Education Commons^™

A Study Of Presidential Derailment In Public Research Universities, Keith Shaw Carver

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretive, multiple case qualitative study was to explore factors associated with presidential derailments in public research universities. The case studies involved interviews, document analysis, and observation. The population consisted of four public research universities in the United States. These varied and diverse sources of information produced the data for the investigation.

The findings revealed five derailment themes among the four cases. These were: problems with interpersonal relationships, poor selection of advisors, flawed search processes, unethical behavior, and the failure of the president to change or adapt to the new organization upon assuming the presidency. Three of …

Child Parent Relationship Therapy: Hope For Disrupted Attachment, Carolyn Carlisle Hacker

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) was an effective method of treatment for reducing behaviors associated with attachment difficulties experienced by foster children who have been removed from their family of origin. This study also sought to determine if the age of the foster child, the gender of the foster child, or the number of foster placements would also influence behaviors associated with attachment difficulties. This study was conducted with a pre-test, post-test, quasi-experimental group, control group design format using the Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire (RADQ) assessment instrument. The quasi-experimental group received …

Signposts On The Path To Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Melba L. Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the phenomenon of learning among high school educators engaged in an on-line learning community studying the application of reader response theory across the curriculum following a two-day professional development (PD) workshop. The theoretical framework both for the design and content of the workshop and for the design of the study was social constructivism. The specific research question to be answered with respect to the participant, Ariel, was, "what is the teacher's experience in an on-line learning community?" For this phenomenological case study, the methods for data collection included two semi-structured interviews and …

The Path To Success: Identities That Mathematics Students Develop In A Specialized Residential High School, Yan Wang

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the mathematics learning practices in the lives of students in a specialized residential high school in the Southeastern region of the United States. In particular, the study explores how mathematics classroom micro-culture shapes and is shaped by students‘ developing identities as mathematics learners, and what mathematics learning means to them. These purposes were achieved through the lens of the theoretical framework of identity in practice (Wenger, 1998), multiple framework (Martin, 2000), and the interpretive scheme (Cobb, Gresalfi, & Hodge, 2009).

Mixed research methods were used to conduct the study. Surveys, semi-structured interviews, …

Collaborative Reflective Practice Of Two Early Childhood Educators: The Impact On Their Ongoing Inquiry And Professional Development, Stacy Cummings Onks

Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

Two preschool teachers served as participants in this instrumental case study with the purpose of: (1) identifying the emergence of new understandings and processes of joint, shared activity, (2) examining the ways in which the use of two diverse methods (electronic and audio journals) influenced and mediated critical reflective practice, and (3) examining the link between reflection and action.

There were two major findings. First, the use of multiple methods to engage in reflection was found to be critical to encourage and support effective, rich reflection. Second, teachers changed the conceptualization of their professional relationships and of reflective practice. …

A Program Evaluation Of Parenting Apart: Effective Co-Parenting, Melissa Ivy Rector

Masters Theses

A two-month longitudinal program evaluation was conducted of a four-hour mandated parent education program for divorcing parents of minor children. To expand on Brandon’s (2006) program evaluation of the same program, the present study sought to examine knowledge gain and behavior change in participants. Using a retrospective post-then-pre design, 139 participants reported their knowledge gain in two areas: (a) the impacts of divorce and of putting children in the middle of conflict, and (b) strategies to reduce conflict with one’s former spouse. Two-month follow-up interviews were used to assess behavior change in two areas: (a) using techniques to manage post-divorce …

Athletes' Experience Of Poor Coaching, Brian Gearity

Doctoral Dissertations

Effective coaching has long been associated with winning. Because of this conceptualization of effective coaching, researchers have tended to study the behaviors and thought processes of winning coaches, but not how these behaviors and thought processes affect athletes. Very little research has looked at poor, ineffective coaching, specifically from the athletes‟ perspective. Because of this, our understanding of poor, ineffective coaching is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore collegiate, professional and semi-professional athletes‟ perceptions of poor coaching. An existential phenomenological research design provided the framework for understanding athletes‟ experience of poor coaching. Data were collected via in-depth …

Administrators’ Literacy Beliefs And Leadership Behaviors As Reflected In Early Childhood Practice, Maria Kostrzewa Cahill

Doctoral Dissertations

Research supports the value of quality preschool programs in preparing children for future schooling, though experts in early care and education have not reached consensus on all contributing factors. Studies of educational leadership suggest that school leaders have an effect on student outcomes, yet few studies in the area of early childhood education have focused on the role of leaders. This study examined the literacy beliefs and the leadership behaviors of the instructional leaders of child care facilities and investigated whether these characteristics and/or behaviors were associated with prekindergarten teachers’ instructional practices in the areas of language development, reading, and …

