Education Commons^™

Place-Based And Non-Place-Based Performing Arts Experiences And First-Generation, Appalachian College Student Engagement, Rachel Schott

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the pre-college arts experiences of Appalachian college students who participated in place-based and non-place-based performance arts ensembles and, using a qualitative research approach informed by Kuh et al.’s (2005) study on positive student engagement, understand the influence that participation in these ensembles might have on Appalachian students who are the first in their generation to pursue higher education. In this study, the researcher examined student data from 28 first-generation, Appalachian college students who responded to an online survey, and 11 who volunteered to participate in-depth, personal interviews. All the student participants were …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Alternate Academic Standards And Alternate Testing In Northeast Tennessee, Jodie Bakely

Ed.D. Dissertations

In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), Tennessee developed alternate academic standards and an alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. This study examined teacher perceptions of the alternate academic standards and alternate assessment in Northeast Tennessee. The researcher interviewed nine teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities who had used the alternate academic standards and alternate assessment with their students in Northeast Tennessee. The study found that the teachers interviewed did not see the value in using the alternate state standards or alternate assessment with their students. The implications of this study included a need for …

Factors Influencing Dual Enrolled Students To Pursue Postsecondary Career And Technical Education, Debbie Petree

Ed.D. Dissertations

Employers struggle to find employees for middle skills jobs in computer technology, nursing, advanced manufacturing and other fields requiring postsecondary technical education. The number of students pursuing postsecondary education does not meet the needs of employers. This study examined the influence of economic, social/cultural, institutional, dual credit participation, and academic variables upon students’ intentions to enroll in program options at a technical college. The study was conducted with the dual enrolled or former dual enrolled students at a small rural technical college in East Tennessee with a sample size of 75. Linear regression was used to determine the relationship between …

Teacher Perceptions Of Funds Of Knowledge In Central Appalachia, Kiplyn Collins

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study examined teacher perceptions of their use of funds of knowledge pedagogy in classrooms in two counties in central Appalachia. The funds of knowledge theory was originally applied to the migrant Mexican American population and then transitioned to other minority populations but has rarely been examined within the Appalachian region, nor the central Appalachian region specifically. Since the President’s Appalachian Regional Commission in 1964, the Appalachian region has been recognized by its financial struggles, low employment rates, and low educational achievement. While numerous researchers have examined the problems of education in the area, few studies have sought methods for …

Tennessee Promise Mentoring And Its Impact On Social Capital Of Disadvantaged Students, Tara Laroy

Ed.D. Dissertations

Disadvantaged students (i.e., students characterized by first generation status, low socio-economic status, or racial minority) in the United States enrolled in college at higher rates but still faced a significant college graduation gap. Research has shown that a close, personal relationship with a mentor can increase the social capital of disadvantaged students in post-secondary education. The Tennessee Promise Program was a scholarship program for high school students, designed to remove the financial barriers while also supplying them with an adult mentor to guide them through the college process. In this qualitative study, the researcher aimed to investigate the experiences of …

Teacher-Perceived Barriers To Math Achievement And Implementation Of Literature-Based Recommendations For Change In Math Instruction In Grades 4 Through 8, Kimberly Summey

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify teachers’ perceptions of barriers to math achievement below Grade 10, if any, to determine which, if any, of the identified barriers teachers reported, and to determine which, if any, previous recommendations for positive changes in mathematics classrooms teachers reported, as well as identify any teacher reports of resistance to change. I conducted research on 19 participants by collecting questionnaires online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were teachers of mathematics from Grade 4 through Grade 8. I compared participants’ responses to literature-based components using predetermined coding along with emergent coding to identify …

Balancing Act: How Does An Interdisciplinary Art Unit Affect Student Self-Efficacy In A Stem School?, Cindy Hankins-Koppel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Abstract

Educators who use interdisciplinary methods in the classroom need consistent strategies to teach STEM content, and methods to help students increase self-efficacy. The focus on cognitive gains in STEM studies limits the number of students who pursue a foundation of STEM and 21st century skills to adapt to technological advancements for their futures. Student self-efficacy, perception of personal abilities, has become more critical as individuals need a range of academic and personal skills to adapt and persist in future endeavors. Social stereotypes and familial interests influence an individual's perception of their abilities to pursue a career in STEM from …