Digital Commons Network^™

Job Satisfaction And Stress Level Of The Occupational Health Nurse, Angela Ballard

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Occupational health nursing is a specialized field of nursing, employing only about 1% of total U.S. nurses (Moore & Moore, 2014). For this reason, it is often difficult to recruit prospective occupational health nurses (OHN). The need for OHN has grown in the auto industry in 2014 and 2015 due to increased production rates. It is important to determine whether or not current OHN, specifically in the auto manufacturing field, are satisfied and plan to stay in their current positions. Identifying reasons for job stress and job satisfaction helps leadership to correct deficiencies and develop and maintain a positive work …

The Correlation Between Satisfaction With Nursing Orientation And The Number Of Preceptors Utilized, Alessia H. Parker

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The satisfaction of new graduate nurses with hospital orientation may impact job satisfaction, retention, and the ability of healthcare facilities to develop proficient nurses. Preceptors are an integral part of nursing orientation and the use of one or multiple preceptors during new graduate nurse orientation is discussed in previous research studies with varying results. Some study participants value using a minimal number of preceptors, while other new graduate nurses enjoy the variety of having multiple preceptors. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the effect of orienting with one or multiple preceptors on the degree of satisfaction with the …

An Investigation Of Fine Arts Integration Practices In The Generalist Elementary Classroom, Lori L. Deal-Flynn

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study focuses on the bidirectional relationship between the environment, behaviors, and personal factors and their effects on fine arts integration practices in the generalist elementary classroom. There were three driving questions for this study: (1) How do environmental factors impact fine arts integration in the generalist elementary teachers’ classroom instruction; (2) How do behaviors impact fine arts integration in the generalist elementary classroom; and (3) How do teachers’ personal factors impact arts integration in the generalist elementary classroom? To answer these questions a modified version of Teaching with the Arts Survey (Oreck, 2001) was used along with open-ended questions …

A Study Of The Self-Determination Of High School Students In A Blended Learning Environment And Meeting The Goals For 21st Century Student Outcomes, Vincent Keith Wilks

Education Dissertations and Projects

The 21st century has ushered Generation Z into every educational setting. Their expectations for how, where, and how fast they learn are as diverse their world views. With the use of electronic, mobile learning devices increasing each year, there is a noted deficiency in research to provide insight into how this computer-based learning is impacting students in high schools.

In this investigation, a self-paced, internet-based instructional program is utilized by students in a brick-and-mortar location with a certified teacher as well as anywhere the student has an internet connection and a computer device.

An internet based, five-part Likert scale survey …

Do I Belong? Impact Of Positive Psychology Practice Implementation On Teacher Practice And At-Risk Students' Academic Engagment, Amanda Lyn Swartzlander

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study focused on the implementation of teaching practices targeted to impact self-perceptions of competence, belonging, usefulness, potency, and optimism (CBUPO) (Sagor & Cox, 2013) in at-risk students. The literature surrounding CBUPO focuses on strategies for implementation. However, gaps in the literature exist in researching changes in student perception, teacher practice after incorporating these strategies in their classrooms, and strategy impact on academic engagement of at-risk students. The study is driven by the main research question, “in what ways are student self-perceptions of CBUPO impacted by targeted teaching practices?” In order to inform this inquiry, specific teaching strategies were implemented …

Instructional Coaches' Perceptions Of The Extent To Which Varied Professional Learning Experiences Impact Their Efficacy, Magdalena Steytler

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the limited body of research on the factors that impact the ability of instructional coaches to be highly effective in their multi-faceted roles. Specifically, the study examined the perceptions of instructional coaches regarding the effectiveness of varied professional learning experiences in addressing their own professional development needs and how instructional coaches interpreted their role and function as well as the knowledge and skills they deemed essential in performing their duties.

This mixed- methods study was conducted in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, it involved three data collection instruments: a survey …

A Matter Of Time: The Relationship Of Class Length And Demographics On The South Carolina Algebra I End-Of-Course Test In South Carolina Middle Schools, Jennifer Addie Ramsey

Education Dissertations and Projects

For middle school students taking Algebra 1 as a high school credit, having sufficient instructional time to understand and explore the course content is crucial. While the focus of the literature review helps lend understanding to the study, there has been limited information concerning assessment scores in middle school math classes and the length of class time. This study investigated the differences in the End-of-Course Examination Program (EOCEP) test scores of middle school students in Algebra 1 as influenced by schedules used in South Carolina public middle schools for each individual year in a 5-year span of the 2010-2015 academic …

An Examination Of The Key Factors That Impact The Gender Gap In Reading, Phyllis Pegram

