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Full-Text Articles in Education

It’S The Trauma Talking: A Phenomenology Of Foster Parents’ Trauma Knowledge In Central Virginia, Stephanie Lynn Cheek Dec 2022

It’S The Trauma Talking: A Phenomenology Of Foster Parents’ Trauma Knowledge In Central Virginia, Stephanie Lynn Cheek

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe foster parents’ trauma knowledge in Central Virginia. The theories guiding this study include childhood complex trauma theory and experiential learning theory (ELT). As discussed by Herman (1992) and Terr (1991), childhood complex trauma theory explains the behaviors and actions of foster children who have suffered complex trauma. As discussed by Kolb (2014), ELT explains the processes that foster parents go through in gaining and applying trauma knowledge to their fostering. The central research question is, how do foster parents in Central Virginia describe their trauma knowledge? Further research questions include, how …


Teacher Retention Crisis After Natural Disaster Trauma And A Global Pandemic, Kimberly Marie Jarrard Dec 2022

Teacher Retention Crisis After Natural Disaster Trauma And A Global Pandemic, Kimberly Marie Jarrard

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Natural disasters affect the communities of over one million students and educators in the United States every year; however, school-based preparedness and prevention programs are nearly non-existent across disaster-prone areas. School-based trauma intervention programs are somewhat present in schools; however, it is more expensive and at a cost, and most public school systems do not have funds readily available to spend. However, the price is more significant on the adolescents' and educators' mental health and communities affected when they are only treated reactively rather than proactively. There are many studies on the results and after-effects of trauma on the mental …


Military Command Authority: A Phenomenological Study Of How U.S. Army Company-Grade Leaders Experience Insubordination, Thomas Woods Stone Dec 2022

Military Command Authority: A Phenomenological Study Of How U.S. Army Company-Grade Leaders Experience Insubordination, Thomas Woods Stone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology is to explore the experiences of U.S. Army company commanders regarding insubordinate acts aimed at undermining their legitimate command authority. The theory guiding this dissertation is French and Raven’s (1959) theory of social power, which states that power is divided into five unique forms that leaders use in exercising their will to accomplish tasks. This study particularly considers the legitimate power base, a form of social power often asserted by virtue of holding an office or formal organizational position. The setting is an Army post in western United States; the study sample comprises three …


Educators’ Perspectives Of Student Outcomes, Rikki Jean Cook Dec 2022

Educators’ Perspectives Of Student Outcomes, Rikki Jean Cook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Individual experiences inform psychological adjustment, academic achievement, and trait-specific behaviors during adolescence. The formation of their identity is further dependent upon social and emotional interactions such as those experienced in the social learning environment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mandated social distancing resulted in the closure of public schools state-wide, forcing students and educators to utilize online educational environments with no preparatory or transitionary periods to allow for adequate adjustment. It is necessary to assess and work toward an understanding of the consequences of this environmental shift, and of the adolescents’ modified social interactions. This descriptive qualitative phenomenological study explores the …


Deployment Separation Impact On Military Spouse Well-Being, Cinthia Joas Dec 2022

Deployment Separation Impact On Military Spouse Well-Being, Cinthia Joas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military spouses are confronted with multiple responsibilities daily. These demands intensify when their spouses deploy. By extension, military families respond differently and adapt to these stressors differently than civilian families. This necessitates coping with dynamic changes described as adequate or maladaptive. The deployment of one's spouse is also affiliated with mixed feelings such as anger, fear, joy, loneliness, anticipation, and relief. While the active-duty spouse is deployed, communication with the family allows a more significant emotional balance for the military member, the spouse, and the children to obtain a more favorable performance in their functions. Without proper and consistent communication, …


A Hermeneutic Exploration Of The Meaning Of School Counseling For Undocumented Students Attempting To Receive Equitable College Access, Victoria Lauren Landi Nov 2022

A Hermeneutic Exploration Of The Meaning Of School Counseling For Undocumented Students Attempting To Receive Equitable College Access, Victoria Lauren Landi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study examines what school counseling means to undocumented students attempting equitable college access. Critical Race Theory is the theoretical basis guiding this study. Much literature on undocumented youth and educational attainment suggests undocumented youth are not receiving an equitable public education and continue falling further into society's margins. However, research has not yet captured how undocumented youth experience college access from their school counselors. The gap in the research elucidates the research questions that drove this study regarding how undocumented students explain the meaning of equitable college access from their interactions with school counselors and how undocumented youth …


