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The Underrepresentation Of Low Socioeconomic Status Children In Gifted And Talented Programs, Teresa Clark-Massey Jan 2018

The Underrepresentation Of Low Socioeconomic Status Children In Gifted And Talented Programs, Teresa Clark-Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem is children from low socioeconomic status households are often underrepresented in gifted and talented programs. Only a small percentage of these students is selected to participate in the district's gifted program. The purpose of the study was to help appropriately identify and include low SES children in the district's gifted program. The social constructivist foundation was applied for a better understanding of how the environment affects a child's learning and how social factors contribute to cognitive development, which could possibly alter the perceptions of how successful children can be. The guiding questions revolved around the teachers' perceptions of …


Implementation Of A Diabetic Resource Toolkit In A Veterans Administration Emergency Department, Caroline Hairston Jan 2018

Implementation Of A Diabetic Resource Toolkit In A Veterans Administration Emergency Department, Caroline Hairston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. Uncontrolled diabetes and lack of self-care knowledge leads to increased emergency department (ED) visits, utilizing limited health care resources. The practice-focused question asked whether a patient-focused diabetic self-care toolkit could decrease the number of diabetes-related ED visits. The purpose of this project was to reduce the number of diabetes-related ED visits and was supported by the social cognitive theory. The sources of evidence included the facility's ED Information System (EDIS) data and a patient survey developed by the project lead. There were 149 participants (135 males and 14 …


A Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Management Packet To Reduce 30-Day Readmissions, Josette Askratni Jan 2018

A Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Management Packet To Reduce 30-Day Readmissions, Josette Askratni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) signifies a significant public health challenge that is both avoidable and treatable. There was no standardized education offered to the COPD population at the practice location. The scope of the project encompassed standardizing education by developing a self-management packet for the COPD patients. The goal of this project was to examine how the development of a standardized COPD self-management packet enhances the quality of care and strategizes reducing 30-day readmissions compared to nonstandardized delivery of education. Orem's self-care theory and Bandura's self-efficacy concept were used to explain the principle of self-management, while Rosswurm and Larrabee's …


The Role Of Parents In Literacy Development During Kindergarten, Jason Eugene Harris Jan 2018

The Role Of Parents In Literacy Development During Kindergarten, Jason Eugene Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parental involvement contributes to the improvement of student achievement. Although children entered kindergarten with varying levels of literacy development, parents might perceive kindergarten literacy instruction as a panacea for any lacking skills, therefore lessening their involvement in their children's literacy development. Thus, there was a need to understand parents' perceptions of the importance of (a) their involvement in the education of their children, (b) their role in their children's literacy development during kindergarten, and (c) their role in their children's early literacy development as influencing their children's overall literacy development. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of human development served as a guide …


Law Enforcement Formal Academic Educational Hiring Requirements And Deputy Sheriff Disciplinary Issues, Chase Dennis Wetherington Jan 2018

Law Enforcement Formal Academic Educational Hiring Requirements And Deputy Sheriff Disciplinary Issues, Chase Dennis Wetherington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of research as to what impacts law enforcement disciplinary issues. This is important due to the recent emphasis of officer performance and accountability. In 2008, the Southeast Sheriff's Office (SSO) increased their formal academic educational hiring requirement from a high school diploma to 60 college credits. The impact of this increase has never been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to determine through the theoretical lens of Kohlberg's 6 stages of moral development if an increase in the formal academic educational requirement influenced the number of deputy sheriff disciplinary issues. A quantitative nonexperimental study was …


Education Protocol For Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Raegan Elizabeth Quandt Jan 2018

Education Protocol For Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Raegan Elizabeth Quandt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, contributing to rising health care costs and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Researchers demonstrated that aggressive heath measures involving ongoing diabetes self-management education are paramount in minimizing associated complications of diabetes. The management and prevention of diabetes is not standardized and providers within a health clinic in Illinois reported challenges in providing self-management education during scheduled patient appointments due to limited resources and time. The purpose of this DNP project was to develop a clinical practice guideline to be used by all providers within the health …


