Digital Commons Network^™

Transition And Integration Experiences Of First-Year College Students: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Lives Of Participants In Outdoor Orientation Programs, Lynn Nester

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to understand the transition and integration experiences of first-year freshmen who participated in an outdoor orientation program at 2 higher education institutions in the Southeastern United States. Student attrition from the first year to the second year and increased time to degree completion are challenges for a number of higher education institutions in the United States (Hamilton & Hamilton, 2006; Pascarella, Terenzini, & Wolfle, 1986; Tinto, 2006). First-year to second-year attrition and lack of persistence to degree completion may be due to an unsuccessful transition to college, the inability to integrate into the campus …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Intensive Professional Development On The Daily Five™ In Literacy Instruction: A Multiple Case Study Exploration, Lori A. Hamilton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case, qualitative study explored the experiences of six early childhood teachers as they implemented a structured, differentiated literacy framework (The Daily Five™) in a rural northeast Tennessee school system. This study investigated teachers’ perceptions of professional development, specifically the professional development components of coaching including ongoing online discussion, collaboration, and reflective journaling, on changing their literacy planning and instruction. Data were collected through interviews, journal entries, and transcribed meeting conversations. Findings revealed that teachers perceived coaching and collaboration as instrumental professional development components that directly contributed to changing their literacy planning and instruction. Both coaching and collaboration offered …

Workplace Spirituality And Employee Work Intentions : Examining The Relationship And The Mediating Role Of Ethical Leadership., Paula F. Soder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the extent to which workplace spirituality was associated with work intentions, and whether ethical leadership served as a mediator of the relationship between workplace spirituality and work intentions. The study begins with an overview of the significant workplace spirituality literature, and a brief overview of work intentions and ethical leadership. A convenience sample of 405 U.S. based adults, employed full-time were surveyed. Using correlation and path analysis, results from the study showed a positive strong association between workplace spirituality and employee work intentions, and mediation via ethical leadership. The findings of the study provided support for both …

Student Outcomes In Traditional, Hybrid, And Online Courses In Community College Career And Technical Education Programs, Thomas R. Sewell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether differences in student course outcomes as defined by final course grades existed between three content delivery methods in career and technical education courses: Traditional (face to face), hybrid, and online. Final course grades in career and technical education courses at one community college for the Fall 2011 through the Fall 2015 semesters were used in this study to compare the success of students in courses employing the three content delivery methods. The outcomes for male and female students and the outcomes for traditional and nontraditional students in career and technical …

To Foster A Culture Of Curiosity: A Hermeneutic Study Of The Experienced Nurse Educator And Student Intellectual Curiosity In The Online Learning Environment, Bedelia H. Russell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Skills of inquiry are essential outcomes from a baccalaureate nursing education. Students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity can develop effective skills of inquiry. Nurse educators must place emphasis on teaching and learning strategies which engage student intellectual curiosity. However, the concept of intellectual curiosity is not well-studied across multiple contexts of teaching and learning environments within nursing education. In addition, there is little known about the experienced nurse educator and the meaning of student intellectual curiosity across multiple teaching and learning environments. With the increased emphasis on online teaching and learning in nursing education as a solution for expanding student access …

Classroom Environment: Content Analysis Examining Characteristics Of Classroom Environments That Affect Students' Academic Achievement, Lucinda Shaddock Bellamy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to extend the understanding of the characteristics of a classroom environment that impact students’ engagement in academics and therefore has the potential to positively impact student achievement scores. Data were collected through content analysis to analyze for reoccurring themes to assess how the characteristics of the classroom environment impact student’s achievement. Ten classrooms within the Kingsport City District were observed and analyzed for this study.

Six research questions guided this study, and qualitative data were analyzed for reoccurring themes. Findings from this study suggest that implementing certain characteristics in to the classroom environment …

Exploring Gesturing As A Natural Approach To Impact Stages Of Second Language Development: A Multiple Baseline, Single Case Study Of A Head Start Child, Guillermo I. Mendoza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an increase in Hispanic English Language Learners (ELL). Poverty levels and lack of teacher training can also be stacked against the ELL population. Gesturing is a teaching technique that is used in successful methods such as The Natural Approach (NA) and Total Physical Response (TPR) in helping ELL students in English comprehension and output. This study examined the effects that increased teacher gestures have on the number of words spoken by the child in multiple settings. Data were collected in the context of a multiple baseline design across three settings. The results indicate that there was an effect …

Let's Keep In Touch : Conversations About Access And Tactility., Whitney E. B. Mashburn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Let’s Keep in Touch: Conversations about Tactility, a project collaboratively organized by social practice artist Carmen Papalia and curator Whitney Mashburn, presents conversations between Papalia and artists selected by Mashburn, in regard to tactile access of the chosen artists’ works. The project aims to challenge visual biases in museum engagement, through dialogue with living artists.

