Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Ministry Participation Through Effective Recruitment And Retention, Lyndon F. Robinson

Education Dissertations and Projects

For many years churches have found it to be a great challenge to staff programs and ministries, and that challenge will become greater. There are many churches that face difficulties getting people to volunteer and stay engaged volunteering. This is a critical issue for churches to figure out. Volunteering is crucial to many ministries in the church. Most ministries would not be able to function without volunteers. Increasing Ministry Participation Through Effective Recruitment and Retention was a challenge The Park Church, as other religious organizations, were facing on a daily basis.

The Park Church (as known as The Park Ministries) …

Impact Of Cheerleading On Postsecondary Career And College Readiness In A Rural Community, Rikki Baldwin

Education Dissertations and Projects

High schools were being held accountable for not properly preparing students for college or the workforce. Preparation for high school students is not limited to their academic experiences but rather soft skills gained through involvement with extracurricular activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of cheerleading on the qualities needed for college and career preparation. This study analyzed the responses of former cheerleaders from a rural high school in North Carolina. This qualitative study utilized a descriptive survey that included O’Neil, Lee, Wang, Mulkey’s (1999) Teamwork Questionnaire followed by two focus groups. Overall, the researcher concluded …

A Study Of Rigor, Teacher Self-Efficacy, And Student Achievement In Three High Schools In A Rural School District In Eastern North Carolina, Katrina Hannon Cobb

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated the importance of rigor and teacher efficacy in relation to student achievement. There are several definitions of the word rigor. Blackburn (2008) defined rigor as “An environment in which each student is expected to learn at high levels, each student is supported so he or she can learn at high levels, and each student demonstrates learning at high levels” (p. 16). ACT/SAT data, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE), and the High School Reform and Work all conclude that students who are college and career ready have graduated …

A Study Of Staff Development And Teacher Efficacy In Implementing Standards-Based Grading At The Elementary Schools In A Rural School District In North Carolina, Brayton Alan Leonhardt

Education Dissertations and Projects

Standards-based grading is still in its infancy within North Carolina. At this time, only 12 of the 115 school districts have incorporated the standards-based form of grading into their system. As school districts across North Carolina look to implement different forms of grading to assess student learning, it will be important to look at the effectiveness of the professional development that accompanies the shift. The research questions that guided this work center around the support needed by teachers during the transition period and the impact of the professional development on their understanding of how to successfully implement standards-based grading.

The …

The Impact Of The Gradual Release Of Responsibility Professional Development On Teacher Self-Efficacy, Elizabeth Head Danley

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the Gradual Release of Responsibility instructional framework professional development on teacher self-efficacy and the perception of its impact on student achievement. The scope of this study was a qualitative study including focus group interviews and open-ended question responses of teachers and administrators who had participated in the professional development in a rural district in the foothills of North Carolina. The methodology included focus group interviews and coding the responses from the open-ended professional development questions. The findings include teacher quotes from the transcriptions of the interviews as supporting the …

An Investigation Of The Characteristics Successful Executive Directors Perceive To Be Most Important In Charter Schools, Jeremy Wayne Quick

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study was a multiple case study to explore the phenomenon of the charter school executive director and the characteristics needed for success. The executive director characteristics directly affect the success or failure of a charter school (Berman, 2008). A variety of studies have researched the skill sets needed for successful leadership in several types of organizations; these skill sets overlap, and the research has revealed how these skills were interconnected. The evaluation of all these leadership skills helped define the skill set needed for successful charter school leaders and can be used by many stakeholders to improve upon current …

Nurturing Potential: The Impact Of Talent Development On Underrepresented Gifted Populations, Sara Newell

Education Dissertations and Projects

Data on gifted education show a clear problem: lack of diversity in gifted education programs. This fact is compounded by additional data showing a disparaging difference in achievement of Caucasian versus minority students. Together, these concepts are referred to as the excellence gap in gifted education. Talent development, or the location and nurturing of potential talent in underrepresented populations, has been recommended in the gifted community as a possible step in resolving these inequities (Ellis & Martin, 2017; Ford, 2010; National Association of Gifted Children [NAGC], 2015; Reinhard, 2016; Thornbury, 2010).

