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A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of High School Student Spirituality On Transition Decision Making, Sandra Brady May 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of The Impact Of High School Student Spirituality On Transition Decision Making, Sandra Brady

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the impact of a student’s spirituality on the decisions he or she makes during transition. For this study, transition will be defined as the process of moving from high school to post-secondary education and employment. Spirituality will be defined as moments of transcendence that can often provide clarity and guidance (Maslow, 1976). The process of transition can be both stressful and exciting. While supports and preparation can make an impact, it is possible that the student’s spiritual beliefs are a significant factor in the decisions that are made. The following research …


A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Pre-Service Teachers, Rosetta Riddle May 2018

A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Pre-Service Teachers, Rosetta Riddle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between the personality trait of grit and self-efficacy levels. The predictor variable of grit to the criterion variable of self-efficacy for pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a Mid-Atlantic university was studied. Investigating connections between motivation and resilience that might result in self-efficacious behaviors was the focus of the study. The study was important because although some research studies existed regarding content specific self-efficacy of pre-service teachers, limited research had been conducted regarding self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers based on school level. This was a …


Shared Advocacy: A Multiple-Case Examination Of Practices Supporting Postsecondary Students With Learning And Attention Differences, Julie Mcnair May 2018

Shared Advocacy: A Multiple-Case Examination Of Practices Supporting Postsecondary Students With Learning And Attention Differences, Julie Mcnair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This multiple-case study examined the practices of academic support providers who offered supplemental services for students with learning or attention differences at postsecondary institutions. Students with learning or attention differences transitioning to postsecondary institutions may need assistance developing self-advocacy through practice. The study employed self-determination theory and positive psychology (Deci & Ryan, 2002; Seligman, 2011), asking the central research question, "How do academic support providers at postsecondary institutions offer shared-advocacy, promoting intrinsic motivation through accommodative intervention strategies for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD?" Previously unheard perspectives of academic support providers at five postsecondary institutions presented these insights. Analysis occurred …


A Phenomenological Exploration Of Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Flipped Classroom Model, Jami Weidmann May 2018

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Flipped Classroom Model, Jami Weidmann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to describe secondary teachers’ experiences implementing a secondary flipped classroom model (FCM) in the United States. A FCM is a framework wherein students work at their own pace and use in-class time for active learning activities. The following questions were researched: (a) How do secondary FCM teachers describe their lived experiences from implementing the FCM? (b) What benefits, if any, do secondary teachers describe from implementing the FCM? (c) What challenges, if any, do secondary teachers describe from implementing the FCM? (d) What necessary resources do teachers perceive important for successful …


Breaking The Cycle: An Ethnographic Study On Hispanic Mothers In Family Drug Court, Rhonda Tyler May 2018

Breaking The Cycle: An Ethnographic Study On Hispanic Mothers In Family Drug Court, Rhonda Tyler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this critical ethnographic study was to understand the phenomena of generational substance abuse of Hispanic mothers. By participating in family drug court (FDC), a therapeutic judicial program, rather than incarceration, mothers have a greater opportunity to address their substance abuse issues (Brown, 2010). Motivated to restore their domestic structures, FDC often allows them to address their substance abuse issues and regain custody of their children, who are usually in family or state’s care (Choi, 2012). In this study, generational substance abuse will be generally defined as those women who are FDC participants and have lost custody of …


A Transcendental Phenomenological Study In How School Principals Prioritize Their Personal Lives In Relation To Their Professional Lives, Ryan Ashley May 2018

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study In How School Principals Prioritize Their Personal Lives In Relation To Their Professional Lives, Ryan Ashley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The divorce rate in the United States is climbing among professionals. One of the highest of these rates is among educational leaders; it is commonly the perception that a tremendous amount of time and energy must be spent in the school in order for the school to be successful. This means educational leaders must spend large amounts of time away from their significant others as well as their children in order to maintain this status quo. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to discover common characteristics that contribute to school principals having and maintaining a relationship with a significant …


Student Transition Into Kindergarten: A Case Study Of The Reggio Emilia Approach, Joan Stephens May 2018

Student Transition Into Kindergarten: A Case Study Of The Reggio Emilia Approach, Joan Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to arrive at a better understanding of what teachers contribute to the unique issues of student transition from a Reggio Emilia approach preschool into kindergarten. Transition was defined as “. . . reciprocal organization activities and cooperation (vertical connection), one of the aims of which was to connect with families (horizontal connection)” (Ahtola et al., 2016, p. 169). The central question of the research is; what do Reggio Emilia approach schoolteachers contribute to transition? Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivist theory involved the “actual relations between individuals” (p. 57), and social constructivist theory, along …


A Phenomenological Study Of Female Stem Majors Who Have Decided To Become Educators, Porcia Richardson-Spears May 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of Female Stem Majors Who Have Decided To Become Educators, Porcia Richardson-Spears

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate, identify, and describe the lived experiences that influence female STEM majors to become secondary educators rather than enter a STEM-related corporate profession. This study was guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory (TLT) and Lent, Brown and Hackett’s social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as they related to self-awareness, which guides and motivates the behaviors involved in choosing a career path. The research questions for this study were designed to investigate the experiences that prompted females to major in STEM majors and to enter the field of teaching rather than enter corporate …


