Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Gap With Old Order Amish: A Cultural Brokering Model Based On Culture Care Theory, Sharon M. Mcgill

Theses and Graduate Projects

The Old Order Amish people have chosen to live a humble lifestyle consistent with their cultural beliefs and values. This lifestyle guides the Amish people in utilizing home based care (generic care) for their everyday health need.s and professional care (Western medical- care) to meet their needs during a health crisis. In fact many Old Order Amish seek professional care as the last resort. The purpose of this protect is to develop a model of advanced transcultural nursing practice that bridges the gaps between the Old Order Amish generic care practices and Western professional health care practices - This model …

Servant Leadership And The Non-Profit Sector, Bruce Kranig

Theses and Graduate Projects

Nonprofit enterprises have played a significant role in society, providing many services to meet a wide spectrum of human needs. Like for-profit and public sector organizations, nonprofit organizations are faced with increased scrutiny of their current way of doing business. Stakeholders are demanding better efficiency and effectiveness from nonprofit organizations. The means to reduce waste in the current ways of doing business, if not led well and done right, will undoubtedly produce a greater waste. At risk is the sustainability of the organizations and the role their programs play in society.

The struggle facing the nonprofit sector and the challenges …

Leadership Competencies In Today's Complex Healthcare Environment, Judy Moseley

Theses and Graduate Projects

The increasingly diverse, multicultural population in the United States is offering significant challenges to nurses to provide culturally competent care. If the provision of the best possible care for all patients is the goal, nurse leaders must have the expertise and skill to lead staff through the complex problems of organizations. Nurses must possess the ability to generate solutions consistent with the organization's mission and with sensitivity to the needs of a diverse patient population. Through the interconnected processes of teaching and practice, an innovative Master of Arts in Nursing program that emphasizes transcultural nursing practice experience for leaders was …

Women Artists And Leadership, Vicki C. Macnabb

Theses and Graduate Projects

Art is a human endeavor with complex associations to the spiritual, social, economic and political realms of societies throughout the ages. From the cave painting of ancient cultures through the artworks housed and guarded within institutional walls, the products of artists mirror the evolution of human imagination and chronicle the assignment of value and importance as determined by hegemonic interests. For centuries, the patriarchal hegemony disallowed the contributions of women artists, normalizing the point of view that their contributions were inconsequential to the history of art and to the movements that heralded each new breakthrough in vision.

The civil rights …

Motivating The High School Struggling Reader, Michelle M. Sorensen

Theses and Graduate Projects

High school struggling readers exist in every classroom. They have difficulty in most subject areas and are deprived of much knowledge and interaction in their educational experience because of this setback. Today, during the age of high stakes testing, a struggling high school reader can be denied a diploma. At the Area Learning Center, a significant number of students attend because of their reading challenges. This study attempts to discover what factors can motivate the high school struggling reader to read more enthusiastically. Through open ended interviews, 14 students share their personal and academic experiences with reading. As students describe …

Graduate Project To Explore Factors Affecting Completion Of Final Degree Requirements For A Master Degree In Nursing, Sharon Gentile

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to explore issues that influence Master Degree completion as perceived by graduate nursing students, using focus groups. All eight graduate nursing student participants recently completed structured coursework, but had not submitted a final paper or project. Margaret Newman's Health as an Expanding Consciousness Nursing Theory was applied as the conceptual framework used to process the information obtained. Dialogue between moderator and participants occurred during accompaniment enabling valuable information to be elicited, and participants' personal clarification of concerns; therefore establishing praxis. Issues emerged related to adult learners seeking defined expectations and effective relationships with advisors. …

The Effects Of Mentorship Programs On Special Education Teacher Retention, Sarah Jane Nelson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Education is considered one of the most popular choices among college majors. Special Education may be one area of the education field that does not have enough licensed qualified teachers to fill the vacancies. What are the effects of mentorship programs on special education teacher retention? The purpose of the study was to look at mentorship programs as a way to combat the low retention rate of special education teachers. There are many factors such as design of the mentorship program that determine success or failure. The amount of time given to the mentorship program can also determine success or …

Exploring The Leadership Of General Pervez Musharraf Of Pakistan, Mahmood Javaid Rana

Theses and Graduate Projects

This paper is a study of the leadership style and qualities of General Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan who took power on October 12,1999. The research is a historical study using data from archives, autobiography, government reports, mass media, and my own expertise as a native Pakistani. While the central theme is to analyze General Musharraf's leadership style, the four questions guiding this work are:

1) What are the demonstrated characteristics of General Pervez Musharraf's leadership?

