Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Using Multiple Measures For Student Placement At Rural Virginia Community Colleges, Whitney Bowling

Ed.D. Dissertations

Remedial courses have been part of the college landscape in the United States since at least the 1800s when nearly 250,000 students were placed into remedial courses. Traditionally, students who enrolled in remedial courses were placed into that course solely based on one test score. Students who enrolled in traditional remedial courses were more likely to not graduate than their peers placed into college-level English and Mathematics courses. This research aims to understand the rural Virginia community college English and mathematics professors’ perceptions of implementing and using multiple measures to place students into first-year English and mathematics courses. The data …

Student Engagement In Tennessee Ninth Grade Post-Covid Classrooms, Rebecca Houser

Ed.D. Dissertations

During the school closures associated with COVID-19, researchers found student engagement decreased, partially due to the concurrent increase in the number of adolescents diagnosed with problematic internet use and internet addiction. At the time of this study, there was limited research related to student engagement after students returned to face-to-face instruction. Moreover, when students returned to in-person school after the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, a paradigm shift to internet-based learning occurred, which meant every student had a computer and spent more time learning online than before the pandemic. Unfortunately, this paradigm shift occurred while students were returning to school with …

The Perceptions Of Tennessee Public School Case Managers On Individualized Education Program Transition Planning And Their Role In Preparing 12th Grade Students For Postsecondary Education Disability Services, Robert A. Bartles

Ed.D. Dissertations

Few students with disabilities applied for postsecondary education disability services and, as a result, had lower graduation rates from four-year colleges than their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to discover the perceptions of Tennessee public high school case managers regarding IEP transition planning and to discover their role in preparing 12th grade students with disabilities for postsecondary education disability services as minimal literature existed on the topic. I discovered four themes from coding questionnaire responses of 13 study participants. Most case managers (85%) relied on direct student input to create transition goals and perceived IEP …

Medical Faculty Perceptions On Faculty Development In The Southeast United States, Melinda Turner

Ed.D. Dissertations

Medical school faculty often lack formal training in effective teaching methods, posing a challenge to their ability to deliver high-quality education. To facilitate high-quality teaching and help medical faculty grow professionally, academically, and scholarly, the burden for training faculty was placed on each medical school’s faculty development program to become individualized to meet faculty, institutional, and ultimately, student needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine medical faculty’s perception of faculty development at the Charles School of Medicine and their perceptions of how faculty development for medical educators made a difference in what medical faculty learned, how …

Rural, K-12 East Tennessee School Principals’ Perceptions Of Principal Preparation Programs And Ongoing Professional Development Opportunities, Whitney Butler

Ed.D. Dissertations

There were concerns in both quantity and quality of principal candidates regarding training experiences and principals being prepared to lead schools. Research was limited when it came to principal preparation programs (PPPs) training rural, East Tennessee school principals to become instructional leaders and school district leaders providing ongoing professional development opportunities for rural principals. Due to the overall lack of research regarding these facets, further research was necessary to understand how PPPs advisors and school district leaders needed to better prepare rural school principals to lead instructionally. Twenty rural school principals responded to a questionnaire regarding principals’ perceptions of PPPs …

Perceptions Of Georgia Alternative School Principals Regarding Their Leadership Preparation Programs, Anterro Graham

Ed.D. Dissertations

Abstract

Alternative schools were characterized by numerous risk factors that impacted

student learning, teacher retention, and access to essential resources. The

implementation of self-efficacy was crucial in tackling and successfully finishing

difficult tasks. Studies were scarce regarding the impact of school principals'

self-efficacy on their leadership behaviors when running an alternative school.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how principals perceived their

self-efficacy, which was influenced by their participation in principal preparation

programs in Georgia. Additionally, I examined the impact of self-efficacy on their

leadership behaviors, the risk factors associated with leading an alternative

school, and how principals …

Advancement Via Individual Determination’S (Avid) Impact On Enrollment And Retention For First-Generation Black And Hispanic Females In College, Andrea Pritchett

Ed.D. Dissertations

On December 10, 2015, former President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Success Act (ESSA), which reauthorized the 50-year-old ESEA commitment to equal opportunity for all students (U. S. Department of Education, n.d.). One of the provisions included all students in America be taught to high academic standards that will prepare them to succeed in college and careers. As female college students continued to surpass their male peers in college enrollment and retention, a gap in the literature was found in how AVID and a sense of belonging contributed to their success rate. Through an interpretive, qualitative study, I examined …

