outcomes against those identified in industry standards. The supervisors described supporting student employees' personal development during the student employment experience as well …

Improving Dental Students' Knowledge And Confidence In Treating Tobacco Use, Victoria Pierce

DNP Projects

Background: Tobacco use can lead to numerous chronic health conditions. Healthcare professionals in the dental field are in a unique position to broach this issue with patients. Research shows that dental students do not feel equipped to provide tobacco cessation care, citing lack of education on the subject among their top reasons for this.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate changes in dental students’ knowledge and confidence related to treating tobacco use after participation in an educational intervention about the 5A’s, behavioral counseling, and first-line prescription medications.

Methods: This quality improvement initiative utilized a quasi-experimental survey design …

Investigating The Impact Of Leaderboards, Badges, And Ebucks On High School English Language Learners’ Cognitive Engagement, Self-Efficacy And Intrinsic Motivation Toward Reading In English, Omar J. Almamoori

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This study examines the impact of gamification elements, in particular leaderboards, badges, and eBucks, on the cognitive engagement (CE), intrinsic motivation (IM), and self-efficacy (SE) of English Language Learners (ELLs) at a high school in the Southeastern United States. The investigation, conducted during optional weekly readings, utilizes a mixed methods design to investigate the effects of gamification on ELLs' learning experiences. Through pre-post surveys and semi-structured interviews, data was collected to assess the gamified intervention's impact. Utilizing a one-way covariate analysis (ANCOVA) in IBM SPSS Statistics (version 29), the study evaluates the effect of gamification while controlling for grade, gender, …

The Impact Of Dual Credit Participation On Graduation & Excess Hours, Erin Mulligan-Nguyen

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The interest and participation in dual credit programs and courses has grown over the past several decades, especially within Texas; however, there is a lack of research that shows how the participation in dual credit programs and courses has impacted leading and lagging student success metrics once they enroll at a post-secondary institution.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact dual credit participation had on six-year graduation rates and exceeding excess hours at a public four-year regional university in South Texas. The researcher used a non-experimental quantitative study with ex-post facto student data. The study examined leading …

Improving Nutrition Screening Practice In The Hospitalized Heart Failure Patient Population, Amanda J. Bourgeois

DNP Projects

Background: Heart Failure is a disease known to affect nearly 6.5 million adults in the United States. Characterized by recurrent hospitalizations, heart failure significantly contributes to morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in the United States and worldwide. Because malnutrition is prevalent in the heart failure population, healthcare providers must perform nutritional assessments on admission to intervene in the case of malnutrition, prevent deterioration, and improve patient prognosis. Without intervention and early identification of malnutrition, heart failure hospitalizations will remain a significant problem.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of an evidence-based educational program for cardiac …

The Influence Of Independent Secondary School Heads On Shaping Organizational Culture, Ian D. Macphail

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the experiences and connections between head of school leadership and culture in small, independent boarding schools in New England. This study was the result of the participation of eight heads of school from eight separate institutions, engaging in semi-structured interviews. All of the schools were secular in their practice, all-gender, and had a formal dormitory-based boarding program. Each school enrolled 400 or fewer students, focusing the impact of these leaders on a tighter, interactional lens. This study explored a relatively under-researched area of K-12 education and used exploratory, qualitative methods to gather the stories of these formal …

Distributed Leadership In International Schools Across The Asia Pacific: A Sequential Explanatory Study, Robert A. Appino

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This explanatory study examined how distributed leadership is practiced in international schools. This included looking at principals’ readiness to practice a distributed perspective of leadership, how they practice leadership, the opportunities for teacher leadership, and the relationship between distributed leadership practices and school innovation and improvement. Principals have increasingly adopted distributed leadership, sharing responsibilities with others, in response to COVID-19 (Azorin, Harris, & Jones, 2020). However, this response was not by design but to survive (Harris & Jones, 2020). The demands of the pandemic left leaders stretched more than ever, and adopting distributed leadership practices was essential (Harris & Jones, …

Evaluating A High School Mrsa Prevention Program: A Case Study, Jamie Henning

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

MRSA poses a significant health risk to athletes nationwide. This case study examines the application of an online training module to address knowledge gaps regarding Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among key decision-makers for high school athletes. It reviews the development and initial evaluation of a web-based training program designed to empower decision-makers with the knowledge to prevent MRSA infection and respond to suspected cases. Program evaluation recommended expanding the training module to wrestling staff with improved evaluation methods while continuing implementation and effectiveness assessment for the football staff. Despite initial data quality limitations, the online training module evaluation offered valuable …

Child Language And Happiness Behaviors: Evaluating The Effects Of Caregiver Coaching, Ashlen Grubbs

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Caregivers of young children who have or are at risk for disabilities may struggle supporting their child’s language development. This study used a tailored rapid coaching intervention to teach a caregiver different naturalistic language interventions that can be used with their child during play. Evidence-based naturalistic skills for increasing child communication were chosen to teach the caregiver based on baseline levels of skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored RCI (training and coaching) with caregivers of children with developmental disabilities. Like other studies, this study involved evaluating child-level communication but extended child measures …

