Education Commons^™

A Debriefing Technique In High-Fidelity Patient Simulation And Competent Decision-Making Abilities Among Nursing Students, Trena Seago

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Nursing faculty are utilizing high-fidelity patient simulation (HPS) with debriefing to help engage nursing students in making competent clinical decisions. This quasi-experimental study examined the use of HPS with debriefing and students’ ability to make nursing care decisions using standardized exams. The experimental group received debriefing after HPS and the control group did not receive debriefing after HPS. The pre- and post-test assessed participants’ ability to make clinical care decisions. The analysis of the pre-test and post-test HESI scores showed that there was no significant difference between the two groups.

Aspects Of Science Engagement, Student Background, And School Characteristics: Impact On Science Achievement Of U.S. Students, Larry J. Grabau

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Science achievement of U.S. students has lagged significantly behind other nations; educational reformers have suggested science engagement may enhance this critical measure. The 2006 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) was science-focused and measured science achievement along with nine aspects of science engagement: science self-efficacy, science self-concept, enjoyment of science, general interest in learning science, instrumental motivation for science, future-oriented science motivation, general value of science, personal value of science, and science-related activities.

I used multilevel modeling techniques to address both aspects of science engagement and science achievement as outcome variables in the context of student background and school characteristics. …

Music As Narrative In American College Football, John M. Mccluskey

Theses and Dissertations--Music

American college football features an enormous amount of music woven into the fabric of the event, with selections accompanying approximately two-thirds of a game’s plays. Musical selections are controlled by a number of forces, including audio and video technicians, university marketing departments, financial sponsors, and wind bands. These blend together in a complex design that offers audible and visual stimulation to the audience during the game’s pauses. The music chosen for performance in these moments frequently communicates meaning beyond entertainment value. Selections reinforce the game’s emotional drive, cue celebrations, direct specific audience actions, and prompt behaviors that can directly impact …

An Internal Evaluation Of A Health Program For Adults With Mild, Moderate, And Severe Intellectual Disabilities, Shelley C. Sellwood-Davis

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Adults with intellectual disabilities are not only more likely to be obese, but they are also more prone to medical complications, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thyroid disorder and osteoporosis. Therefore, health programs targeting this population are becoming more frequent in nature, and learning what makes such programs effective will be important in serving this population. A health program for adults between the ages of eighteen and forty with mild, moderate, and severe intellectual disabilities was evaluated in order to learn how the individual health program could be improved and in what ways the program itself could serve as a model …

Women In White: A Retrospective Look At Medical Education At One School Before Title Ix, Karen Clancy

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The Women in White generation of women physicians who graduated from American medical schools between World War II and the enactment of Title IX were trailblazers. They successfully pursued and achieved physician careers during a time when doctoring was still considered “man’s work.” They helped to clear a path to a modern medical student culture where women and men had more choices.

In a 2008 oral history interview, Dr. Jacqueline Noonan, world-renowned pediatric cardiologist, discoverer of the congenital heart condition known as “Noonan Syndrome,” and the first woman appointed to a chairman role at the University of Kentucky College of …

Pipelines To Leadership: Aspirations Of Executive-Level Community College Leaders To Ascend To The Presidency, Reneau Waggoner

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

One of the challenges facing community colleges in the United States is the looming retirements of executive/senior-level leadership, particularly the president, on a wide scale. This study explored the career aspirations of executive-level leaders within the community college using Social Cognitive Career Theory as the conceptual framework. Within the context of a three-person collaborative dissertation project, a mixed methods case study approach was utilized for the research design. It first examined the perceived and preferred organizational culture(s) by administering the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI). Building upon results of the OCAI, interviews with executive-level leaders explored how personal and institutional …

Merit Aid As A Predictor Variable Of Undergraduate Student Enrollment, Joseph P. Bagnoli Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Merit-based financial aid has long been utilized by college and university enrollment managers to attract the most academically qualified applicants for admission. Considerable research has been done to illustrate the impact of state-based merit aid programs and other scholarly pursuits have drawn attention to the consequences of merit aid on institutional investments in need-based aid. Less is known about the efficacy of merit aid to achieve college student enrollment objectives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between merit aid values and the likelihood of undergraduate student enrollment yield on offers of admission. The primary research question …

Measuring The Levels Of Athletic Identity And Identity Foreclosure Of National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletics (Naia) Student-Athletes, Gavin P. Washington

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

During a person’s college years they are beginning to form identities and develop a sense of self. One of the most salient identities that college student-athletes identify with is their athletic identity. Numerous research studies have been conducted on the saliency of a student-athlete’s athletic identity, however the vast majority of those research studies examined student-athletes participating at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I level. This study was designed to extend the previous investigation of athletic identity and identity foreclosure among college students by focusing on athletes participating at the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) level.