Improving Health Literacy Assessments In Pediatrics, Kristina Michelle Wright Jan 2018

Improving Health Literacy Assessments In Pediatrics, Kristina Michelle Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low health literacy (LHL)--when patients do not understand their treatment or medications--has been linked to poor healthcare outcomes. Nurses need to know how to assess health literacy (HL) and teach pediatric patients and their families to help ensure that patients and family members can understand and follow health education messages. Evidence-based HL tools were obtained from a literature search and used to create a nursing staff education program on pediatric patient HL assessment and education. The project answered the practice-focused question that asked whether a staff education program on HL assessment and management would improve nursing knowledge of HL for …


Middle School Teachers' Use And Perceptions Of Digital Game-Based Learning, Spencer Vogt Jan 2018

Middle School Teachers' Use And Perceptions Of Digital Game-Based Learning, Spencer Vogt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that digital media and digital games can enhance students' learning experience. However, few teachers appear to use digital game-based learning (DGBL) regularly. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how middle school teachers use DGBL in the classroom and the factors that positively and negatively influenced their choices to use DGBL. Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory framed the study. Research questions examined how middle school teachers use DGBL in the classroom, what they view as positively and negatively influencing decisions to integrate DGBL, and differences based upon the point in their teaching career when they …


The Relationship Between Georgia Public School Educational Funding Sources And Academic Achievement, Rosalind Ray Jan 2018

The Relationship Between Georgia Public School Educational Funding Sources And Academic Achievement, Rosalind Ray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, state educational finance systems are required to ensure that every student obtains an adequate and equitable education. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the financial management aspect of public funding and the consequences of Georgia's reliance on local property tax revenue for financing its public school districts and attaining student academic achievement outcomes. The research questions examined whether there was a difference in student academic achievement levels of economically disadvantaged (ED) students based on the total 8th grade student population, annual property valuations, and median home sale prices during the 2006-2014 school terms. …


Diabetes Management Protocol In The Rehabilitation Setting, Hannah Mottel Jan 2018

Diabetes Management Protocol In The Rehabilitation Setting, Hannah Mottel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus is a growing healthcare problem in the United States. Diabetes affects 1.4 million Americans yearly, impacting the lives of individuals of all ages. One of the most challenging aspects about diabetes is that many individuals are not aware of the impact of the disease on multiple organs until the progression of the disease has reached latter stages. Prevention and early detection of diabetes is a key component of lifesaving interventions including proper nutrition counseling, exercise regimens, management, and patient compliance with a treatment plan. The purpose of this doctoral project was to create a standardized diabetes management protocol …


Elementary Music Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effect Of Budget Reductions On Music Education, Jimmy Michel Jan 2018

Elementary Music Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effect Of Budget Reductions On Music Education, Jimmy Michel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2007, many U.S. music education programs have been negatively affected by budget reductions at the local, state, and national levels. Although researchers have studied the effect of budget reductions on music education, they have not widely examined the perspectives of teachers who have experienced these reductions. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary music teachers' personal and professional experiences with budget reductions, and the perceptions of how their programs, students, schools, and communities have been affected by the budget reductions. The philosophies of Kodaly and Richards served as a conceptual framework for this qualitative case study. The …


Kansas City, Missouri, Inner City Schools' Parent Involvement Policy, Practices, And Accreditation Problems, Gena L. Ross Jan 2018

Kansas City, Missouri, Inner City Schools' Parent Involvement Policy, Practices, And Accreditation Problems, Gena L. Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2012, the Missouri Board of Education took away Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) accreditation status. For over 40 years, KCPS has struggled with poor academic achievement, decreased enrollment and budget, and numerous leadership turnovers. Although KCPS regained provisional accreditation in 2014 and earned enough points on the annual performance report for consideration to become a fully accredited school system, state education officials first want to ensure that the district can sustain its new performance level before granting full accreditation. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to explore parents' perceptions about how the KCPS' parent involvement policy and …


Social And Emotional Learning Needs Of Gifted Students, Derek.Phelan Allen Phelan Jan 2018

