Education Commons^™

A New Direction For Public Understanding Of Science: Toward A Participant-Centered Model Of Science Engagement., Christopher Rickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engaging the public with science is not an easy task. When presented, scientific findings, public health recommendations, and other scientific information filter through the personal values, beliefs, and biases of members of the public. Science communicators must contend with these differences in order to be effective in cultivating a public understanding of science. Given the importance of scientific understanding for living well in a complex world, increasing science understanding through science engagement is imperative. The field of public engagement with science is dichotomized by a public information deficit approach and a contextualist approach. The deficit approach prizes the factual content …

Increasing Self-Determination Skill Through Behavioral Skills Training For Individuals With Extensive Support Needs To Examine Reversible Contraceptive Choices., Jennifer Pollard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a long history of individuals with extensive support needs (ESN) being sterilized without their knowledge and consent. Students with ESN are defined as individuals who need continuous and widespread supports necessary for academic, communication, and/or daily living skills. These individuals typically have more than one diagnosis including a developmental disability (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and/or traumatic brain injury (Kurth et al., 2019; Taub et al., 2017). Part of the reason this is able to occur is due to a lack of education about sexual development and a lack of interventions to build skills related to self-determination or informed …

Examining The Perceived Benefits Of A Career Course For English-Speaking First-Generation Hispanic And Latino Students, David Benjamin Mason

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem that provoked this research is the incessant, declining retention, completion, and transfer rates among English-speaking, first-generation Hispanic and Latino students. Educational institutions continue to increase services, improve academic programs, enhance curriculum design, integrate technology, and consider alternative career paths to success with marginal to no improvement. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceived benefits of English-speaking, first-generation Hispanic and Latino students who participated in a career course instructed by a career professional compared to a course instructed by an academic adjunct faculty member. Developing one’s career remains a vital aspect of the college experience, and …

Influence Of Restorative Practices On The Middle-School Classroom, As Reported By Teachers: A Qualitative Case Study, Julia Y. Andrews

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine middle school teachers’ perceptions of the influence that restorative practices have on the middle school classroom environment. For the purpose of this study, seven middle school teachers were selected who have implemented restorative practices in their middle school classrooms to provide feedback. Findings suggest that overall restorative practices have a positive influence on the classroom. The findings from this study can be used with teachers, administrators, counselors, parents, and school and district support staff to help create a positive campus culture between students and adults in middle school classrooms. The …

Deliberately Developmental Leadership In Organizational Settings, Glenn Allen Nixon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate leadership development strategies in organizations in North Texas needed to create prepared, competent leaders who can become and help create deliberately developmental leaders. Open-ended and semistructured interviews were used to collect data, with questions centered on effective leadership development strategies for creating competent leaders and effective leadership strategies for creating deliberately developmental leaders. The idea was to understand if organization’s leadership focused on the need for leadership development, if organizational members were being identified for leadership, and if systems exist to address future organizational leadership needs. Three types of organizations were …

Understanding The Role Of Faculty Advising In Graduate Allied Healthcare Profession Programs As Practitioners Transition To Professor, Lillie Marie Barnett Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals in allied healthcare professions continue to see growth in all areas, including clinical practice and higher education. Leaders at the university level, alongside leadership within allied healthcare accreditation bodies for disciplines like athletic training, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology, maintain the need to grow the professions through master’s and doctoral degree programs. With the growth, many working practitioners move from clinical practice to academia with little to no experience or understanding of higher education and all the responsibilities of the job. This quantitative research study used a purposive sampling of allied healthcare professionals across the United States …

Analyzing Concept Mapping Integration Into A Bsn Curriculum Using The H-Pepss Survey, Tina Michelle Mathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: This project’s foundational focus was on improving nursing students’ preparedness for their profession and patient care. Data supports that nursing graduates face challenges at the patient bedside, which often cause injury or harm. These deficits are known as preparation-to-practice, failure-to-rescue, and transition-to-practice gaps that occur despite the integration of preceptorship and residency programs. Through the integration of concept mapping into an established curriculum, an analysis of student patient safety perceptions in a pre- and postsurvey was completed. Method: This quality improvement project received approval from the institutional review board. The project was a quasi-experimental, nonrandomized, single-blinded design measuring first-semester …