Carmen Papalia takes social practice in a new direction as he applies it to the topic of accessibility. Using the tool of conversation, he creates strategic infrastructural activism and prompts exploration of non-visual perception.

In this thesis, Papalia’s work will be examined and discussed …

What Are Factors Of An Effective Parent And Family Involvement Program Within High School?, Nicole Walsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to the literature, parents or guardians of high school students will participate within the high school—though their participation is dependent on many factors. Parents with a higher social capital tend to be the most involved, while parents with lower social capital tend to be less involved. In other words, generally parents or guardians with high social capital would be much more likely to be involved in their child’s school, whereas parents with low social capital would not be involved in their child’s school at all (Goodwin, Rothon, Stansfeld, 2012). In this study, the researcher formulated and analyzed the following …

Inconsistent Conceptions Of Acceleration Contributing To Formative Assessment Limitations, Gregory D. Kranich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority in light of measures indicating marginal student interest and success in the United States. Just as evidence is integral to policy decisions, so too do teachers depend on evidence to inform instructional choices. Classroom assessment remains a touchstone means of gathering such evidence as indicators of students’ progress, and increasingly, teachers are designing, implementing, and interpreting assessments in collaboration with one another.

In rural Maine, the work of the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP) has enabled science educators to come together as a supportive professional community. We focused …

Parental Involvement: Perceptions And Participation At Critical Moments Throughout The Middle School Transition, Rachel R. Heaton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare the perception scores and the frequency of parental involvement for parents of students who have most recently completed elementary school (entering 6^th grade) with parents of students who have most recently completed middle school (entering 9^th grade) in a northeast Tennessee public school district.

Data were collected by surveys containing a short demographic section, a perceptions section, and a participation section. The population consisted of the parents of 544 sixth grade students from the district’s 2 middle schools and the parents of 578 ninth grade students from 1 district high …

The Evolution Of The Library Media Center: A Study Of The Past, Current, And Projected Future Library Services Available In Johnson City, Tennessee, Johnnie Sue Hawley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to indicate changes in library services available to the citizens of Johnson City, Tennessee. The study covered library services available in educational and public settings for patrons from preschool to adult ages. Librarians in this study all worked in either a public library located in Johnson City, TN or worked in the Johnson City School System as a media specialist in either an elementary, middle, or high school.

This qualitative study was conducted using interviews of librarians to gain their perceptions of the library and their roles within the libraries of Johnson City. …

Educator Perceptions Of Instructional Leadership In The School Improvement Process, Lori Lynne Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to conduct an investigation of educator perceptions of instructional leadership in the school improvement process. Interviews were conducted with educators and an administrator in a small, rural high school in Middle Tennessee. In 2010, the high school was labeled as a low performing school by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE). In 2014, Commissioner Kevin Huffman announced the school was on the TDOE Reward School Cusp List for being in the top 10% of schools based on one-year progress data from the Tennessee Value-added Assessment System (TVAAS) school composites.

Participants of this case …

Factors That Motivate Faculty To Pursue External Funding At A 4-Year Public Institution Of Higher Education, Sharon D. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to indicate a better understanding of factors that motivate faculty at a 4-year public institution of higher education to pursue external funding. The study is focused on examining the relationship between characteristics of individual faculty members, productivity related to external funding, and faculty perception of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors related to pursuing external funding. External funding is a major source of support for research at institutions of higher education. For universities to increase external funding for research along with increasing research productivity, it is essential that university faculty members are motivated …

Facilitating Conceptual Learning In Quantitative Chemistry, Sarah R. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional chemistry laboratory courses have a manual consisting of “step-by-step” experiments; instructions are given to complete experiments, requiring minimal information/concepts processing to be successful. This experience leaves students unprepared for the real-world, where critical thinking skills are needed to conduct research. This study focused on building analytical techniques, conceptual knowledge, and critical thinking skills used to solve research problems. A new quantitative chemistry laboratory manual was developed to transition students from traditional to inquiry-based experiments, requiring analytical method development. Data showed students having less difficulty using the new manual (0.8281 average difficulty) on method development exam questions and experiments, compared …