By …

Dialogic Learning And Self-Explanation In Classrooms Implementing Worked Example Instruction With Interactive Whiteboard Technology, Ellen C. Bloomfield

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

This purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between classroom discourse and interactive pedagogies when using the interactive whiteboard (IWB) for worked example instruction. Using an embedded single case study design (Yin, 2003), the researcher examined the effect of interactive pedagogies and the differences in whole class dialogue and student self-explanation about the worked example. The sources of data included two classroom observations of teacher directed instruction and one classroom observation of student directed instruction. Each worked example presentation used a different level of interactive pedagogy as defined by Glover, et al., 2006. These included the supported didactic, …

Instructional Design For Deaf Students: An Experimental Study Of Multimedia Instruction And Cognitive Load, Soraya Cooper Matthews

Theses and Dissertations--Curriculum and Instruction

Given that students who are deaf face learning challenges as a result of delays in language acquisition and reading comprehension skills, educators presume that the use of multimedia will aid in comprehension of novel information as it does with hearing students. This study examined the impact of multimedia on comprehension and cognitive load for students who are deaf. More specifically, this study aimed to determine whether there is a significant difference in the learning comprehension and cognitive load of deaf students exposed to two multimedia formats, compared to students exposed to a single format. Research participants were 64 students recruited …

Collective Leadership Practices That Assure High Levels Of Student Learning For All: High School Implementation Of Response To Intervention, Melissa E. Wainwright

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Twenty-first century schools are complex organizations that serve individual students’ needs while meeting accountability and assessment demands. Effective leadership balances these diverse responsibilities through collective work of the shareholders in order to assure high levels of learning for all.

This qualitative study examined Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation in two high performing high schools in Kentucky. Both schools were classified as distinguished on the 2014-15 Kentucky School Report Card. One school has a long-standing tradition of high performance. The other school’s journey to high performance involved moving from a Needs Improvement School to a School of Distinction.

The 4-D Appreciative …

Experienced Kentucky Female Superintendents' Perceptions Of Political Leadership, Karen Thomas Mcnay

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

Women historically hit a glass ceiling when trying to reach for a school district’s highest position. While nationally an overwhelming majority of educators are female, approximately only a quarter of all superintendents are women. In Kentucky, 19% of public school superintendents are female. Female superintendent research has focused on the barriers that inhibit women from obtaining the superintendency; however, recently a shift to focus on how women lead has occurred.

The superintendency encompasses five roles: instructional leader, manager, political leader, communicator and applied social scientist. Although female superintendents’ strength is often instructional leadership, the role of political leader is met …

Higher Education System Governance: An Exploratory Study Of Presidential Decision Making In The Kentucky Community And Technical College System, Sarah Jill Page

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Leadership Studies

There are more than 40 higher education systems across the United States enrolling more than 5.6 million students. Literature on higher education systems is well-documented; however, variations in system structures and governance are apparent. The limited research on governance in community college systems merits examination. This study explored presidential decision making in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System using quantitative and qualitative procedures. As a two-phase, sequential exploratory study using surveys, interviews, and documents, this study considers decision making from an organizational and environmental perspective to understand how presidents share academic, administrative, and personnel decision making. This study extends …

Using Wii Technology And Experiential Learning To Teach Newtonian Mechanics To Rural Middle School Students, Joseph S. Dvorak, Tanya C. Franke-Dvorak, Shane Neel

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study looked at the effects of an experiential learning activity using the accelerometer in the Wii Remote to teach basic concepts of Newtonian mechanics, e.g., acceleration, to middle school students in a rural school district. A major prerequisite for students at the mid-level in biosystems engineering programs is that they have a good knowledge of basic science, including physics. Education in these concepts must begin before college, such as at the middle school level. Improvements in science education are vitally necessary to achieve essential learning outcomes for middle school students in the U.S. and to prepare these students for …

Kentucky's Educational Performance & Points Of Leverage, Michael T. Childress

Issue Brief on Topics Affecting Kentucky’s Economy

This issue brief explores the links between obstacles students face and educational outcomes.

Effects Of Explicit Instruction And Self-Directed Video Prompting On Text Comprehension Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emily C. Sartini

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of explicit instruction combined with video prompting to teach text comprehension skills to students with autism spectrum disorder. Participants included 4 elementary school students with autism. A multiple probe across participants design was used to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness. Results indicated that the intervention was successful for all participants. All participants mastered the comprehension skills; however, data were highly variable during the acquisition phase. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed.