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to provide information on the factors that impact the male gender gap in reading. Disparities between the reading achievement of boys and girls have long been a concern for educators. There are many reasons boys are lagging behind in reading such as the lack of male role models, stereotyping, lack of interest in reading material, and differences in brain development in boys and girls. Peer pressure also plays a role in the reading success of boys and reading may be considered a feminine activity. Another reason boys do not perform well in reading is their great …

The Effects Of Canine Therapy On Academics, Behavior, And Motivation Of Students, Maria Rector

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether canine therapy provided by the B.A.R.K.S. program was effective in increasing reading achievement, impacting the motivation of students while participating in therapy, and decreasing off-task behaviors in the classroom. This study focused on academic or behavioral difficulties that have been exhibited in the general education classroom.

This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, with pre and postassessments for academics, behavior, and motivation. Parents were also given a questionnaire to fill out that addressed the qualitative component of the study. A combination of t tests and ANCOVA were used to analyze the data …

A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation Of Two Middle School Mathematics Intervention Programs, Angela Hines

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of two mathematics intervention programs, Transmath and Vmath, in order to discover whether students who are exposed to the intervention programs will show growth in their mathematics performance. The effectiveness of the programs was measured quantitatively by collecting a pre and postassessment score using Moby Max and qualitatively regarding the implementation and effectiveness of the two programs by conducting classroom observations and teacher interviews.

The literature in this study identifies the connection between RTI, tiered intervention, mathematics intervention, and program implementation fidelity. The current literature contains a great deal …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Student Perceptions Of The Transition To Middle School, Danyah Mcallister Hill

Education Dissertations and Projects

The study detailed in this dissertation was designed to examine and understand student perceptions of self-efficacy, motivation, student-teacher relationships, and procedural differences during the transition to middle school. The mixed-methods study utilized a survey, focus groups, and interviews to triangulate the data.

An analysis of the data revealed that there is a statistically significant difference between student perceptions of motivation and self-efficacy at School A and School B. The researcher found that students at School A had a more positive perception in the areas of motivation and self-efficacy than School B, yet School B met its predicted growth score and …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity Level And Perceptions Of Body Image-- A High School Female Perspective: A Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Design, Nicole Anne Ludwa

Education Dissertations and Projects

Despite all the known social, mental, and physical benefits of physical activity, a large percentage of girls choose to engage in even less physical activity than they did as young children. Social acceptance is at its highest during the adolescent age and societal differences generated from parents, friends, and the media have created women whose general life contentment is often correlated to their perceived body image.

This mixed methods study—based on the social learning, social comparison, and feminist theories—sought to explore how physical activity level affects body image in high school females. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A; Kowalski, …

Constructive-Developmental Theory As A Framework For Understanding Coaches' Conceptualizations Of The Literacy Coach-Teacher Relationship, Nicole Fensel

Education Dissertations and Projects

Literacy coaching as a professional development model provides teachers with job-embedded support while learning about research-based instructional strategies. Teacher learning occurs in the context of this relationship. Literature revealed coaches’ difficulty navigating this aspect of their role. This study was designed to add foundational understanding of the literacy coach-teacher relationship using Kegan’s (1982, 1994) Constructive-Developmental Theory to conceptualize the teacher-coach relationship and determine how it impacted coaching activities. The theory examines how individuals’ developmental capacities influence how they make meaning of their experiences. Given the complexity of the literacy-coaching role, it is critical to have a clear picture of how …

Beliefs On Behavior: The Influence Of Constructed Beliefs Of Discipline On School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports (Pbis) Fidelity Of Implementation, Elizabeth Baynes Johnson

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation explores the association between teacher perceptions of behavior and teacher implementation of PBIS. Adding to previous research on various links between teacher demographics and behavior approaches, this research aims to provide an analysis of any such association to enlighten teacher knowledge and inform potential behavior change.

The quasi-experimental quantitative approach utilized in this study identifies any statistically significant correlations between approach to behavior and implementation fidelity. Quantitative data compiled via surveys and data collection analyzed by behavior approach are explained as well as analyzed in terms of predictability based on the independent variable of teacher behavior approach as …

Teacher Self-Efficacy, Instructional Practices, And Student Achievement In Mathematics: A Correlational Study, Kristi Lynn Day

Education Dissertations and Projects

This mixed-methods research examined teacher self-efficacy in mathematics and the use of specific mathematical instructional practices in Grades 3-5 classrooms. The purpose was to examine the relationships among teacher self-efficacy of teaching mathematics, the use of specific mathematical instructional practices, and student achievement as measured by the North Carolina end-of-grade test. According to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008), differences in students’ mathematical achievement are credited to differences in teacher characteristics including their self-efficacy in teaching and use of specific instructional practices. The study sought to add to the research behind that finding.

