Education Commons^™

World Class(Ed) Talk, Thomas J. Hospod

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

As American higher education proceeds with the internationalization process of the undergraduate curriculum, college and university campuses continue to advocate for higher levels of study abroad participation among the student population. Originating from a tradition that perceived involvement as a luxury for a select few, these experiences are now commonly viewed as a means for the general student body to develop the knowledge and the 21^st century skills required to fully engage the global context in which we live. Despite the continued expansion in the number of students participating, the general profile of participants has remained stubbornly similar, with …

Studying School Improvement Teams To Analyze Multiple Stakeholder Engagement In Decision-Making In Public Education, Julie A. Dibari

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Since the Industrial Revolution, when schools became larger and the missions broader, there has been an attempt by a wide range of stakeholders to have a voice in public education. More recently, through No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, the federal government began to increase requirements for multiple stakeholder engagement in decision-making for schools requesting Title I funds. As the need for a more educated workforce has grown, businesses have also sought to have a voice in improving education. Additionally, experts in the field of parent, school and community engagement, have called for the inclusion of parents, …

Teachers' Self-Directed Informal Learning For Technology Integration In 1:1 Device High Schools, Mary Moen

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Public schools are implementing 1:1 computing programs in the hopes of

transforming education to provide students with the digital literacy competencies that

will enable them to be successful in our technology driven world. Continuous

professional learning is critical in helping teachers develop the knowledge and skills

for effective educational technology integration. Research has found however, that

formal professional development, commonly implemented as one-time workshops

with outside facilitators, are ineffective due to the multi-dimensional nature of

technology integration. Teacher continuous professional learning outside of the formal

context needs be considered. This survey study explored the self-directed informal

online and offline learning …

Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Educating Emergency Room Nurses, Dana M. Ferrazzano

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital acquired infection and is primarily found in the intensive care units. The presence of an endotracheal tube is the primary risk factor for developing VAP. Many times the process of intubation occurs pre-hospital, in the emergency room (ER) or in the operating room. Ventilator associated pneumonia is associated with increased hospital stay and costs. Evidence-based guidelines have been developed to decrease the occurrence of VAP and decrease patient mortality. Preventative measures are initiated on the intensive care unit once the patient is transferred. The purpose of this study was to evaluate …

Engaging Students In Art Beyond The K-12 School Environment, Melanie Ducharme

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

This purpose of this thesis is to investigate a unit of instruction for a mural project with a community organization.

The question I sought to answer through this research was: How can I design a unit of instruction in collaboration with a local organization that will potentially engage students in a community-based work of art while also promoting a sense of community among the students?

Though this thesis research, I learned to collaborate with an organization to create a hypothetical unit of instruction. Also, I wanted to discover how I can create a learning experience that is engaging and personally …

Educating Nursing Students On Emergency Preparedness: A Pilot Program, Sandra N. Burnock

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

The purpose of this project was to determine if a disaster preparedness educational intervention for nursing students’ could engage students in personal preparedness and enhance their willingness to respond during a public health emergency. The United States (U.S.) is among the top five countries in the world that experience frequent natural disasters (Guha-Sapir et al., 2012). With over 3.1 million nurses in the U.S. (AACN, 2011) and their importance to healthcare, the nursing profession plays a crucial role in the ability of the nation to prepare for and respond to disasters. Currently, however, nurses in the U.S. lack the knowledge, …

Studying Science, Renee Johnson-Thornton

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Although nearly equivalent percentages of black and white students entering college aspire to earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), a much smaller percentage of black students than white undergraduates complete STEM degrees (HERI, 2010). Thirty-six percent of black undergraduates who initially pursue STEM fields and go on to earn bachelor’s degrees switch to non-STEM majors, and 29.3 percent leave college before graduating, a rate 10 percentage points higher than that of their white counterparts (19.8 percent) (Chen, 2013). In the environmental sciences, of the 4,802 degree recipients in 2010, 81 percent (3,879) were white and only 2 …