Evaluation Use And Influence Among Project Directors Of State Gear Up Grants, Erin Mehalic Burr

Doctoral Dissertations

Evaluation use is a major goal of program evaluators, because it can lead to program improvement and sustainability. This dissertation adds to the literature on ―Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs‖ (GEAR UP) grant evaluation use by assessing (1) the extent to which project directors of state grants use evaluation results (i.e., instrumental use, conceptual use, persuasive use, and/or process use), (2) the extent to which the evaluations of the state GEAR UP grant programs have had an influence at the individual, interpersonal, and collective levels, and (3) what factors have an impact on the use of those …

How And To What Extent Do Two Cover, Copy, And Compare Spelling Interventions Contribute To Spelling, Word Recognition And Vocabulary Development?, Kathryn Jaspers

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of two spelling interventions on spelling acquisition, word reading, vocabulary development, and spelling maintenance. The first intervention, called Cover, Copy, and Compare (CCC), involved having the participant look at a word, cover it, write it, and then compare the written response to the original stimulus. The second intervention (CCC+SD) included the CCC technique, but the experimenter also used the word in a sentence and provided a brief definition just before the participant engaged in the CCC technique of each word. Instructional time was held constant across conditions. Daily spelling performance …

Life Lived Well: A Narrative Analysis Of One Woman‟S Wellness Across The Life Span, Whitney Locke Jarnagin

Doctoral Dissertations

The Indivisible Self (Myers & Sweeney, 2004; Myers & Sweeney, 2005a) model of wellness was proposed in the counseling literature to serve as a framework for enhancing wellness across the life span. Numerous researchers conducted a variety of investigations related to this model; however, gaps in the literature still exist. The aim of the current study was to add to the body of existing literature by investigating one woman‟s wellness across the life span utilizing qualitative methods. The senior adult participant provided a narrative of her life in the form of an oral history. This narrative was then analyzed through …

Treadmill Workstations: An Obesity Intervention?, Dinesh John

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of treadmill workstations as a weight loss intervention. Specific aims were (a) to determine if walking while working at a treadmill workstation affects selective attention and mental processing speed, and performance of simulated office work tasks involving fine motor movements (typing and mouse movements) and mathematical and verbal reasoning, and (b) To determine if using of a treadmill workstation favorably influences anthropometric, body composition, cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, and mental stress variables in overweight and obese office workers.

For the first aim, 20 participants completed tests to assess selective …

In Contradiction: The Concept Of Globalization In The Popular Discourse Of Education Reform, Bradley Scott Ellison

Doctoral Dissertations

In an era of education policy dominated by the specter of No Child Left Behind, the purpose of this research is to offer a critique of this current period of education reform through a synthetic analysis of one of its key conceptual frameworks. That concept is the discourse of globalization as it is used in the popular discursive practices of public school reform. Often presented as an ontological assumption or conceptual norm [common sense], globalization (or the global economy) is a conceptual framework that commands a significant presence in policy debates and the popular discourse of education reform. It …

Beyond Sharing The Pen: Dialogue In The Context Of Interactive Writing, Jennifer Jeanne Jordan

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this design study was to examine how two teachers revise their instructional methods in response to student outcomes and how students learn strategies of writing through classroom discourse in the context of interactive writing. The study was designed to explore the role of teacher and student in socially situated writing environments and reveal how conversation affects student learning and instructional decision-making. Throughout the study I was an active participant observer continually modifying the intervention with the input of the classroom teachers.

This study was based on the theoret ical model of reading as a meaning-construction process described …

Exploring Factors Motivating Interns Learning And Using Technology: A Social Cognitive Perspective, Jun Li

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing pre-service teachers‘ selfefficacy regarding technology integration during their studies in a teacher education program. The study examined self-efficacy, motivations, attitudes, intentions, as well as the personality traits of pre-service teachers who attended teaching methodologies courses in a Post- Baccalaureate program at a public university in the southeastern part of the United States. These pre-service teachers interned in elementary and secondary public schools around the area of Knoxville, Tennessee while they took coursework to pursue their Master‘s degree in education.