Correlational relationships among the variables were studied. …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of The North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process On Teacher Effectiveness, Professional Growth, And Attitudes Toward Teaching, Kim H. Case

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study’s purpose was to examine teacher perceptions of the impact the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation Process (NCTEP) has on their professional growth, effectiveness, and attitudes toward teaching. Literature review reveals a longstanding interest in teacher evaluation for ensuring teacher quality and enhancing professional growth. Controversy exists in public and educational arenas as to how both purposes can be accomplished within a single evaluation system.

North Carolina evaluation reforms have mirrored nationwide efforts to use teacher evaluation as a tool for improving teacher effectiveness. The incorporation of value-added measures (VAMs) into teachers’ summative ratings and implementation of the North Carolina …

Examining The Effects Of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Read 180 Program On Reading Achievement And Self-Efficacy In Middle Schools, Amanda Michelle Cox

Education Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if improving reading achievement through Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s (HMH) READ 180 program impacted a student’s reading self-efficacy. Of the students participating in this study, particular attention was placed on the factors of gender, ethnicity, and the length of time students were exposed to HMH’s READ 180 program.

The setting for this research was three middle schools in upstate South Carolina. The schools sampled were from a combination of urban, suburban, and rural populations. The study’s methodology was quantitative and correlational.

When reviewing the results of the study, the research indicated that there …

A Teacher's Journey: A Phenomenological Analysis Of The Lived Experience Of Beginning Teachers, Wanda Margarette Brubaker

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study was concerned with the challenges beginning teachers face when they enter the field of education. Through the use of reflective practice, beginning teacher personal reflections of experience were recorded and analyzed to discern particular experiences that present as the most challenging to these novice educators.

Reflective practice and experiential learning theories are used in this qualitative phenomenological study. This study includes reflective practice as first introduced by master theorist John Dewey, considered by many to be the father of reflection in education, and theorist Donald Schon. Dewey (1944) recognized reflection as an active and intentional action and further …

A Study Of The Relationship Of Teachers’ Self-Efficacy And The Impact Of Common Core Professional Development, Emmitt Terrell Butts

Education Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation was designed to provide access to current information for teachers and staff in middle and high schools. The current research on standards implementation and teacher efficacy were outdated, scarce, or inadequate. Electronic databases were available for online searching and information retrieval; however, teachers and district leaders did not know how professional development affected personal teaching efficacy. District leaders also did not know how to use professional development to enrich a teacher’s sense of efficacy in the classroom.

The writer administered a survey and conducted interviews with current Math 1 teachers in the district as an instructional prep. The …

Inpatient Diabetes Management Readiness: For The Nurse, When Does It Begin?, Lisa Haynes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

It is the bedside nurse that spends the most time and effort managing symptoms of the diabetic patient during the course of a hospitalization. With the goal of optimal blood sugar levels of each patient to promote healing and wellbeing, this task can be quiet daunting. It is imperative for the acute care nurse to acquire a competency level of diabetes management that exhibits evidence-based practice, regardless of length of work experience, in order for patients to receive excellent care. This research studied the level of comfort, familiarity, and knowledge of new nurse graduates while answering the question, “When does …

The Effects Of Preoperative Education On Readmission Rates For Total Joint Arthroplasties, Michele Gobble

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Background: Primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are two of the most successful procedures performed in orthopedics. The demand for these procedures is estimated to grow 174% for THAs and 673% for TKAs by 2030, which will have a valued bill of almost $50 billion for Medicare. The bundled payment plan is a way to reduce costs for these procedures, where an estimated 35% of the bill is related to post-discharge care (Schaeffer et al., 2015, p. 723).

Review of the Literature: In 2015, this healthcare reform began including readmission penalties for patients readmitted within 30 …

The Relationship Between The Nurses’ Perception Of The Practice Environment And Patients’ Satisfaction, Shalonda Brown

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurses’ practice environments contribute to patient satisfaction. The practice environment is influenced by work design, workforce development, organizational management practices, and culture. Each of these influential factors is significant to how patients perceive how their treatment as a person and their nursing care. The purpose of this study was to examine the nurse practice environment and determine its impact on patients’ satisfaction with care during hospitalization. The objective was to analyze the collected data and use it to gain insight and heighten awareness of how various aspects of the nurse practice environment directly and indirectly impact the patient experience. A …

A Study Of Theatre Teacher And School Administrator Perceptions Of Traits, Characteristics, And Instructional Practices And Their Possible Role In Teacher Evaluation, James D. Chrismon

Education Dissertations and Projects

This applied dissertation was designed to gather similarities and differences in the perceptions of theatre teachers and administrators regarding instructor traits, instructor characteristics, and instructional practices of effective theatre teacher. Current teacher evaluation systems focus on teacher effectiveness on student learning, and typically do not provide valuable feedback for teachers in highly specialized fields such as the arts, and specifically theatre arts.