The Perceptions Of Appalachian Region Doctor Of Physical Therapy Admissions Faculty On The Holistic Nature Of Their Program’S Admissions Processes And Requirements, Kwaku Kankam

Ed.D. Dissertations

Researchers have extensively investigated the quantitative relationship between various admissions requirements and their predictive capability for academic success in DPT programs; however, limited investigators have examined the perceptions of these requirements by admissions faculty. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions of Doctor of Physical Therapy faculty in the Appalachian region regarding their programs’ admissions processes and requirements. I investigated the Appalachian region due to its economic differences from other parts of the United States. Considering this region was more rural and impoverished, these factors could have affected students’ access to higher education. How admissions criteria …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Motivational Factors That Influence Elementary Teacher Retention In Urban Title I Schools, Patrice Y. Graham

Ed.D. Dissertations

National teacher shortages have received attention in the last few years, and researchers have projected turnover rates will grow in the upcoming years. As a result, districts and administrators were challenged to hire highly qualified teachers. More research is needed on why teachers remained in urban Title I schools. Due to the lack of research, further research was necessary to form a better understanding of increasing elementary school teacher retention. Elementary school teachers from one school district in Georgia responded to a questionnaire to explore the motivational factors influencing their retention in Title I schools. The 29 certified teachers indicated …

The Influence Of Informal Teacher Leadership And Social Networks On Teacher Self-Efficacy In Rural Schools, Cassandra Doty

Ed.D. Dissertations

The number of formal teacher leadership roles, notably as instructional coaches and Professional Learning Community leaders, continued to increase. Rural school districts needed to improve their ability to create these roles. Additionally, researchers indicated many teachers preferred to avoid working with formal teacher leaders. The purpose of this basic, interpretive, qualitative study was to examine informal teacher leadership within the confines of social networks in rural schools and the influence of informal teacher leadership on the self-efficacy of other teachers when implementing instructional strategies. I utilized a questionnaire and snowball sampling, which led to 10 participants to gain insight into …

Secondary Trauma And Compassion Fatigue On Middle School Educators, Janna Kilgore-Cameron

Ed.D. Dissertations

Educators have been leaving the field of education at a high rate each year with no signs of slowing down. Tennessee, as well as many other states across the country, have started the school year with unfilled positions due to so many vacancies. Previous researchers found educators left due to an overwhelming workload paired with an escalation in student behaviors, a lack of administrative support, and increased stress dealing with secondary trauma and compassion fatigue. Educators shared they felt isolated as they have neglected their own mental and physical health. The purpose of this basic, interpretive qualitative study was to …

Northeast Tennessee Educators’ Perceptions Of Academic Outcomes Of High School Students Who Completed A Community-Based, Resilience-Informed Course Presented At School, Carla Whiles

Ed.D. Dissertations

Adverse childhood experiences negatively affected the mental and physical health of adults and children and were linked to cognitive difficulties and decreased academic outcomes at all levels of education. Resilience, the ability for one to bounce back from adversity, was widely accepted to mitigate the negative effects of adversities and resilience intervention programs were becoming more common in schools. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to examine northeast Tennessee educators’ perceptions of the academic outcomes of high school students who completed a community-based, resilience-informed course presented at school. After conducting semi-structured interviews with 11 participants, I discovered the …

Teacher Perceptions Of Reading Aloud Informational Texts To K-2 Students, Kim Cooper

Ed.D. Dissertations

Beginning in the 1950s, learning to read was a major focus in elementary schools. Children typically began their reading journey with listening skills. Hearing sounds for letters, then words, come to life from the pages of a book were engaging to children. One way teachers engaged students in learning to read was to read aloud to them in their classrooms. Typically, teachers in Kindergarten through 2nd grade (K-2) read aloud fiction storybooks. I conducted this basic qualitative interpretive study to research teachers’ perceptions of reading aloud informational texts to students in their K-2 classrooms. There was a gap in the …

The Influence Of Extracurriculat Activities On Engagement And Environment Elements Of School Culture At Two Title I Middle Schools In Alabama, Jeremy Jones