Property Tax And School Choice In Pennsylvania K-12 Education, David William Scott Bolton Nov 2022

Property Tax And School Choice In Pennsylvania K-12 Education, David William Scott Bolton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

For many years now, Pennsylvanian lawmakers have debated the merits of changing the funding method of public schools, with the elimination of property taxes drawing headlines in the media but never being realized through legislative amendments to the school funding formulas. Still today, legislation is being proposed to eliminate property tax as a funding source. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is demographic or geographic support for these efforts among those who budget and utilize these funds: school board members. The theoretical framework employed will be that of social choice theory. A survey was conducted among …


Academic And Social Acculturation Experiences Of Underschooled Latin American English Learners: A Phenomenological Study, Deborah Kay Blackledge Oct 2022

Academic And Social Acculturation Experiences Of Underschooled Latin American English Learners: A Phenomenological Study, Deborah Kay Blackledge

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the acculturation experiences of underschooled Latin American English Learners (ELs) in a secondary school in the southern part of the United States. The underschooled ELs are defined as English learners ranging in ages from 13-17 years old who have come from another country in Latin America within a three-year time span having three years or less of educational schooling in their native country. The sampling size for this study consisted of eight EL students in grades seventh through tenth grade. The subsequent central question guided the study: What are the …


The Effects Of Religious Commitment On The Loneliness And Authenticity Of Single Millennial Women Churchgoers, Zowee Jamison-Shanks Sep 2022

The Effects Of Religious Commitment On The Loneliness And Authenticity Of Single Millennial Women Churchgoers, Zowee Jamison-Shanks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There has been a plethora of studies that have been conducted regarding the large number of millennials who are leaving the religious institution. Despite the studies that have been conducted there are a limited number of studies that examine the reasoning behind millennials leaving religious institutions. This study adds to current knowledge about single millennial women and their religious commitment. This study provides knowledge that can benefit leaders of religious institutions in reconnecting with single millennial women and engaging in conversation that could help to decrease the internal and external factors that cause disaffiliation. The purpose of this quantitative study …


Third Culture Kids' Repatriation And Planned Transition To College From A South Asian Country: A Qualitative Collective Case Study, Sandra Wiemann Blank Aug 2022

Third Culture Kids' Repatriation And Planned Transition To College From A South Asian Country: A Qualitative Collective Case Study, Sandra Wiemann Blank

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand the transition to college in the United States of third culture kids (TCKs) who have spent at least one year in South Asia during their upbringing (ages 6-18). Schlossberg’s adults in transition theory was employed to study planned transitions to college. This study attempted to answer the research questions: How do TCKs perceive the major events or benchmarks in their transition to college? How did expected and unexpected outcomes impact TCKs’ experience during their transition to college? What resources do TCKs typically access during their repatriation to college transition …


Causal Comparative Study Of The Compassion Satisfaction Of School Counselors Working With Students Engaging In Self-Harm, Raymond Edward Storms Aug 2022

Causal Comparative Study Of The Compassion Satisfaction Of School Counselors Working With Students Engaging In Self-Harm, Raymond Edward Storms

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

School counselors have several responsibilities above ensuring students are in their correct classes. One of those responsibilities is assisting in a school crisis. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the compassion satisfaction of school counselors when working with students engaging in acts of self-harm. To identify the school counselors’ compassion satisfaction, the study researched the following two questions. RQ1: Is there a difference between the compassion satisfaction scores of high-experience counselors and low-experience counselors working with students engaging in self-harm? RQ2: Is there a difference between the compassion satisfaction scores of elementary-middle school counselors and high school …


Becoming A Trauma-Informed School: Teacher, Administration, And Support Staff's Perception To Handle Trauma In The School Setting, Jaime Baas Aug 2022

Becoming A Trauma-Informed School: Teacher, Administration, And Support Staff's Perception To Handle Trauma In The School Setting, Jaime Baas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Childhood trauma is an increasing issue that families, children, and schools face. Schools are often restricted to specific protocols when handling undesired behaviors that could overlook or perpetuate trauma. Teachers, administration, and support staff could lack the skills to handle trauma and crisis in the school setting. This research used a single case study in a Title 1 school district focused on the perception of preparedness to address crisis using trauma-informed care— the district supports approximately 4,000 individuals including students, teachers, administration, and support staff. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived ability of teachers, administration, and …


