Digital Commons Network^™

How Do Staff And Families Perceive The Effects Of After School Programs On The Overall School Experience?, Selena Alonzo

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

How Will Having A W.I.N Room For Our Emotional And Behavioral Disorder Students To Access When They Are Needing A Break Affects The Number Of Room-Clearing Behaviors In A Week?, Samantha Streed

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Having the power to create the behavior program from the ground up, starting a “What I Need” (W.I.N) room at the elementary school where the researcher works. This is a sensory type of room with different tools and strategies that the students can use to calm their bodies or as we say have a safe and calm body. This room will be run by the researcher along with a paraprofessional that will be in the room all day to help support the students. This paraprofessional will also supervise the W.I.N Room if the researcher needs to leave to handle a …

Navigating The Digital Realm: Perceptions And Challenges Of High School Educators In Fostering Digital Citizenship, Kristopher P. Daniels

Doctor of Education in Instructional Technology Dissertations

Prior research indicates that researchers and teachers feel that digital citizenship should be an essential part of a student’s education; however, there is a lack of knowledge about teachers’ perceptions of the efficacy and challenges of digital citizenship initiatives. It is unclear which digital citizenship instructional strategies support effective curriculum implementation, enhance students’ safety and learning, and reduce educational disparities. Addressing this gap in understanding is crucial to the ongoing development of digital citizenship education and ensuring that students are adequately prepared to navigate the digital world responsibly. In this dissertation, I examined the perspectives of six Georgia high school …

De-Colonizing Media Literacy: An Indigenous Positive Deviance Case Study Of A Guam-Texas Community Empowering Civic Education For Inafaâ??Maolek Self-Determination, Roque Aguon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

DE-COLONIZING MEDIA LITERACY: AN INDIGENOUS POSITIVE DEVIANCE CASE STUDY OF A GUAM-TEXAS COMMUNITY EMPOWERING CIVIC EDUCATION FOR INAFA’MAOLEK SELF-DETERMINATION

This case study delves into the realm of civic and media education within varied municipalities in Guam and Texas, which, to date, have been underexplored by contemporary Indigenous social science researchers within the dominant white culture. The investigation focuses on elucidating how influencers from diverse cultural groups employ education and propaganda in the municipal public policy-making process, contributing to holistic community development, democratic citizenship education, and social transformation. The primary aim of this study is to underscore the imperative need …

Childcare Organizations: A Qualitative Study On Childcare Leaders’ Perceptions Of The Elements That Promote The Work They Do In The Childcare Industry, Paula S. Polito Mrs.

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Research has often highlighted the positive effects of high-quality early care and education on children's development and the economy. However, the challenge of ensuring access to quality care for all children and understanding the perspectives of leaders doing crucial work on the ground remains. Given the strong associations between high-quality early childhood education, brain development, and positive economic outcomes for those who access high-quality care, my paper introduces a theory of change. This theory outlines a pathway from understanding the determinants of quality in childcare centers, as seen through the eyes of industry leaders, to the implementation of policy changes. …

Assessing The Impact Of Employee Wellness Programs On Healthcare Employee’S Weight, Reja F. Basyyoni

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Over 32% of employees in healthcare are clinically overweight with a BMI over 30. This level of obesity is more significant in healthcare than in other professions. (Aldana, 2021). The growing prevalence of diseases among employees in healthcare settings has increased the concern about their health, well-being, and productivity. (Aldana, 2021). Notably, the reduction of obesity rates holds the potential to avert 40 million instances of chronic diseases, encompassing hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular ailments. (Milken Institute Study, 2022) Therefore, maintaining a healthy body weight or shedding excess pounds is crucial to reduce the risk of developing these. As a …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Technology Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, And Job Satisfaction In K-12 Classrooms, Michele W. Collier

<strong> Theses and Dissertations </strong>

The COVID-19 global pandemic created challenges for educators across the United States and worldwide. Without the skills, prior experience, or preparational training, educators were tasked with continuing to provide instruction (and support) for their students while teaching remotely. Due to these challenges in education, the researcher chose to investigate the relationships between online teaching self-efficacy (OTSE), teachers’ technology knowledge (TTK), and job satisfaction (JS) in K-12 classrooms. Using the adaptive versions of the TPACK survey (Mishra & Koehler, 2006); Teachers'’’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES: Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001); and Teacher Satisfaction Scale (TSS: Ho & Au, 2006), quantitative data …