Teacher Perceptions Of Individual Professional Learning Plans, Jerry W. Ripley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine PK-12 teacher perceptions of an individual professional learning plan (PLP). Specifically, the researcher examined the perceived benefits of the PLP as well as the whether the PLP helped focus teacher learning. Additionally, the researcher examined teacher perceptions of learning activities within the context of the PLP, teacher intent to implement new learning, and perceived impact on teaching practice. Participants in this study were teachers from 16 schools in a single eastern Tennessee school district. All data were collected using an online survey distributed to 525 teachers resulting in a 44% return …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Implementing Orton-Gillingham Reading Intervention On Student Engagement For Elementary Students With Challenging Behaviors., Lauren L. Evanovich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Providing support to students with challenging behaviors is a critical focus of classroom teachers’ success. Finding ways to prevent and mediate academic and behavioral difficulties is a high priority area for both research and practice. The focus of this dissertation is on the effects of implementation of Orton-Gillingham Reading intervention strategies on active engagement for students with challenging behaviors. This study is a single-subject alternating treatments design across 3 elementary school classrooms, that examined the effects of increasing the rate of teachers’ positive feedback and OTRs on students’ engagement as measured direct observations for students identified with challenging behaviors. Dissertation …

Understanding Through Narrative Inquiry : Storying A National Writing Project Initiative., Amy Renee Vujaklija

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry study informed the understanding of a professional development planning process within the National Writing Project Assignments Matter initiative sponsored by the Literacy Design Collaborative. Because little has been written about teacher-leaders in the roles of planning professional development for colleagues, this narrative inquiry used the three dimensions of situation, continuity, and interaction (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000; Dewey, 1938) to explore interviews, large and small group meeting recordings, and email communications among leadership team members during an initiative to plan professional development. Qualitative data analysis included coding of attributes, process, in vivo, and patterns (Saldaña, 2013). Pattern coding …

Your Face Betrays You: A Fantasy Theme Analysis Of Lie To Me, Caroline Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research concerning the consequences of edutainment has revealed that television shows have the capability to influence audience members. As the lines between education and entertainment are becoming increasingly blurred, viewers may not be aware of how watching such shows impacts them. Lie to Me is a popular edutainment television series that educates viewers about the power of micro expressions. Ekman has dedicated a large part of his life to the development of research related to micro expressions. The show’s main character, Cal Lightman, portrayed Paul Ekman’s special talents and knowledge through his ability to detect micro expressions. The first three …

Setting The Agenda For Stem Literacy In Higher Education: A Content Analysis Of The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Maya Abdallah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancing achievement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is a long-standing national concern. The current national agenda, to instill an "all hands on deck" approach to creating a STEM literate citizenry, calls for broadening the scope of inclusion in STEM efforts. A critical population, higher education administrators, faculty, and staff are a valuable resource to advancing this agenda. Under the proposed Agenda Setting Communication Theory (ASCT) model developed for this study, their level of exposure to needed information is an important indicator of their potential participation in this agenda. As the leading news medium for the higher education community, …

Access And Student Success: An Examination Of The Perceptions And Experiences Of First-Year Seminar Professionals At Florida Historically Black Colleges And Universities., Amanda Wilkerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this research was to understand the lived experiences and working perceptions of Florida HBCU first-year seminar professionals. Much empirical work has been done to examine the experiences of students transitioning into the college environment. In contrast, there is little work that specifically looks at the professionals that service first-year students within a minority serving context, specifically Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As a result, the findings of this study suggest that Florida HBCU first-year seminar professionals are active partners in the scholastic success of its freshman students.

Perspectives On Creativity: Theoria, Praxis, And Poiesis, Kathryn Bryan-Bethea

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theoretical perspectives on creativity encompass ideas such as risk, inquiry, resistance to conformity, and attraction to complexity. In response to these philosophical tenets I have organized my dissertation into three distinct but related manuscripts that explore creativity through theoria (knowing), praxis (doing), and poiesis (making). These manuscripts present an integrated approach to creative pedagogy. 1. The first manuscript is a review of literature with the aim to: provide a brief overview of creativity theories; consider an imbricated definition of creativity; and evaluate current empirical research. Research in creativity should provide a spectrum of methods that reflect the complex nature of …

