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Full-Text Articles in Education

Hooked On A Feeling: The Importance Of Fostering Emotional Intelligence In Adolescents, Annika Wirkkala Apr 2024

Hooked On A Feeling: The Importance Of Fostering Emotional Intelligence In Adolescents, Annika Wirkkala

Classical Conversations

In the summer of 2023, CNN reported on a 14-year old girl who claimed to have several mental health issues. These included ADHD, depression, autism, and various phobias. After a specialist examined her, however, she was officially diagnosed not with her extensive list of illnesses but with severe anxiety. How did this 14-year old girl become so convinced that she suffered from all of these problems? Social media. Sadly, this girl is not the only victim of social media self-diagnosis. According to the CNN report, “A growing number of teens are turning to social platforms such as Instagram and TikTok …


The Bereaved Songwriters' Project, Laura A. Figueroa Oct 2023

The Bereaved Songwriters' Project, Laura A. Figueroa

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to evaluate bereaved individuals’ responses to a reflective songwriting program intervention (RSPI). The purposive and convenient sample included 30 bereaved adults who were members of the teaching staff at a private, Christian, K-12 school in the southeastern United States and/or past or present members of the church with which the school was affiliated. The researcher developed a simple and succinct RSPI in which study participants were prompted to create an original musical piece using personal reflections, memories, and descriptions in song form to commemorate a deceased loved one. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being …


Experiences Of Egyptian Youth Participating In Discipleship And Mentoring Groups After Attending An Evangelical Youth Camp In Egypt, Jo E. Hawkins Oct 2022

Experiences Of Egyptian Youth Participating In Discipleship And Mentoring Groups After Attending An Evangelical Youth Camp In Egypt, Jo E. Hawkins

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Spiritual development plays a vital role in young people’s psychological health and wellness, and spiritual awareness is beneficial in developing morals and coping strategies when dealing with real-life situations (Lee et al., 2020). A lack of scholarly literature addressing the spiritual growth of Egyptian youth involved in evangelical camps and now living for Christ in a predominately Muslim society prompted this study. This qualitative narrative study was based on the theoretical framework of social constructivism pioneered by Vygotsky. The research participants were four Egyptian youth who had attended a Christian camp, made the life-changing decision to follow Christ, and were …


Examining Career Decisions: Exploring The Interest Of Gifted Graduates On Working In Education, Alexandria K. Ryan Jul 2022

Examining Career Decisions: Exploring The Interest Of Gifted Graduates On Working In Education, Alexandria K. Ryan

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Students who are gifted are often pulled in a variety of career directions because of their tendency to have many interests and passions. This study was designed to better understand the experience of adults who are gifted and their career choice. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore what career paths adults who are gifted follow, specifically whether they choose to work in the education field or not. This phenomenological study explored four main themes in an individual who is graduated from a gifted education program’s life: Gifted Program Experience, Career and Interests, Family Influence, and Social Emotional. …


A Qualitative Study Of The Factors That Support Female Educators While Raising Young Children, Christine M. Dean Jul 2022

A Qualitative Study Of The Factors That Support Female Educators While Raising Young Children, Christine M. Dean

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this research study was to examine the personal and professional factors that support female educators while raising young children. This study was designed as a bounded case study that included six women who taught in a Christian school while they were raising children. Their interview data revealed three major themes: conflict, personal supports, and professional supports. Participants reported conflicts such as conflicting obligations between their teacher and maternal roles, expectations, and priorities. Key supports helped to resolve or avoid these conflicts. Personal factors such as supportive and extended family members assisted teachers as they balanced the responsibilities …


Teachers' Implementation And Application Of Social-Emotional Learning Training In The Classroom, Ricky Pierre Oct 2021

Teachers' Implementation And Application Of Social-Emotional Learning Training In The Classroom, Ricky Pierre

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a part of education to enhance learning by catering to students' personal and social advancement. Unlike many other districts, this local district has pushed for a more unified process to implement SEL in the classrooms. The implementation of SEL varies from one district to another. However, a factor to SEL's successful implementation is adequate training for classroom teachers. Another factor that affects its implementation is the perception with which classroom teachers apply the concepts acquired from the training. The research data highlights the benefits of SEL effectively implemented at the classroom level. Classroom teachers are …


Establishing Trauma-Informed Practices Within The Early Learning Environment, Daria M. Castor Oct 2021

Establishing Trauma-Informed Practices Within The Early Learning Environment, Daria M. Castor