Mc Means Mentor The Child: Examining School-Based Hip-Hop Clubs For Youth Empowerment, Leadership Development, And Capacity For Change, Daniel Wolford

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

This dissertation examined the relationship between students in a school-based hip-hop club and their ability to develop leadership capabilities through club activities. This study followed a hip-hop club at an urban high school in the Midwest to better understand how hip-hop spaces impact youth participants. The participants included four current members of the club and three alums, all of whom were African American. This study used qualitative methods through heuristic inquiry to understand the phenomenon of hip-hop clubs. Data collection methods included session notes, musical creations, semi-structured interviews, and a Microsoft Teams group chat. Additional heuristic data was collected through …

Evaluating A Rapid Coaching Intervention Delivered Remotely: Teaching Naturalistic Language Strategies To A Parent Of Child With Down Syndrome, Pallie Gullett

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Parents of young children play a significant role in their child’s communication development during early childhood. Many parents of children with or at risk for disabilities could benefit from learning ways to promote their child’s communication. This study implemented a rapid coaching intervention to teach a parent of a child with Down syndrome how to implement naturalistic language strategies such as expanding on their child’s play, providing linguistic input during play, and arranging the environment to create an opportunity for their child to communicate.

Training Paraprofessionals In The Implementation Of Aided Language Modeling With Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities And Ccn, Julianne Hill

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this research is to train special education paraprofessionals in the implementation of Aided Language Modeling (ALM) through a coaching program. A single-case multiple probe design across three paraprofessional/student dyads was used to analyze data. Coaching procedures included a single 20-minute training workshop with the researcher between baseline and intervention and post-session conversations after each intervention trial. The research took place in a public school in the southeastern United States. The school was located outside of a metropolitan area in a suburban school district. The study took place to answer the following questions: (1) With the implementation of …

Navigating Asynchronous Online Learning: The Impacts Of Active Learning And Assigned Group Work On Student Motivation, Belonging, And Inclusion, Shea Elisabeth Carr

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Motivation, belonging, and inclusion are all critical factors for student success but can be difficult to support in asynchronous online courses. Active learning and required group work have been shown to increase student motivation in in-person and synchronous online courses, but little is known about their impact in online asynchronous settings. This dissertation aimed to 1) evaluate the effect of active learning on student motivation in an online asynchronous setting and 2) evaluate the impact of assigned group work on student motivation and perceptions of belonging and inclusion within the context of an online, asynchronous physiology laboratory course. It was …

Exploring Teachers’ Views Of The Nature Of Science And Their Beliefs And Understanding About Viruses And Covid-19: A Multiple Case Study Of Three Secondary Science Teachers At A Rural High School In The Southeastern United States, Jeffrey Chalfant

Theses and Dissertations--Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education

Over the past several decades, science education reforms have called for students to develop appropriate views of the nature of science and have a comprehensive understanding of subject matter. Additionally, education research has demonstrated that teachers must have appropriate views of the nature of science and strong content knowledge as necessary conditions for appropriate instruction on the nature of science. However, research has consistently shown that teachers hold naïve or inadequate views of the nature of science. This is problematic as teachers are tasked with teaching science to students that is aligned with current education standards. Therefore, teachers need to …

How Important Is Parental Involvement And Engagement In Preschool, Emilee M. Dixon

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to evaluate preschool classrooms’ parental engagement throughout the school year. Specifically, the study aims to assess if parents felt they received information to support their child's development, if the school offered engagement opportunities, and if the parents believed that engagement impacted their child. Research studies have shown or indicated that parental engagement is a key component to a child’s success. This study highlights the importance of parental involvement and engagement for children in preschool. The study involves reviewing a survey to gain a better understanding of when, how, and why parental involvement and engagement …

Using Naturalistic Language Interventions To Increase Expressive Communication Of Aac Users With Autism, Kacey Eaton

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study's purpose was to use naturalistic language interventions to increase the communication rate via alternative and augmentative communication during play with young children with autism. A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a combination of naturalistic language interventions when implemented during 10-minute play sessions within the participants resource classroom. Naturalistic language interventions utilized include aided language modeling, environmental arrangements, naturalistic time delay, and language expansions. Results indicated that naturalistic language interventions are effective in increasing expressive communication via AAC with children with autism.

Building Independence Through Structured Work Systems For Students With Moderate To Severe Disabilities, Maggie Smith

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Students, especially those with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities oftentimes need support in learning to work independently. This study examined if the use of structured work systems increased student independence during regular scheduled independent work times in the general education and MSD special education classrooms. Using a single-case multiple-probe design, this study measured the percentage of steps completed independently when working with academic tasks related to individual IEP goals.

