Education Commons^™

An Exploration Of Teacher Attrition Factors In Oregon Christian Schools, Zachary Davidson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study sought to determine factors for attrition rates among Christian school teachers in Oregon by using an adaptation of the 2021-2022 Private School Survey created and distributed by the Department of Education. The quantitative study was distributed to 31 Christian schools in Oregon. Relationships and trends were examined among teachers who expressed a high desire to remain teachers and those who expressed a desire to quit the teaching profession. Results from this study identified three strategies to improve teacher retention. First, an increase in compensation was the primary factor in improving teacher retention. Second, mentorship was significant in decreasing …

Using Online Video Observations And Real Time, Peer Reflective Analysis Of Culturally Responsive Teaching Pedagogy In A University Teacher Preparatory Program For Preservice Teachers, Adrian E. Cortes

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This research aimed to understand the impacts of using online video observations and real-time peer reflection to teach and address culturally responsive teaching in a Pacific Northwest university’s teacher preparatory program. Six active university students enrolled in a university’s new teacher preparatory program (i.e., preservice, new teacher candidates) actively participated in all areas of this study (i.e., nonrandom sampling) and provided both quantitative and qualitative data. Study participants completed self-evaluative pre- and post-surveys in a research group session. Surveys were built using the ready 4 rigor framework (Hammond & Jackson, 2015) and the four areas of culturally responsive teaching as …

A Conceptual Analysis And Variable Identification Study Of First-Language Attrition, Neil Edward Cantrall

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Children who grow up hearing and speaking one language and then begin learning another often experience first-language (L1) attrition. Existing research presents different theories regarding the process and the contributing factors of L1 attrition. However, the theories and factors are often dispersed throughout the literature with little coherent presentation. This makes it difficult for researchers and some practitioners to model L1 attrition with other variables properly. This study merged conceptual and content analysis through literature reviews to identify the relevant and essential variables that play a role in L1 attrition. I reviewed 54 textual sources which presented information or studies …

A Handbook For Community College Deans: Foundations, Frameworks, And Day-To-Day Resources For Leaders Of Two-Year Institutions Of Higher Education, Thomas James Wilkins-Luton

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study explores the evolving equity-focused purpose and structure of community colleges in the United States in the early 2020’s and examines how the leaders of these culturally critical higher education institutions make sense of their place within complex social and educational contexts. This study describes the function of these equity-essential institutions and identifies key structural barriers and student success interventions; explores how community colleges have worked to realign their missions and visions in light of changing student demographics and emerging student-success research; and reflects on the professional foundations, conceptual frameworks, and resources necessary for community college leaders, particularly deans …

Literary Types: How Literature Helped Inspire Healing And Joy In My Classroom And Beyond, A Narrative, Donald R. Anderson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This manuscript examines the role of bibliotherapy, specifically the utilization of literature in the form of books, to address and treat emotional and psychological distress. The document offers a concise historical overview of bibliotherapy, in addition to 29 chapters presenting contemporary accounts illustrating the successful application of bibliotherapy in the lives of both adolescents and adults. Extensive research supports the notion that bibliotherapy constitutes a rational and practical approach to assisting individuals of all ages, with a particular emphasis on adolescents, in overcoming emotional trauma and initiating the healing process. Specifically, a seminal study conducted in the Netherlands by Tijms, …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Team Huddles On Educational Leaders' Wellbeing: An Improvement Science Study, Jennifer Lambie Patterson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Teachers and administrators have been leaving the education industry with nearly half of educators hired living within their first five years in the classroom. Burnout and stress contribute most significantly to the high attrition rates. One research-based strategy that has been deemed impactful is creating a culture of wellness and establishing trusting relationships in the workplace. These relationships may be achieved through engagement structures, inclusive environments, and strong leadership attributes that foster one-to-one connections. The method researched in this improvement science in practice methodology is the implementation of bi- monthly team huddles with a department of education administrators. Included in …

Demystifying Preservice Teacher Reflective Thinking: A Systematic Literature Review, Joan Flora

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This systematic literature review responds to the need for research on clarity of what reflective thinking practice is and in determining the value of that practice for preservice teachers. While much has been written about preservice teacher reflective thinking, few studies have explored empirical research on the processes that inform and shape preservice teachers’ reflective practice. This study examines the existing literature to discern common themes in the diverse definitions of reflective thinking. This study also examines diverse frameworks that help teacher educators guide, analyze, assess, and measure the quality of preservice teacher reflective thinking. This study helps inform education …