All-Day Prekindergarten: Closing The Achievement Gap In Literacy, Theodore Clevenger Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative research study was to compare the impact that half-day and full-day prekindergarten had on economically disadvantaged students on Grade 3 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Reading test results. Data from students who previously attended a half-day and full-day prekindergarten program were analyzed to see which program had a greater impact on STAAR reading scores at the conclusion of third grade. The comparison included two urban school districts with an economically disadvantaged threshold of 70% or greater. Descriptive statistics to obtain frequencies were used to create data that showed how students performed …

An Examination Of Academic Advising: How Satisfaction And Frequency Of Advising Predict Degree Commitment Among Hispanic/Latino Students In Online Bachelor’S Degree Programs, Shayne A. Futujma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic/Latino student enrollment in higher education has increased in recent years. However, persistence and dropout rates in higher education for Hispanic/Latino students are still an issue of great concern. Online degree programs are also on the rise, allowing some Hispanic/Latino students to attend college where there was no opportunity before. Although online programs are an excellent option for Hispanic/Latino students, their persistence and dropping out are also a concern, because Hispanic/Latino students are more likely to drop out of online courses than face-to-face. One of the resources that college students have access to is academic advisors, who serve as a …

Project-Based Learning: Teachers' Perceptions, Tricia Nail Haddad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Project-based learning (PBL), a type of pedagogy, is helping students in today’s world stay motivated to learn. This hands-on, collaborative type of learning is seen as beneficial for students, but the problem is the lack of knowledge about teachers’ perceptions of PBL. This qualitative study discusses teachers’ perceptions of PBL through the challenges, benefits, teacher training, and school administration support. Twelve teachers from magnet schools within a public school district specializing in PBL were interviewed. The teachers ranged from first-year teachers to teachers with over 10 years of experience. Six educators also participated in a focus group. Study findings indicated …

Case Study: Principal Knowledge, Principal Practice, And Student Achievement, Maritza Olivarez Braxton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A school principal is a critical asset to the success of a campus, teachers, and students. Their role is and will continue to be complex with many responsibilities and challenges. Researchers have implied a disconnect between the level of a principal’s practice to their knowledge in the production of student success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal a deeper understanding of the theory-to practice gap between the professional practices of high school principals and their knowledge. This study attempted to answer the what, how, and why to help establish foundational information for improving and creating ongoing …

Lived Experiences Of Latino(A) College Students Enrolled In A Historically Black College & University (Hbcu), Gabriel Crosby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For many first-generation Latino(a) college students, the college-setting is a new and scary place. Without the support of family and friends, the chances for them dropping out or not finishing their college education grow. Recognizing that Latinos(as) make up a growing segment of the college-going population, higher education institutions and their leaders must not only recruit individuals from this demographic population, but must also work to help these students remain enrolled and guide them to graduation. Institutions must be able to provide a welcoming campus culture and environment as a means of fostering student success. Historically Black College and Universities …

The Acceptance Of Learning Management Systems By Higher Education Faculty In An Educational Landscape Influenced By A Global Pandemic, Stephen Mark Rektenwald

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigated the perceptions of higher education faculty with respect to their behavioral intentions to use learning management systems and the perceived effect of COVID-19 on those intentions. An online survey was administered through private Facebook groups to faculty in higher education and listservs focused on technology in higher education. The sample size initially included 137 participants but participants were reduced to 121 due to incomplete responses on some surveys or not meeting the selection criteria for the research. The theoretical framework for this research was the intersection of the technology acceptance model and digital transformations. The data …

The Glass Jaw. The Presence Of Incivility, Conflict, And Bullying In Disempowering Workplaces: A Study Of Middle-Level Managers In Heis, Maria Esther Caratini Prado

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Middle-level managers at HEIs experience stress-related conflicts that include incivility and bullying. There is a gap in the literature regarding middle-level managers’ contributions to improving interpersonal relationships in the workplace and the type of conflict-management training most suited to middle-level managers in HEIs when incivility, conflict, and bullying are present. This qualitative design study sought to understand conflict management from the perspective of HEI middle-level managers within the manager-to-subordinate relationship. The study examined the lived experiences of 10 HEI middle-level managers with coded data revealing four overall themes: structural challenges, sources of conflict, conflict training, and managing conflict. The results …