Through an explanatory mixed methods study, this research analyzed …

A Study Of The Implementation Of A Middle School Math Program And Student Achievement, Carla Simmons White

Education Dissertations and Projects

Students who are entering the workplace are required to have middle or high school level skills. Graduates must develop skills in problem -solving and real-world mathematics. The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the extent to which teachers are using Carnegie Learning® for instructional planning, direct instruction, and assessment of students; (b) the extent to which there a statistically significant difference in spring MAP scores of students from spring 2016 to spring 2017 with teachers indicating they frequently use Carnegie Learning®; and (c) the impact of Carnegie Learning® on student achievement in Grades 6, 7, and 8. The …

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Rural High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Meredith Eubanks Lynch

Education Dissertations and Projects

Experts agree best practice in elementary education allows students time for silent reading during school due to the benefits to students in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, this practice typically declines in favor of activities meant to teach vocabulary, prepare for standardized tests, and study novels together as a class to explore and analyze literature, resulting in less reading and subsequently decreasing reading stamina.

Teachers at a high poverty South Carolina high school, recognizing reading stamina as an issue, implemented a protocol described by Penny Kittle (2013) in Book Love: Developing Depth, Stamina, and Passion in Adolescent …

Case Study Of Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Their Current Grading Practices, Shavondra Danyelle Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Traditional grading represents typical grading practices including the traditional way grades have been calculated since the conception of grades. Before traditional grading, there was a time when mastery of content was not measured by grades at all. In recent years, educators have begun to explore other methods of grading in search of better ways to determine student mastery of content. Many educators use standards-based grading methods that focus instruction and grading around the standards students are expected to learn. Although many researchers support the use of standards-based grading, it has not replaced traditional grading methods. Grading practices should yield accurate …

The Relationship Of National Board And Non-National Board Certified Teacher Growth Indexes On Standardized Assessments: A Causal Comparative Study, Pamela D. Porter

Education Dissertations and Projects

The recent demand for schools to respond to accountability measures challenges teachers to increase their proficiency in the classroom in order to develop the unmastered skills of individual students as well as the whole class. There have been several attempts made to establish whether there is a relationship between student growth and teacher National Board Certification; however, opponents argue that National Board Certification may not be an accurate indicator of teacher growth.

The intent of this research was to compare National Board Certified (NBC) and non-NBC teacher mean growth indexes from the Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS). The study explored …

The Impact Of Induction On First Year Lateral Entry Teacher Efficacy, Matthew Tipton

Education Dissertations and Projects

Many states throughout our country are faced with hiring teachers who are not certified and do not have any prior teaching experience. There are various factors contributing to states hiring alternatively licensed teachers: low teacher pay, demands of teaching, and a decline in individuals entering traditional teacher training programs at colleges and universities. From this, induction programs have become more comprehensive over the last decade to improve self-efficacy of new teachers in areas of classroom practices. Teachers who display confidence in classroom practices have a stronger impact on student achievement and eventually become leaders within their school. Improving teacher efficacy …

Filling The Reading Void: Studying Reading Stamina In A Suburban High School Through Action Research: A Companion Research Study, Lindsey Weycker

Education Dissertations and Projects

A common practice in elementary schools is to allow students silent reading time during school. Experts agree this is best practice due to the benefits to students, especially in vocabulary development and reading stamina. As students age, however, this practice tends to decline in favor of activities that are meant to teach vocabulary in isolation and test preparation skills. In addition to these activities, English language arts classes typically read and study novels together as a class for the purpose of studying literary devices and literary analysis. Because of these practices, secondary students tend to read less, which in turn …

Learning From Failure: An Action Research Case Study On Developing Growth Mindset Through Academic Risk-Taking In An Athletic Training Program, Sarah B. Rabe

Education Dissertations and Projects

The employment of academic risk-taking and growth mindset instructional practices in educational fields, though supported in literature, is limited and not commonly documented in the classroom. The purpose of this action research case study was to determine the impact of facilitation of growth mindset through modification of instructional practices in athletic training clinical courses at an Institution of Higher Learning. Constructive failure and growth mindset theories supported the mixed-methods research approach and the modification of instructional practices made during the study. Data were collected through growth mindset and academic risk-taking instruments and through semi-structured survey questions. The data analysis was …

Understanding Video Adoption: An Insider Action Researcher’S Case Study Using The Concerns-Based Adoption Model To Facilitate A Community Of Inquiry In Online Courses, Emily G. Robertson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This research explored how an insider change agent constructs a holistic understanding of a user’s adoption of video to facilitate the change adoption process and establish a community of inquiry in online courses. The case study was guided by tenets of change theory and constructivism emphasizing the personal and collaborative experience of the change adoption process. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) constructs of Stages of Concern (SoC), Levels of Use (LoU) and Innovation Configuration (IC), along with the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model elements of presence aligned with the theoretical frameworks and guided data collection and analysis.

