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Expressive Therapies And Resiliency – Resistance In Mental Health: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Lopez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review evaluates the current literature on psychological resistance amongst human service professionals experiencing burnout and the effect of Expressive Arts interventions on resiliency. Concepts include identifying the main symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatments for burnout in education faculty, medical staff, and clinicians. Qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analysis studies are included to identify the most prevalent intervention frameworks for reducing stress including Arts-Based and Mindfulness-compassion based techniques. The effectiveness of Arts-based tools on strengthening identity, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and meaning-making in combating burnout is presented. Based on analysis of the literature, the author proposes a three-step intervention framework for utilizing …

Design And Validation Of A Test For Teachers: Measuring Knowledge Of Trauma, Jennifer B. Bilbrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research and interest in trauma-informed pedagogy have grown substantially. Trauma-informed pedagogy includes knowledge of trauma symptoms, associated behaviors, and environmental and instructional trauma-informed strategies. Various scales measure attitudes and experiences with trauma-informed practices; however, the literature suggests a lack of validated tests measuring teachers' knowledge of trauma. Reliable and valid tests measuring knowledge are critical when determining the professional development needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers. This multi-phase study aimed to fulfill this need by creating the Teachers’ Knowledge of Trauma (TKOT) test. With the guidance of literature and qualitative data from eight early childhood professional peers, a 50-item …

Food Literacy And Applying Learnings Towards English Literacy, Andrew Wirtz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Food Literacy promotes the way people should consciously think about the food we ingest on a day-to-day basis. This paper explores how teachers can positively teach students how to be literate when it comes to food and how students can apply these learnings towards their English subject matter skills. This paper also explores how children from all economic backgrounds seek out highly processed foods (such as fast food) which are filled with various chemicals and additives, which in turn, can affect students' performance within the classroom in an negative manner.

Self-Care Techniques To Decrease Special Education Teacher Burnout, Carrie Frost

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

The focal topic of my capstone project is special education teacher burnout and how self-care techniques can reduce the likelihood of chronic stress and burnout. The challenges of being a special education teacher include but are not limited to, various disabilities and behaviors, lack of classroom and administration support, and overall management. Research conducted by Emery and Vandenberg (2010) stated that special education teachers often experience burnout, which commonly leads to employee attrition. Burnout and the personal stress that comes with it are the biggest contributors to the shortage of qualified special educators throughout the United States. Their challenges involve …

Prediction Of Teacher Well-Being Through Beliefs: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Educators, Annie Beatty

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Teachers’ beliefs regarding students with disabilities and their overall well-being are critical for successful inclusion. The current project sought to explore whether teacher beliefs predict teacher well-being and aimed to increase our understanding of how teachers’ experiences with inclusion influence well-being and teaching practices. Participants (n=67) completed a demographic questionnaire, the Beliefs about Learning and Teaching Questionnaire, and the Kessler-6 instrument. Eleven teachers participated in interviews regarding their experiences in inclusion and relevant teaching practices. Results suggest that increased professional experience predicted higher levels of distress in teachers. Additionally, thematic analysis of the interviews identified five themes regarding the current …

Returning To School After A Pandemic And The Lived Experiences Of Rural High School Mathematics Teachers On Student Success, Joshua Saúl Silva

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological methodology investigation was to examine and describe rural mathematics teachers’ lived experiences on the effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic on freshman students returning to school after being online for 2 years through the lens of Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and serves as part of a thematic dissertation with each researcher focusing on different educators in the K-12 school system.

Methodology: Through qualitative methodology utilizing one-on-one interviews of nine rural high school freshman mathematics teachers with 5 or more years of experience before, during, and after the COVID-19 global pandemic, data was analyzed …

Novice Kindergarten Through Second-Grade Teachers’ Perspectives Of Their Preparedness To Teach Students To Read, Shanell Lee-Angry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of U.S fourth graders are not proficient in reading. With lawmakers in some U.S. states enacting “Read by Grade 3” laws, it is important for teachers to be well prepared to teach reading to their students. The purpose of this study was to explore novice kindergarten through second grade (K–2) teachers’ perspectives of their preparedness to teach students to read and their beliefs about what they needed to improve their strategies to teach reading. The conceptual framework was based on self-efficacy theory. The research questions addressed K–2 teachers’ perspectives on their preparedness to teach students to read and …

A Design Thinking Mixed Methods Study On Learned Empathy Through Multicultural Education, Samanantha Webb

