Digital Commons Network^™

Campus Ministry And Spiritual Self-Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study Of Academic Achievement Among Black Male Students At An Historically Black College And University, Mitchell Stevens

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which emphasizes the importance of self-efficacy in motivation and achievement (Bandura, 1994), provided a lens through which to analyze the influence of Historically Black Colleges and University’s (HBCUs) campus ministry on the development of spiritual self-efficacy and academic achievement among Black males. Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have a long history of providing higher education opportunities to Black students, and they have been instrumental in fostering academic, personal, and social growth (Smith & Allen, 2014). However, little is known about the specific impact of campus ministry programs on the development of Black males’ spiritual self-efficacy and …

Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And Cyberbullying: A Qualitative Investigation Of Teacher Perspectives, Shanda Salvant Theriot

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This qualitative study explored the self-efficacy of middle school teachers as they address cyberbullying in the classroom. A phenomenological research design using a purposive sampling method was used. To understand the teachers’ lived experiences and perspectives on cyberbullying, open-ended semi-structured interviews were conducted with seventh-grade teachers from two parochial schools and three charter schools. Participants completed a demographics questionnaire, which was used to gather additional information regarding the teachers’ background and experience. Seven themes emerged from coding the data collected from the teacher interviews and focus group session: 1) collaboration and communication, 2) professional development and training, 3) support and …

Representations Of State-Recognized Tribes: A Content Analysis Of Social Studies Standards, August Joseph Darbonne

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This qualitative study analyzes social studies standards across the 11 states that recognize Native American tribes on the state level. The researcher seeks to determine the explicit and implicit representations of state-recognized tribes in the social studies standards required by 11 states. Research on educational issues that impact state-recognized tribes is limited and creates a gap in the literature for these communities. This study is significant because it promotes awareness of the lack of representation of state-recognized tribes in the social studies standards and sub-standards of the 11 states that recognize tribes on the state level. Tribal Critical Race Theory …

Here To Stay: Why Black Male Teachers Choose To Remain In The Classroom, Christopher J. Jackson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This phenomenological study explored the experiences, perceptions, and motivations of Black male high school teachers who have chosen to remain in the high school classrooms. By focusing on factors that drove their commitment to the teaching profession, this study aimed to identify key elements that influenced their longevity in the classroom. The study employed a purposive sampling method and collected data through semi-structures interviews using Zoom, a focus group, and survey results from participants across the southern region of the United States. Six major themes emerged from the individual interviews: (1) impact, (2) representation, (3) relationship building, (4) recruitment, (5) …

Emancipation: Centering Black Parent Voices In The New Orleans Charter School Experiment, Nicole Moliere

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This phenomenological study explored Louisiana legislative charter school policies and the extent to which those policies empowered Black public-school parents in the New Orleans charter school experiment (NOCSE). Parent empowerment, the sharing of power with parents, has been a missing component both in scholarly literature and in charter school policy and implementation (Ferlazzo, 2011; Hsiao et al., 2018, Murray et al., 2013). Using semi structured interviews, the results of this study yielded three themes related to Black parent empowerment (BPE) and the public-school struggles Black parents face in an all-charter district. Based on the research findings, this study revealed that …

A Sacrifice For Their Country And A Commitment To Their Community: A Phenomenological Study Of Veterans Transitioning From Soldier To Student, Clarence A. Becknell Sr

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges and lived experiences of former military men and women as they transitioned from military assignments to students in institutions of higher learning. This study focused on identifying gaps in support services that hindered the needs of former military men and women enrolled in higher education institutions. According to a study by the U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2021), former military men and women encountered common challenges during re-adjustments, such as employment, maintaining healthy relationships, and pursuing educational endeavors. Using a descriptive phenomenological research design, the research study gathered information …