Using five iterative …

Improving Ministerial Effectiveness In A Multi-Site Church, Randa M. Ross

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the modern church, it is not uncommon for churches to be comprised of congregations that worship at multiple locations offering several worship times and some even offering a virtual worship experience. In order to effectively manage Sunday worship along with other church activities, churches rely heavily on their congregants to volunteer in the various church ministries. The need for actively engaged volunteers is only amplified when the resources are spread across multiple campuses. The Park Church is one of those churches presented with the challenge of Improving Ministerial Effectiveness at a Multi-Site Church.

The Park Church desired to improve …

Enhancing School Programs To Support Transient Students, Tiffany R. Lyles

Education Dissertations and Projects

Over the past 5 years, the effects between student achievement and student mobility have increased within the urban communities and school settings across the nation. When analyzing the proficiency levels of students in Grades 3-8, Westerly Hills Academy continues to receive a below average school rating based on North Carolina state requirements. Year after year, Westerly Hills Academy deemed to improve the overall proficiency of the school, yet it was not until 2015 when it became more prevalent that the increase of academic deficiencies stemmed from a population of students within the school setting. This group of students was not …

Catalyzing Momentum For An Emerging Non-Profit, Gregory Shull

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project was to lead The Banker’s House through a strategic planning process. Our overarching goal was to systematically plan for the self-sustainability of The Banker’s House organization. Through the strategic planning sessions, four committees were established as well as sub-goals for reaching toward organizational self-sustainability. The four committees – Program Development, Finance & Operations, Marketing, and Quality Assurance – have own their strategic initiatives and provide an organized approach to measuring and monitoring progress. A new organization mission statement emerged early in the process, guiding the formulation of the committee goals. Over the three-year consultancy experience, …

Obtaining Crla Level Three International Tutor Certification, Meredith Garrett

Education Dissertations and Projects

This summary outlines the process of obtaining level three international tutor certification through the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) at Gardner-Webb University. The Learning Enrichment and Assistance Program (LEAP) provides peer tutoring for undergraduate students and is associated with the University division of student success. CRLA is an international tutoring certification program in which college tutoring centers can apply for level one, two, and/or three certification to learn and apply best tutoring practices. To achieve level one tutor certification, the tutoring center must ensure the individual tutor completes a total of 10 hours of CRLA approved tutoring training as …

Putting Experience To Work: Leveraging Student Attributes And Abilities In The Development Of An Adult Learner Professional Readiness Experience Program, Erin E. Cook

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the project was to provide an opportunity for adult learners at Gardner-Webb University to collectively engage in professional development within their program of study. Specifically, the program was designed to harness an adult learner’s prior knowledge, skills, and life experiences as an enhancement to his or her future professional work.

At the beginning of the project, no established professional development program was available for adult learners. The development of the Adult Learner Professional Readiness Experience Program (AL-PREP) allowed the aforementioned purpose to align with Gardner-Webb curriculum.

Goals, objectives, and data collection methods were established in order to …

Collaborating, Cultivating, Connections, Danny L. Moore

Education Dissertations and Projects

In 2013, Northview Middle School was seen as a focus school with the student achievement gap that had not closed within 3 years, and the main factor was the underperforming subgroups. The Black males were severely underperforming on all core subject areas and creating discipline issues within the classroom environment. At this rate, these students would mostly not graduate from school and end up in the school-to-prison pipeline.

Black male students who have not had success in the regular public schools may have low self-esteem and poor grades and may not be engaged in school; that is the reason for …

Advanced Career Essentials: Lenoir Community College’S Model Of The North Carolina Basic Skills Plus Initiative, Vertricia Leeann Harris

Education Dissertations and Projects

Advanced Career Essentials (ACE) is a model of the North Carolina Basic Skills Plus program that is designed to meet the specific needs of the Transitional and Career Studies program at Lenoir Community College (LCC). The North Carolina Basic Skills Plus initiative was approved and implemented in 2010. This initiative is designed to allow basic skills students the opportunity to complete a high school equivalency credential, an occupational extension credential, and the Career Readiness Certificate at the same time. These students must have a 9.0 grade equivalency score based on the results of the official placement test.