Effect Of Video Modeling And Teacher Praise On Turn-Taking Behavior Of Preschoolers In An Inclusive Setting, Happiness Efeturi

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study investigates the efficacy of video modeling combined with teacher praise in fostering turn-taking skills among preschoolers in inclusive settings. Employing a multiple probe across participants design, three preschoolers will undergo baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. Video modeling sessions, featuring peers engaging in turn-taking activities, will be alternated with teacher praise. Data collected through event recording and analyzed via Microsoft Excel will determine the intervention's impact on turn-taking behavior. Results aim to contribute to literature on effective interventions for preschoolers, offering insights into employing video modeling and teacher praise in inclusive educational environments.

Group Vs. Individual Video Modeling For Acquisition Of Pilates For Individuals With Disabilities, Brittany Rounce

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

This study presents findings from an alternating treatment design investigation into the efficacy of group versus individual video modeling in facilitating the acquisition of Pilates techniques among individuals with disabilities. The study aimed to assess how these different instructional modalities influenced participants' learning outcomes. The research involved a detailed analysis of two participants, with a focus on observing any variations in their response patterns during the acquisition phase. Through systematic data collection and analysis, the study evaluated the effectiveness of group versus individual Pilates video modeling. The results revealed distinct responses within the participant group, with one individual exhibiting differential …

Pixels Or People: A Comparison Of The Differenital Effects Of Animated And Human Video Models On Exercise Behaviors For Hgh School Students With Intellectual Disability, Jade Alexis Fulkerson

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

Individuals with intellectual disabilities, with or without autism spectrum disorder, often require structured programming to facilitate acquisition of skills. Video modeling, an evidence-based strategy, offers a promising avenue for skill instruction. While research has demonstrated the effectiveness of human-modeled video interventions, limited research has been conducted into the efficacy of animated models. Addressing this gap, the present study employed an alternating treatments design to compare the effectiveness of human and animated models in teaching exercise behaviors to high school students with intellectual disabilities, with or without autism spectrum disorder. Results revealed variability among participants: one individual exhibited superior performance with …

A Change Of Character? Exploring The Possible Effects Of Non-Tenure Track Faculty At Liberal Arts Colleges, Robert Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Research on liberal arts colleges (LACs) has yet to consider possible effects of using Non-Tenure Track Faculty (NTTF) on the character of LACs. LACs are characterized by their strong academic ethos, collegial faculty-student relationships, all at a sanctuary-like setting. Tenure Track Faculty (TTF) and administrators at three LACs were interviewed in a case study format at an urban, suburban, and rural LAC to consider whether NTTF are affecting the character of such institutions. NTTF, especially when full-time faculty, support the academic ethos, foster strong student faculty relationships, and help maintain the sanctuary like setting. NTTF use by change agents is …

Understanding The Effects Of Hormone Treatments On The Transgender Singer: A Pedagogical Study And Voice Studio Guide, Erin M. Hannon

Theses and Dissertations--Music

Transitioning from one gender to another can be an arduous and emotionally charged experience, accompanied by many physical and mental transformations. The journey of self-discovery and vocal explorations is both unique and deeply personal. Modifications that emerge in an individual's vocal characteristics have a profound influence on their capacity to communicate and express themselves.

Transgender vocal students and professional singers must navigate the delicate balance between their vocal and gender identities while considering the possible risks of Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy. Though these therapies may significantly alter one's appearance and overall well-being, they are also capable of causing notable declines …

Beyond The Score: Interdisciplinary Connections In The High School Choral Ensemble, Kellie Clark

Theses and Dissertations--Music

An interest in interdisciplinary instruction, generally and within the arts, can be traced through numerous progressive educational movements extending back to the earliest philosophers. There has, however, been limited discussion regarding an interdisciplinary approach in high school ensemble classrooms. If a holistic teaching approach, one which examines a musical work from multiple angles while inviting and encouraging student curiosity and agency, can benefit music students in profound ways, why are secondary choral educators hesitant to employ such methods?

This monograph presents a concrete and practical application for the inclusion of interdisciplinary instruction in the high school choral classroom developed through …

Instructional Practices To Foster The Development Of Autonomy: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of The Resident Experience, Rachelle Musgrave Aker

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

A growing concern in graduate medical education (GME), research indicates that some graduating residents are unprepared to enter unsupervised practice. The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study is to illuminate the resident experience surrounding the development of autonomy in clinical decision making relative to teaching practices. Research questions include: (1) What is the dual role of learner/teacher like for residents as they attend to their own and others’ development of autonomy in clinical reasoning and decision making? (2) Which teaching methods do they commonly experience as the learner and practice as the teacher relative to this development, and which methods …

The Centrality Of Claim-Making In The Social Studies Classroom: Teaching For Claim-Making With The Persuasive Claim Framework, Ryan Anders Lewis

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This dissertation includes three articles that focus on the importance of claim-making and argumentative writing in social studies classrooms. Each article highlights various aspects of the claim-making process by introducing ways for teachers to help students write better claims, highlighting the importance of claim-making within the extant social studies literature, and analyzing the results of centering the claim-making process in a preservice teaching methods program.

Article One, “What’s in a Claim: A Framework for Helping Students Write Persuasive Claims?” (2021), is an article written for practicing teachers. As part of a larger discussion on the challenges of implementing the dimensions …