Teacher Perceptions On How To Best Support Student Well-Being In Elementary Classrooms, Elanna Beth Derby

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Elementary schools should be adept at assisting students in meeting their mental health need, such as, providing a non-violence approach to conflict resolution; strengthening the students’ relationships with their family members and friends; taking responsibility for their education and future; creating a stronger positive image; handling tough times more effectively; and setting and achieving their goals in life. The purpose of this Q methodology was to explore what teacher perspectives are on how to best support student well-being in the elementary school classroom. Specifically, this study examined what factors emerged when faculty in a large urban school district …

Leading Effective Inclusive Schools: How Principals Make The Difference, Megan Robinson Mcmillan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In effective inclusive schools, school principals are the difference-makers. Principals of these schools possess a commitment to leading schools adept at delivering high academic achievement outcomes and providing an inclusive education for students with disabilities. This leadership is predicated upon their inclusive consciousness, or a dogged determination to provide ethical and meaningful educational experiences to all students, but especially those with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to understand how four elementary-level public school principals acquired, developed, and demonstrated an inclusive consciousness that guided their leadership of effective inclusive schools. Data were collected using a basic qualitative methodology and …

Attention To Retention: Implications Of Institutional Practices Of Four-Year Colleges And Universities On Graduation Rates Of Students With Adhd, Paula L. Michael Dass

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Advances in medication and support services in high schools have influenced the growing number of students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) enrolling in colleges and universities. Unfortunately, their lower graduation rates and extended time to graduation creates multiple challenges to themselves, their institution’s, and their communities. Limited information is available regarding how disability services impact graduation rates for students with ADHD in higher education. More information is needed about how the practices instituted by disability support center leaders in post-secondary institution’s impact the graduation rates of students with ADHD. Retention, a financial and ethical concern for universities, is pushed …

Processes Of Developing Effective Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships In Education: A Content Analysis Of Grant Related Documents, Tamara Ianthe Gibson-Alonso

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Research indicates that understanding the influence of leadership and partnership development can inform the need to improve public education (Penuel & Gallagher, 2017). Although leadership theory and change theory support the need for partnerships in education, less attention has been given to how such partnerships develop and the role that leadership plays in that process. Therefore, the present study explored the role of leadership within researcher-practitioner partnerships and the process of developing sustainable partnerships in education as documented in a set of federal grant proposals, their final reports, and other descriptions of their efforts. Grant documents examined were awarded …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Secondary Assistant Principals Toward Their Development As Instructional Leaders, Ronnie Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Although, the concept of instructional leadership is a not a new idea, it has become an increasingly popular term in education in recent years. Instructional leadership provides the foundation for teaching and learning within a school. Such federal educational initiatives as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top have sought to improve student achievement have also changed the landscape of school leadership. As accountability and high-stakes testing measures continue to rise, the need to closely explore and understand the ideology of instructional leadership has become more prevalent. Qualified school leaders with a keen focus on instruction must be …

Effects Of Online Aba Training On Stress Levels Of Parents With A Child With Autism, Kristen Duffney

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated the effects of an online training program in applied behavior analysis (ABA) on stress levels of parents that have a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The online ABA training program is comprised of 22 videos which take a total of 4½ hours to complete. Parenting stress levels were assessed using the Parenting Stress Inventory Short Form (PSI-SF, Abidin, 1995) and general stress levels were self-reported scores immediately before and after the training. The assessment and questionnaire were completed online immediately before the ABA training was made available and immediately after the ABA training was completed. …

Narratives Of Alternative School Teachers: Perceptions Of Their Principals' Transformational Leadership Behaviors And How They Impact Self-Efficacy, Lakenya Tenae Branch

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact that principals’ transformational leadership behaviors had on teachers’ self-efficacy in secondary urban alternative schools. The research question that guided this study was: How does perceived transformational leadership behaviors of principals’ impact teachers’ self-efficacy? This question had two sub-questions. The first was: How do teachers perceive their principals’ leadership behaviors? And, the second sub-question was: How does this perceived behavior affect teachers’ self-efficacy? Literature focused on urban schools and alternative schools, since they share a similar population of students. Additional literature discussed the four components of being a transformational leader which are idealized influence, inspirational …

Educating For Engagement: The Influence Of Physical Therapist Education On Lifelong Learning And Professional Engagement, Raine Osborne

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare professions educational programs have a responsibility to develop professionally engaged lifelong learners. Knowledge of the factors important to the development of these desirable characteristics may inform educational leaders’ decisions about program and curriculum design. This study aimed to investigate the relation between level of education and an orientation towards lifelong learning and future professional engagement. In addition, the influence of learners’ type of motivation for continued learning, and learning goal orientation on this relation was also assessed.