Currently, there is …

Ignite-Ism: Building An International Student Management Program To Improve Recruitment And Support Services, Hazim Naser Almomani

Education Dissertations and Projects

The project aimed to discover an effective way to serve the international students who were already enrolled at a university in the southeastern United States and to provide a unique strategy for recruiting international students. In addition, this project aimed to improve online services as well as provide new services that could help international students in their engagement in the university community. This project is a map for a university to build a strong foundation in both marketing and serving incoming students. Ignite-ISM is a program that supports a new vision in the process of recruiting international students. The project …

Transforming Organizational Climate After A Transitional Change In Leadership At The Unitarian Universalist Church Of Catawba Valley, Elizabeth Lee Braun

Education Dissertations and Projects

In the summer of 2016, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Catawba Valley saw the retirement of its long-time minister and the hiring of a quarter-time consulting minister. In the 3-5 years leading up to that, the church had been experiencing a drop in general attendance, a decrease in overall membership, minimally functioning committees, defunct committees, and low morale.

Applying Morgan’s (2006) metaphor of organizations as cultures, which shows “how organization ultimately rests in shared systems of meaning, hence the actions and interpretive schemes that create and re-create that meaning” (p. 138), and which allows organizations “another means of creating and …

The Inception Of A Prediabetes Prevention Program In County Government, Gregory R. Grier

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the increasing prevalence and high cost of treatment, diabetes places an enormous demand on economic resources. To combat this issue and rising health care costs,Cleveland County Government took a proactive approach and partnered with its local YMCA. The YMCA was contracted to provide Prediabetes Prevention and Diabetes Control program classes to County employees. The programs were designed to (a) decrease the A1c level of program participants, (b) lower health care costs for the County, and (c) provide education about prevention and maintenance.

The ultimate goal of the program was to assist county administration and staff in their efforts to …

A Nonprofit Board Development Plan For The Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council, Barbara Bass Romich

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this consultancy was to assist in the transformation of the Cleveland County Abuse Prevention Council (CCAPC) from a director-led organization (governance model) to a board-directed (support model) organization through the development of an active, effective Board of Directors . The mission of CCAPC is, “to serve as a bridge between being a victim to becoming a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault and homelessness through the provision of safe shelter, advocacy, support services, and preventive education.” After 4 years of securing grants, loans, and private donations through a “Building Hope capital campaign,” CCAPC was poised to break …

Continuing Education Certification Programs For Career-Long Learning: Winston-Salem State University, Patricia Oliver

Education Dissertations and Projects

The Division of Continuing Education at Winston-Salem State University has a service gap in the market regarding career-long learning in the community. Continuing Education wanted to establish a project that would bring in revenue with very little start-up costs.

The purpose of this project was to look atcareer-long learning as a concept in the disciplines of allied health, computer technology, paralegal, project management, and business administration at Winston-Salem State University in the Division of Continuing Education. The need for in-depth education and training in specific areas has been influenced by the shortage of corporations and hospitals in some areas. One …

Moving Forward: Expanding The Digital Marketing And Information Technology Strategy Of A Thriving Nonprofit, R. Chance Witherspoon

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the project was to expand the digital marketing efforts and volunteer reporting and training processes of a thriving nonprofit healthcare organization. In 2015, the organization had an aging Web presence, disparate marketing systems, and inconvenient volunteer reporting and training processes. The project consisted of four central goals: improve website content management and update processes, improve website usability and digital marketing efforts, improve volunteer documentation and reporting processes, and improve volunteer training processes through accessible education resources.

Utilizing a modest budget, the project team sought to improve marketing and information technology processes within the organization by implementing modern …

Igniting The Fire: Creating A Fire Service Administration Program At Gardner-Webb University, Rusty Nolan Graham

Education Dissertations and Projects

Igniting the Fire: Creating a Bachelor of Science in Fire Service Administration at Gardner-Webb University is a doctoral project that created a professional education program for a liberal arts university. During this project, the major issues that were discovered included there was no school or college within the university to house the program, creating and maintaining buy in from administration and the faculty, creating a rigorous academic curriculum, locating the advisory committee, creation of a communication and media plan that would reach our targeted students, applying for approval from our regional accrediting body, and registering students. At the time of …

Finishing The Race: Increasing Student Persistence Among African-American Males At Averett University, Deandre T. Howard

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the rising costs of tuition and fees at colleges and universities, the issue of retaining students has now become more important than ever. Several institutions of higher education spend thousands of dollars annually to recruit and enroll new students. Once enrolled, the faculty, staff and administration all share the obligation of keeping students enrolled until graduation. The more access to necessary resources college students have, the better the chance they will persist toward graduation. Additionally, college students who are engaged within the university community will retain at a better rate than their counterparts who are not.

Small, private colleges …