Education Commons^™

Early Career Special Education Teacher Lived Experiences During Covid-19, Sydney Parks

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The stories and lived experiences of Early Career Special Education Teachers must be shared. This study provides more information on the beginning lived experiences of Special Education Teachers during COVID-19. The researcher conducted a qualitative narrative design to further investigate burnout and self-efficacy among Early Career Special Education Teachers. The researcher conducted an open-ended question interview that allowed participants to relive their experience teaching during COVID-19. The conclusion of this study is that Special Education Teachers love their job but seek more financial security, administrative support and guidance, recognition.

Teacher Use Of Computer Generated Feedback Through Online Programs, Sheena Wehr

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of computer-based supplemental programs has grown in popularity (Li & Zhao, 2022). These programs provide both teachers and students with varying amounts of feedback and data for each standard addressed (Shin et al., 2021). However, since many schools implemented these programs during the pandemic there was a lack of training or professional development, therefore teachers relied on learn-as-you-go methods. The goal of this research was to determine how teachers in Florida were currently using computer-generated feedback to drive their instruction and improve overall student achievement. The study concentrated on secondary mathematics teachers who utilize …

Low-Incidence Special Education Teachers Lived Experience Teaching During Covid-19, Christina Samone Hatcher

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This study's purpose is to identify how the shift has impacted low-incidence special education teachers to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is minimal research regarding the lived experiences of how low-incidence special education teachers teach remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will consist of evaluating how prepared low-incidence special education teachers felt they were for the demands of remote learning, how they mitigated the demands, what resources and support were received that were helpful, as well as what resources and support low-incidence special education teachers feel they still need to continue to teach remotely, and how their …

What's Up Doc? An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Affecting Abd In The Ed.D. Student, Kimberly Carlo

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Doctorate students have unique challenges and needs. Many must complete their dissertations and become stuck in the all-but dissertation (ABD) phase. The design of a doctoral program can leave out the emotional aspect of these students. This study sought to understand the needs of doctorate students and focus on challenges that inhibit them from reaching their goals. It analyzed goal commitments, personal priorities, and their significance to dissertation completion. This study analyzed doctoral students' motivation, stressors, goals, and how goalsetting can work toward completing a dissertation. The results identified indicators of ABD in Ed.D. students while completing their dissertation. Several …

The Impact Of Parent Training On Student Executive Functioning Skill Use, Nicole Tapia

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This study implemented three parental training sessions in a private pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade school to educate parents of pre-kindergarten through first grade students regarding executive functioning skills in order to determine if teacher's observations of children's classroom behavior and executive functioning skill use and parent's knowledge of executive functioning skills were impacted. Executive functioning skills allow children to plan and achieve goals and have been shown to improve literacy and math proficiency. Executive functioning skills, working memory, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility, used simultaneously, allow children to complete complex mental tasks such as critical thinking (Cortes et al., 2019; Centers …

The Effect Of Athletic Participation On Academic Achievement For Private High School Students, Jeff Johnson

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Education's role in society is crucial for the sustainability of civilization (Ball, 2021). Education consists of people training people for the future and the betterment of humanity. Governments often prioritize education reform, and decision-makers and school leaders constantly look at ways to improve student gains (Ball, 2021). Further, improving the education system is an ongoing process that is an absolute necessity, and the intent behind this research was to contribute to that endeavor and promote progress.

The relationship between athletics and academic performance has been studied broadly in literature. However, there is a literary void and lack of delineated exploration …

The Investigation Of First-Year Wellness Programming In College To Reduce Stress And Anxiety Levels, Charlotte Muriel

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The COVID-19 pandemic brought mental health to light, although college students have long been experiencing mental health struggles. First-year experience courses have been shown to relieve some of the stresses associated with the college transition (Holliday, 2014); however, the existing programming does not meet the needs of college students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the increased need for mental health services and counseling on college campuses, there is a need for additional support for students dealing with wellness concerns.