Dissertations

The dissertation in practice focused on addressing the issue of inadequate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) competencies among teachers in a Title I school. The problem of practice emerged within the context of an increasingly diverse educational landscape, necessitating educators to possess robust DEI skills. The proposed solution was a professional development (PD) program, crafted using a design thinking approach, which included an asynchronous learning module supplemented by a book study. The comprehensive PD program was aimed at enhancing the teachers' understanding and application of DEI principles, making the prototype relevant to the demands of multicultural education in today’s diverse …

Educators’ Beliefs About Using Academic Acceleration With Gifted Math Students And Others: Barriers And Opportunities, Jason Gorgia

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined the perceptions of educators (i.e., math teachers, administrators, and others) for insight into the absence of acceleration as a common pedagogical strategy in mathematics, despite longstanding research supporting the practice for students gifted in math and the interest frequently articulated by policymakers and educators in boosting American K-12 students’ math achievement. Educators from 48 states responded to scale-based and open-ended questions about math acceleration through an online survey where 713 of 818 respondents were teachers, balanced almost evenly among elementary, middle, and high schools, and among urban, suburban, and rural settings. The responses of teachers and non-teaching …

Examining The Factors Contributing To The Teacher Shortage Crisis In The U.S., Alicia K. Green

All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects

This research study examined factors contributing to the teacher shortage crisis in the United States. This study addresses the current “mass exodus” of teachers from the teaching profession in the United States. It specifically examined the perspectives of those who have chosen to leave the profession as well as teacher candidates who have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and anxiety while growing up. This contributed important information to the field and attempted to fill a gap in research and literature exploring this issue. There are likely many factors contributing to this crisis, but anxiety and exposure to ACEs may be …

The Lived Experiences Of School Counselors And Ell Teachers Who Support Ell Students Who Exhibit A Symptom Of Mental Illness, Trenise Duckens

Dissertations

The current literature regarding the lived experiences of ELL teachers and school counselors who support ELL students who may exhibit a symptom of mental illness in high school is very limited. Research is available discussing school counselors and their role when supporting students who may exhibit a symptom of mental illness or may have mental health concerns. This study sought to add to the literature by exploring the lived experiences of ELL teachers and school counselors who support ELL students who may exhibit a symptom of mental illness. By adding to the literature, the researcher hopes to provide a better …

Supporting Mental Health In Children By Providing Basic Skills And Knowledge Of Mental Health To Middle-School Teachers, Mariaelena Falcon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Mental health first aid training in middle school is an effective way to help teachers gain the necessary knowledge and confidence needed to support students with mental health distress and provide early interventions.

Local Problem: Lack of mental health training may result in teachers facing challenges in identifying and addressing mental health issues among their students. Specific problems resulting from this include limited awareness, insufficient skills, and strategies to effectively communicate and engage with students in mental health distress, and stigma surrounding mental health may make teachers uncomfortable discussing mental health.

Methods: The project will take place at Harper …

A Qualitative Case Study: Exploring Elementary Principals’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Teacher Leadership, Cathy De Leon

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceptions of one principal and 10 teachers from a school district in the Rio Grande Valley regarding how leadership is distributed in their schools through the lens of distributed leadership. This study contributes to the small body of literature regarding teacher leadership to foster dialogue and potentially provide opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles. Recently, the expectations for schools have increased to the extent that leaders are now expected to ensure all students are learning at prominent levels. Today’s public-school principals may benefit from the support of teacher leaders. Results of …

Role Of Teachers In Empowering Migrant Students In Their Education, Maricruz Fragosa

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Many migrant families working in the Monterey Bay areas have to move from one place to another, so their children are considered to be migrant students. The majority of these families migrate to California so their children can continue their education with the support of their teachers. There are existing programs at the national, local and university level to support migrant students. These programs provide the migrant students with the resources needed to succeed in their education. They provide tutors for migrant students in their classroom as well as one-on-one service to them throughout the school year. This senior capstone …

The Shared Experiences Of Educators In Grades 7–12 Who Implement Lessons In Social–Emotional Learning Curriculum, Heathre C. Palige

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Social–emotional learning (SEL) is used in public school classrooms throughout the United States. The problem that this researcher addressed in this study was that minimal understanding exists of the lived experiences of teachers who implement SEL in Colorado public schools in Grades 7–12. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore and to provide a clearer understanding of the lived experiences of six educators who implement SEL in Grades 7–12 in Colorado public schools. The study fills a gap in literature in understanding the experiences of teachers who use SEL in middle and high school. The literature review …

Burnout And Depression In Teachers And Members Of Other Occupational Groups: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analyses On Potentially Overlapping Conditions, Gail Swingler

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Burnout has long been recognized as a workplace issue among teachers, and other occupational groups. Burnout has potentially been increasing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Researchers tend to regard burnout as a distinct syndrome comprising emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and reduced personal accomplishment (rPA). Recent evidence suggests that burnout (as a tripartite syndrome) lacks discriminant validity vis-à-vis depression. The overlap between burnout and depression was examined through two meta-analytic studies.