2) can General Musharraf be described as an authentic leader?

3) What is General Pervez Musharraf's role in the global war on terror?

4) …

Student Perceptions Of Pullout Instruction, Christen A. Bokinskie

Theses and Graduate Projects

The latest movement in educating students with disabilities is pushing toward full inclusion for academic and social advantages. When considering the educational programming for a child, academic performance is only one part of the picture. Students with special education needs may already have a lower self-esteem than their peers, and leaving the classroom for services may exemplify those feelings.

This study focuses on student impressions of how students are affected by special education and receive pull out instruction. Eight students, four in general education, and four in special education and receive pull out instruction were interviewed and observed in the …

Variables Related To Social Service And Justice Advocacy Activities In Minneapolis Area Synod Congregations Of The Evangelical Lutheran Church In America, Mary Simonson Clark

Theses and Graduate Projects

This thesis reports on the initial phase of research regarding the variables related to social service and justice advocacy activities of congregations in the Minneapolis Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. An extensive review of literature from a variety of disciplines and resources provides the basis for this study. Theoretical frameworks pertinent to this work include resource mobilization, ecological systems, and social justice theories as well as the contextual framework of Lutheranism's Christian beliefs. In addition to congregations' demographic and belief variables, the literature emphasizes relational community organizing to develop awareness among groups from the dominant culture …

Speak Up Or Sit Still? Using Student Voice And Service-Learning To Develop Self-Determination In High School Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Michael A. Ricci

Theses and Graduate Projects

Self-determined people possess the skills necessary to understand personal strengths and limitations and to engage in goal-oriented, self-regulated behavior that allows them to successfully take control of their lives (Field, Martin, Miller, Ward, & Wehmeyer, 1998). In contrast, students with emotional / behavioral disorders (E/BD) struggle to manage aggression, impulsivity, anxiety, mood swings, and other disordered thought processes (Minnesota Rule 3525.1329). One approach to helping students with E/BD become more self-determined is direct instruction in self-determination strategies. A majority of educators working with students with disabilities between the ages of 14 and 21 believe "promoting self-determination would be 'very helpful' …

Congregational Care And Support Of Pastors In Parish Ministry: A Social Systems Approach To The Care Of Servant Leaders, Dawn M. Nelson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Congregational care and support of pastors in parish ministry is rarely considered. While there is literature regarding clergy stress, burnout, and satisfaction; studies were not located regarding the active role of congregations in the care and support of the parish pastor.

The church is a social system and can be studied as such. Information was obtained from church communities that are members of the Presbyterian Church USA, in Minnesota. The study will explore pastoral perceptions as well as congregational perceptions to determine understanding and involvement of the congregation in the provision of pastoral care and support. The results of the …

Waldorf Charter School And School Choice, Rebecca Bainville

Theses and Graduate Projects

Students with educational needs are often assessed and labeled for special education. These students receive services based on their specific needs. The federal government has provisions for students to qualify for special education services in eleven different areas: autism spectrum disorders, blind-visually impaired, deaf or blind, deaf and hard of hearing, developmental cognitive disabilities, developmental delay, other health disabilities, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injury, and emotional or behavioral disorders (E/BD). Students receiving special education services make up around 10% of the population of a school. Minnesota students receiving special education services for E/BD were nearly …

Determinates Of Success In An Alc Classroom, April L. Berthiaume

Theses and Graduate Projects

Students who attend an Alternative Learning Center (ALC) do so for a variety of reasons- They may arrive due to a deficit in credit, teen parent status, at-risk of dropping out, or behavioral issues. Once at the ALC many students comment that they are more successful, than they were in their main public high school. This study is an effort to understand what factors take place in my classroom at the ALC that increases the level of success felt by the students. Through open ended interviewing ten students shared their experiences in my classroom regarding the practices that I, as …

Perceptions Of Educators And Paraprofessionals In A Collaborative K-2 Team, Kristin L. Buckner