Participants were 151 students enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate program. Data were …

An Historical Analysis Of Thinking In Resources Published By The National Council For The Social Studies (Ncss): 1977 – 2006, Ulku Serezli Karabulut

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the various descriptions and perspectives concerning thinking in the social studies literature as expressed by social studies scholars in NCSS journals and publications across a thirty – year time frame, 1977 to 2006. A corollary purpose was to describe the various perspectives regarding methods of teaching thinking that prevailed in published NCSS resources on social studies education. The journals examined for this dissertation were Social Education, Social Studies and the Young Learner, and Middle Level Learning.

A total of two hundred twenty three (223) articles from the thirty-year period dealt with thinking …

An Examination Of Psychological Factors That Predict College Student Success And Retention, Charles Curtis Luke Ii

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction among measures of self-efficacy, locus of control, coping behaviors, and attitudes toward the education-employment connection on retention among college students at a small liberal arts college. Results indicated statistically significant differences between high and low intent to return to the college on the educationemployment attitude measures. Students who had greater comfort in selecting their academic major, believed that their academic work would lead to future employment and believed that their current academic work would lead to future success, had significantly higher intent to return to the institution the following semester. …

Attitudes And Action Plans Of North Carolina Ems Education Leaders Regarding National Ems Education Program Accreditation, Denise Anne Wilfong

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and action plans of North Carolina Emergency Medical Services (EMS) education leaders related to the impending policy initiative of national EMS education program accreditation. The study utilized a purposive sample of EMS education leaders in North Carolina, including the current program directors of nine nonaccredited associate degree programs in EMS in North Carolina and two administrative representatives from the North Carolina Office of EMS. Data were collected utilizing three different qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews, field notes, and document analysis. Five main recurring themes were derived from the data, including …

The Effects Of Descriptions Of Personal Experiences On Students’ Learning And Behavioral Intentions Toward Peers With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Lee Saecker

Doctoral Dissertations

Through a post-test only design, students’ knowledge and behavioral intentions toward their peers with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) were investigated. Students were shown a video that provided them with factual information about AD/HD. The experimental group viewed a video that contained descriptions of personal experiences (e.g., seductive information) in addition to factual information, while the control group received factual information only. Results show that adding descriptions of personal experiences to facts about AD/HD may be enough to enhance learning, but may not be enough to change behavioral intentions. On the knowledge scale, there is an interaction between the two knowledge-question …

Reading In The Content Area: Its Impact On Teaching In The Social Studies Classroom, Peter A. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study focused on evaluating the sufficiency of research in reading in the content area used to instruct classroom teachers. The research used was conducted between 1970 and 2000 and incorporated into textbooks written between 1975 and 2005. Studies examined were those reported in the following journals: Review of Educational Research, Review of Research in Education, Social Education, Theory and Research in Social Education, Reading Research Quarterly, and Research in the Teaching of English. Some attention was also given to two major educational curriculum and issue journals- Educational Leadership and Phi Delta Kappan as these sources might identify relevant research …

Do Measures Of Emotional Intelligence Predict Social Acceptability?, Sunny Marie Windingstad

Doctoral Dissertations

The concurrent and predictive utility of three measures of Emotional Intelligence (EI) were determined by administering the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test: Youth Version (MSCEIT:YV; Mayer, Salovey, & Caruso, in press), the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version ( EQ-i:YV; Bar-On, 2000), the Emotional Aptitude teacher rating scale of the UNIT: Gifted Screening Scale (UNIT: GSS; McCallum & Bracken, in press) and a sociometric measure to 102 third, fourth, and fifth grade students in two rural elementary schools in the Southeastern United States and one elementary school in the North Central United States. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients of scales across instruments ranged …

Modification Of Nancie Atwell's Reading Workshop For Implementation In A Homogeneous Group Of Struggling Adolescent Readers, Marilyn Ludwig Pickett

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the effectiveness of Nancie Atwell's reading workshop in motivating homogeneously grouped, struggling adolescent readers in a public school setting. This naturalistic, personal narrative describes the Atwell workshop and the modifications made to it for implementation with this group of students. Atwell, a noted reading educator, uses specific strategies to teach the heterogeneously grouped students in her private school in Maine. Her students' independent thinking skills and personal connections to text are remarkable. Since I do not teach in the same environment as Atwell, I modified Atwell's strategies to meet the needs …

A Financial Model For The Launch And Operation Of An Online Degree Program By A Public Higher Education System, Jason Caudill

Doctoral Dissertations

This research study reviewed available literature on financial models for online degree programs. The review focused on theories adapted from business methodology and applied to online education. The primary theories used to develop the financial model were associated with Activity Based Costing (ABC). Data were collected from the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Regents‟ Online Degree Program (RODP) and from the eCommunity Schools reports from the state of Ohio.