Teaching Peer Tutors To Use A Simultaneous Prompting Procedure To Teach Sales Tax Computation To Secondary Students With Mild And Moderate Disabilities, Sarah Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of the study was to provide training to peer tutors to teach students with mild and moderate disabilities sales tax computation using a simultaneous prompting procedure with fidelity. Non-target information presented during training sessions and generalization to natural environment settings was assessed. A multiple probe (days) across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the dependent variables. The results showed peer tutors could use the simultaneous prompting procedure with fidelity to teach sales tax computation and students with disabilities could acquire sales tax computation. The students acquired the non-target information presented and generalization …

Video Activity Schedules To Increase Independence For Students With Multiple Disabilities, Madison H. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a video activity schedule (VidAS) via iPod to increase independence within novel tasks across three school settings (i.e., office, cafeteria, library) to students with multiple disabilities. Participants, ages 12 and 14, included two individuals with various disabilities who received special education services in a self-contained classroom. Results indicated both participants were able to independently complete novel tasks in three different school settings with the use of the visual activity schedule with embedded video prompts. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Group Contingency Interventions For Classroom Behavior Management: A Systematic Review Of The Literature 2011-2016, Danielle M. Crawford Duff

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the current literature base on the use of group contingency interventions to determine whether there is sufficient empirical evidence to recommend the practice for behavior management in K-12 classrooms. Studies were evaluated based on standards proposed by the What Works Clearinghouse. The results of the review indicate support for group contingencies as an evidence-based practice and highlight a need for increased experimental rigor and more detailed reporting to determine whether the interventions are effective and for which populations or settings they are most appropriate.

Using Video Modeling Plus A System Of Least Prompts To Teach People With Intellectual Disability To Participate In Faith Communities, Victoria Slocum

Theses and Dissertations--Early Childhood, Special Education, and Counselor Education

An important part of quality of life for people with moderate and severe intellectual disability (MSD) is being involved in community activities, including participation in faith communities. There is a need for meaningful inclusion of people with disabilities in faith communities beyond physical presence. Although it has been recommended that evidence-based strategies, such as video modeling (VM) be used to increase the meaningful inclusion of people with ID in faith communities, there is a lack of empirical studies using evidence-based practices to teach the skills necessary for participation in community activities. The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the …

The Role Of Adult Attachment In International Students’ Acculturation Process, Miao Li

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

International students face a variety of challenges in their acculturation process. The acculturation process is a highly variable process that is influenced by the mediating and moderating effects of individual factors that exist prior to, or arise during, acculturation (Berry, 1997). Among the moderating personal factors existing prior to acculturation, adult attachment has received heightened attention as an important variable impacting the acculturation process and adaptation outcomes. Wang and Mallinckrodt (2006a) suggested that successful adaptation involves exploration of unfamiliar social situations that resemble the infants’ exploration of their physical surroundings. The acculturation process can be challenging and stressful because individuals …

An Investigation Of The Relationship Between The Teachers' Sense Of Efficacy Scale And Preschool Children's Literacy Outcomes: Multilevel Longitudinal Modeling And Longitudinal Measurement Invariance, Caroline J. Gooden

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The current study examined associations between teacher characteristics and child literacy outcomes in a Kentucky preschool sample. The study also examined the psychometric properties of the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES; Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), a frequently used measure of teacher self-efficacy. A widely used preschool assessment instrument, Teaching Strategies GOLD^® (GOLD; Heroman, Burts, Berke, & Bickart, 2010), measured child literacy progress. Psychometric examination included confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) and longitudinal measurement invariance (LMI) of TSES scores. Statistical analyses included longitudinal growth modeling of TSES scores and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) of TSES and child GOLD literacy …

Change In Perceived Teacher Self-Efficacy Of Agricultural Educators After A Greenhouse Management Workshop, Shari R. Dutton

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Agricultural educators encounter unique teaching challenges as they teach applications of plant production in the greenhouse classroom. The teacher self-efficacy construct has been used broadly to link student learning outcomes to teachers' beliefs in their ability to attain certain instructional goals in the classroom. Few studies have used this construct to examine teacher-efficacy in the greenhouse classroom. This study uses the teacher self-efficacy construct within the agricultural educator domain. It seeks to measure change in agricultural educator self-efficacy beliefs using established self-efficacy scales to determine if a professional development experience in greenhouse operation and management effects educator beliefs in their …