Social And Emotional Learning Needs Of Gifted Students, Derek.Phelan Allen Phelan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compared to their peers, gifted and talented (GT) students have unique social and emotional needs. As schools mandated social and emotional learning goals for each GT student, support at the state level was limited. The purpose of the study was to answer the guiding question of how students could benefit from implementing key elements in a GT social and emotional curriculum. The study was guided by Corso's approach to promoting and developing positive social-emotional behavior. Data were collected from questionnaires administered to 32 statewide GT experts. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 of those GT experts. Thematic data analysis followed …


Hypertension Awareness And Health Care Access/Use In Black Women With Hypertension, Marlène Trusiak Jan 2018

Hypertension Awareness And Health Care Access/Use In Black Women With Hypertension, Marlène Trusiak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women in the United States have a high prevalence of hypertension and suffer the most complications of cardiovascular disease. Black women, though aware of the dangers associated with hypertension, have limited opportunity to access health care and or change their lifestyles. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to test if there was a significant difference in hypertension awareness, health care access/use, and lifestyle modifications in Black women prior to and post implementation of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as compared to women of other races. The behavior modification theory guided this study. Secondary data from …


Perspectives Of Elementary Classroom Teachers About Family Volunteer Presence And Student Performance, Rachel Miller Jan 2018

Perspectives Of Elementary Classroom Teachers About Family Volunteer Presence And Student Performance, Rachel Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While researchers have explored various aspects of the family volunteer presence in the classroom, little is known pertaining to the perceptions of teachers regarding this phenomenon, specifically as it relates to fifth grade student reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of family volunteers' presence and its influence on fifth grade student reading comprehension. The works of Patton and of Epstein informed this study. The research questions explored teachers' perception of benefits and challenges of the family volunteers' presence. Data were collected via interviews with 8 experienced fifth grade teachers who have worked with a …


Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette Jan 2018

Phenomenological Dynamic Of How Adhd Student Recidivism Affects Alternative Education Teacher Services, Lisa A. Charette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem in this study involved the student cycling, or recidivism, problem associated with specialized education environments. In particular, alternative education students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are cycling in and out of alternative and regular education at a concerning frequency. This student recidivism problem affects the services of teachers who are trying to transform them into permanent regular education learners. The purpose of this study was to obtain specific information from these teachers, via the research questions, as it applies to the theoretical foundation of Bandura's self-efficacy construct, and methodological design of the study. The qualitative method of …


Relative Effectiveness Of Nutritional And Physical Programs On Young, Rural, Impoverished Students, Dora Ida Justice Jan 2018

Relative Effectiveness Of Nutritional And Physical Programs On Young, Rural, Impoverished Students, Dora Ida Justice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past several decades, childhood obesity has continued to rank as an epidemic, particularly in rural, impoverished areas in the United States. Therefore, researchers have affirmed the necessity of exploring solutions to the epidemic, including the need to develop and implement programs that target at-risk behaviors of childhood obesity. In this quantitative, quasi-experimental study, the focus was to determine whether public school-based programs teaching nutrition, physical education, and dietary choices could increase the nutritional knowledge, physical activities, and dietary behaviors of students attending second and third grade in rural, impoverished communities of West Virginia. The theories that served as …


Association Between Type Of Diabetes Education And Health Status, Limitations, And Healthcare, Starr Michelle Seip Jan 2018

Association Between Type Of Diabetes Education And Health Status, Limitations, And Healthcare, Starr Michelle Seip

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes is an epidemic that has started to capture political attention in the United States because of the devastating health care costs associated with the disease. Researchers in other studies have concluded that additional education face-to-face (FTF) and FTF with alternative forms of diabetes communication (FTF plus) have been beneficial. However, there is very little information on the comparison of the two groups as mentioned above when comparing chronic limitations, self-perception, health status, and healthcare satisfaction as circumscribed by specific demographic population. This study was an investigation of the above variables and explored how specific demographic characteristics (age, gender, educational …


Urban High School Educators' Perceptions Of Pre-Service And In-Service Conflict Resolution And Violence Prevention Education, Sean M. Brooks Jan 2018

