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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Curriculum

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Curriculum And Instructional Strategies To Strengthen A Smoking Cessation Intervention Program, Therese Lynetta Burrell Prehay Mar 2024

Curriculum And Instructional Strategies To Strengthen A Smoking Cessation Intervention Program, Therese Lynetta Burrell Prehay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a British Overseas territory, a smoking cessation program was implemented in 2014 and had not been evaluated since inception. The problem that was addressed in this study was that despite the implementation of the “I Can Quit” program, it was unknown which curriculum and instructional strategy interventions participants thought were useful in supporting smoking cessation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the “I Can Quit” participants’ perspectives on the curriculum and instructional strategies used to support the smoking cessation intervention. With Knowles’s adult learning theory as the conceptual framework, participants’ perspectives on the curriculum and …


Comparison Of Rural Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgment After Curriculum Change, Karen Bowen Jan 2023

Comparison Of Rural Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgment After Curriculum Change, Karen Bowen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New graduate nurses often lack adequate clinical judgment skills to practice competent nursing care, which may result in increased risk of committing practice errors that threaten patient safety. To mitigate errors in patient safety, industry leaders have called for nursing program improvements in preparation of nursing students’ clinical judgement as they transition to professional practice. Guided by Tanner’s clinical judgment theory, the rural state nursing programs in this study implemented a concept-based curriculum to promote clinical judgment which includes thinking skills, priority setting, and management of care. The purpose of this three-part, quantitative, nonexperimental study was to compare the development …


Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover Jan 2023

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …


Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover Jan 2023

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …


Comparison Of Rural Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgment After Curriculum Change, Karen Bowen Jan 2023

Comparison Of Rural Associate Degree Nursing Students’ Clinical Judgment After Curriculum Change, Karen Bowen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New graduate nurses often lack adequate clinical judgment skills to practice competent nursing care, which may result in increased risk of committing practice errors that threaten patient safety. To mitigate errors in patient safety, industry leaders have called for nursing program improvements in preparation of nursing students’ clinical judgement as they transition to professional practice. Guided by Tanner’s clinical judgment theory, the rural state nursing programs in this study implemented a concept-based curriculum to promote clinical judgment which includes thinking skills, priority setting, and management of care. The purpose of this three-part, quantitative, nonexperimental study was to compare the development …


Grade 6 To 8 Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of Implementing Project-Based Learning, Christian Smoke Jan 2023

Grade 6 To 8 Science Teachers’ Perceptions Of Implementing Project-Based Learning, Christian Smoke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project-based learning (PjBL) instruction is an inquiry-based method that is beneficial to student achievement and their exploration of 21st-century learning skills, but there is a gap in the literature about how Grades 6 to 8 teachers feel about PjBL and its implementation. The research problem was science teachers in the United States were not consistently implementing project-based learning strategies as an instructional method to support students’ learning and academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore Grades 6 to 8 science teachers’ perceptions about the implementation of project-based learning instruction to support science education. The conceptual framework for …


Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover Jan 2023

Private School Faculty Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction, Rebecca Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction focuses on students’ readiness, interests, learning styles, and life circumstances, rather than a set curriculum. The perceptions faculty have about differentiated instruction can impact their willingness and ability to implement the practice in their classroom. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore, in a private school in a south-central U.S. state, middle school teachers’ perceptions of, expectations about, and experiences with differentiated instruction. The conceptual framework that guided the study was Tomlinson’ s instructional differentiation philosophy supported by empirical research on differentiated instruction as effective. Six middle school English, history, science, and math teachers completed …


Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz Jan 2021

Instructional Practices Associated With Science Proficiency Of English Language Learners, Sherly Yadira Soto-Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe study addressed the gap in fifth-grade science proficiency between English language learners (ELLs) enrolled in two different science programs in a large school district in the Southeast United States. The Inspire program was implemented in 125 schools, while a combination of Inspire and Promoting Science among English Language Learners (PSELL) developed to facilitate science learning for non-English learners, was implemented in 25 schools. A concurrent mixed-methods case study design was used to examine how instructional practices of each program were (1) aligned with the instructional framework of the Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol (SIOP), (2) how the two programs supported …


Development Of A Pilot Training Program For Middle School Students To Reduce End-User Cyber Vulnerabilities, Connie D. Howard Jan 2021

Development Of A Pilot Training Program For Middle School Students To Reduce End-User Cyber Vulnerabilities, Connie D. Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study contributes to the limited body of knowledge on cybersecurity in middle schools beyond awareness programs. The purpose was to develop a pilot training module for middle school students comprising an analysis of public documents to examine what topics should be included in a pilot training program to reduce problematic cyber practices. Attitude functional theory was used as the conceptual framework to provide insights into the process of persuading a positive behavioral change in a targeted group that is sustainable. A systematic analysis of national, state, and local public documents was conducted to compare practices, including a K–12 …