Against The Odds: A Study Of Low Socioeconomic Status Students’ Enrollment In Higher Education, Andrea T. Kirby

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

For generations, researchers have been examining attributes that make low socioeconomic status students resilient. Attributes that help one become resilient are known as protective factors. The purpose of this study was to describe the protective factor(s) that contributed to the first-generation, low socioeconomic status students’ enrollment at The University of Kentucky. The population for this study consists of the University of Kentucky First Scholars participants during the 2015 – 2016 academic year. The researcher examines the existing literature on low socioeconomic status effects on post-secondary education. Recommendations were made for the University of Kentucky’s First Scholars Program on how to …

An Evaluation Of The Techniques And Strategies For Recruiting African-Americans By 1862 Land-Grant Universities, Rashawn P. Franklin

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

As post-secondary education becomes more important for the American citizen to generate wealth, universities are struggling to retain and graduate African-Americans, the third-most represented demographic in the country, especially at predominately white colleges and universities. The Colleges of Agriculture at these particular institutions are struggling to even get Black students to apply, let alone graduate. One of the major issues is the disconnect between the African-American community and the idea of post-secondary education in the agricultural field. One way that disconnect can be combatted is new techniques and strategies in recruiting African-Americans. This study identifies three themes based on interviews …

Perception, Opportunity, Empowerment, And Policy: Women's Influence In Kentucky Agriculture, Courtney Lacy Jenkins

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

The number of women farmers in the United States is increasing at a substantial rate. Women are fulfilling various roles on the farm and stepping into formal leadership positions in the agricultural community. This study surveys the perception of women reputational leaders in Kentucky agriculture among traditional agricultural leaders, the opportunities available to women in agriculture, the sources empowering women to serve in leadership capacities in agriculture, and how women reputational leaders influence agriculture and agricultural policy in Kentucky. The research revealed that the dynamic of Kentucky agriculture is shifting. Women have made significant strides in agriculture as farmers and …

Work Life Balance For Agricultural Educators In Kentucky, Kendra Horn Rowland

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Research indicates that Kentucky agricultural educators are overworked and experience job related stress. Balancing work and home can be a struggle and stress induces burnout and teacher attrition. Shortages in the agriculture classroom could result in loss of agricultural education programs and negatively affect the profession. The purpose of this study was to 1) describe the demographics of Kentucky high school agricultural educators; 2) describe the work and home life balance for Kentucky agricultural educators; 3) determine the level of job satisfaction among Kentucky agricultural educators; 4) determine the perceived busiest time of the school year for Kentucky agricultural educators. …

Expectancy-Value In The Enrollment Factor Of Agricultural Education Youth, Morgan Schafbuch

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

This quantitative study considers the motivating factors for enrollment in secondary agricultural education courses from students whose home background is not from a farm. This study utilizes expectancy-value theory, and looks at students (n=211) from different agricultural backgrounds and the impact on their ability beliefs, expectancies for success, and usefulness, importance, and interest for enrollment in agricultural education courses. The results indicate that students who have no affiliation to a farm have the highest ability beliefs and expectancies for success towards agricultural education in relation to students who are from traditional agricultural backgrounds.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education In Kentucky, Luciana D. Hockersmith

Theses and Dissertations--Community & Leadership Development

Discussions of sex education of any kind can be controversial in a given setting. Traditional approaches to sex education prompt debate regarding effectiveness. Key indicators central to the effectiveness of sex education continue to be rates of teen pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With discontentment surrounding the effectiveness of “traditional approaches,” a more wide-ranging method is worthy of being explored. The curriculum approach of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) includes six key concepts, and subsequent sub-concepts, intended to provide a broad and even all-inclusive range of topics for a similarly broad and even all-inclusive range of ages of …

Constructing A Measure To Assess The Perceived Benefits Of Faculty-To-Faculty Mentoring Programs: Applying A Rasch Measurement Theory For Calibration And Item Investigation, Richard K. Mensah

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The need to recruit quality professors into research-1 institutions continues to be a priority among American universities (Solem & Foote, 2004), but the ability to retain them is another story. The tenure process is quite demanding in such institutions where much emphasis is often placed on high quality research and publishing in reputable peer-reviewed journals (Boyer, 1992; DeFleur, 2007). Some scholars have identified faculty-to-faculty mentoring as one of many things institutions can promote to motivate beginning faculty to persist and complete the tenure process (Boice, 1991). On the other, others feel such activities are not necessary (Selby & Calhoun, 1998). …