Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Hope And Self-Directed Learning In The Workplace, Vicki Martin Dieffenderfer

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between self-directed learning and hope in the workplace. Participants completed two self-directed learning instruments, the Survey of Adult Learning Traits (SALT) (Hogg, 2008) and the Learner Self-directedness in the Workplace Scale (LSWS) (De Bruin & De Bruin, 2011), along with two hope scales, the Hope Trait Scale (Snyder et al., 1991) and the author-generated Workplace Learning Hope Scale. Correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regressions were used to test the relationship and differences between self-directed learning and hope, specifically within the domain of workplace learning. All instruments utilized in this study displayed sound internal consistency reliability. The …

Anesthesia Clinical Core Competencies And High Fidelity Human Simulation, Jeffrey Colby James

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify anesthesia clinical core competencies that are appropriate for evaluating proficiency utilizing High Fidelity Human Simulation (HFHS). This purpose was achieved by identifying the perceptions of nurse anesthesia educational program administrators and faculty regarding the anesthesia clinical core competencies that are appropriate for evaluating proficiency utilizing HFHS. Participants completed a 50-item web-based survey instrument and demographic questionnaire (Anesthesia Core Competency and Simulation Survey). High fidelity human simulation (HFHS) based evaluation of anesthesia clinical core competency proficiency can be a valuable tool for assessing anesthesia trainees, certifying nurse anesthetists, and recertifying nurse anesthetists. Evidence …

Program Evaluation Of The Strong Start Curriculum As A Selected Intervention For Early Elementary Students, Katherine A. Meyer

Doctoral Dissertations

Consistent with the need for implementation research and prevention programming for students in schools, the current study evaluated the implementation and outcomes of Strong Start, a social-emotional learning program, as a supplemental intervention for students in kindergarten through second grade at risk for developing emotional and behavioral problems. This intervention took place during the first year of a county-wide restructuring of mental health supports and was part of a multi-tiered system of supports provided in schools. A mixed method program evaluation was conducted to examine four areas of interest. First, the contextual factors related to program adoption were examined; …

Cycle Of Renewal: Yoga’S Influence On The Professional Lives Of Novice Teachers, Danette V. Day

Doctoral Dissertations

Teachers must acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills and dispositions to effectively meet the demands and challenges of the teaching profession (Darling-Hammond, 2006, 2010; Shulman, 2000). There is considerable research about how someone perceives they can perform effectively as a teacher, and what constitutes effective teaching (Bandura, 1995, 1997; Ashton & Webb, 1986). Research suggests that novice teachers feel unprepared, unsupported and ineffective; and 50% of novice teachers leave the profession within the first few years of teaching (Levine, 2006; Kaufman, et al., 2002; Kelley, 2004; Maciejewski, 2007) This study examined the question, “To what extent do novice teachers’ experiences and …

Cyberbullying, Bullying, And Victimization Among Adolescents: Rates Of Occurrence, Internet Use And Relationship To Parenting Styles, Michelle Pearl Black

Doctoral Dissertations

Cyberbullying has evolved from the increasing use of technology, specifically electronic communication and social networking. Cyberbullying is defined as a means of bullying in which peers use electronic devices "to taunt, insult, threaten, harass, and/or intimidate a peer" (Raskauskas & Stoltz, 2007, p. 565). This could occur through a number of different electronic formats or devices such as email, social networking sites, cell phones, etc. In this study, participants included a total of 77 students attending a Southeastern Tennessee City Middle and High School. This included 23 seventh-grade students, 31 eighth-grade students and 23 ninth grade students. Participants were administered …

Shared Decision Making In Individualized Education Program Meetings: A Discourse Analysis, Elizabeth Price

Doctoral Dissertations

In response to federal and state special education mandates, there has been increasing focus on collaboration with caregivers and students in special education planning. Promising approaches include students making decisions about their future academic careers with educators and caregivers in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. However, it is not clear from the research how the presence of the student contributes to decision making interactions. A discourse analysis of 63 middle school IEP meetings compared interactions with or without students present to explore how participants achieved decision making. Specifically analyzed, according to the Discursive Action Model (Edwards & Potter, 1993) and …

The Ability Of Early Reading Measures Administered In First Grade To Predict Fourth Grade Reading Comprehension For Puerto Rican Students In English Immersion, Sarah Peller

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study examined the relationship between children's early literacy-related abilities and their reading achievement in late elementary school in the context of a Puerto Rican community in Massachusetts. The researcher examined four years of student achievement test data from the public elementary schools of Holyoke, Massachusetts. The city’s particular sociologic history makes it an interesting and fruitful case for investigating issues around language, culture, and test performance that, while uniquely expressed in Holyoke, share aspects in common with many locales across the United States. The researcher sought to determine the extent to which literacy assessments administered to Hispanic children …

An Examination Of The Effectiveness Of The Louisiana Gear Up Program In Promoting Self-Efficacy, Improving Academic Achievement And Increasing Teachers' Aspirations For Their Students, Candi Hill

Doctoral Dissertations

Students are likely to avoid academic pursuits if they lack academic self-efficacy (Bandura, 2000). Furthermore, past poor academic performance contributes to the development of low academic self-efficacy. Students who participate in extracurricular activities, like LA GEAR UP, demonstrate better academic achievement and less risk-taking behaviors than non-participating students (Barber, Stone, & Hunt, 2003). Research supports the notion that LA GEAR UP is an effective way to improve students' academic performance and to reduce the number of disciplinary referrals students receive (Beer, 2009). Additionally, within the academic literature research has demonstrated that teachers' attributions about students are based upon their perceptions …

Rehearsal And Enactment For Teaching In Urban School Settings: A Qualitative Study Investigating The Connections Between A Math Methods Course And Fieldwork, Rajeev Virmani

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation, I studied teacher education reform efforts aimed at improving the preparation of preservice teachers through the use of rehearsals in a math methods class. As many experts in the field of teacher education call for curricula in which preservice teachers learn from and in practice, I investigated a type of pedagogy called rehearsals within a practice-based teacher education setting that may afford preservice teachers with the initial preparation needed to become effective teachers.

In this qualitative study, I examined how three preservice teachers and math methods instructors rehearse the high leverage practice of leading a whole-class discussion. …