The Silent Secret: College Instructors’ Nonverbal Behavior And Its Correlation With Student Immediacy, Jared Van Fujishin Jul 2022

The Silent Secret: College Instructors’ Nonverbal Behavior And Its Correlation With Student Immediacy, Jared Van Fujishin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative research study focuses on the relationship between college teachers’ nonverbal communication behaviors and the influence that those behaviors have on college students’ perception of immediacy. Understanding the factors of immediacy, or trust and rapport with another, is imperative for educators as the current literature suggests that how students feel toward their instructors plays a role in the retention or attrition of students. Although nonverbal communication is only one part of a complex set of variables that go into the equation of student retention, it is an important aspect of the equation to study because nonverbal communication is constantly …


The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety, Stress, And Resilience In Economically Challenged Single Mothers, Gloria Jean Hill-Murray May 2022

The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Anxiety, Stress, And Resilience In Economically Challenged Single Mothers, Gloria Jean Hill-Murray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of economically challenged single mothers during Covid 19. Mitigating the severe anxiety and stress risks linked with COVID-19 has been a goal of public health incentives. Less effort has been spent on studying the psychological issues connected to the worldwide epidemic, particularly among economically challenged communities. The aims of the study were to explore the impact of anxiety and stress of the COVID 19 pandemic on economically challenged single mothers, to determine the needs of this group, and to identify prevention and interventions that might support them in …


Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Trust And Help-Seeking Among Black Women: A Phenomenological Study, Laketa Sutton May 2022

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Trust And Help-Seeking Among Black Women: A Phenomenological Study, Laketa Sutton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trust and help-seeking are two important aspects of human development, growth, and social functioning. However, there are many meanings about how to define trust and help-seeking in scholarly research. There is also an absence of studies particularly surrounding Black women as it relates to trust and help-seeking beyond psychological and medical domains. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study, using Colaizzi’s method, was to explore and understand the lived experiences of Black women regarding trust and help-seeking. Specifically, the study sought to understand how Black women experience and make meaning of trust and help-seeking. Based on Ajzen’s theory of planned …


Participation In Collision, Contact, And Noncontact Sports And Academic Outcomes At A United States Service Academy, Benjamin Thomas Showman May 2022

Participation In Collision, Contact, And Noncontact Sports And Academic Outcomes At A United States Service Academy, Benjamin Thomas Showman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study seeks to determine whether significant differences exist in the academic outcomes, specifically grade point averages (GPA), between college students who participate in collision, contact, or noncontact sports. Additionally, this study seeks to understand whether sport contact levels are predictive of a student’s GPA when sport competition levels and demographic variables are also taken into account. Current research suggests links between sports participation, aggression, brain injuries, and academic outcomes. Along these lines, a significant amount of research has investigated relationships between student aggression and academic outcomes, between aggression and sport contact levels, and between sports participation and academic …


A Study On Factors Affecting Perseverance And Commitment In Christian Marriages, Oluwafemi O. Owadasa Apr 2022

A Study On Factors Affecting Perseverance And Commitment In Christian Marriages, Oluwafemi O. Owadasa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The concept of marriage is as old as the world itself and in Christianity, the bond is promised to sustain a lifetime. Current research has presented little insight into the concept of marriage in Christianity and the reasons leading to divorce among Christian couples in developed nations as opposed to underdeveloped nations. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of perseverance, culture, and extended family involvement on Christian practice, marriage, and divorce in developed and underdeveloped nations. The philosophy that guided the study was positivism. A total of 100 participants who regularly attend church were selected to …


Recognizing Threatening And Aberrant Behavior: An Applied Study To Develop Online Training For The Support Staff At John Doe High School, James Daniel Christian Apr 2022

Recognizing Threatening And Aberrant Behavior: An Applied Study To Develop Online Training For The Support Staff At John Doe High School, James Daniel Christian

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this applied study was to solve the problem of adequately providing guidance to support staff in the recognition of threatening or aberrant behavior that may represent a threat to the community, self, or others at John Doe High School located in southeast Virginia and to design practices to train all students, faculty, and staff to address the problem. A multimethod design was used consisting of both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The first approach was semi-structured interviews with members of the school-based threat assessment team. The second approach was conducting a focus group with support staff. The third …