Educator Perceptions Of The Care And Instruction Of Trauma Exposed Students In A Small, Urban, Christian School., Mitzi L. Phelan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is the endeavor of this research project to investigate how a gap in understanding and communication of an advisory program’s fundamental purpose could potentially impact the thoughts and beliefs of teachers in shaping their perceptions of an advisory program’s efficacy. To this end, the purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of twelve teacher-advisors in two high schools in Shelby County, Kentucky to understand their concepts of an advisory program’s efficacy. Using convenience sampling, twelve teacher-advisors participated in semi-structured interviews, providing insight into three research questions regarding teachers’ beliefs, intentionality, and challenges of implementing a …

Are The Housing Staff Alright? A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Examination Of The Experiences Of On-Campus Student Housing Professionals Through The Covid-19 Pandemic, Megan J. Chibanga

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

College and university housing professionals served a role they were generally underprepared for as long-term crisis managers during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted and shifted higher education operating structures on a grand scale, and housing staff were asked to continue operating on-campus housing facilities throughout the ever-changing response to COVID-19. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of housing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the collective experiences of 21 participants three major threads emerged: comfort in the unknown, a need for connection and community, and relentless resilience. Each of these …

A Narrative Approach To Examining The Workplace Experiences Of Professional Adults Living With Dyslexia, Anna-Maria Jones

Educational Studies Dissertations

A Narrative Approach to Examining the Workplace Experiences of Professional Adults living with Dyslexia is a qualitative narrative research study. The study gathered, documented, and analyzed participants’ lived experiences to improve an understanding of what makes an inclusive workplace setting. The literature and labor statistics recognize that many individuals with dyslexia are struggling at work, unemployed, unrecognized, marginalized, and underpaid. This inquiry is designed to gain greater insight into the existing employment discrepancies. The following research questions guided this investigation: 1. What are the experiences of professional adults with dyslexia in work environments? 2. How do adults with dyslexia navigate …

Lgbtq+ Inclusivity In The Implicit And Explicit Social Studies Curriculum: A Descriptive Exploratory Study In Teacher Self-Efficacy, K. B.F. Francis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive exploratory study describes teacher self-efficacy in providing LGBTQ+ support in the implicit and explicit social studies curriculum in the wake of numerous anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in education in Florida. Four high school social studies teachers from three different Florida public school districts were interviewed to answer three main questions. All participating teachers expressed broad knowledge of their subject matter but could not identify LGBTQ+ inclusivity in their state and district-mandated curriculum. All participants had a great sense of self-efficacy in supporting their LGBTQ+ students but low self-efficacy in educating their colleagues about these issues. All participating teachers expressed a …

U.S. Military Veterans Transition To Two Midwest Universities: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Moral Injury, And Academic Outcomes, Malychanh T. Bartlett

Dissertations

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and moral injury (MI) and the extrinsic factors of the degree of negative patterns of healthy behaviors and negative experiences in an academic setting, the moderating effects of social support on PTSD and MI symptomatology, and the perception of academic success and positive perception of academic experience. Additionally, to examine the mediating effect of intrinsic factors (perceived academic experience) on academic outcomes objectively and subjectively.

Background: Student veterans as non-traditional students face challenges transitioning to the academic environment. Some have underlying mental and psychological complications of PTSD and MI, …

Restorative Practices Interrupted, Celeste Kellar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The initial critical event precipitating the problem of practice at my school was the repercussions of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018. This shooting and the resulting legislative mandates of Florida Senate Bill 7026, led to my administrative decision to adopt Restorative Practices at my school, a school for students with disabilities. Restorative Practices purport to encourage the development of positive relationships, repair and restore existing relationships thereby decreasing the chance of a repeated offense and improving school climate (Zehr, 2015). Additional rationale for the adoption was to address the disproportionality …

Fostering A Sense Of Online Community: Faculty Reflections Through Narratives, Brittany D. Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study will explore how MSW faculty describe a community in online courses and what strategies they use in fostering a sense of community within courses from an online Master of Social Work program at the University of South Florida. There is an imperative need to ensure online courses provide a sense of community to support students for success. During the timespan of an online course, strategic pedagogical approaches to fostering a community are essential to enriching the overall learning experience for students. Many studies tend to focus on the challenges faced when building an online community. Still, the …

The Application Of Memes On English Learners' Idiomatics And Motivation, Fatima Azzahraa Raafat

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students nowadays live in a visually rich world where they continually generate meaning and knowledge through images (Romero & Bobkina, 2017). To satisfy two technology-savvy generations, the Millennial and Generation Z, field practitioners had to generate multimodal environments that include written text, visual images, and design elements from various viewpoints. An effective pedagogy of idiomatics can support second language acquisition (SLA) and idiomatic competence development, that is, idiomatic language and figurative language study (Liontas, 2021, p. 3, 32). Idiomatics should be incorporated into educational programs for SL learners as early in their education as possible (Liontas, 2008). For my study, …