Urban High School Educators' Perceptions Of Pre-Service And In-Service Conflict Resolution And Violence Prevention Education, Sean M. Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that conflict resolution and violence prevention education may be lacking within school-based environments. There is a gap in the literature regarding pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education for urban high school educators. The purpose of the study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of urban high school educators' pre-service and in-service conflict resolution and violence prevention education, and the student health-related antecedents that contribute to both. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study emphasized the diverse geographic locations of urban high school educators' pre-service institutions and the perceptions of their pre-service and in-service …


Student Perceptions Of Environmental Quality While Attending Accelerated Medical Technology College Courses, Ralph L. Westbrook Jan 2018

Student Perceptions Of Environmental Quality While Attending Accelerated Medical Technology College Courses, Ralph L. Westbrook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Regional weather patterns in the southwestern United States frequently test the engineering involved in indoor air handling equipment in college facilities. Although an adequate indoor thermal environment has been found to affect student learning, little is known about students' perceptions of classroom heating and ventilation and impacts on learning. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how students in accelerated medical technology courses perceived the environmental quality in their classrooms and discern whether these conditions affected overall gains in knowledge, persistence, and retention in their learning. Fourteen participants from 2 local community colleges were interviewed using purposeful sampling. …


Educators' Perceptions Of A School-Based Antibullying Program In An Elementary School, Jacquelyn Andrea Sims-Jones Jan 2018

Educators' Perceptions Of A School-Based Antibullying Program In An Elementary School, Jacquelyn Andrea Sims-Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying is a problem experienced in schools across the country including in the ABC Elementary School in Georgia, where the No Place for Hate antibullying program is in place to address this problem. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand educators' perspectives on their experiences implementing the program. Bandura's social learning theory was used as the conceptual foundation for this study. A content analysis research method based on that of Yin and employing NVivo software was used to analyze interviews. The participants were asked to comment on three main areas: (a) bullying, (b) useful components of the …


Kenya's Constituency Development Fund, Free Secondary Education Policy, And Access To Secondary Education, Charles Kyalo Nzuki Jan 2018

Kenya's Constituency Development Fund, Free Secondary Education Policy, And Access To Secondary Education, Charles Kyalo Nzuki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The effects of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Free Secondary Education Policy (FSEP) on access to secondary school education in Kenya's Yatta sub-county have not been adequately explored in available public policy literature. Hence, this qualitative multiple-case study was designed to understand the effects of the 2 policies on both enrollment and dropout among secondary school age children in Yatta. The study was conducted in 1 mixed-boarding secondary school and 1 secondary day school in Yatta. The study was built on an adapted Huisman and Smits' theoretical model on dropout among students in developing countries. The data were …


Educating Oncology Nurses On The Benefits Of Patient Exercise, Roberta Anderson Jan 2018

Educating Oncology Nurses On The Benefits Of Patient Exercise, Roberta Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exercise benefits patients with cancer during and after treatments. A formalized educational program is lacking at the project's site for oncology nurses on the benefits of exercise for their patients during and after treatment. The purpose of the project was to address the identified gap in practice at the project's site by providing education to oncology nurses on the benefits of exercise for their patients during and after treatment. The ARCS model of motivational design was used as a theoretical foundation to develop and guide the educational program presented to the oncology nurses. The question addressed in the project was: …


Evaluating Nursing Pain Assessment Documentation With The Pediatric Client, Aziza Alexander Jan 2018

Evaluating Nursing Pain Assessment Documentation With The Pediatric Client, Aziza Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pain is often seen as a primary complaint in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Assessment and documentation of pain are integral to effective pain management, and nurses are responsible for documenting pain assessment. Nursing documentation is essential for ensuring continuous, safe, high-quality care. Evidence shows nurses are inadequately documenting pain assessment and reassessment and not always using appropriate pain scales in a busy, cosmopolitan children's hospital ED. The practice-focused question that guided this project was: How does an educational module and change in electronic health record pain assessment flowsheet increase the nurses' compliance with initial documentation of pain? An educational …