A cross-sectional survey of learners from a single healthcare profession, physical therapy was conducted to investigate these relations. Physical therapist learners from …

Examining The Influence Of The Leader In Me On School Grades, Jennifer Lynn Wright

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School leaders face increasing demands related to student achievement. These demands involve annual data reporting related to overall student, school, and district success. In Florida, this accountability and transparency requirement is addressed through an annual school grading system. It is essential that leaders utilize successful programs that directly influence positive student outcomes and demonstrate high quality education. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a youth leadership development program, specifically The Leader in Me (TLIM) program, on school grades. Based on data obtained from 16 public elementary schools across Florida, a repeated measures ANCOVA analysis revealed …

First-Generation College Students Of Color’S Success At A Predominately White Institution: Exploring The Influence Of Student Engagement In A High-Impact Program, Deiderie Allard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increase of first-generation college students of color (FGCSOC) in the United States who attend predominately White institutions (PWI) warrants explorations of how to effectively serve this demographic. Support programs, like Trio, have been implemented to positively engage students at critical stages of their college experiences. Are such programs contributing to the intended academic success of these students? Rooted in Kuh’s and Kahu’s conceptual frameworks of student engagement that address student behavior, institutional support, and student’s lived experiences, this study’s author investigated the relationship between student engagement and high-impact practices (HIPs) at a postsecondary institution. A non-experimental, cross-sectional quantitative design …

Examining The Effects Of Co-Teaching In Doubled-Sized Third Grade Classrooms In Select Northeast Florida Public Schools., Yvonne Mary Spinner

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scholarly research on combined classes with co-teachers is sparse. The purpose of this research is to investigate and analyze the academic effects of co-teaching in double-sized third grade classrooms in urban and suburban settings. This research will explore the prevalence of this practice in select Northeast Florida public school third grade classes, the distribution between schools, and whether there is a significant difference between the academic achievement of these students and those in a traditional classroom setting, and whether there is a difference in performance between suburban and urban school co-teach classrooms. This study will examine the potential implications of …

Convergence Of Police And Military Praxis: Pre-9/11 Training Diffusion In Post-9/11 Law Enforcement, Richard K. Parker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, changed law enforcement policy and practice forever. At a glance, one could argue that this was the seminal moment in U.S. law enforcement history where traditional police officer training and equipment quickly transitioned to training and equipment that some argue is more conducive to soldiers on a battlefield. Closer analysis of the changes in police training and equipment reveals that years earlier, the executive branch of the U.S. government initiated the transfer of military equipment to local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to provide such resources in an effort to stem what …

Synergistic Supervision: Impacts On Student Affairs Employee Job Satisfaction, Michelle R. Adams-Manning

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Supervision is a critical component of any employee’s professional life, but it can be especially impactful to a student affairs professional. The foundation of the student affairs field is to help a student grow and develop as a whole person. This concept carries on to student affairs professionals as well, as supervisors should strive to develop the whole professional creating a positive work environment. This study analyzed the use of synergistic supervision techniques on student affairs employees’ job satisfaction. An anonymous, electronic survey was emailed to student affairs professionals at public, private and community colleges across the nation. One hundred …

Graduate Students’ Perspectives Of The Benefits And Barriers To Mentoring Preservice Teachers, Melissa Omeechevarria

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring is an effective tool for the professional development of novice teachers (Eby & Lockwood 2005; Kram, 1985; Stanulis & Ames, 2009). Mentors to preservice teachers have conveyed that they receive benefits and face barriers when mentoring (Ambrosetti, 2014; Burk & Eby, 2010; Hobson, Ashby, Malderez, & Tomlinson, 2009; Iancu-Haddad & Oplatka, 2009). Graduate students who serve as mentors to undergraduates have also reported advantages and drawbacks to being a mentor (Conway, Eros, Pellegrino, Kras, Gale, & Campbell, 2009; Reddick, Griffin, & Cherwitz, 2011). This study examined the perceived benefits and barriers for graduate students serving as mentors to undergraduate, …

Do We Belong? Understanding How Program Directors Perceive The Role Of The Intensive English Programs On University Campuses, Irene Silas

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines the perspectives of leaders of five intensive English programs (IEPs) about their departments’ positions at U.S. public universities as well as their perceptions of the directors’ roles in developing visibility on campuses. The data was collected through interviewing and analyzed using the Constant Comparative Method which produced five distinctive themes: planned happenstance; belonging; funding; work with university; director’s role. The cross-case findings presented similar ideas from all of the participants – intensive English program legitimacy and visibility on campuses have still not been achieved. The findings from the study can aid IEP directors, and especially …