The Impact Of Law Enforcement Training On The Ability Of Officers To Recognize Human Trafficking Situations In West Tennessee, Marie Angelena Garrett Apr 2022

The Impact Of Law Enforcement Training On The Ability Of Officers To Recognize Human Trafficking Situations In West Tennessee, Marie Angelena Garrett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

No one knows the true extent of human trafficking in America today, yet law enforcement officers may encounter victims during routine assignments. There exists a growing body of research associated with law enforcement officers and human trafficking. However, few researchers have explored the connection between human trafficking training and officers’ ability to recognize human trafficking situations. Grounded in schema theory, this quantitative study surveys law enforcement officers in West Tennessee. Survey questions assess officers’ awareness of human trafficking generalities, their ability to recognize possible locations of human trafficking, and training related to human trafficking. Questions then describe potential human trafficking …


Burnout In Virginia's Community College Adjuncts With Relation To Gender, Age, And Number Of Jobs Held, Justin Barrett Stowe Apr 2022

Burnout In Virginia's Community College Adjuncts With Relation To Gender, Age, And Number Of Jobs Held, Justin Barrett Stowe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Burnout is a psychological condition that affects individuals in high stress careers. Higher education faculty are prone to burnout, with studies showing women experienced burnout at different ages than their male counterparts. Few studies have been conducted to test if age and gender could predict a high level of burnout amongst adjunct faculty in community colleges. In addition, community college adjunct faculty are known to work more than one job to meet economic needs, and the research demonstrates such a condition creates anxiety, but little discussion is present on whether the variables of age, gender, and additional jobs held may …


The Relationship Between The Amount Of Training Time And Perceived Training Effectiveness To Teacher Perceptions About The Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Framework, Victoria Leigh Harr Morley Apr 2022

The Relationship Between The Amount Of Training Time And Perceived Training Effectiveness To Teacher Perceptions About The Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Framework, Victoria Leigh Harr Morley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With a rise of behavioral concerns in the classroom, education systems have turned to positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) to reinforce positive behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between the fidelity of PBIS implementation, teacher perceived effectiveness of the programs, and time spent implementing the program. The theoretical framework for this study came from the applied behavior analysis theory. The researcher used a quantitative predictive correlational design to examine the relationship between the fidelity of implementation of PBIS programs, teacher perception of effectiveness of the PBIS framework, and time spent implementing …


Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Teacher Age, And Years Of Experience Of Teachers Of Languages Other Than English And Their Perceived Leadership, Maryna Svirska-Otero Mar 2022

Relationship Between Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Teacher Age, And Years Of Experience Of Teachers Of Languages Other Than English And Their Perceived Leadership, Maryna Svirska-Otero

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine a relationship between self-efficacy beliefs, age, and years of experience of educators of language other than English and teacher leadership. Language teachers constitute a unique subculture that exhibits varied levels of perceived importance and influence on the local, state, and national levels. The complexity of the academic context of second language acquisition contributed to the persistent shortage of educators nationwide between 1990 and 2017. In addition, the gap in ethnic representativeness of formal school leaders combined with the increased ethnic diversity of students communicates the need to invest in leadership …


An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of Phronetic Administrative Competencies In Experienced Student Ministry Practitioners, Tripp Atkinson Mar 2022

An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study Of Phronetic Administrative Competencies In Experienced Student Ministry Practitioners, Tripp Atkinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While the impact of a healthy student ministry in the local church is culture-shaping and eternally significant, many churches are not experiencing success in this ministry area. Among the many challenges modern student ministry face, a high turnover rate and perceived lack of competence among student ministry professionals contribute to this lack of sustained fruitful ministry (Devries, 2008). In many cases, the lack of competence is a primary contributing factor to the turnover. While a number of studies have identified the necessity of student ministry professionals possessing sound administrative competencies in sustaining success, a significant gap in the literature exists, …


A Case Study On How School Leaders Foster A Safety Culture In Secondary School, Breck Laster Perry Mar 2022