Selected Honors Theses

Nearly half of US children have experienced one or more types of serious trauma with rates continually increasing. Early childhood educators get a first-hand encounter with childhood trauma as it affects the learning and behavior of young students. Young children process their trauma differently whether that be through behavioral issues or a withdrawn demeanor. Building strong, positive relationships with students and creating a safe learning environment are practical methods used by educators when working with traumatized young learners, however there is much more to be done to best meet the needs of these students. This thesis emphasizes the detrimental effects …


The Role Of Social Support In Mitigating Parental Burnout For Mothers Of Children With Medical Complexity, Jaymi Yamoah Apr 2021

The Role Of Social Support In Mitigating Parental Burnout For Mothers Of Children With Medical Complexity, Jaymi Yamoah

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Parental burnout is a complex syndrome resulting from chronic parenting stress. The components of parental burnout include overwhelming exhaustion, emotional distancing, and a sense of ineffectiveness in the parenting role. Parents of children with medical complexity (CMC) face a wide range of parenting stressors related to their child’s diagnosis. The purpose of this case study was to explore the role of social support in mitigating parental burnout in mothers of CMC. Five mothers participated in semi-structured interviews using Zoom video conferencing. Results of the study revealed three salient themes: types of social support, isolation, and helping others. Types of social …


A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The 22-Item Empathy Assessment Index, Kelly L. Hoskins Apr 2021

A Confirmatory Factor Analysis Of The 22-Item Empathy Assessment Index, Kelly L. Hoskins

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The Empathy Assessment Index (EAI), an instrument based on the social cognitive neuroscience conceptualization of empathy, is a measure of interpersonal empathy with five components: affective response, self-other awareness, perspective taking, affective mentalizing, and emotion regulation. However, the most recently added component, affective mentalizing, has demonstrated high correlations with perspective taking. The high correlations may indicate a lack of discriminant validity within the index. This non-experimental, quantitative, and cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether the factor structure of the 22-Item EAI is a correlated five-component model. A snowball sample of 929 community members completed the 22-Item EAI as an online …


Novice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Teach Students Experiencing Trauma: A Mixed Methods Study, Lisa A. Ciganek Oct 2020

Novice Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Teach Students Experiencing Trauma: A Mixed Methods Study, Lisa A. Ciganek

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore how graduates of traditional teacher preparation programs perceived their preparedness to teach students experiencing trauma stemming from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The study focused on the perceptions of novice teachers working in Title 1 schools across two school districts in Central Florida. The quantitative research portion of the study involved an online survey addressing the impact of teacher preparation program coursework and clinical experiences on the teachers’ perceptions of preparedness. Qualitative data was gathered from semi-structured interviews after the survey to give voice to the novice teachers’ perceptions of preparedness. Study …


Leadership Styles And Counselor Satisfaction Among Substance Abuse Professionals In Florida, John W. Harper Oct 2020

Leadership Styles And Counselor Satisfaction Among Substance Abuse Professionals In Florida, John W. Harper

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental research study was to determine whether a supervisor’s leadership style affects a counselor’s job satisfaction and their decision to remain with or leave an organization. The researcher-designed survey involved collecting data from counselors to elicit their perceptions regarding the supervisory leadership style. For the comparison of leadership styles, the researcher explored the following styles in this research: autocratic leadership, participative leadership, servant leadership, situational leadership, transactional leadership, and transformational leadership. The implications of this research are twofold and include the decision of substance abuse organizations regarding hiring leaders who exhibit the traits of a …


A Phenomenological Study: The Perceptions Of Hispanic Males’ Classroom Behavior Based On Paternal Absence, Gabriela E. Matos Oct 2020

A Phenomenological Study: The Perceptions Of Hispanic Males’ Classroom Behavior Based On Paternal Absence, Gabriela E. Matos

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This qualitative research study used a phenomenological perspective to describe the perceptions of classroom behavioral challenges experienced by Hispanic young adult males who grew up without a constant paternal figure. The purpose of the study was to discover the essence of the effects of father absence on Hispanic males’ educational experiences to inform both parents and educators of the internalized and externalized classroom behaviors. The study presented Feuerstein’s mediated learning experience (MLE) as a theory for limiting negative behaviors in Hispanic males caused by father absence both in and outside the classroom. The method of inquiry followed Creswell’s defining features …


A Study Of Spiritual Growth And Housing Choices Among First–Year College Students, Darred K. Williams Apr 2020

A Study Of Spiritual Growth And Housing Choices Among First–Year College Students, Darred K. Williams