The first study (K = 13) examined the relationship between burnout and depression in teachers with burnout assessed using the MBI. The findings indicated that exhaustion (EE), and depression …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports: Perspectives From Teachers And Support Staff, Chelsea Halseth

Culminating Projects in Child and Family Studies

School staff members face challenging behaviors in school settings daily. There will be times when an educator will be exhausted and even perplexed when a challenging behavior occurs. In this Starred Paper, one evidence-based practice is closely examined to help reduce these challenging behaviors and it is called Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS). The research focused on the manageability of PBIS strategies, the training provided to school staff, and the overall perspective on the effectiveness of PBIS strategies from teachers and paraprofessionals specifically. Research has shown time and time again that the use of schoolwide PBIS improves the likelihood …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Principals Regarding Strategies To Build Trust Among Staff To Support Positive Change, Laurel Cole

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Trust is essential between elementary school principals and teachers, for it is a necessary ingredient in well-functioning organizations, especially schools. The problem addressed in this phenomenological study was the lack of practical strategies for principals to build trust with teachers effectively and efficiently to facilitate positive change and, ultimately, to support student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand how elementary school principals can quickly build trust with their teachers to facilitate positive change. Through the literature review, the researcher examined historical definitions of trust and early trust studies, the creation of trust and strategies for …

Psychological Needs Satisfaction In Teaching: A Mixed Methods Analysis On The Impact Of Evaluation Systems On Teacher Intrinsic Motivational Outcomes Using Self-Determination Theory, Matt Gaglio

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between psychological need satisfaction, motivational regulators, and intrinsic motivational outcomes regarding teacher evaluation systems related to the self-determination theory. The study consisted of 144 participants from two school districts and 18 school buildings. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed that psychological need satisfaction positively predicted autonomous motivation and in turn, positively predicted enjoyment and pressure, while also negatively predicting value. Psychological need satisfaction also negatively predicted controlled motivation with autonomy and competence, but positively predicted relatedness. Controlled motivation positively predicted enjoyment, but negatively predicted pressure and value. Twenty …

Assessing The Implementation Of Egypt’S Education 2.0 Reform: The Case Of Sohag, Norhan Zahran

Theses and Dissertations

Education is a key component contributing to a country’s socioeconomic status. Accordingly, countries that seek better economic development focus on the quality of education. Egypt realized that and started a series of educational reforms, none of which delivered the desired objectives. Regrettably, this was clear in Egyptian students' poor performance on international tests in the years 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 (World Economic Forum 2013; 2014). In 2018, the Egyptian Ministry of Education announced the launch of Education 2.0 (EDU 2.0) reform which adopted transformative, multidisciplinary, student-centered educational pedagogies to enhance the quality of education. This study presents the results of an …

The Essence Of K-12 Teaching In A Catholic Archdiocese In Kentucky During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Danielle Atzinger Wiegandt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic research showed that teacher attrition among new teachers (less than five years) was a problem for schools throughout the country and Catholic Schools were facing an even higher rate (Ingersoll, 2003). Research also shows that there are often cultural and structural components of Catholic schools that influence teachers to stay (Youngs, 2013; Convey, 2012, 2014). The COVID-19 pandemic forced the education system to pivot and teachers are expected to continue to have high standards for education while making these shifts.

In the early period of COVID-19 pandemic research was already suggesting attrition rates were rising …

Increasing Teacher Awareness Of Mental Health In Children, Sarah Alexis Cortes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Mental health issues in school-aged children have become a larger issue especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because children spend a large amount of time in a school setting, it is important to utilize teachers to assist in preventing, recognizing, and supporting mental health issues in their students. This can be difficult however, when many states throughout the United States of America, have little to no requirements for mental health training in both their credential programs and their school districts. This can leave teachers feeling less comfortable and lack an understanding of how to prevent, recognize, and support, student mental health …

A Cultural Legacy Of Resiliency: Black Male Teacher Retention In K-12 Classrooms, Mtichell Brookins