This action research study used a three-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods design. Phase One included two audio-recorded focus group …

Bridging The Gap Between Teacher Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Pedagogy In The Private School World Language Classrooms, Cyrielle Maerten Anthony

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The world language curriculum is not representative of the diversity of the world and therefore, not preparing students to face a culturally diverse work environment. There is a need to build an intentional curriculum about diversity and inclusivity in the world language curriculum and the sense of belonging and the impact on students’ outcomes. Considering that the majority of teachers in Independent private schools are not Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) faculty members, there is a need to increase the number of BIPOC students in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate level world language courses and decrease the underrepresentation by …

The Value Of Promoting Social And Emotional Learning In Elementary School Students, Valerie Marie Hatcher

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation will explore how to effectively promote social and emotional learning (SEL) in the elementary school classroom using art as a tool to enhance instruction in other subjects. As noted by art educator Viktor Lowenfeld and others, art helps children become aware of their surroundings and visualize things outside of their everyday experiences. Using art to demonstrate academic concepts also helps engage students in learning and promotes social and emotional growth, but many teachers lack instruction on how to effectively accomplish this goal (Brouillette, 2010; Farrington & Shewfelt, 2020; McCoy, 2016). The need to promote SEL has become even …

Professional Development For Educational Continuity In Emergencies: The Response Of Two Urban School Districts During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Crystal Amado Kucharski, Justin Arnone, Samantha Butler, Shannon Makowski, Lucas Preble

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The COVID-19 pandemic is a worldwide disruptor that impacts the foundation of education as professionals know it. The structural soundness and stability of the nation’s public education system was on display, exposing the varying antiquated practices in place and the inability of many school districts to pivot to a digital platform as the nation’s public schools closed their school buildings to K-12 students. Public K-12 schools did not have readily available systems nor protocols in place to continue educating the nation’s kids. Parents, grandparents, older siblings, etc, became the teachers of these children as the teachers attempted to educate via …

Autism To Higher Education: Tools For Parents, Amber L. Jordan, Shannon Emery

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Over the years, a marked increase in the number of students with High Functioning Autism (HFA) attending colleges and universities has occurred. This can be attributed to: (a) the passage of legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); (b) revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM); and (c) early intervention and treatment (Pillay, 2012). Although the increase in enrollment may be an indicator that a more welcoming climate for individuals with HFA has been created, many institutions are not adequately prepared to accommodate these students and parents have …

Teachers’ Perception Of College And Career Education Exposure On Middle School Students, Francisco Jose Valverde, Joshua Davidow

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Properly preparing middle school students for their transition to high school and postsecondary endeavors requires early exposure to college and career information and resources. Across the United States, high school students have access to a scattered array of programs and resources aimed at career development and college preparation. Unfortunately, none of these college and career resources are integrated into the K-12 student experience in any systemic or holistic way. Furthermore, very few of these resources are even directed at K-12 students prior to their time in high school. This gap in college and career education is due to a lack …

Crowdsourcing Civics Instruction To Improve Student Civic Knowledge, Skills, And Citizen Engagement, Charles T. E. Jones

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Secondary students’ lack of civic knowledge, skills, and engagement is well documented in the literature. States continue to address the issue through an increase in mandated civics requirements, but a striking improvement has not been confirmed. Improving civics instructional delivery through crowdsourcing holds promise in addressing deficits in students’ acquisition of civic knowledge, skills, and engagement. Crowdsourcing is the act of using the internet to obtain information and input from multiple parties on specific topics and to find solutions to problems. The purpose of this study was to determine if crowdsourcing may be an effective instructional tool that civics teachers …

A Secondary Transition Planning Tool To Enhance The Needs Of Students With Disabilities Beyond High School: Case Study, Kamyka Glenn

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Youth with disabilities such autism, emotional disorder, intellectual disabilities, and learning disabilities are less likely to exit high school with a diploma, more likely to drop out of school and be unemployed, and less likely to enroll in postsecondary education and to live independently (Department of Education, 2011; Labor of Statistics, 2016). “The percentage of students with disabilities who spend at least 80% of each school day in general education has increased from 34% in 1990 to 63.5% in 2017, their levels of academic achievement, rates of school exit, and post school outcomes still fall well below those of their …

Increasing Retention In Higher Education Institutions Through Competency-Based Education, Jévaughn J. Lancaster

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Competency-based education allows students to advance based on their ability to become proficient within a topic at their own pace. Since students can work through various learning outcomes without time constraints, statistics show that competency-based education can provide students with higher results and a greater understanding of the subject matter without the additional stress of turning in assignments late or not understanding course materials in time to obtain a passing score on the assessment.