Ed.D. Dissertations

Limited research had been conducted on the role extracurricular activities had on school culture. Even less was dedicated to how middle school educators perceived how extracurricular activities influenced school culture. Due to the lack of overall research, further research was necessary to develop a better understanding of the influence of extracurricular activities on school culture, more specifically the Safe Supportive Schools Model’s engagement and environment elements of school culture. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to examine educators’ perceptions of the influence extracurricular activities had on the Safe Supportive Schools Model’s engagement and environment elements of school …

New Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Experience In A New Teacher Induction Program In A School District In Tennessee, Ashley Miller

Ed.D. Dissertations

New teachers felt unprepared as they entered their first year of teaching and were leaving the teaching field at a high rate every school year. Tennessee, like many other states, had a critical shortage of secondary mathematics teachers. Secondary mathematics has been considered a high-needs subject area. New teacher induction programs were developed to help support new teachers and aid in their retention; however, the state of Tennessee did not have a requirement for mentoring or induction support for new teachers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore new secondary mathematics teachers’ perceptions of their experiences in …

General Education Preschool Teachers' Preparedness To Teach Students With Disabilities Within A General Education Preschool Setting, Mary-Margaret Satterfield

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since Congress passed amendments in 1997 to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), there has been an emphasis on instruction to students with disabilities in the general education classroom, especially with preschool students. The significant increase of students with disabilities in general education classrooms precipitated the need for general education teachers to have knowledge and skills about special education to support and provide instruction to students with disabilities. The purpose of this basic, interpretive qualitative study was to investigate how general education preschool teachers in a large school district in Tennessee felt prepared by their preservice, in-service, and continuing education …

Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Using Controversial Or Difficult Topics In The Classroom As A Means For Civil Discourse: Are Pre-Service Teachers In Tennessee And Three Of Its Neighboring States Prepared And Confident?, Stacie Shanks

Ed.D. Dissertations

Sixty percent of college freshmen entering American colleges and universities were unprepared for college level discussion and analytical skills. Though the many researchers I detailed in the literature review showed how effective the use of controversial or difficult topics in the classroom as a means for civil discourse was for imparting the missing skills, they also found teachers largely avoided them. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to investigate if pre-service teachers training at public colleges in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina were given the opportunity to learn the pedagogy of and practice using controversial or …

K-12 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness And Training To Provide Instruction And Support To English Language Learners, Rebecca Doxsee

Ed.D. Dissertations

The increased number of English language learners in the general education classroom created the need for teachers to be knowledgeable about how to instruct and support English language learners. Due to the minimal extant literature related to K-12 teachers’ preparedness and training, specifically regarding English language learners, the purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to examine the perceptions of Tennessee K-12 teachers related to preparedness and training to provide instruction and support to English language learners in the general education classroom. I emailed the questionnaire to 63 potential participants and received questionnaire responses from 44 (69.84%) K-12 teachers. I …

Elementary School Educators’ Perceptions Of Discipline Policies And The Overrepresentation Of Discipline Outcomes In Urban Settings, William Casey Cooper

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since the formation of schools, schools have developed ways of understanding discipline and ensuring a safe and orderly environment. Governmental personnel began to influence local school policies beginning in 1989, with United States President Ronald Reagan’s War on Drugs campaign. This led to the creation and development of zero-tolerance policies. School districts implemented zero-tolerance policies, which helped lead to the overrepresentation of discipline outcomes (i.e., punishment) among certain demographics. Following the Critical Race Theory theoretical framework, I interviewed 12 participants to determine their perceptions of discipline policies and the overrepresentation of discipline outcomes in urban settings. My participants included elementary …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Policies And Practices Of Lgbtq-Inclusive Curriculum In Rural Appalachian High School English Language Arts Classes, Dawn J. Viles

Ed.D. Dissertations

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer students were a vulnerable population in rural Appalachian high schools. Minority high school students, specifically those who identified as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, who saw themselves reflected in practices and curriculum increased their academic performance, felt safe, and developed stronger empathy for others. Traditionally, English Language Arts teachers had power to select literary works and supplemental materials they deemed important for their students; however, local, district, and state stakeholders and policymakers influenced curricular choices in English Language Arts classrooms more directly than had occurred in the past. Further marginalizing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer …

Investigating Evidence-Based Practices And Interventions Using Multifaceted Learning Theory For Students In A Special Education Self-Contained Classroom, Adam Maitland