A Case Study On How School Leaders Foster A Safety Culture In Secondary School, Breck Laster Perry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this embedded single case study was to describe how school leaders foster a culture of safety in a secondary school in central Atlantic State. The central research question guiding this study was: How do school leaders foster a culture of safety in a secondary school? I conducted a single embedded case study at a top-rated high school that demonstrated a safety culture under the pseudonym of Chatantown High School. The conceptual framework undergirding this study was the Avolio and Bass full range of leadership model. Purposeful sampling was used to interview educators and educational leaders on-site, while …


Current State Of Inclusion Education: A Cross-State Analysis Of Compliance, Teacher Certification, And Students With Disabilities Academic Outcomes, Emily Rose Winters Mar 2022

Current State Of Inclusion Education: A Cross-State Analysis Of Compliance, Teacher Certification, And Students With Disabilities Academic Outcomes, Emily Rose Winters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) there has been a legal requirement to provide students with disabilities the most inclusive education possible (Winchell et al., 2018) while Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 requires that education be delivered by highly qualified teachers. Despite this, there have been minimal parameters set by the federal government in relation to inclusion education implementation or what constitutes a highly qualified teacher leading to significant variance in state inclusion education methods (Westling, 2019) and requirements for initial teaching certification or licensure (United States Department of Education, 2019; Youngs et al., 2003). …


Discipleship And Leadership: The Correlation Between Discipleship And Servant, Transformational, And Shared Leadership In The Marketplace, Daniel E. Gifford Mar 2022

Discipleship And Leadership: The Correlation Between Discipleship And Servant, Transformational, And Shared Leadership In The Marketplace, Daniel E. Gifford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative correlational study explored the intersection of Christians in leadership positions who are not in full-time ministerial positions and the transformational nature of discipleship. It focused on determining if a correlation exists between a marketplace Christian leader’s involvement in a discipleship relationship and exhibiting characteristics of servant, transformational, or shared leadership in the marketplace. It did this by examining the concept of discipleship as currently practiced in today’s environment, comparing it with similar terms and practices prevalent in the literature, such as spiritual formation, mentoring, and coaching. It also reviewed three specific leadership styles, arguing that servant, transformational, and …


The Effects Of Leadership On Faculty And Staff Job Satisfaction And Affective Commitment In Health-Related Professional Programs, Vitasha Ali Mar 2022

The Effects Of Leadership On Faculty And Staff Job Satisfaction And Affective Commitment In Health-Related Professional Programs, Vitasha Ali

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership is an essential component of higher education institutions as it influences the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and achieve its goals. Leadership is vital as it affects employees in various areas that may influence their ability to perform their professional duties. Leadership is aligned with the success of an organization and impacts the motivation of employees on their achievement to successfully accomplish the institution’s goal. Transformational leaders encourage individuals to support each other and the organization as a whole and creates an environment of trust, loyalty and respect for the leader by the followers. This leadership style may …


Bridging The Geospatial Education-Workforce Divide: A Case Study On How Higher Education Can Address The Emerging Geospatial Drivers And Trends Of The Intelligent Web Mapping Era, Wendy Rose Stout Mar 2022

Bridging The Geospatial Education-Workforce Divide: A Case Study On How Higher Education Can Address The Emerging Geospatial Drivers And Trends Of The Intelligent Web Mapping Era, Wendy Rose Stout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory collective case study is to discover how geospatial education can meet the geospatial workforce needs of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the emerging intelligent web mapping era. Geospatial education uses geographic information systems (GIS) to enable student learning by increasing in-depth spatial analysis and meaning using geotechnology tools (Baker & White, 2003). Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory and geography concept of spatial thinking form an integrated theoretical framework of spatial cognition for this study. Data collection included in-depth interviews of twelve geospatial stakeholders, documentation collection, and supporting Q methodology to determine the viewpoints of a total …


Christian Devotional Meditation And Holistic Well Being, Raymond D. Paxton Jan 2022

Christian Devotional Meditation And Holistic Well Being, Raymond D. Paxton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Holistic well-being is a concept that implies humans are multidimensional and require a broad approach to help them achieve life contentment and satisfaction. Spirituality, relationships, emotional functioning, and biology all play a part in achieving this life balance and satisfaction. Interpersonal neurobiology suggests that early life experiences can contribute to underdeveloped brain structures resulting in the diminished ability to form meaningful attachment relationships that help foster contentment as an adult. This ability to engage in positive and supportive relationships has impact on life and holistic well-being. Further, the inability to form close relationships, engage, and emotionally connect with others has …