Theses and Graduate Projects

This phenomenological analysis investigates the experiences and perceptions of paraprofessionals, special educators, and general educators working in a collaborative K-2 team. The study was conducted by researching related literature published between the years of 1998 and 2006, conducting surveys and personal interviews with paraprofessionals, special and general educators, and by examining specific state, district, and building criteria for paraprofessionals. Three objectives of the study were to: (a) clarify educators' perceptions of paraprofessionals' roles, preparation, and performance, (b) compare those perceptions to self-reports of paraprofessionals, and (c) examine the nature and characteristics of educator-paraprofessional relationships. The analysis of data revealed three …

Investigation Of Gender And Upward Mobility Within Institutions, John Stadler

Theses and Graduate Projects

This thesis explores the impact of gender on upward mobility within both nonprofit and for-profit institutions selected from the Minnesota Book of Lists. The emphasis of the study is on women and leadership, and on the factors that influence upward mobility. The study seeks to identify ways in which institutions provide methods to promote upward mobility for women and to discover the ways in which women are limited in their ability to attain leadership positions. The research conducted within this study suggests that there is no adverse connection between gender and the ability to access leadership positions. Instead, the research …

Use Of Superleadership And Talent Management By Administrator Leaders In Institutions Of Higher Education, Kelly L. Anders

Theses and Graduate Projects

Employee turnover is costly to organizations. Leadership and career development opportunities can be instrumental in retaining employees. This exploratory, qualitative study uses content analysis to explore the practices and perceptions of administrator leaders who work in public, non-profit institutions of higher education in terms of the development of the self-leadership skills and talents of their employees, and whether the theory of SuperLeadership and the practice of talent management are used by the administrator leaders in this study. After interviewing eleven administrator leaders, the following three themes emerged about their practices and perceptions of developing and retaining their staff: 1) demonstrating …

Purposeful Mentoring And Healthcare, Joyce Schmidt Dehmer

Theses and Graduate Projects

Mentoring is not a new concept to leadership. It is as old as civilization. It is a transfer of wisdom through the mentoring relationship. Healthcare organizations have recognized and supported the need for mentoring relationships. Mentors possess a combination of attributes that others are compelled to want to follow or work with. Mentors have a keen interest in sharing, guiding and helping others develop. Mentoring may take place formally or informally. A structured useful type of mentoring is purposeful mentoring. Purposeful mentoring in healthcare has an agreed upon purpose between a mentor and mentee. The goal of the relationship is …

No Child Left Behind And The "Highly Qualified Teacher": Perceptions Of Teachers And Parents, Noel J. Raph

Theses and Graduate Projects

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was signed into law on January 8th, 2002. It appears that in an effort to comply with No Child Left Behind, my school district displaced me from my former secondary teaching position, where I taught students with autism, to an elementary, Emotionally/Behaviorally Disordered (E/BD) position. As an educator and parent, I was not properly informed about the educational act, so I took it upon myself to find out more. This paper will look into NCLB and ask fellow cooperating teachers and parents of students in my program what they know about …

A Study Of Hiv Case Management Services Provided To People With A Triple Diagnosis Of Hiv, Mental Illness, And Chemical Dependency, Ericka Lynn Kimball

Theses and Graduate Projects

This exploratory study researched the case management services provided to people with a triple diagnosis of HIV, mental illness, and chemical dependency. Data were gathered to determine what services were being provided and areas for improvement, Information was gathered from HIV case management survey providers and the Minnesota Department of Human Services HIV/AIDS Division. The study found that services were being provided to people with a triple diagnosis. However, case management services need to move from assessment practices to providing referral and follow up services. The social work profession needs to continue to advocate for this unique population while increasing …

Transcultural Nursing Care Journey To Ecuador: Designing A Transcultural Education Course For Registered Nurses, Debra S. Zaffke

Theses and Graduate Projects

This paper describes an educational program for Registered Nurses to learn transcultural nursing care while in Ecuador. The program is based on Leininger's Culture Care Diversity and Universality nursing theory. The project framework is based on her Sunrise Enabler to Discover Culture Care. The Observation-Participation-Reflection enabler from Leininger's ethnonursing research methods is utilized as a technique to learn about the people and lifeways of Ecuador and it serves as a reliable tool to tease out information that relates to the general principles of transcultural care nursing. The paper outlines the necessity of transcultrual nursing education for practicing nurses, the scope …

Employee Resource Groups: A Proposed Model For Employee And Employer Success, Anna Christine Ronovde