Ed.D. Dissertations

Teachers working in a special education self-contained classroom were required to implement evidence-based practices and interventions, rarely researched in a school setting, with fidelity to meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities. Evidence-based practices and interventions for students with intellectual disabilities were researched in clinical settings with one to three student participants and without a common evaluation tool. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to use the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model General Educator Rubric to investigate how experienced teachers used multifaceted learning theory when implementing evidence-based practices and interventions in a diverse special education self-contained classroom to …

Tennessee Rural Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Academic Goal Setting For Students, Amy Woolum

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since the 1960s, business leaders and educators used the idea of goal setting theory as a guide to success. Teachers who implemented goal setting strategies contributed to student success and achievement. During my study, I found little existing literature focused on academic goal setting implementation for students in Tennessee rural middle schools containing grades six through eight. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to investigate Tennessee rural middle school teachers’ perceptions about implementing academic goal setting for students. I sent an online Google Forms questionnaire to 117 certified and licensed teachers in varying Tennessee rural middle schools. After …

Rural Appalachian Teachers' Use Of Social Media To Find And Engage In Professional Development, Kristy Johnson

Ed.D. Dissertations

Rural elementary teachers faced challenges to professional development which differed from their urban or suburban peers. With the increasing popularity of social media at the time of this study, rural elementary teachers had the opportunity to use social media to find and engage in professional development which might otherwise be unavailable to them. By engaging in professional development teachers found via social media, rural elementary teachers could overcome some of the challenges faced as a rural educator. The purpose of this study was to determine how rural elementary teachers perceived and used social media to find and engage in professional …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Voice Of Students With Disabilities In Leader In Me And Non-Leader In Me Schools, Rachel A. Farmer

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate the opportunities for student voice of students with disabilities in Leader in Me and Non-Leader in Me schools. Utilizing a qualitative interpretive approach, I interviewed twelve participants in an urban school district in Tennessee regarding the use of student voice in the classroom and school environment. I utilized a questionnaire to gather demographic information and to solicit participants and an interview protocol to analyze data from interviews. Six themes emerged from the interviews shedding light on how students with disabilities have the opportunity for student voice in the classroom and school. The …

English Language Learner Teacher Support Changes During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Inna Slisher

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, ELL teachers focused their culturally responsive instruction and supports through creating meaning, promoting academic and social success, and empowering students and families. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic affected almost all countries and more than 50 million people around the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate how ELL teachers’ support for students in a southeastern school district, IISD, changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and ELL teachers’ perceptions of how this change may have impacted ELLs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative, basic interpretive design using a questionnaire provided me with opportunities to examine how …

Experiencing Intellectually Stimulating K-12 Principal Actions: A Phenomenological Study, John Parham

Ed.D. Dissertations

K-12 principals are held increasingly accountable for school success, yet their direct impact on students is negligible. Principals must thus work to positively impact their teachers in order to indirectly impact student achievement. Transformational leaders are able to utilize intellectual stimulation in order to impact those who work under them. The data for this study was collected through qualitative means, with eight K-12 teachers, representing two school districts in East Tennessee, participating. The findings in this study indicated that principals were able to provide intellectually stimulating experiences for teachers without having to bring in outside resources or even add extra …

Certified Educators’ Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Instruction In East Tennessee Public High Schools, Katharine Messer

Ed.D. Dissertations

Since the early 2000s, federal, state, and local lawmakers and educators have worked to combat the wait to fail mentality and support higher student grade level academic achievements. Educators were tasked with finding teaching methods that better served academically struggling students, some of whom had specified learning disabilities. Federal laws created Response to Intervention instruction in all grade levels, in which educators provided students additional instructional support. During my study, I found little existing literature focused on Response to Intervention instruction in high school grade levels. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to examine certified educators’ perceptions of …

Teacher Perceptions Of Student Learning Environments As A Result Of Virtual Learning In Tennessee Rural High Schools, Kimberly Mcintyre

Ed.D. Dissertations

After the COVID‑19 pandemic came to the United States in March 2020, teachers and educational leaders looked to virtual learning as a way for students to overcome learning challenges and improve educational experiences for students. Stakeholders were met with conflicting claims about virtual learning. Proponents of virtual learning claimed virtual teaching and learning platforms strengthened education because they provided additional tools when traditional classroom settings were impossible. Opponents claimed virtual learning resulted in learning loss, therefore failing to improve student learning. In this qualitative interpretive study of a rural school system in Tennessee, using instrumental, semi‑structured interviews, I uncovered the …