Higher educational institutions have been struggling with not only enrollment but also retention. Students opt for micro-learning opportunities and on-the-job training rather than obtaining credentials through …

Strengthening And Supporting Photography Education Using An Online Multi-Faceted Approach, Isidro Pentzke, Andrea Suhajcik, Melissa Glynn

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The purpose of this study is to fill the void in arts education specifically photography to high school students who cannot take electives during the regular school day. There is a need for free creative online support and education within public high school curriculum. By identifying curriculum gaps in the arts, this study may support high school students with the needed twenty first century skills, such as the 4 C’s to be competitive in the job market after graduation. These critical skills are known as the 4 C’s, and focus on Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking (Stauffer, 2020).

Participants …

Continuity And Sustainability In The Disability World, Jaimee Sabato

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Raising a healthy child has its joys and challenges; however, raising a child or caring for someone with special needs brings a new set of obstacles. Parents and caregivers of children and individuals with special needs do not have the same selection of available resources as typical parents of healthy children. These challenges are approached with an entirely different perspective with its own joys and challenges that can be demanding. The purpose of this study was to research the usefulness of an iBook, Navigating Life in the World of Disabilities, by providing accurate and helpful information from an empirical approach …

Let Them Be Little: Teacher Perspectives On Developmental Play In Kindergarten Classrooms, Amy Michelle Towne

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Kindergarten is a German term meaning children's garden. In 1837, Fredrich Froebel founded kindergarten and stated, "Children are like tiny flowers; they are varied and need care, but each is beautiful alone and glorious when seen in the community of peers." Froebel believed that children needed to be nurtured and tended to like flowers in a garden. Kindergarten classes, at this time, encouraged children to develop and blossom freely through play under the guidance, not direct instruction, of the teacher. Through the years, kindergarten has changed drastically. Recent legislation has transformed the kindergarten curriculum even more.

Currently, many kindergarten teachers …

Parental Strategies To Promote Mental Health In Digital Citizens Of Grades 6-8, Maria Cavallo Benkirane, Iris K. Thompson

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The research conducted in this study was done to discern the best parental strategies to promote mental health in digital citizens of grades 6-8. The world of technology is very dynamic, and often these days children are advancing much faster than their parents. The purpose of this research study was to keep parents informed and educated of the latest trends, tools, and dangers in the digital world today. To achieve this goal the researchers held four online workshops over the course of two months to provide parents the tools necessary to raise responsible digital citizens. The results of the study …

Preparing Elementary School Teachers For The Multifaceted Profession, Laquandra Golf

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Teaching in the 21st century classroom requires one to successfully manage many facets simultaneously. Temporary certified teachers are entering the classroom without the proper training needed to survive in the multifaceted profession of education. Research shows that teachers lack the field experience needed to sustain a successful career (Kronholz, 2013). Temporary certified teachers is better prepared for their career through clinical training. Through a review of literature, the researcher was able to determine that teachers lacked the necessary tools needed to fulfill their required duties. The implementation of customized clinical training proved to better prepare temporary certified teachers for the …

Narrowing The Achievement Gap Through Culturally Responsive Teaching, Natasha V. Forde

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The achievement gap currently persists between Black, White, and Hispanic students. The purpose of this action research study was to determine how a series of five professional development workshops on Culturally Responsive Teaching could ultimately narrow or close the achievement gap between Black, White, and Hispanic students through implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching strategies in classrooms to meet the needs of the diverse student population. In addition, this study also examined the teachers’ perceptions of the Culturally Responsive Teaching professional development workshops to positively impact student achievement with Black and Hispanic students.

The objectives of this study included:

• The identification of …

Teacher Self-Care: A Guide For Educators, Jacqueline Leahy, Jamie Wolfe

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The field of education is very demanding and stressful. Educators are leaving the field at high rates due to stress levels. Teachers lack self-care strategies to help them cope with an emotionally demanding career. Research shows that self-care builds resilience, which many teaching professionals tend to lack. Educators can greatly benefit from learning about and practicing better self-care. Through review of research, researchers were able to determine that implementing self-care strategies benefits both teachers and students. Self-care strategies increase effectiveness allowing educators to handle challenges that come up during their teaching career. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges …

Improving Equity Through Master Scheduling, Allison Degregory, Craig Sommer

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

A real and measurable gap exists in our country, and our educational system has served to increase this gap. Our system has failed to provide equitable access to advanced coursework for Black and Hispanic students. Implementing a deliberate and strategic system for scheduling high school students will provide historically underrepresented student groups equitable access to college credit and college-level courses. Quantitative research will determine how such an approach impacts high school students at an urban district in the southeastern United States when principals, and principal supervisors, create systems to schedule students equitably.

