Education Commons^™

Professional Conversations Within Self-Contained Classrooms: The Shared Perspectives Of Teachers, Paraprofessionals, And Administrators, Travis Brett Henderson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Paraprofessionals in self-contained settings are often involved in helping students to learn the skills to manage their behaviors. A need has been identified for paraprofessionals to join teachers in professional development opportunities in order to better meet the needs of the students who receive their services (Konza & Fried, 2012). By recognizing paraprofessionals as vital members of a student’s educational team (Boudreau & Twigg, 2011), informal professional development opportunities throughout the school day, such as professional conversations, may provide paraprofessionals with opportunities to share their experiences with each other and with their teachers, as well as to make collaborative decisions …

Belizean Teachers’ Perceptions Of Intercultural Bilingual Education As A Language Preservation Tool: A Q Methodology Study, Enita E. Barrett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the perceptions of 42 teachers—from the Stann Creek District, Belize—regarding the implementation and use of Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) as a language preservation tool in their schools were examined. Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) is a teaching method that aims at promoting the preservation of indigenous languages by integrating an indigenous language and culture into the academic curriculum, such that students can develop a better appreciation of their history and traditional practices. To examine the perspectives of teachers regarding IBE, Q Methodology was used to examine the research question: What is the range of perspectives teachers hold regarding …

Appreciating Neurodiversity: Asd Perceptions Of Experiences In A Higher Education Transition Program And The Implications For Higher Ed Leaders, Joanna L. Ale

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, the number of individuals being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has risen substantially. One byproduct of increased diagnosis is that more and more students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are applying and being accepted to colleges and universities (Graetz & Spampinato, 2008; Jones, 2012; Smith, 2007; Taylor, 2005; Zager, Alpern, McKeon, Maxam, & Mulvey, 2013; Longtin, 2013; Adreon & Durocher, 2007; Zager & Alpern, 2010). Research in the field of Autism and Higher Education is in its infancy, with a dearth of the research focusing on the challenges and struggles that degree-seeking students with ASD face within …

The Perceived Roles Of Student Affairs Administrators In Public Higher Education, Luisa C. Martinez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of student affairs administration could benefit from research on how student affairs administrators perceive their duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as well as how such an understanding could contribute to organizational theory, practice, and policy. The purpose of this study was to examine how administrators in student affairs perceive their role in public higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined SAAs’ duties, obligations, and responsibilities (role) using Q methodology. Although there are perception studies using Q methodology in higher education, there are fewer empirical studies on how SAAs’ perceive their roles. Consequently, this study recruited forty …

Black Male Perspectives Of The Role Race Plays With Black Male Leader/Leadership Development In The World Of Work, Rudolph F. Jamison Jr.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There have been relatively few studies examining the leadership of Black men, and even fewer studies examining the leadership of Black men from the phenomenology of Black men, themselves. The purpose of this Q Methodology study was to examine Black male perspectives of the role race plays with Black male leader/leadership development in the world of work. The study was designed as an exploratory attempt to surface and understand how 40 emerging African American male leaders in a large, urban city in the SE United States viewed their own leadership development. Elements of socio-analytic theory and leader-member exchange theories were …

Student-Athlete Perception Of Coaching Leadership Behaviors’ Influence On Mental Health Symptoms Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Suicidality, And Substance Abuse, Joan E. Thurston

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Student-athletes are viewed as the epitome of health due to their physical appearance and talent set; however, it is their psychological health that needs significant attention (Etzel, 2006). Psychosocial stressors such as the pressures and demands of being a student and athlete as well as the demands and expectations of the coach have significant impact on the student-athlete’s mental health and well-being (Beauchemin, 2014; Cleary et al., 2011; Lafrenière et al., 2011; Mageau & Vallerand, 2003; Watson, 2005). The purpose of this research is to investigate any correlation between student-athletes’ perceptions of coaching leadership behaviors and the symptoms associated …

Secondary-School Principals' Perceptions Of Their Role In The Retention Of The Novice Teacher, Theresa J. Coker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR

ROLE IN THE RETENTION OF NOVICE TEACHERS

Theresa J. Coker

Secondary schools in the U.S. face instructional challenges due in part to novice teacher turnover. Research indicates that new teachers remain in the profession due to: supportive principal leadership, an orderly school environment, classroom autonomy, and significant professional development (Grissom, 2008). The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary-school principals perceived their role in novice teachers’ professional development and retention. Qualitative research using in-depth, semi-structured interviews included 15 secondary-school administrators from an urban district in the southeast United States. Data analysis used …

The Identification Of Demographic Profiles Of K-12 Public School Districts Employing Female Superintendents In California, Michigan, New York, And Texas, Brenda Joyce Skeete

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The job of the local school superintendent is one of the most difficult chief executive undertakings in America today. Of the nation’s roughly 14,000 traditional public school superintendents, a mere 1,984 are women, according to the U. S. Department of Education. Yet, nationally over 75% of all K-12 educators are women. The purpose of this explorative quantitative study is to analyze the demographic profiles of public school districts in four of the nation’s largest states – California, Michigan, New York, and Texas - to see if there is a pattern of district types and sizes that women lead. Then the …

Unheard Voices: Black Adolescents' Perceptions Of Mental Health In Urban Communities, Brian James Ludden

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mental health in the United States is a rising concern. More concerning still is the growing number of children and adolescents with serious depression and other mental health disorders (SAMHSA, 2009; Merikangas et al., 2010). Despite a growing list of proven and best-practice prevention and intervention initiatives that have been made available to children and adolescents, 80 percent of children and adolescents with a diagnosable mental health disorder will not receive services for their associated mental health concerns (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999; Cummings 2014). Children and adolescents with mental health disorders are faced with an ever-increasing …

Understanding Leadership Practice Utilizing A Naturalistic Decision-Making Model Among Health Care Leaders, Andrea Ilene Hart

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the leadership practice of two experienced female leaders from the health care sector to understand their decision-making processes as it relates to their personal theorizing. Ineffective and unethical leadership in American business is a reality in today’s society. Organizations are in need of leaders who approach leadership from a paradigm which supports effective leadership practice. It is my assertion regarding this study that effective leadership may be connected to a leader’s values which impact their leadership practice and decision-making.

This study relies on a conceptual and theoretical framework based in Cornett’s (1990) Naturalistic Decision Making Model. It …

Examining Leadership Approaches Of Community College Administrators: Understanding Leadership And Change Processes, Jametoria Lynette Houston Burton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of the study was to explore the personal perspectives of three select state college administrators regarding their purpose, values, and beliefs they inherently espouse about leadership, developmental education and academic success. The researcher examined the ways in which community college administrators used communication strategies to lead change processes within their organizations. The researcher identified the administrators’ leadership approaches in leading a major redesign of a developmental education program at a large community college in Florida. The following primary research question was explored: What are the strategies adopted by the select state college administrators leading a major developmental education …