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Only 18% of the nation's teaching force are minorities, with 2% being Black male teachers (National Center for Education Statistics, 2013). Black educators have the lowest retention rate and the highest departure rate (Snyder et al., 2014). There is limited empirical research that explores turnover patterns and organizational conditions that impact Black male educators’ decisions to remain in the field (Achinstein et al., 2010; Johnson et al., 2005; Kirby et al., 1999). As a result, this qualitative study is imperative in that it contributes to a body of literature that explores aspects and experiences of Black male teachers in K-12 …

Type 1 Diabetes In The Classroom, Ursula Herrell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Type 1 diabetes [T1D] is an autoimmune disease that presents in a pathophysiological disorder as insulin deficiency. Managing this illness during childhood is a constant challenge of maintaining blood glucose levels within a healthy range, resulting in increased stress for children and caregivers. School attendance is one factor that may result in increased stress. Studies have highlighted the fact that teachers of students with T1D may receive little education regarding management of the disease and may be required to make accommodations which can result in confusion, miscommunication, and increased psychosocial stress. The goal of this research was to learn about …

Impact Of Culture On Students’ Academic Achievement In The Classroom, Heidy Lizama Portillo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone research seeks to reflect how culture can impact student academic achievement. Understanding that culture has many meanings is critical to have an insight into how it can impact student, classroom, and teacher-student interactions. To carry this, four teachers/ Professors were interviewed, and student surveys were created. Understanding that culture is part of students' identity is essential, also how family finances influence them, a welcoming environment, and creating relationships of care and trust impact students' academic achievement. Finding a way to bring everyone together for cultural understanding is essential, and understanding how culturally sustainable pedagogies can help students. Culture …

The Social Dilemma: The Effects Of Social Media On Learning In High School Classrooms, Bailey Goswick

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This Capstone Project focuses on How Social Media Affects Learning in High School Classrooms. This is an important issue because Social Media is ubiquitous in the lives of students, and this flows into their classroom learning as well. Social Media has been found to affect students grades, attention span classroom behavior, and so much more. The primary stakeholder perspectives for this project are hearing from current high school students, high school teachers, and high school alumni who have graduated from high school within the last five years. Based on the stakeholders perspectives and data analysis, there has been a consensus …

Benefits Of Multicultural Education On Diverse Student Populations, Liliana Moreno

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone proves the benefits of multicultural education that promotes and brings about an inclusive and equitable education to all students, including diverse student populations. Through the use of literature review, interviews of two professors and educators, and surveys of college students, the result findings reveal that incorporating multicultural education approaches in the classrooms promotes inclusiveness that improves students’ learning experiences and academic performance in the classroom. It further fosters empathy among students. It is recommended that educators, school administrators, and pre-service teachers learn what multicultural education is and know how to implement it in the classrooms to benefit …

Fifth Grade Teachers Use Of Cooperative Learning In Science, Liza Ramos

Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore Cooperative Learning theories and practice by examining the relationships among three aspects: Experience, Practice and Perceptions. The data were from interview records from eight science teachers.

As a student-centered active pedagogical trend, cooperative learning has become part of one of the most effective and efficient educational trends that has illuminated constructivist science classrooms in South Texas. This method is conducive in the field of education. Students, in general, are encouraged to cooperatively get involved and to collaboratively participate in problem solving, discussions, and/or productions in group sessions to build a sense of community with the …

Race Matters: Factors That Impact Recruiting Black Teachers In Minnesota, Tonya Allen

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Black teachers are underrepresented within Minnesota and the nation. The perspective and presence of Black teachers was motivation for why this topic should be explored. This study examined factors that impact the decision making of individuals who identify as Black entering the field of education as teachers. The researcher conducted qualitative research utilizing the grounded theory approach to gain a deeper understanding of the perspectives of Black teachers. The participants of this study were from the seven-county metropolitan area in Minnesota. The researcher used semi-structured interviews of ten participants for this study.

Perspectives On Movement In The Classroom And Strategies That Keep Students Engaged, Darley Desormo

Honors College Theses

Within this study, the question of “what are teachers’ rationale for incorporating kinesthetic learning in the elementary classroom '' will be addressed. The purpose of this study is to gain insight from elementary teachers’ perceptions and their rationale on the use of movement-based learning in the classroom. To examine further into this research, interviews were conducted. Participants of the study were elementary classroom teachers. During seven online meetings, the researcher interviewed using consistent guiding questions asking elementary teachers about their implementation and rationale of movement-based learning in their classroom experiences. The researcher also asked questions to gain an understanding of …