Undocumented Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenology Of Students Struggling To Obtain Educational And Career Goals, Marvin Rondon May 2018

Undocumented Hispanic Students In Higher Education: A Phenomenology Of Students Struggling To Obtain Educational And Career Goals, Marvin Rondon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study is to describe the experiences of undocumented Hispanic students paying out-of-state tuition while enrolled at selected community colleges in Eastern North Carolina. This study is guided by Arnett’s emerging adulthood theory, a stage of life linking adolescence and young adulthood marked by self-identity issues, exploration, planning for the future, instability, crisis, commitment, family expectations, new relationships, and new roles. The central research question focuses on the educational experiences of undocumented Hispanic students paying out-of-state tuition enrolled in rural North Carolina community colleges with restrictive in-state tuition laws. A purposeful sample of 12 …


An Examination Of Children’S Ministry Volunteer Development From Pastors And Laity In The Local Church, Kenneth Warren Apr 2018

An Examination Of Children’S Ministry Volunteer Development From Pastors And Laity In The Local Church, Kenneth Warren

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Developing children’s ministry volunteers in the local church is crucial to the sustenance of the body of Christ. Children’s ministry volunteers should be viewed as capable partners with both parents and church leaders in fulfilling the Great Commission. All volunteer ministries of the church matter, but those serving in children’s ministry have the unique opportunity to shape the lives of individuals who could serve the kingdom for a lifetime. Children’s ministry volunteer development is valuable because kingdom advancement hinges on lay ministry development as described in Ephesians 4:11–16. For this project, the researcher surveyed children’s ministry volunteers and pastors in …


An Investigation Of Assessment, Equal Opportunity, And Educational Equity In Conservative Evangelical Schools, Joseph Scifo Apr 2018

An Investigation Of Assessment, Equal Opportunity, And Educational Equity In Conservative Evangelical Schools, Joseph Scifo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this ex post facto, causal comparative study was to use a three-tiered investigation; each tier was related to the investigation of equity and student achievement. Based on the literature, there is little to no research about the relationship between equity in conservative Evangelical Christian schools and student achievement. The data used in this study was drawn from conservative Evangelical schools. The research focus was on schools which are members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) in the Mid-America/Ohio River Valley Region. The participant schools were divided into different tiers and categories, in accordance with the …


Comparing Active Duty And Transitional Military Veteran Students' Evaluation Of Online Distance Higher Education Learning Environments, Sherry Crissman Apr 2018

Comparing Active Duty And Transitional Military Veteran Students' Evaluation Of Online Distance Higher Education Learning Environments, Sherry Crissman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Active duty service members’ participation in non-traditional higher education designed for veterans and other non-traditional adults can be uniquely impacted by their unpredictable military schedules, geographic instability, and frequently limited access to technology needed to complete course requirements while in remote areas. The purpose of this study was to examine whether active duty undergraduates differed significantly regarding their attitudes toward distance learning and their perceptions of the distance learning environment compared to veterans and non-traditional adults. This causal comparative study examined adult students’ perceptions after participating in 200-level undergraduate education delivered online at a private four-year institution based on their …


Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards Apr 2018

Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Self-efficacy is well known as one of the most effective methods to raise student academic achievement (Hattie, 2007). Known as the “I think I can” phenomenon, extensive research is presented concerning the impact of self-efficacy as the predictor to achievement. Likewise, participation in physical sports is known for its impact on academic achievement, as well as social and emotional health. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the presence of a statistically significant relationship between the level of participation in physical sports activities and the middle school students’ self-efficacy. A convenience sample of 69 seventh and eighth grade …


Academic Achievement With Cooperative Learning Using Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Groups, Patricia Wyman Apr 2018

Academic Achievement With Cooperative Learning Using Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Groups, Patricia Wyman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cooperative learning is a proven teaching strategy that teachers have been using for over 40 years. Teachers often group students heterogeneously so that students that are lower achieving are learning from higher achieving students and higher achieving students support and solidify their learning by restating and re-teaching to their lower achieving partners. The purpose of this study was to test homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping while using cooperative learning teaching structure. This dissertation aimed to answer the question, should students be grouped homogeneously or heterogeneously while participating in cooperative learning. The research design for this study was quantitative, quasi-experimental. A convenience …


Understanding The Lived Experiences Of University Students Who Self-Identify As Cyberbullies: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Osborne Apr 2018

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of University Students Who Self-Identify As Cyberbullies: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Osborne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of university students, aged 18 to 50, in a suburban Atlanta university who have self-identified as perpetrators of cyberbullying. The three research questions that guided this study sought to determine how students perceive their cyberbullying behavior impacts their peers, how students explain their motivation to cyberbully their peers, and how their experiences led to perpetrating acts of cyberbullying. Experiences were examined that may be contributing factors for cyberbullying. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the concept of moral disengagement of cyberbullies was examined through the research questions as well. …