Practicing Teachers' Beliefs Regarding Racially, Culturally, Ethnically, And Linguistically Diverse (Rceld) Students In A Title I Secondary-School Environment, Lisa Sabino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on school-level data that included disparities in discipline rates, Title I status, teacher attrition, and teachers' statements, I designed a dissertation in practice to understand practicing teachers' personal and professional diversity beliefs regarding racially, culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse (RCELD) students in a Title I, secondary-school setting. Four hypotheses concerning type of secondary degree, years of experience, subjects taught, and racial or ethnic background were tested. Pohan and Aguilar's (2001a) Teachers' Belief Survey was administered to 59% of the GHS staff in order to measure the personal and professional beliefs of practicing teachers. I used descriptive and parametric tests …

Second-Year To Third-Year In College: Identifying Factors In The Decision 'Not To Return', Paul Viau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine if there are characteristics that can be identified as predictors in an undergraduate's second year of college that may forecast the possibility of students' attrition prior to their third year. This current research was based on the literature that identified the following variables as impacting issues of retention and attrition between the second and third years in college: Term of admission offer, type of admission offer (Roth-Francis, 2013), home mailing address (Tierney, 2000), gender and age (Schaller, 2010), college enrolled in and major (Graunke & Woosley, 2005; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005), ethnicity …

A Framework For Transforming Elementary Literacy Coaches' Professional Learning, Lenora Forsythe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Elementary literacy coaches serve as one component in a professional learning system to support teacher learning. This dissertation in practice intended to highlight the need for an effective professional learning system for elementary literacy coaches that will enable them to impact teacher and student learning. The pilot study explored needs and perspectives of professional learning opportunities for elementary literacy coaches in a central Florida school district. Findings from the pilot study, along with literature surrounding the topic, resulted in the design of A Framework for Elementary Literacy Coaches' Professional Learning. This Framework utilized components from existing resources to develop access …

Promoting Recovery In Trauma Affected Children: Developing A School-Based Professional Development Tool For Teacher Awareness And Intervention, Ellen Julia Ioannides Asher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of practice addressed in this paper is the need for professional development training in the educational setting on the social, emotional, academic, cognitive, and behavioral needs of students who have experienced a traumatic event. The need identified exists due to the lack of knowledge, interest, and opportunity to partake in professional development training in an effort to understand the impact trauma has on academic achievement and the toll that is placed on the school environment. The purpose of this paper is to review research on childhood trauma, examine the psychological impact on student academic achievement, foster child resiliency, …

The Impact Of Voluntary Prekindergarten On Kindergarten Reading Readiness In A Large Suburban School District In 2012-2014, Brandon Hanshaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the effects of participation in the Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Program are sustained in kindergarten reading readiness for those who participated in the research school district VPK, those who participated in another provider VPK, and compared to those who did not participate in VPK. Select stakeholder perceptions were also gathered and analyzed, to include research school district parents of VPK participants, research school district VPK instructors, and research school district administrators. Academic effects were analyzed for VPK participants and non-VPK participants in 2012-2013 within their kindergarten 2013-2014 school year using the FAIR-K …

A Comparison Of Sixth Grade Student Achievement In Reading And Mathematics At School Transition Year, Julie Roseboom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study contributed information for consideration as school districts determine grade span configuration as part of school design. The problem addressed was the extent to which student achievement may be impacted by the transition from one school to another from fifth to sixth grade in Florida public schools in order to provide data to school policy makers and school district administrators and add to the body of knowledge on the grade level configuration that contributed the most to student achievement in sixth grade. This was a causal-comparative study using quantitative data to analyze student scores at the school level for …

Taxonomy Of Affective Curriculum For Gifted Learners, Derek Cavilla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teaching and learning in the current milieu of standards-based accountability has resulted in a near-exclusive focus on academic growth and development for students in today's schools. This is particularly acute for gifted students, whose label inherently focuses on superior intellectual capacity and aptitude for academic success. However, there is a growing demand for equal support of social-emotional learning (SEL) across the globe. In the United States, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has shed significant light on the power of affective development for school-aged children, indicating that, without it, students are limited in their ability to reach …

An Examination Of The Lived Curiosity Experiences Of Traditionally-Aged Freshmen Pursuing And Education Degree, Susan Kelly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of being curious continue beyond infancy and early childhood. Curiosity has been linked to academic achievement, memory, and lifelong learning. Yet curiosity type behaviors in academic settings are infrequently observed. This is a concern because some of the students graduating from the educational system will be the teachers responsible for fostering conditions that spark curiosity and exploration for future students. These prospective teachers' lived curiosity experiences will influence their future teaching beliefs and practices. Yet few studies have been conducted that illuminate the lived curiosity experiences of prospective teachers. The research question that guided this study was, what …