A Descriptive Study Of Louisiana 4-H 8th Through 12th Graders' Perceptions Of Career And College Readiness, Carrie M. Lane

LSU Master's Theses

As youth leave primary education and enter college or a career path, preparing those youth to ensure success has fallen, in large part, upon formal and non-formal youth educators. Encouraging students to apply and complete college has been a focus of education professionals for many years. Historically, gauging college and career readiness (CCR), academic institutions have relied on academic performance in areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics (Mattern, et. al, 2014). The use of academic focused measures instead of student-based evaluation had its drawbacks. While core education is important, measuring soft skills needed for the workforce and college environment …

Global Mindedness And Its Development Across Space And Time: Illumination Of Lived Experiences From Study Abroad Students And Global Educational Scholars, Haoming Tang

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation explores the phenomenon of ‘global mindednesses’ and its development as the idealized pedagogical outcome of global/international education. I consider how individuals become globally minded across their life journeys and through study abroad experience under larger conditions and forces. There are three discrete studies in this integrated dissertation format. In the first study, I examined the biographical and autobiographical accounts of thirteen US-based global scholars presented in the edited collection The global education movement: Narratives of distinguished global scholars (Kirkwood-Tucker, 2018). Through a thematic analysis, I identified five major themes in their development of global mindedness: (1) Experiencing war …

A Queered Exhibition: Lgbtqia+ Artists Expressing Identity And Visibility Through Art-Based Research, Christy D. Paris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Too often museums, galleries, and art curriculum ignore or erase the lives and art of LGBTQIA+ individuals. This exhibition aimed to make the diverse lives and art from the queer community visible. Integrating queer perspectives and visibility is empowering and creates a sense of belonging. Queering the art world can present alternative perspectives, promote diversity, and provide exposure to a more inclusive experience for all. The aim of this inquiry is to inform institutional practices within museums on queer inclusivity and further scholarship on this topic by engaging with the queer art community and public during an exhibition held in …

Understanding And Minimizing School Shootings, Taylor Hammond

Master of Arts in Criminal Justice Leadership

The unfortunate trend of school shootings is on the rise within the United States. The purpose of this paper is to describe a leadership communication plan for a school shooting situation, along with identifying the three phases of a crisis: pre-crisis, crisis response, and post-crisis. It also describes the role a probation officer plays within this topic and the importance of this person in a juvenile’s life. An unforeseen issue with school shootings is how it relates to social media. Social media can be used to bully, harass, and contact others unsolicited. It can also be used for a student …

An Analysis Of Paid Agent Contracts Utilized In The Recruitment Of International Students At University System Of Georgia Institutions, Jeremiah Lee Pitts

Theses and Dissertations

Many colleges and universities view international student recruitment as the solution to their financial pressures, but they lack the ability to effectively reach international markets. While many students desire to study internationally, they lack the knowledge and resources to explore their options. Paid agents bridge the information and opportunity gaps between institutions and prospective international students. However, the use of paid agents is fraught with many dangers. Paid agent contracts govern the relationships between these entities in the absence of regulations. This study explored the paid agent contracts employed by colleges and universities within the University System of Georgia to …

Void Formation In Model Liquids, Polymer Glasses, And Granular Materials, Kai Nan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Soft matter, as a subfield of condensed matter physics, has gained lots of interest from the academic and industrial communities due to its complexity and intellectual challenges. Soft materials, such as liquids, polymers, and granular materials, are widely used in real-world applications like foams, paints, and lubricants. Furthermore, their cost-effective and unique features like extreme ductility also make soft materials suitable for many advanced applications such as bioimplantable devices.

In Chapter 2, we examine thermodynamic cavitation, a transition from liquid to gas that occurs when the ambient pressure drops below the liquid’s vapor pressure. Varying the …

Exploring Expatriate Academics' Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction Relating To Organizational Support At International Branch Campuses In China, Liam P. Duffy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International branch campuses are generally a recent institutional development, especially in China, which has built several campuses in recent years. As such, researchers have a limited understanding of these growing higher education sites. The purpose of this study was to learn more about how these campuses can improve, expand, and thrive, instead of shuttering as many have in other countries. Literature shows a clear relationship between job satisfaction, perceived organizational support, employee retention, and the imperative to support expatriate academics. This qualitative study focused on expatriate academics’ perceptions regarding job satisfaction and organizational support. The researcher utilized individual faculty interviews …