A Phenomenological Study Of Educator Perceptions Of Social-Emotional Learning Following The Covid-19 Pandemic, Allison Haulton

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This qualitative phenomenological study serves the purpose of identifying teacher perceptions of social-emotional learning (SEL) through a global pandemic, including implementation, professional learning, student outcomes, and additional challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to add to the body of existing literature, specifically, in veteran teachers (those with ten or more years of experience in an elementary education setting) and their experiences teaching SEL following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Economic Peacemaking A New Master's Degree In Community Economic Development, Brian Humphreys

Doctor of Ministry

This two-part project is in response to the NPO that Christian leaders struggle to understand how to address complex, ever changing-socioeconomic needs and, if solved, the church would thrive and better address needs in the community. The research for this project confirmed that Christians and church communities increasingly encounter socioeconomic challenges in their efforts to serve their neighbors. Undergraduate students at a Christian university were found to be passionate about addressing these challenges which they also witness in their respective communities. These students also reported low levels of awareness of best practices in economic development and advocacy and policy. The …

Improving Fidelity Of Implementation Of A Tier I Phonics Program: An Improvement Science Study, David B. Mack

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this research was to enhance the fidelity of the Tier 1 phonics program at an elementary school in Southwest Bakersfield, California. I used an explanatory mixed methods approach and the Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice as the research design. To improve the implementation fidelity of the Tier 1 phonics program, I employed the plan-do- study-act framework. During the cycle, the network improvement community convened to proactively identify problems and develop change ideas to enhance the overall fidelity of implementation of the Tier 1 phonics program. The study also involved a root cause analysis to determine the underlying …

Project-Based Internationalization: Providing Accessible And Equitable High-Impact Education, Kayli Hillebrand

Doctor of Leadership

Inequitable access to global education has long excluded populations of students that are unable to participate in models that require travel away from their home institution. This is especially felt at institutions with a Hispanic Serving Institute (HSI) designation. Factors that contribute towards this end are varying familial and economic systems, financial models, lack of accessible educational accommodations when not at the home institution, mobility restrictions at the host institution, student ability to travel or obtain proper documentation to travel at the state, federal, or international government levels. Considering inequitable access to global education for university students, embedding Project-Based Internationalization …

An Improvement Science Approach To Reducing Dual Language Immersion Student Attrition Through Ongoing Parent Learning Activities, Shannon Zavala

Doctor of Education (EdD)

In this improvement science dissertation in practice (ISDiP), I used a continuous improvement cycle to attempt to reduce student attrition in a dual language immersion (DLI) program. The intervention involved DLI parent engagement in the form of monthly parent meetings for one DLI kindergarten class. I also formed a networked improvement community (NIC) with various stakeholders to collaborate in a 90-day strategize, implement, analyze, and reflect (SIAR) cycle. I collected both qualitative and quantitative data throughout the process, and together with my fellow NIC members, we designed the content and structure of four monthly parent meetings. The DLI kindergarten parents …

Practice Habits Of Instrumental Music Students In Elementary School Vapa Programs: An Empirical Mixed-Methods Survey, Timothy Johnson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this empirical research study was to gain knowledge about the practice habits of elementary school students in Grades 5 and 6. Sixty-five instrumental music students served as research subjects. They were enrolled in the newly established string orchestra supported by the Fairfax Elementary School District. Drawing upon my empirical experiences and instrumental music training, I identified and examined practice habits affecting motivation to learn music. Data generated from five open-ended and ten closed-ended questions were analyzed and contributed to the findings from the survey. An examination of published literature also contributed to the collection of resource data. …

The Wise Professor: The Skillful Art Of Living In God's Mission, Aaron Badenhop

Doctor of Ministry

Today’s Christian professor in the secular university setting is likely an expert in their academic field. Likewise, many Christian faculty are sincere in their faith and devout in their practice. The Christian professor’s expert knowledge is impressive and their heart for God is admirable. Yet, today’s Christian professor is simultaneously likely to be ill-equipped and disconnected from having a missional impact in their secular university context. In my work with Cru at The Ohio State University, this challenge is complex; there are no easy answers. Christian faculty are typically educated and trained in environments that assume the irrelevance of God …

Political Polarization In College Students, David Franks

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Political engagement in the United States has been increasing over the last several years and with it a seeming rise in political polarization. Specifically, recent research supports that there has been a significant increase in affective polarization, which is characterized by strong negative emotions and impressions of one’s political opponents. Political science surveys have found that individuals rate their political opponents as being less intelligent and more selfish in recent years and individuals open to inter-party marriages have drastically declined in recent years compared to decades past. This study explored the relationship of personality, as understood in the Big Five …

Improving Student Satisfaction And Wellbeing In An International Baccalaureate Program: An Improvement Science Study, Michael Fisher

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This research aimed to improve student satisfaction and wellbeing in an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, located in the US Virgin Islands, through the implementation of an improvement science dissertation in practice (ISDiP). The study utilized a framework of Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) over the course of a 90-day improvement cycle. A networked improvement community (NIC) met throughout the cycle to develop a shared understanding of the problem of practice and context, develop a theory of improvement, collect data related to that theory, and make adjustments based on that data.