Persistence Rates Of First-Year College Students Who Attend An Extended Orientation Camp Program Compared To Those Who Do Not Attend, Kristy G. O'Keefe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student retention is a topic of concern among higher education institutions. The dissertation pronounces a comparative quantitative research study to examine participation in summer extended orientation programs as a predictor of fall-to-spring persistence for first-year college students. This research study was conducted through a conceptual replication of a decade-old study at a regional Texas institution. In this conceptual replication study, the researcher observed the enrollment impacts, such as persistence rates and grade point average, of first-year college students who attended a summer extended orientation program compared to those of students who did not. Conducting more specific research in the area …

Healing The Burn: Assuaging Burnout And Increasing Work Engagement In University Admissions Counselors, Michael K. Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tuition-driven universities depend heavily on net tuition revenue to operate. However, the individuals responsible for delivering the type of enrollment that meets university goals, known as the university admissions counselors, tend to be underpaid, burnt out, and likely to depart their institutions before meaningful recruiting relationships can be formed. The implications of this issue lead to high costs of turnover and training of new staff, a recruiting territory in flux due to the turnstile nature of the profession and an office culture that lacks any genuine consistency. Many studies in the past have focused on the specific reasons that frontline …

A Path To Success: A Case Study Of Military Veterans At A Midwestern University, Jada N. Reynolds

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of military veterans transitioning from service members to civilian life. The study was conducted using semistructured interviews with eight transitioning veterans who had completed their bachelor’s degree from the same Midwestern U. S. university between 2017 and 2022. Retention theory, and transition theory were used as the guiding theories for this study. An intrinsic qualitative case study was used for data analysis, which resulted in the emerging themes (a) Transitioning from Military Service to Civilian Life, (b) Work-Life-Study Balance: Confronting Challenges, and (c) Supporting Military Veterans. This study …

Removing Barriers That Prevent Parents From Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds From Being Involved In Their Children’S High School Education, Jason E. Shepherd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative case study was to describe the barriers that prevent parents from low socioeconomic backgrounds from being involved in their children’s high school education at District X in rural East Texas. Fifteen high school teacher participants were interviewed and provided their experiences and perceptions to support the interviews and focus groups. The primary findings identified teachers’ perceptions of the barriers that prevent parental involvement, parents’ commitment to their children’s high school education, and the teacher’s role in removing barriers that prevent parents from low socioeconomic backgrounds from being involved in their children’s high school education. …

A Qualitative Study Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Of Color In Predominately White K–12 Environments, Torine S. Champion

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers of color and identify commonalities within the lived experiences of teachers of color employed in predominately White K–12 schools. This study utilized interpretive phenomenological analysis as viewed through the White racial frame lens. There were 15 participants that were included in this research study. Participants were teachers of color with at least 5 years of teaching experience in predominately White K–12 environments. Data collection procedures included confidential virtual, semistructured interviews that included specific information the researcher wanted to explore. Six themes were revealed: (a) cultural advocacy, …

Trust In Academia: How Chief Academic Officers Build And Maintain Faculty Trust, Marc A. Smithers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the role of academic leadership has grown more complex, particularly as leaders are increasingly tasked with leading educational innovation initiatives, building faculty trust has become an essential task for chief academic officers (CAOs). Due to the general lack of research into this role, though, little is known about how they understand and approach building faculty trust. The purpose of this qualitative, single, holistic case study was to understand how executive academic administrators at private colleges approach building and maintaining trust with their faculty in general and also through educational innovation and what specific challenges they have identified in these …

A Study Of The Perceptions Of School Administrators On Fostering Relational Trust With Teachers In Texas Urban Charter Schools, Meesha-Gay Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Accountability has placed immense pressure on principals leading K-12 public charter schools to increase standards for success. Overwhelmingly, principals accept the charge to produce promising results every day, despite the public scrutiny principals may ensue for not meeting the state’s standard of excellence. Principals are expected to drive high academic standards, initiate instructional vision, interact with parents, oversee policy mandates, address students’ needs, and foster relationships with teachers. The daily demands requiring principals’ attention stimulate stress and may cause principals to wrestle with prioritizing trusted relationships. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand how principals foster relational …