Educators’ Perspectives Regarding Challenges Implementing The Highscope Curriculum And Support Needed, Charmaine Christopher Jan 2021

Educators’ Perspectives Regarding Challenges Implementing The Highscope Curriculum And Support Needed, Charmaine Christopher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSince 2008, the Ministry of Education in Grenada, where this study took place, started curriculum reform with the implementation of the HighScope curriculum in preschools. The problem is that many teachers faced challenges implementing the HighScope curriculum. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of early childhood educators about challenges when implementing the HighScope curriculum, which involves balancing child-initiated and teacher-directed activities, and the support they need for executing the curriculum effectively. The conceptual frameworks that guided the study were Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Both theories reinforce the need for …


Prekindergarten Practitioners’ Perspectives Of The Creative Curriculum For At-Risk Students, Navine Fortune Jan 2020

Prekindergarten Practitioners’ Perspectives Of The Creative Curriculum For At-Risk Students, Navine Fortune

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Investigators have addressed elementary practitioners’ perspectives concerning the concept of curriculum development and children’s learning; however, much less information is available on prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of curriculum for at-risk prekindergarten students. This basic qualitative study explored prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of self-efficacy, competence, and motivation in the implementation of The Creative Curriculum for Preschool Program with at-risk students in a southeastern state. The theories of constructivism and self-efficacy guided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on prekindergarten practitioners’ perspectives of self-efficacy, competency, and motivation during implementation of the curriculum. Data were collected using in-depth semistructured interviews with …


Museum Educators' Processes For Creating Inclusive Curricula On American Slavery, Dawn Chitty Jan 2020

Museum Educators' Processes For Creating Inclusive Curricula On American Slavery, Dawn Chitty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To close a gap in the literature, this study sought to develop a deeper understanding of the processes museum educators use to create inclusive curricula on American slavery. The research design was a qualitative, descriptive, multicase study using data collected from a purposefully selected sample of museum educators, along the Eastern Seaboard region of the United States, who had previously created inclusive curricula on slavery. Null's radical curriculum theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. Individual interviews of 11 museum educators were recorded, transcribed, and coded in two cycles, using in vivo and pattern coding methods. Additionally, examples of …


How Teachers And Counselors Collaborate Formally And Informally To Improve The Precollege Curriculum, Amanda Williams Jan 2020

How Teachers And Counselors Collaborate Formally And Informally To Improve The Precollege Curriculum, Amanda Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers and counselors in a large suburban district in the Southeastern United States strive to collaborate to equip students with key skills needed to succeed in their first year of college. The problem is that little was known about the collaborative challenges teachers and counselors faced as they implemented the precollege curriculum in secondary schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how teachers and counselors collaborate formally and informally to improve the precollege curriculum as recommended by the guidelines of the American School Counselor Association and adopted by the local district. Knowles’s theory of andragogy provided …


Exploring The Use Of Learner-Centered Instruction With English Language Learners In Social Studies Classrooms, Taraneh Sabouri Jan 2020

Exploring The Use Of Learner-Centered Instruction With English Language Learners In Social Studies Classrooms, Taraneh Sabouri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLearner-centered instructional strategies in social studies are currently ineffective in meeting the learning needs of the ELL population in an urban school in the northeastern United States. Despite English language learner (ELL) supplemental instruction on Saturdays and evenings and professional development for teachers, strategies being used to deliver curriculum have had a marginal effect on learning for ELL students, and the local school board supported the importance of exploring this problem. The purpose of this instrumental case study was to explore the learner-centered instructional practices used at the study site and how teachers are using Weimer’s learner-centered framework to engage …


High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Jeffrey Allen Hinton Jan 2020

High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Jeffrey Allen Hinton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem at the local site was a gap in practice in that teachers were not using culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) in their delivery of lessons, which may have contributed to an achievement gap between European American and Asian American students and African American and Latinx students. This problem was important because local ACT results indicated that a significant achievement gap existed between these student populations. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ use of CRP, which may serve to mitigate the achievement gap. The conceptual framework for this study was self-determination theory. The research questions focused on …


Perceptions Of Curriculum Quality Management In A Multicampus Community College District, Cathy Donald-Whitney Jan 2020

Perceptions Of Curriculum Quality Management In A Multicampus Community College District, Cathy Donald-Whitney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college systems must create and maintain curriculum quality management processes and mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of curricula as mandated by state accountability measures. This basic qualitative study was employed to understand the perceptions of members of a curriculum quality management team at a multicampus community college district. Senge's learning organization theory and tenets of Gronn's distributive leadership principles guided this study. Semistructured interviews were used as the data collection method to examine perceptions of 8 full-time curriculum team members at a multicampus community college district in the southwestern United States about the organization, collaborative formats, and governing procedures …