Exploring Nurses' Knowledge About Heart Failure Before And After The Implementation Of A Heart Failure Education Program, Suzanne H. Richmond

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Heart failure (HF) has become a national epidemic, with 5.7 million Americans currently living with HF. Although HF is incurable, it is manageable if health care professionals apply current practice guidelines to patient teaching. Nurses are charged with providing comprehensive education about HF self-­‐management and it is imperative they stay abreast of evidence-­‐based guidelines. The purpose of this project was to explore the current HF knowledge of Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) registered nurse Care Managers employed at the Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center (PVAMC). The logic model and Knowles andragogy theory assisted this researcher in the creation of a …

Nurses' Knowledge Related To Heart Failure Essentials, Ann Mary Garris

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Heart Failure is a complex syndrome which continues to be a major health issue in the United States and worldwide. Strategies and educational interventions implemented by hospitals to reduce hospital admissions and readmissions for this costly chronic disease have not been consistently successful. Patient education is an important strategy for the management of HF to improve quality of life, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce the use of healthcare resources by reducing readmissions. The purpose of this program development was to increase nurses’ knowledge regarding HF education to be provided to HF patients prior to discharge from the acute care setting. …

Surgical Skills For The Aprn Student: A Low-Fidelity Simulation Experience, Jason C. Heath

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

There are many contemporary areas of practice available to the ACNP to date that encompass a surgical component of practice. Surgical specialty settings require a practitioner to be competent in a specialized base of knowledge as well as possess a fundamental set of psychomotor skills to practice competently. Unlike the training of the PA, ACNP programs do not typically address surgical theory or skills. The purpose of the program was to increase graduate nursing student confidence in basic surgical skills. The review of the literature examined the differences between the educational preparation of the PA and the NP, expansion of …

Educational Innovation Brief: Educating Graduate Nursing Students On Value Based Purchasing, Kristen M. Farrell

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act implemented value-based purchasing to raise the bar on quality care and patient satisfaction in healthcare facilities. The time has come to educate graduate nursing students on the reality of quality indicators and the impact that advanced practice nurses will have on these initiatives. This educational brief describes implementation of an educational session developed for graduate nursing students on VBP and the APN role. The content for the education was derived from an extensive literature review, The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing, and the clinical experience of the author. The education was …

Girl Talk, Carey Delauder Bledsoe

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

This dissertation is a qualitative study of an all-girls’ advisory in a coeducational,

urban middle school located in a mid-sized city in the northeast.

The advisory group met daily over the course of the 2010-2011 academic year.

Drawing from data collected over one year of fieldwork--including participant

observation, analysis of discourse, dynamic interviews, and the analysis of

social constructs --this study explores how a group of mostly African

American and Latina students created a caring community in order to increase

their academic and social success.

Gender-Twisting And Bros Talking, Odile Mattiauda

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

In American Schools, students are rarely offered educational experiences about gender and sexuality. Programs that do address sexuality are rarely based on moral beliefs and democratic values of tolerance and inclusivity. Sexuality education is predominantly taught by health teachers, rather than human sexuality educators, and their focus is on facts, statistics, and controversial issues such as the prevention of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. This limited perspective on sexuality neglects the important role of gender identity and sexual orientation (Donovan, 1989; Haffner & De Mauro, 1991; Nelson Trudell, 1993)

Using teacher-researcher-participant-observer qualitative methodology, I examined the discourse …

The Female Singing Voice, Shirley Guerreiro

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

A study of perceived changes that may occur to the voice within the menstrual cycle The study examines factors that may affect women's voices and examines if there is a change occurring in the female singing voice during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle. Journals and questionnaires of premenstrual vocal and physiological symptoms of seven female voice students were used during two menstrual cycles. Vocal Teacher journals were also used to see if relationships could be found. The median score for various variables were calculated to produce graphs for visual comparison looking for relationships between days of the menstrual …