One-on-one interviews were conducted with eight theatre teachers and eight administrators from eight different schools across the state of South Carolina to gather qualitative data on the similarities and differences in perceptions of instructor traits, instructor characteristics, and …

Compassion Fatigue: Exploring The Impact On Emergency Department Nurses, Lauren E. Pittman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this thesis project was to explore levels of compassion fatigue in emergency department nurses. Compassion fatigue has directly affected many nurses’ lives as well as impacting the field of nursing in various ways. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring served as the theoretical framework for the study. The literature maintains that the prevalence of compassion fatigue has been established, yet severity varies among institutions and specialties. A quantitative study to determine the level of compassion fatigue in ED nurses was conducted by utilizing a group on the social media site Facebook that is specific to travel nurses …

Socio-Demographics And Exclusive Breastfeeding In The Medicaid/Women Infant And Children (Wic) Population In Spartanburg County, April D. Miller

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Breast milk is recognized as the optimal source of nutrition for infants because of its unique nutritional and immunological characteristics. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. "Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)" is defined as no other food or drink except breast milk for the first six months of life. Despite its countless benefits to children and mothers, the continuation rates of exclusive breastfeeding are low in the United States, especially in the Medicaid/Women Infant and Children population. It is vital to understand how multiple factors affect breastfeeding practices in order to …

Nurse Preceptors' Perceptions Of Preparedness In The Preceptor Role, Ebony Phillips

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Healthcare is multifaceted with complicated illnesses that require aggressive treatments and therapies. Caring for patients with these illnesses has become progressively difficult due to the nursing shortage, high turnover rates, and lack of competence and critical thinking, which impacts quality care and outcomes. To enhance the knowledge of the nurses, preceptors are an essential part the orientation experience. Therefore, preceptors’ perceptions of preparedness influence the effectiveness of the role. Appropriate preparation provides them with the knowledge needed to meet learning needs. The aim of this study was to explore preceptors’ perceptions of preparedness in the preceptor role. The perceptions of …

The Impact Of Short Papers On Clinical Decision Making Skills Of Nursing Students, Tara R. Hayes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Clinical decision making and critical thinking are fundamental skills to ensuring the success of undergraduate nursing students. Nursing faculty, and specifically clinical nursing faculty, are responsible for encouraging the development of these types of skills as students work in direct patient care. Traditional methods of clinical evaluation include lengthy case studies, concept mapping, and discussion board participation. While these methods have been in effect for some time, clinical short paper assignments are a fresh, innovative way to challenge students as they refine their critical thinking and clinical decision making abilities. No statistically significant difference was found between the perceived level …

Depression Scores In Males And Females With Copd, Cynthia Southers

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on depressions scores in persons with COPD and if there is a difference between males and females in depression scores prior to and following participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. The literature review supported multiple factors on how participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program can have a positive effect on depression scores. The study utilized a descriptive design with a retrospective chart review. The quantitative descriptive design identified variables and examined the differences in males and females with COPD using pre- and …

The Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention On Chronic Pain, Jolena B. Allred

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

As the number of individuals suffering with chronic pain escalates, management is shifting from pain specialists to primary care providers. Nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly responsible for the management of this complex patient population. Analgesics, primarily opioids, have been the standard of chronic pain management with a resulting national crisis related to overuse, improper use, and illegal use of these substances. Mindfulness-based meditation has gained increasing interest and acceptance by both the individuals suffering with chronic pain and the providers managing those who suffer, however, limited investigation is available related to brief interventions provided at point-of-care. This Capstone Project evaluated …

Exile And Identity: Chaim Potok's Contribution To Jewish-American Literature, Sarah Anne Hamner

MA in English Theses

Questions of identity and exile are deep in the bones of the Jewish people. In this thesis I will discuss the manifestations of exile and identity in the works of Chaim Potok, a Jewish-American novelist. Potok’s work has long been excluded from the canon of Jewish-American criticism. I suspect this exclusion is due to critical oversight, as Potok’s characters lead more traditional Jewish lives in terms of religious beliefs, backgrounds, and behaviors. In order to prove the critical value of Potok’s work I will note the gaps in Jewish-American criticism where Potok’s work is missing. Then I will concentrate around …