Parental Gender-Specific Expectations Of Their Children In Mainland China: An Intersectional Analysis, Xuan Liu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study examines the impact of traditional Chinese culture and the diverse social backgrounds of parents on their gender-specific expectations for their children in China, particularly in the post-one-child policy era. This study conducted qualitative interviews with six parents in Beijing, who have both sons and daughters and represent diverse gender and socioeconomic backgrounds. Though the study findings reveal parental ambivalence in raising children according to traditional gender roles, the systematic and pervasive nature of the traditional culture within families continues to prioritize boys, resulting in ongoing disadvantages for daughters. This research emphasizes the importance of addressing the challenges that …

Factors Contributing To Recurrent Homelessness Among Single Mothers Using Shelters, Favour O. Akhidenor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building on the long-term benefits of early homelessness prevention and intervention. And scaling up support for single parents with children is essential to improving economic status, good health, human capital, and well-being across all areas of life expectancy. Chronically homeless people, homeless veterans, and homeless families have all been the subject of specific studies. Yet only a few studies have investigated single mothers' return to homelessness (Anderson, 2021). Studies suggest that between 4 and 25 percent of women, who were previously homeless, end up using shelter services again, despite being provided with "permanent" housing (Johnson, 2016). This indicates that, as …

Exploring The Experiences Of Underrepresented Students Pursuing Health-Related Graduate Or Professional Programs, Alison Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many years graduate and professional education programs for the health professions have sought to increase the diversity of their student body to include students from a wider variety of backgrounds. Increasing the diversity of healthcare providers is an essential component of addressing inequities in healthcare. However, despite initiatives to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the health professions, these professions remain largely White and female. Previous researchers have sought to identify the reasons that racial and ethnic minorities are underrepresented in healthcare, and the barriers to persistence and success. Little research exists explaining why men are underrepresented in the …

Feel The Burn(Out) And (Mom)Guilt Of Doctorate Programs Amongst Latina Mothers: A Testiomonio Reflection, Judyann Armijo

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. This research aims to explore the experiences of Latina mothers residing in San Antonio, Texas, using testimonios as a form of data collection; asynchronous interviews were completed to obtain the participants' experiences as they journeyed through their respective doctoral programs. Through this qualitative study, the research provided an in-depth analysis to understand the relationship between motherhood, academia, and culture in relation to advanced degrees. In this study, LatCrit served as the leading theoretical framework, allowing the researcher to understand the obstacles the participants underwent not only as doctoral students but also as the other critical roles in …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Healthcare Professionals Who Are Experts In Cannabinoid Therapy And The Endocannabinoid System (Ecs), Courtney Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis is a prevalent alternative treatment for many symptoms and conditions given its medicinal qualities and few side effects. As legalization for both medical and recreational purposes continue to develop quickly across the United States of America, there is serious discrepancy between legalization and clinical research. Clinical data is difficult since the U.S. federal government still classifies cannabis as a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Schedule I drug with no clearly established medical value. This lag in evidence-base data has affected cannabinoid therapy and endocannabinoid system education (ECS) for healthcare professionals. There are gaps in medical school and continuing medical education …

Examining The Influence Of The Classroom Environment On Motivation, Belonging, And Academic Confidence In Engineering Education: A Relational Developmental Systems Approach, Robert O'Hara

All Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of the classroom environment on undergraduate engineering students by integrating three manuscripts using the process-person-context-time (PPCT) model within Bioecological Systems Theory. Each manuscript focused on students’ sense of belonging, motivation, and academic confidence. The study confirms prior research suggesting a link between students' perceptions of the environment and their sense of belonging, motivation, and academic confidence. The findings highlight the complex nature of student and classroom environment relationships throughout their college experience. Moreover, the results are demonstrated across different engineering majors. Overall, this dissertation highlights the significance of understanding the complex interactions between students and …

Exploring Collective Impact: A Developmental Program Evaluation Of A College Access Program, Diana C. Zakhem

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Partnership was established in 2015 when the Arbor Glen School District, Brook Heights Community College, and Remarkable Outcomes rallied around their common priorities of increasing college matriculation rates in their community. The Partnership created programming that promotes the preparation and transition of students into postsecondary education and the completion of a postsecondary credential. The COVID-19 global pandemic directly impacted The Partnership, including the loss of grant funding, changes in data reporting systems, changes in the delivery method of its services to students, and significant staff turnover. The combination of these factors caused The Partnership’s organizational structure, measurement systems, activities, …

Do-It-Together: Informal Transformative Sustainability Education, Derek Brannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Climate Crisis is an urgent and inescapable reality students are thrust into. Learners must be prepared adequately for their futures, not only for their sakes but also because collective and transformative change is required. Transformative sustainability education provides one pathway to this transformation and focuses on radically altering students’ perceptions about the world and their agency in effecting change on ecological issues. The field of transformative sustainability education is emergent and thus is still fragmented, leaving gaps in the literature. Little research has been conducted on how informal and nonformal university spaces can be used to create transformative experiences …