Intrinsic Attributes That Successful African American Men Who Grew Up With Adverse Childhood Experiences Attributed To Their Success, Philip J. Mobley Sr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This Q methodology study focused on those intrinsic attributes that successful African American men who had adverse childhood experiences attributed to their success. Using the purposeful and snowball sampling recruitment process, forty-two successful African American men participated in this research project. Five distinct factors were identified and labeled as, Factor 1: The Godly Working Men, Factor 2: The Competitive Men, Factor 3: The Charismatic Men, Factor 4: The Expectation Driven Men, and Factor 5: The Proud African American Men.

The main findings were that respectful African American boys who are taught to understand who they are spiritually, be proud of …

The Impact Of Undergraduate Research Experiences On The Development Of Biology Students’ Domain Knowledge, Domain Interest, And Career Aspirations, Amy Haddock Keagy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal and state agencies in the United States have pressured institutions in higher education to increase the number of graduates in STEM disciplines and supply an educated workforce for the increasing shortages in the STEM economy. Undergraduate research experience is one potential mechanism for supporting retention and student success within STEM disciplines. Most evaluations of the impact of undergraduate research to this point have been qualitative research studies. The purpose of this study was to use a quantitative model to examine domain knowledge, domain interest, and career aspirations in undergraduate biology majors and how participation in research experiences may impact …

The Perception Of Female Leadership: Impact Of Gender And Leader's Qualification On Leader's Effectiveness, Ala'a Fahad Al-Shakha

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how gender and years of working with a female leader influence the gendered perception of female leadership effectiveness in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. This study compared male and female leaders’ perception of female leadership effectiveness as well as highlighted the relationship between leader’s gender, experience working with a female leader and perceived female leadership effectiveness. To answer the research questions, four hypothesized models were proposed (simple direct model, mediation model, moderation model, and mediation moderation model). Data was collected from administrated leaders, who hold a position in five public universes located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with …

Experiences Of Asian American And Immigrant Asian Women In The United States Higher Education Administration, Sayani Roy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the experiences of Asian American and immigrant Asian faculty members and administrators in the U.S. higher education. The motivation of this study was, in spite of the rising presence and educational attainment, Asian American and immigrant Asian women are notably underrepresented in academic leadership roles. Asian American women fall far behind White females in leadership positions in higher education. Grounded in a theoretical framework guided by Mohanty’s Post Colonialist Feminist Criticism, a qualitative research has been conducted where 15 female participants (faculty members and/or administrators in the U.S. higher education), who identified themselves as Asian Americans or …

Writing And Engagement In A Title 1 Middle School In Northeast Florida, Angela D'Alessandro Reed

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Writing is an integral part of achievement in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA). Across content areas, literacy standards for writing stipulate, “students should demonstrate increasing sophistication in all levels of language use” (www.corestandards.org, 2019). Many teachers are reluctant to incorporate writing in courses since assigning writing activities, reading, and grading of student writing and can be seen as a laborious task (Peha, 2003). This research, conducted in a Title 1 middle school in northeast Florida, is a bounded case study on the effects of writing on the physical occurrences of students’ level …

College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders And Their Knowledge Of Self-Determination: A Study To Inform Educational Practices And Policies, Tara Rowe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) attending postsecondary education has steadily increased in recent years. A need has been identified for campus administrators to better understand the needs of students with ASD (Becker & Palladino, 2016; Oswald, Winder-Patel, Ruder, Xing, Stahmer, & Solomon, 2017). In order to gain insight about students with ASD, research providing a foundation of understanding the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population must take place. By recognizing the need for further education and training, campus administrators may have opportunities to develop professional development trainings that could provide insight into understanding a …

Cross-Cultural Study Of The Predictors Of Learning In Children Ages 11-15 Years Old, Nadina Melina Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academic achievement is deemed a significant indicator for a successful future. Cognitive ability, home environment, and metacognition are among the many factors research has posited to contribute to academic achievement and later success (Alloway & Alloway, 2010; Bradley & Caldwell, 1984, Veenman, Wilhelm, & Beishuizen, 2004). The present study examines the relation between cognitive ability (working memory (WM) and nonverbal ability), metacognitive awareness, implicit theories of IQ, home environment (socioeconomic status (SES), home life, and parental involvement in homework), and learning outcomes (grades) in two distinct sample populations. The study used a sample of 11-15-year-olds and their parents from two …