The Effects Of Social-Connectedness And Self-Esteem On The Resiliency Of Homeschool Students, Nicole Jones Apr 2018

The Effects Of Social-Connectedness And Self-Esteem On The Resiliency Of Homeschool Students, Nicole Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this bivariate regression study was to determine if social-connectedness and self-esteem are good predictors of resiliency in homeschool students. Within the study, two research questions were asked: (1) How accurately can resiliency, as measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, be predicted by social-connectedness, as measured by Lee and Robbins Social Connectedness Scale, in homeschooled students? (2) How accurately can resiliency, as measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, be predicted by self-esteem, as measured by Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, in homeschooled students? To best address these questions, a quantitative approach was used to determine if …


A Multiple Case Study Of The Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Creation, Implementation, And Sustaining Of School Emergency Management Plans, Robert Lopez Apr 2018

A Multiple Case Study Of The Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Creation, Implementation, And Sustaining Of School Emergency Management Plans, Robert Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine how the interorganizational relationship between school administrators and law enforcement personnel in the Midwest, South, and Southwest regions of the United States with diverse cultures, missions, and objectives to collaborate to create, implement, and sustain emergency management readiness. The theoretical concept that guided this study involved interorganizational theories as they relate to two or more organizations working together toward a common goal. This study used purposeful sampling of 12 participants from three school districts from the states of Alabama, New Mexico, and Illinois. A within-case and cross-case analysis along …


High Academic Achievement For Adolescents In Blended And Stepfamilies: A Heuristic Inquiry, Vernette Gilbreath Apr 2018

High Academic Achievement For Adolescents In Blended And Stepfamilies: A Heuristic Inquiry, Vernette Gilbreath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this heuristic study is to understand the lived experiences (i.e., values, attitudes, and practices) of 10 biological parents in blended and stepfamilies in which at least one child experienced high academic achievement at the middle school and high school level. Building on dynamic systems theory and educational resilience theory as theoretical underpinnings, this qualitative study seeks to answer the following central research question: What are the values, practices, and attitudes experienced by biological parents in blended and stepfamily units that contribute to high academic achievement for adolescents in these families? Participants living in the Southeastern area of …


How Does An International Spanish Academy (Isa) Bilingual Program Affect The Motivation For Students To Take Four Years Of Spanish Classes Instead Of The Customary Two Years?, Frank Madden Feb 2018

How Does An International Spanish Academy (Isa) Bilingual Program Affect The Motivation For Students To Take Four Years Of Spanish Classes Instead Of The Customary Two Years?, Frank Madden

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this explanatory multi-case study was to determine how an International Spanish Academy (ISA) bilingual education model affects motivation for students to take four years of Spanish classes instead of the customary two years. The study involved three groups of Georgia public high school students currently enrolled in Spanish II classes in schools that did not include an ISA program. There is a growing trend across the United States to drop the world language requirement for high school graduation (National Council of State Supervisors for Languages (NCSSFL), 2016). Because of this national trend, a phenomenon exists among Georgia …


Middle School Student Perception And Understanding Of Differentiated Instruction: A Phenomenological Study, Zoie Park Jan 2018

Middle School Student Perception And Understanding Of Differentiated Instruction: A Phenomenological Study, Zoie Park

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Lack of published research on student perception and understanding of differentiated learning hinders educators attempting to diversify learning for individual students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perception and understanding of differentiated instruction of middle school students in a charter middle school in central Florida, as a review of literature reveals limited research conducted from a student perspective. The study will broaden existing educational practices in relation to individualized student differentiated instruction and suggest a relationship between differentiated instruction and student understanding of educational material. The brain-based theories guiding this study are Piaget’s theory of cognitive …


Evaluating A Reading Response To Intervention Model: A Case Study Of Elementary Educators, Jeremy Brumfield Jan 2018

Evaluating A Reading Response To Intervention Model: A Case Study Of Elementary Educators, Jeremy Brumfield

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study sought to explore the perceptions of classroom teachers and an instructional support team regarding the effectiveness of an established reading Response to Intervention model. It compared the perceptions of both groups regarding the model’s effectiveness, focusing on its strengths and weaknesses. The similarities and differences between the two participant groups’ perceptions that emerged from the individual interviews and focus groups were identified and discussed. This research also compared the perceptions of the participants to the success rates of students in the school in terms of the Response to Intervention measures of reading and standardized student achievement on …


Secondary Teachers' Perceptions And Self-Efficacy Regarding Technology Integration: A Phenomenological Study, Christopher Brantley Jan 2018

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions And Self-Efficacy Regarding Technology Integration: A Phenomenological Study, Christopher Brantley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine how teachers from various levels of technology self-efficacy perceive and implement technology within their specific classroom. Using a qualitative approach, I explored four public schools from a medium to large-sized school district in the Southeastern United States. The Technology Integration Confidence Scale (TICS) was used to purposively select 10 secondary teachers from the west side of Beach County (a pseudonym). The secondary teachers were placed into three groups based upon their individual self-efficacy level towards technology integration: (a) low, (b) average, and (c) high. Data was collected through the following methods: …