Homeschooling Parents' Perceptions Of Resources For Curriculu Development, Vance Tasker Bradford Jan 2018

Homeschooling Parents' Perceptions Of Resources For Curriculu Development, Vance Tasker Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeschooling families in the state of Texas face challenges when developing their children's learning curriculum as they attempt to address state mandates with only limited guidelines for developing effective curricula and evaluation strategies to measure student learning. The resulting problem is that homeschooling parents are left to develop their curricula with little guidance. The absence of such guidance may create undue pressure for both the homeschooling parent and their child, while simultaneously creating the possibility of limiting student achievement. The purpose of the project study was to explore the challenges parents face in developing their homeschool curriculum in the state …


How Rural Educators Implement Common Core State Standards, Karen Jaclyn Toavs Jan 2017

How Rural Educators Implement Common Core State Standards, Karen Jaclyn Toavs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementation of the common core state standards began in 2010 for public school districts across the United States, and research about the impact of these standards on teaching and learning in smaller rural schools is limited. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to describe how K-12 English language arts teachers in rural remote schools integrated the common core state standards into curriculum, as defined by Aoki's theory about planned and lived curriculums, which formed the conceptual framework for this research. Participants included 8 K-12 English language arts teachers from 2 rural remote public school districts located in …


Career And Technical Education Completers' Perspectives Of College And Career Readiness, Dandi Daniels Jan 2016

Career And Technical Education Completers' Perspectives Of College And Career Readiness, Dandi Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a southeast United States high school career center, career and technology education (CTE) programs failed to meet the state career and college readiness benchmarks. Meeting these benchmarks is necessary for students who transition from high school to the workplace or a postsecondary education program. Bandura's social learning theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. The purpose of this bounded, qualitative case study was to explore students' perspectives of their career and college readiness or nonreadiness after completing a CTE program. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 10 participants who had completed a vocational technical center (VTC) CTE …


The Experiences Of Middle School Teachers With Integration Of Digital Media Into The Curriculum, Martha Sue Brothers Jan 2016

The Experiences Of Middle School Teachers With Integration Of Digital Media Into The Curriculum, Martha Sue Brothers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle school teachers at a school district integrated digital media into the math and literacy curriculum by using programs such as Success Maker and Reading 180 in the classroom. Teachers received training on best practices for integrating digital media in their teaching. No research had been conducted to examine the experiences of these middle school teachers with the integration of digital media into the curriculum. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to address that gap. The research questions focused on teachers' outlooks on digital media as a teaching tool and the instructional strategies they used. The conceptual framework …


Internet Technology As A Means Of Delivering Reading Instruction In The Content Areas, Kimberly Rose Pintok Jan 2016

Internet Technology As A Means Of Delivering Reading Instruction In The Content Areas, Kimberly Rose Pintok

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to students not meeting minimum proficiency levels in reading, a central Florida middle school that was rated an A school for 4 years consecutively dropped to a B rating during the 2012-2013 school year and was 10 points away from dropping to a C rating in the 2013-2014 school year. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe classroom implementation of Internet technology in a middle school classroom in an attempt to address the steady decline in reading scores. Guided by Piaget, Dewey, and Vygotsky's social constructivist view of education, this study explored if and how teachers used …


The Role Of Local History In The Curriculum At A Rural, Southeastern Community College, Sandra Lee Walker Jan 2015

The Role Of Local History In The Curriculum At A Rural, Southeastern Community College, Sandra Lee Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local history knowledge informs citizens of the political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of their communities. Community colleges are uniquely situated to address citizens' educational needs because of their historic mission to serve local people. The problem at a rural college located in a southeastern region of the United States was the perception of a lack of local history in the curriculum. Dewey, Schon, Brookfield, and Mezirow's perspectives on reflection guided this case study. Two research questions focused on how faculty and staff at the college perceived the role of local history and its relationship to the curriculum and how …


Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler Jan 2015

Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of literacy has expanded to include understanding and effective utilization of information, media, and technology. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires school districts to teach proper online use and behavior. The lack of a technology requirement in a rural, public school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania that meets the needs of 21st century learners and the conditions of the Children's Internet Protection Act was the rationale for the development of this project study. The study's conceptual framework stemmed from theories related to new literacies, multimodality, computer education practices, and millennial learners. The research questions examined educators' perceptions of topics …


Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald Jan 2015

Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology integration continues to be a professional development concern, especially in elementary schools. It remains unclear why there is a difference between how teachers talk about using technology and how they apply it in teaching reading. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development options that would help teachers connect theory to practice by studying their decision-making process. The conceptual framework was based on elements of the knowing-doing gap and reflective practices. The research questions explored (a) the decision-making process, (b) reflective practices used during decision-making, (c) professional development that facilitates closing the knowing-doing gap, and (d) recommendations …