Profile Analysis Of Mobile Application Security, Adetunji A. Olunuga

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This thesis conducts profile analysis on the mobile application security using peer-review articles that were published from 2010 to 2018. From the analysis, we will identify prolific authors, intuitions, and geographic regions as well as the topics addressed by the articles. The profile analysis will reveal most frequently used research methods, research approaches (quantitative, qualitative and mixed), and theories used to study the field. This thesis reveals that none of the researchers have made significant contributions to the field, and researches are not collaborating to solve their research problems. The profile analysis shows that surveys and experiments are the …

Conscious Conclusions: The Effect Of Positive-Attitude Cues On Teacher Candidate Dispositions About Mathematics, Shelletta Baker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use elements for developing teacher identity, personal philosophy, beliefs about teaching and learning, and reflection to frame an examination of the effect of Positive-Attitude Cues (PACs) on teacher candidates’(n = 135) mathematics anxiety and expressive writing. Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment (PACs) or control group (No-PAC) and their dispositions about mathematics were examined using the Revised Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS-R); which had a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96 and an expressive writing task before and after the intervention. A significant main effect of test time showed that participants …

Distance Learning For Professional Development In Law Enforcement - What Works, Keith E. Gaston

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Online distance learning is an essential element in the continuing education of law enforcement officers across the nation. However, little research has been conducted into the use of learning management systems by law enforcement agencies as a tool for professional development. This study attempts to assess the attitudes, preferences, and influences that impact distance learning for professional development work for state law enforcement officers and their agencies. Law enforcement agencies and law enforcement training centers have failed to utilize or embrace distance-learning technologies, or they have adopted distance-learning technology without knowing the effectiveness of the training or learning. For adult …

Learning Strategies Employed By College Aged Students With Disabilities: The Link Between Metacognition, Motivation, And Working Memory, Michael Rodriguez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study is two-fold. First, we want to understand the levels of metacognitive awareness of learning strategies in undergraduates with learning disabilities. Previous research states that recall is the most effective method of studying, but most students prefer to reread their notes or textbook which is ineffective. Second, we want to explore the link between Working Memory and metacognitive awareness of learning strategies in undergraduates with learning disabilities. The learning strategies that college students with and without disabilities is examined, we found that students in both groups preferred the usage of the same strategies equally. The most …

The Perceptions Of Nonprofit Arts And Culture Organization Leaders Regarding Their Role In K-12 Arts Education, Alarie A. Gibbs

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study posed two research questions. Because of limited research regarding leadership in arts and culture organizations, the background question to contextualize the study was: How do nonprofit arts and culture leaders in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area perceive their roles within their organizations? The foreground question was: How do leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area understand their roles in providing underserved K-12 students access to and opportunity for arts education? The research questions warranted a qualitative research design using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The review of the literature documented the importance of …

Individual And Organizational Culture Predictors Of Participation In Training And Development Activities Among Student Affairs Professionals, Andrea Adams-Manning

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizational culture substantially impacts employee motivation, employee behavior, and employee participation in professional development activities. In the field of Student Affairs, it is critical for employees to regularly participate in professional development activities to stay up-to-date with understanding today’s students’ needs and meeting federal and state demands. This study examined what individual and organizational culture factors predict participation in professional development activities among student affairs professionals at higher education institutions. For this study, 354 participants from various public and private institutions were emailed an anonymous web-based survey. Field theory served as the theoretical foundation giving perspective as to how external …

The Effect Of Modality On Student Achievement And Course Completion In A Developmental Mathematics Course, Robert Allan Greene

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students taking courses in developmental mathematics do so in one of three modalities - some take the classes face-to-face in a classroom with a professor who is physically present, others take the classes in what is known as a blended or hybrid mode in which the professor uses a combination of classroom and online time to teach the course, and another group takes the classes completely online. Increasingly, a growing number of students are taking these courses in a hybrid mode or completely online, and this phenomenon is causing educators to redesign their programs, offering more courses in these two …

A Study Of State College Faculty Trust In Immediate Supervisors, Anna Byrd

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated faculty trust in their immediate supervisors (academic deans and faculty chairs) in a state college setting. A survey instrument created for this study was based on existing research on trust in schools by Bryk and Schneider (2002) and Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (1998), as well as research on trust in corporate setting. The study’s purpose was to determine the types and frequencies of interactions between community college faculty and deans/faculty chairs – i.e., faculty immediate supervisors – that are related to higher levels of faculty trust. Also investigated were the relationships between faculty trust and demographic characteristics …