The NIC identified four primary drivers they believed would result …

Exploring The Relationship Between College Mathematics Remediation Status And Continued Persistence In Mathematics Of Community College Students, Morvarid Javadi Pourhassan

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study analyzed the relationship between community college students’ math remediation status and their continued persistence in math. Continued persistence outcomes included college math course completion, seeking a STEM degree pathway, degree attainment (STEM or any degree), and degree completion time (STEM or any degree). Demographic variables and math-placement- level were investigated as predictors. The study used secondary data from students enrolled in math courses at a large Pacific Northwest college between Fall 2016 and Fall 2019. Exploratory data analysis, logistic regression, and chi-square were used to analyze the secondary data. The analysis found a statistically significant impact of age …

An Exploration Of Elementary Mathematical Performance During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rachel Sunshine Herron

Doctor of Education (EdD)

School disruptions impacted public schools in Oregon for fifteen months. As a result, mathematical performance may have been impacted. School districts, educational leaders, and policymakers need information on how and to what extent disruptions to in-person learning have affected student mathematical performance. This was a non-experimental, post-hoc quantitative causal-comparative study. Existing i-Ready data was used to explore if there was evidence of significant differences in mathematical performance within and between gender and ethnicity- based groups of fifth-grade students as a result of the pandemic. The results of this study revealed that differences in students’ mathematical performance did change during the …

A Multiple Case Study Exploring Cte Faculty Members’ Account Of Working With Id Professionals In The Course Design Process, Nicole Lewis

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This multiple case study examined the working relationship between CTE faculty and ID professionals in the course design process from the perspective of faculty. The study explored the methods and choices around equity that CTE faculty make when working on course design and delivery. The narratives of the CTE faculty are shared. A cross-case analysis was conducted to reveal three main themes. The themes include 1) impact of communication, 2) defined project is key, and 3) creating a shared culture. While there was no cohesive theme for methods and choices around equity, the study found the results to be reflective …

Lived Experiences Of Liberal And Conservative Educational Leaders Navigating Solutions To Highly Contentious And Polarizing Sociopolitical Education Problems, Troy Fisher

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The intent of this qualitative multiple case study is to explore the lived experiences of two different school leaders that have lived through the same polarizing contentious political experience. One of these leaders self-identified as liberal and the other as conservative. More specifically, the purpose is to identify similarities and differences in the strategies these school leaders utilized as they navigated the political challenges so as to bring partisan, polarized groups together – while still maintaining a quality instructional program for their students. The narratives of these two school leaders were captured through semi-structured in-depth interviews and two political survey …

An Examination Of Peer-Led Professional Development In Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports, Sarah E. Flynn

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study evaluated the peer-led professional development (PD) program at Lincoln Elementary School in Woodburn, Oregon. This qualitative study took place upon the return of staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through surveys and observations, the research determined perceived barriers of staff in continuing the use of and learning more about the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. This study collected the participants’ attitudes and understandings after their time in peer-led and peer-designed PD in PBIS in the first quarter of the 2021-2022 school year. Participants of this study included staff of an elementary school including teachers, specialists, …

Rethinking Grading: Exploring High School Teachers' Experiences With Changing To A Nontraditional Grading System, Sarah E. Leonard

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This exploratory case study examined the experiences of high school teachers who made sense of and enacted a gradeless system in their classes. The study explored what led the teacher participants to make such a significant shift in their thinking and practice as well as what supports and/or challenges they experienced in the process of implementing a nontraditional grading system. The three participants constituted a unique case as they explored an alternative grading model quite different from the traditional 0-100-point model that tends to be the dominant system in public high schools. The findings revealed that the nontraditional systems they …