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to study how spiritual growth and housing choices for first-year college students correlate with one another. This qualitative case study is founded on the conceptual frameworks of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development and Fowler’s stages of faith development The research participants were a criterion-based sample consisting of six Christian college students entering their first semester of college who all attended the same Christian high school prior to beginning their college career. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants to gather rich, detailed information about their experiences in their spiritual and educational lives. Data collected …


Teacher’S Self-Efficacy For Teaching Character Education, Alana K. Ribble Apr 2020

Teacher’S Self-Efficacy For Teaching Character Education, Alana K. Ribble

Selected Honors Theses

Character education is an important part of school curriculum, but it is not always taught intentionally. This thesis outlines the benefits of character education, the various character education curriculums, and teacher’s self-efficacy for teaching character education. The study was conducted in Lakeland, Florida through an online survey. Participants were first year teachers and current student teachers. Each teacher answered questions regarding their confidence teaching various character traits. Teachers agreed that the most difficult part about teaching character education is helping students understand the importance of their values in their individual lives. Overall, respect and responsibility were the character traits that …


A Correlational Study: Personality Types And Foreign Language Acquisition In Undergraduate Students, Frank Capellan Oct 2017

A Correlational Study: Personality Types And Foreign Language Acquisition In Undergraduate Students, Frank Capellan

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality types and second language acquisition. The study addressed a problem that is inadequately investigated in foreign language acquisition research; specifically, personality traits as predictors of language learning in college students studying Spanish as a foreign language. The researcher conducted one sample t-tests to assess statistically significant differences between mean personality type score and the test value, as well as, a multiple linear regression analysis. A convenient sample of college students (n=52) completed the Neris Personality Type Indicator at the beginning of the course, and took several examinations throughout …


A Case Study Of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Use Of "Backdoor Praise" In The Classroom, Cynthia Jean Campbell Jun 2017

A Case Study Of Preservice Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Use Of "Backdoor Praise" In The Classroom, Cynthia Jean Campbell

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

“Backdoor praise” (BDP) is defined as praise that is simultaneously delayed, indirect, and embedded in teacher comments. This case study investigated preservice teachers’ perceptions of their use of BDP as a strategy for getting and keeping students on task. Three participants, representing elementary, middle, and high school, were observed to collect baseline data on their natural use of BDP. The preservice teachers were then informed of what BDP is and how to use it with students, and they were observed twice more using BDP. Overall, 28 incidents of BDP use involving 21 students were recorded, and 16 of the students …


A Predictive Study Of Pre-Service Teachers And Success In Final Student Internship, Karen M. Ingle May 2017

A Predictive Study Of Pre-Service Teachers And Success In Final Student Internship, Karen M. Ingle

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Student teaching provides the final pre-service clinical teaching experience of an initial teacher preparation program. Research that specifically studies the pre-service student teacher and predictive factors of student teaching is limited. Identifying predictive factors that contribute to the success of student interns’ student teaching experience is a valuable tool for initial teacher preparation programs. The research represents a predictive study of 21 pre-service teachers who participated in student teaching. The study assessed grade point average (GPA) and emotional intelligence as predictive factors of student teaching success. The researcher analyzed data of GPAs and Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) scores of …


A Psychosocial Analysis Of The Coach-Athlete Relationship Through The Lens Of Coaching Efficacy, Kael G. Gouriluk Apr 2017

A Psychosocial Analysis Of The Coach-Athlete Relationship Through The Lens Of Coaching Efficacy, Kael G. Gouriluk

Selected Honors Theses

This paper seeks to understand the relationship between athletes and their coaches. More specifically, through review of precedential work and a survey study, to understand the effects of coaches’ instruction methods and actions upon athletes in relation to their perceptions of their previous coaches’ efficacy.


It’S All In The Heart: The Influence Of The Personal Values And Philosophies Of Administrators And Teachers On The Methodologies And Effectiveness 
Of Character Education, Rebecca Joy Foxworth Nov 2016

It’S All In The Heart: The Influence Of The Personal Values And Philosophies Of Administrators And Teachers On The Methodologies And Effectiveness 
Of Character Education, Rebecca Joy Foxworth

Selected Honors Theses

This thesis sought to determine the influence of educators’ personal values and philosophies on character education, particularly on methodologies and effectiveness. Research consisted of a two-part study of an elementary charter school. Part one of the study consisted of an interview with two administrators from the school, and part two of the study consisted of a survey sent out to the teachers of the school. Both the interview and survey sought to determine the values and philosophies of character education held by the educators, the methodologies the school uses for character education, and how the educators perceive the effectiveness of …