Clear and present gaps exist in the rate …

An Examination Of Continuous Improvement In An Educational Organization, Billy Jacques Gira, Jennifer Malanga Martinez

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Continuous improvement (CI) is used across organizations to solve problems. Since the 2010s, CI practices have gained popularity in education. When comparing business organizations’ applications of CI practices to those in education, a gap is evident. Educational organizations create strategic plans, set long-term goals, implement initiatives, and measure overall outcomes in terms of student achievement. However, when attempting to build a high-performing culture and improve customer service between district departments and school centers, frequent and routine monitoring of customer experiences must occur.

This study examines current CI practices in a large, urban school district as they relate to improving the …

Beginning Teachers Induction Emphasizing Proactive Classroom Management Strategies, Vicki Gaddy

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The purpose of this investigation is to investigate the effects of proactive classroom management techniques using an induction tool for new teachers. This study will also investigate new teacher retention by examining how this induction tool will increase beginning teachers’ level of efficacy. The positive classroom environment affirms the critical role of effective teacher behavior and its influence on student engagement, academic achievement, and overall success. It is important new teachers possess a viable skill set that will facilitate an effective classroom climate to be prepared to support children’s social development through the utilization of effective practices to prevent and …

An Innovative Approach To Teacher Retention, Marc Dixon, Ruthe Francis

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Among the many challenges educational leaders are facing, teacher attrition is most paramount. Not only are teachers with less than five years of experience leaving the field at alarming rates, but the number of teachers with twenty or more years of experience has also decreased by 10% since 2000. Teachers who leave the field often site a lack of support as their primary source of frustration. While school districts across the nation have made efforts to address teacher attrition, induction programs are often managed at the district level and completed solely out of compliance.

After reviewing the literature on teacher …

Multi-Touch Books In Higher Education: A Study Of Educational Leadership And Policy For Schools Of Education, Jason M. Cascio

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Technology points to gaps in higher education adoption of learning technologies where decisions are based on a digital tool’s efficacy and unique capabilities, rather than the role they play in effective teaching and learning (Grush, 2019). Higher Education institutions and their faculty postpone technical decision-making. This results in an educational system ill-equipped to meet the needs of students, faculty, and sufficient digital fluency of graduates and the workforce. By integrating current, interactive tools into teaching materials, such as multi-touch books, or iBooks, faculty can meet their students’ learning needs, thereby improving competencies and ability to track their assessment and engagement …

The Significance Of Employing A Comprehensive Transitional Program For Sixth Grade And Its Effects On Student Anxiety And Performance, Yolanda E. Gregory

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

Students transitioning from elementary school to middle school can trigger emotions of enthusiasm or trepidation in students. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, transition means to move, pass, or change from one place, stage, or condition to another place, stage, or condition (Merriam-Webster Online, 2019). Typically, all students will experience multiple transitions throughout their lives and educational journeys. Students will transition from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and from high school to college or careers. In this study middle school transition is the term used and defined as the process of changing from an elementary environment …

A National Crisis In Our Classrooms, Laura Ann Gomez-Green

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

There is a growing need for social-emotional learning that is evident everywhere in our world. The research explores the importance of a program that can have on our youth; however, there is little research on examines the support and professional development for teachers are lacking.

This study draws on teacher’s perceptions of their level of support provided for children when dealing with social-emotional learning in their elementary classrooms. Chapter one states the problem of lack of Social Emotional Learning and support for elementary school teachers when dealing with a crisis in the classroom. Chapter two consists of a literature review …

An Examination Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy And Antibias-Antiracist Curriculm In A Montessori Setting, Lucy Canzoneri-Golden, Juliet King

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The research consisted of a qualitative case study of three urban public Montessori schools with a population of 51% or more of students of color and a commitment of 2 years or more of CRP-ABAR within a Montessori setting. The theoretical framework used for the study was the critical race theory, which is the conceptual foundation for examining inequities in public education.

This research dissertation had a focus on gaining an insight into the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and parents toward CRP-ABAR in Montessori schools by examining the practices in three public Montessori schools. The possible connections to student outcomes, …