The Effect Of Student Lifestyle On Days Depressed, Yulisa Marcos C, Ian Mccauley

Student Scholarship - College of Business

The purpose of our paper is to discover what factors about student lifestyles affect how often students experience symptoms of depression, using anonymous survey results from 96 George Fox students. We will explore if how many days a student is depressed per month might be determined by factors such as the number of hours spent in a week doing schoolwork, working, doing something enjoyable, social media usage and their housing status. We determined that our sample of 96 was representative enough of the George Fox undergraduate student population to be able to use in our regressions. Additionally, we found that …

Corporate Gaslighting: Can Isolated Training Help? A Narrative Study, Jade Singleton

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this narrative study is to investigate whether isolated anti-corporate gaslighting training, leveraging vignettes, could be of value to organizations. Findings responded to three research questions: (1) How do participants identify when the vignette shifts into corporate gaslighting territory? (2) What perceptions do Learning & Development professionals have of the training experience? (3) What do participants believe the usefulness of this isolated training is for organizations like theirs? Study participants were three professionals across Learning & Development and Human Resource roles. After the anti-corporate gaslighting training session, administering vignette testing, and finally interviewing the group to gauge their …

The Impact Of Empathy-Building Activities: Implementing The Anti-Defamation League's No Place For Hate Program, Heidi Blackwell

Doctor of Education (EdD)

During the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 school years, the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) No Place for Hate program (NPFH) was implemented in a cooperating high school (COHS) to see if empathy-building activities had an impact on school climate. The purpose of this study was to review the implementation and impacts of a semi-structured program on creating safe, welcoming schools. Data collected from schoolwide surveys, focus groups, and group meetings that happened throughout the 2 school years provided information around students’ sense of belonging, connection, and purpose at school, the pros and cons of the NPFH program, and its place in the school …

A Descriptive Analysis Of The Impact Of Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Public Educators During Covid-19, Amy Joynt

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Educators face high levels of stress, occupational burnout, and anxiety (Kurtz, 2021). The COVID-19 pandemic further exasperated occupational stress to higher levels and the long-lasting impact of the pandemic are still unknown. The consequences of burnout are enormous and previous research suggests mindfulness is a promising intervention that has the potential to remediate this issue (Ott et al., 2020). This exploratory analysis examines the results of preexisting data gathered from over 400 Oregon educators who participated in a mindfulness-based intervention aimed to combat the exasperated stress experienced during the 2020-21 school year. Little research has analyzed the effects of an …

The Correlation Between Rural Oregon High School Students' Sat And Asvab Scores With High School Gpa, Gender, Race, And Ethnicity, And Ses As Moderators, Kelly Garvin

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This study analyzed secondary standardized test score data for 11th grade students on the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) within a rural school district. Specifically, the study examined how each of the SAT and ASVAB’s composite and subtest scores are distributed. This study also sought to examine how each of the tests’ student scores correlated to each other and to high school grade point average (HSGPA). While most of the research pertaining to the SAT and ASVAB has been done internally by the College Board and Department of Defense, these studies have focused …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Curriculum Training On Oregon 4th-8th Grade School Teachers' Emotional Intelligence, Tiffany Marie Fotre

Doctor of Education (EdD)

The purpose of this study was to examine the trait emotional intelligence (Trait EI) levels of teachers who have implemented an SEL curriculum. In addition, the aim was to discover if there was any difference in teachers’ Trait EI levels depending on gender, years of experience, and level of education. Using a quantitative research design, the Trait EI levels of teachers who participate in an SEL curriculum with an adult component called RULER were compared to the Trait EI levels of teachers who teach an SEL curriculum without an adult component. This data was used to determine if there is …

Paraeducator Experience Participating In Professional Development: A Phenomenological Perspective, Loren K. Sickles

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This qualitative research used a phenomenological method to foreground Washington State instructional paraeducator voices describing their experiences participating in state mandated professional development certification program. The participants all received a minimum of 14 hours, out of 98 hours, of the state’s required professional development for the paraeducator certificate program. An unstructured interview method was utilized to allow participants to openly describe their experience participating in the professional development and describe impacts the professional development had on how they understand their role and responsibility as a paraeducator. Analysis of the data was conducted through the lenses of two adult learning theories, …

New Teachers Enacting Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Literacy Instruction, Sarri A. Gibson

Doctor of Education (EdD)

This multiple case study investigated the experiences of majority culture teachers at the beginning of their careers as they navigated enacting culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in their literacy instruction. The study explored how the new teachers described and enacted CRP in their classrooms, what they described as formative to their work as culturally relevant educators, what they identified as challenging, and what they found to be sustaining. The study shares case reports of each participant followed by a cross case analysis. Several themes were noteworthy from the analysis: 1) participants viewed an event or time period as formative, 2) participants …