Covid-19 & Mathematics Achievement: A Casual-Comparative Study, Jay M. Johnson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Learning loss due to COVID-19 and the digital divide will have dire consequences for low-income students. This study used the Faucet Theory (Alexander et al., 2001) as a theoretical framework to determine the extent that the COVID-19 learning environment impacted the Southern Public Schools District’s African American, low-income, and high-income high school students’ proficiency level based on the Algebra I section of the 2020-2021 Louisiana Education Assessment Program (LEAP) assessment. The researcher used archival data from the LEAP, a causal-comparative research design, and a one-way ANOVA to test the hypotheses and answer the research question. The results of the one-way …

How Coteaching Impacts Student Academic Growth In Elementary School, Sally-Rose Cragin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of co-teaching on the academic achievement of elementary students in English Language Arts (ELA). The current body of research related to co-teaching is primarily qualitative and mostly inconclusive (Hurd & Weilbacher 2017). After the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, it is vital for educational institutions to implement research-based practices to support students with and without disabilities in their Least Restrictive Environments (LRE). This study took a quantitative approach and utilized a causal-comparative design to answer the question: How does a co-taught classroom in comparison …

A Phenomenological Study On Career Ascension And Advancement Of African American Women In Senior Academic Leadership At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Meka Francis

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The U. S. Department of Labor Statistics (2018) reported that there were more than 10 million (53%) African American women in the civilian labor force. However, there is a growing concern of African-American women who are underrepresented in higher educational leadership. There are only few studies that focus on the barriers and challenges that African American women encounter. These barriers prevent them from advancing and ascending in positions of higher education leadership. This phenomenological study explored their perceived personal and professional challenges regarding race and gender, as well as highlighted strategies, employed by African-American women in senior academic leadership positions, …

Heteronormativity And Teacher Effectiveness: Parent’S Perspectives Of Importance, Ryan Marcus Asprion

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Heteronormativity is the presumed acceptance of culturally determined gender roles about heterosexuality and what expectations society considers as “natural” or “normal” (Habarth, 2015). United States schools are primarily heteronormative (Dinkins & Englert, 2015). The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 required school districts to employ “highly qualified” teachers in all core subject areas by the 2005-06 school year. Defining “highly qualified” relates to the quality of the teachers training and certifications, never mentioning sexuality or lifestyle as a component. Using a critical queer theory approach and narrative research study analysis, this study sought perspective from parents of K-12 students …

From Deficit To Strength: The Educational Influence Of Single Black Mothers On Their Sons’ Academic Achievement, Tyre’ D’Vallion Jenkins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of single Black mothers’ in supporting their sons’ academic achievement and to better understand their overall success. Historically, research that has been conducted on single Black mothers is viewed from a deficit lens (Copeland, 1977; Grier & Cobbs, 1968; Karon, 1958; Moynihan, 1965; Pettigrew, 1964). The role of single Black mothers has been grossly misunderstood, insinuating that they would be economically poor, uneducated, and lacked effective parenting skills. This study incorporated phenomenological and narrative methodologies, such as semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and observational field notes to capture the participants’ …

Case Study Of Special Educator's Pegagogical Practices Beyond Year One Of Teacher Residency., Ryan Derek Derousselle

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 in conjunction with Teacher Quality Partnerships requires university-based teacher education programs to develop and sustain highquality teachers (United States Department of Education, 2017). Teaching is a science grounded in a body of literature supported by effective research-based techniques. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine co-teaching influences on the first-year teaching practices of special educators trained in a university-based teacher residency program. Specifically, this study investigated which co-teaching strategies, if any, did special education residents implement as the teacher of record. Through the lens of social development theory, this research …

The Impact Of Trust And Organizational Commitment On Professional Development Intention Among Community College Faculty: A Grounded Theory Approach, Malene Lalla Arnaud

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Faculty are integral in designing an environment that allows students to succeed. The landscape of community colleges has changed with an increase in technology and evolving student populations. Professional development is necessary to allow faculty to adapt to the current and future landscape of community college education. The purpose of this research study is to explore the reasons why community college faculty do not participate in professional development through grounded theory inquiry. This research focuses on the trust relationship between faculty members and administrators and the faculty’s organizational commitment to professional growth. The researcher investigated the following research questions using …

The Impact Of Unified Enrollment On School Choice For Parents Of Students With Disabilities: A Phenomenology Of Real Choice, Bridget Denise Harris

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate the effects of a unified enrollment system on school choice for parents of students with disabilities in a charter-dominant school district. Previous research indicated that charter schools provide parents with enrollment choices outside of the traditional public school (Rhim & McLaughlin, 2000; Finn, Caldwell & Raub, 2006).