Theses and Graduate Projects

Many Fortune 100 companies have established employee resource groups in recent years as a diversity and human resources initiative. Because these groups are designed to provide support and mentoring opportunities for women and minority employees, they are often part of an organization's diversity program. Thus, workplace diversity and mentoring programs were a main focus of my research. A deeper understanding of these groups and what potential benefits they can offer are needed in order to ensure they are as effective and successful as possible. I found that employee resource groups can be a highly beneficial addition to an organization, positively …

The Positive Effect Of Team Management In An Inbound Call Center, Nancy Bernard

Theses and Graduate Projects

The research proposes to investigate if using team management and self-directed work teams or SDWTs in an Inbound Call Center can be implemented. Would a self-directed team work in the confines of an Inbound Call Center? Could converting to a SDWT environment also foster a positive work environment? The goal of this research project is to test the positive and direct correlation of creating a SDWT environment using team management theory within the structure of an Inbound Call Center that successfully meets all quality measures while maintaining a positive work environment. Using a self-directed work team in an Inbound Call …

Full-Day Kindergarten: The Families Perspective, Brandy Anfang

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this study is to investigate why parents choose full-day kindergarten programs over half-day kindergarten programs. Five parents of full-day kindergartners elected to participate in this study. Interviews were conducted with each of the five parents in either their home or a local establishment in the spring of 2006. Interviews with their children were also conducted during the child's school day. Parents stated two major factors in deciding which kindergarten program to enroll their child in: daycare and academics.

The purpose of this study is to investigate why parents choose full-day kindergarten programs over half-day kindergarten programs. Five …

First Line Supervisor Training, Diane L. Lind

Theses and Graduate Projects

Review of training opportunities for newly appointed leaders in the field of Public Safety Communications revealed a gap in current training opportunities for newly appointed 9-1-1 leaders. This Leadership Application Project addresses the need for new supervisors to gain both an educational understanding of the leadership skills necessary for success well as address some of the technical knowledge which is unique to public safety dispatching. The project is designed in short blocks which can be presented in a breakfast or lunch seminar type setting . Each topic is designed to introduce the new supervisor to a specific aspect of leadership. …

The H.A.R.T. Model Holistic Action In Relationships For Transformation, Hazel Marie Barmore Wiegert

Theses and Graduate Projects

This paper describes a project to develop a parish nurse practice model incorporating a nursing theory. This model is entitled The H.A.R.T. Model, Holistic Action in Relationships for Transformation. The nursing theory involved in this project is Jean Watson's Theory on Human Caring and Transpersonal Caring.

Teachers' Perceptions On Implementation Of Rti, Steven Grant Tesar

Theses and Graduate Projects

Responsiveness to Intervention (RTI) is progressing its way through school districts and could be used as a new model for identifying learning disabilities, thus replacing the discrepancy model of learning disability identification. Although RTI was established within IDEA 2005 and the No Child Left Behind Act, school districts are slowly transitioning to thisinnovative, three-tiered process. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of RTI and introduce its use to elementary school teachers. Further, another goal of the study was to ascertain its connection to reading instruction and intervention already present in one elementary school and their views …

Perspectives Of Character Education From Parents, Students, And Teachers: A Case Study Of A Suburban School, Kelly Hillier

Theses and Graduate Projects

Adolescence...an awkward time in your life when you have an abundant amount of energy, hormones are amuck, relationships are budding, identities are forming, rebellion flourishing, developmental changes, boundaries are being explored, and a passion to conquer dreams. It sounds captivating and exciting but it's a time of life that most adults would not want to return to if given the opportunity. Adolescent years can be an influx of the best of times and the worst of times. It is filled with numerous emotional, physical, and mental changes beginning at infancy. As teens learn to harness this energy and handle these …

Awareness And Application Of Differentiated Instruction In The Elementary Classroom Action Research Assignment At A Suburban St. Paul, Minnesota School, Tammi S. Nelson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Differentiated instruction is an educational approach that provides instructional strategies to accommodate students based upon their individual learning needs. In traditional classroom settings, many teachers focus on the needs of their classroom as a whole and often lose sight of the individual students. Students who differ from the norm present in their classrooms often struggle as the instruction does not accommodate their learning style, cultural background or possibly other variables. This research examined classrooms and the use of differentiated instruction. The focus was primarily on the classroom instructors' awareness of differentiated instruction and their ability to incorporate differentiated instruction through …