Use Of Antipsychotic Medications In Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease In Nursing Facilities, Michelle M. Dionne-Vahalik Jan 2018

Use Of Antipsychotic Medications In Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease In Nursing Facilities, Michelle M. Dionne-Vahalik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia often require long-term care in nursing facilities (NF) where they may display out-of-character behaviors complicating their care. While antipsychotic medications are sometimes prescribed for NF residents, their use is considered inappropriate for the control of dementia behaviors. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have rated Texas the worst state in the country for the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications for NF residents with dementia. This project was guided by the star model of knowledge transformation with the goal to reduce inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications through NF staff education. The …


Instructional Practices In Holistic Education For Patients With Cancer, Alicia Oberle Jan 2018

Instructional Practices In Holistic Education For Patients With Cancer, Alicia Oberle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During the past few decades, holistic education has increasingly emerged in academia. However, limited research has been conducted on how holistic education impacts instructional practices in real life situations like the well-being of cancer patients. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how a holistic education program impacts instructional practices designed to improve the well-being of cancer patients. The conceptual framework was based on transformative learning theory and learner-centered teaching. This single case study was conducted at a non-profit cancer center in the Western United States which emphasizes multiple dimensions of well-being for cancer patients, including holistic education. …


Understanding The Potential Of University Teachers To Become Unit Coordinators, Karim.Salhani Rafic Salhani Jan 2018

Understanding The Potential Of University Teachers To Become Unit Coordinators, Karim.Salhani Rafic Salhani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current reports estimate that 1 in 5 unit coordinators at universities resign each year. When it comes to management of talent, universities lag behind other industries. The problem is university leaders lack empirical ways of identifying future leaders to ensure the survival and growth of the institution. The purpose of this study was to understand how university teachers demonstrate formal leadership potential by uncovering the main behavioral patterns, personal characteristics, tasks, and relationship-building activities of teachers that enable them to become excellent candidates for leading a department. With the Leadership Potential BluePrint as a conceptual framework, a multiple-case study design …


Rem Initiative To Develop Educational Strategies For Inductions Of Labor, Chandra Evette Jones-Worthing Jan 2018

Rem Initiative To Develop Educational Strategies For Inductions Of Labor, Chandra Evette Jones-Worthing

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inductions of labor that occur prior to 39 weeks' gestation can pose increased risks for the mother-baby dyad. In the target setting, there is a gap in knowledge among the pregnant women about options for delivery, hospital policies and procedures, and what to expect in the labor and delivery experience. Because of this gap in knowledge, the pregnant patient is unable to make informed decisions regarding her needs, expectations, and care. This lack of knowledge has resulted in a 40-50% rate of inductions of labor at the target site, which is well above the 2014 national average of 25%. In …


Social Media Use By College Students And Teachers: An Application Of Utaut2, Xiangyun Huang Jan 2018

Social Media Use By College Students And Teachers: An Application Of Utaut2, Xiangyun Huang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media has been increasingly used in education to facilitate innovative instruction. Mainland Chinese people could not use popular social media platforms such as FacebookTM because the government blocked them. Little research studied social media use by Mainland Chinese students and teachers in the isolated network environment. This quantitative study utilized social constructivism, connectivism, and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) as the theoretical base. Research questions explored the influence of 6 UTAUT2 predictors on social media use intention and the influence of social media use intention on social media use behavior. The study used a …


Measuring Third Grade Reading Performance With And Without Using The Study Island Program, Caprice Mitchell Jan 2018

Measuring Third Grade Reading Performance With And Without Using The Study Island Program, Caprice Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low test scores on third graders' Illinois State Assessment Test (ISAT) is a concern in the Allgood Elementary School community. Thirty percent of third graders are retained because they do not meet the standard on the ISAT. A technology-assisted reading program, Study Island, was implemented to increase reading proficiency. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an improvement in standardized test performance after the implementation of Study Island for the academic school years 2009-2012. Dewey's theory of experience provided the theoretical framework for the study because when students are engaged in hands on experience in …