This study was conducted in an urban, southeastern district that transitioned from a traditional school district to a district of independent charter schools. Research questions examined the availability of resources for parents to identify and receive placement in schools that are appropriate for meeting …

The Gifted Transition: A Phenomenological Case Study Examination Of Preparation Strategies Utilized By General Education Inclusion Teachers, Jawan Brown Alexander

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

If the United States is going to remain globally relevant and competitive with other nations, educational leaders should consider investing in their brightest students. According to the National Association for Gifted Students (2018), education officials are not investing in gifted education at the same rate or to the same extent that they are financing other areas of special education. Public education policy provides special needs learners with required instructional support and accommodation through mandatory supplemental funding; however, gifted students on the other end of the special education spectrum, also requiring and benefiting from intervention and accommodation, do not receive the …

Early-Childhood Computer-Based Testing: Effects Of A Digital Literacy Intervention On Student Confidence And Performance, Benjamin-David Christopher Legrand

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

Early-childhood digital students grow up in a fast-evolving age of technology requiring them to use and create with technologies and demonstrate core content knowledge. Although third grade students are mandated to master a new language of standardized testing, a large percentage must also learn a language of technology to complete new computer-based tests to measure content mastery. Krashen (1982) defines high affective filter as negative emotional/motivational factors interfering with understanding and cognition. This high affective filter reduces confidence and negatively impacts measuring content mastery on new computerbased tests. Two third grade classrooms at a high-poverty metropolitan school participated in a …

The School Counselor Experience: Understanding Variables That Create The Alignment Between The Current School Counselor Role And The Activities Outlined By American School Counselor Association, Candace Marie Williams

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This study investigated the alignment between the school counselor's role as actualized in schools and as outlined by the American School Counselor Association. The study examined preservice school counselor training, and current school counselor practices to identify barriers that challenge the counselor's ability to meet the needs of the whole child. The study answered four questions: 1) If perceived discrepancies exist between actual school counselor roles and ASCA crafted activities, what are the discrepancies? 2) How do the discrepancies between actual school counselor roles and ASCA job activities happen? 3) How do school counselor duties and time spent align with …

Interrupting The Patterns: A Phenomenological Study Of African American Women Re-Purposing Leadership Via The Intersectionality Of Plato And Critical Race Theory, Roslyn R. Hartman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This phenomenological qualitative research explored the effects of race and gender on the capacity of five African American women leaders. Although women are occupying more top posts in the American workforce, leadership opportunities for African American women remain elusive despite record post-secondary degree attainment. The purpose of the study was to examine how each woman navigated leadership and derived meaning from the journey through the metaphorical lens of Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave,” and the intersectionality of Critical Race Theory. The researcher collected data via questionnaires and interviews. Results of the analysis revealed four themes: leadership etiquette, leadership preeminence, …

Hope For Transformation: The Metaphorical Broken Window That Distinguishes High-Poverty, Low-Performing Schools From High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools., Tania P. Coleman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

This study examined the phenomenon of the difference between high-poverty, low-performing schools and high-poverty, high-performing (H-P/L-P & H-P/H-P schools through the metaphorical lens of Kelling and Wilson's 1982 Criminal Justice Broken Windows Theory. The Broken Windows Theory describes the norm-setting and beckoning effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime. Previous research found that H-P/H-P schools had a collaborative school culture. This research used elements of school culture as metaphorical broken windows. The study employed a cross-sectional phenomenology mixed methods design to examine school performance scores, school routines and school culture. Results indicate that when students experienced unstable enrollment, …