Principal Decision-Making And Perception Of Fine Arts Programing In Curricular Design, Osvaldo Altamirano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study included an exploration of the concept of perception affecting decision- making in curriculum design and the support of school administrators toward fine art programs in West Texas School Regions 18 and 19. Research shows that the fine arts provide students the social and creative skills to become productive citizens. However, research shows that in the current realm of urban and rural public school curricula, the fine arts exist at either a limited capacity or are nonexistent. This dissertation included an attempt to answer how a school leader's fine arts perception affects a principal's ability to support, build, …

The Confidence Gap: How The Self-Esteem Of Middle School Females Affects Their Leadership Self-Efficacy, Amanda F. Bitner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though studies suggest social-emotional learning (SEL) programs have a positive impact on youth development, the focus, implementation, and consensus on SEL programs vary. These programs largely overlook adolescent self-esteem, which is at its lowest during the formative middle school years and twice as likely to be lower among females than males. This study attempted to understand whether SEL education impacts middle school females' self-esteem and leadership and whether their self-esteem and leadership self-efficacy correlate. Key research questions explored middle school females’ self-perception of their self-esteem and leadership self-efficacy levels. This quantitative descriptive study aimed to examine whether there was a …

School Principals And Instructional Coaches: An Examination Of Their Working Relationships In Maine Schools, Theresa J. Gillis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School principals are charged with being instructional leaders and yet they are tasked with obligations and face daily challenges that often make this an unrealistic expectation. According to the Maine Department of Education, 225 instructional coaches work in 53 Maine school districts. Instructional coaches provide feedback and support for teachers geared towards professional growth. This study will explore how instructional coaches and school principals can work together to support teaching and learning. While both school principals and instructional coaches “share the ultimate goal of effecting positive change” (Hall & Simeral, 2008, p. 23) their relationships may not always promote this …

What Does It Mean To Be Coherent? Mathematics And Science Teachers Consider Coherency In Curriculum Decision Making, Mona Baniahmadi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigates teacher and administrator perceptions of what it means for a curriculum to be coherent, strategies they have for establishing coherence of the diverse curricular resources available, and the difficulties teachers may face in understanding coherence and implementing potentially coherent curricula. This study uses the Danielson Model of Effective Teaching and the Tripartite Model of Curriculum as frameworks to examine the ways coherence is understood and implemented in the classroom. The study collected open-ended survey, focus groups, and individual interview data from 12 participants who identify as administrators, mathematics teachers, and science teachers in secondary grades at …

The Effects Of Digital Game-Based Instruction On Knowledge Acquisition And Retention Of Genetics Content, Brinley Kantorski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Digital educational games have been a part of the educational landscape since the early 1970s. Since then, there has been a proliferation in the quantity, format, type, and quality of digital educational games available to classroom teachers. Despite this, the body of literature surrounding the effectiveness of these digital educational games remains highly fragmented and lacks unifying themes. While some literature exists to support the use of digital educational games in immediate knowledge acquisition, little research has been done on how digital educational games impact the retention of knowledge in the long term. As such, this study examines how the …

Social Justice Informed School Counseling: A Conceptual Model For Promoting Academic Achievement And Equity Among Dual-Enrolled African American Students, Sylvester Hanner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To promote college enrollment, high schools may offer students the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment programs. Students who gain college credit while earning a high school diploma may be more likely to graduate college on time and at a lower cost (College Board, 2017). Despite the benefits of dual enrollment, African American students lack equitable access to dual enrollment programs. Additionally, when they are afforded access to participate in dual enrollment courses, they have a lower academic success rate when compared to White students (CCRC Fink, 2017).

This study provides insight into concepts related to African American students’ opinions, …

Intersections Of Environmentalism, Chemistry, And Racism: An Experimental Study Of Halobenzene Hydrogenolysis And Critical Communication Studies Of Equitable Learning Practices Rooted In Black Feminism, Lauren O. Babb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing concentrations of fluorinated aromatic compounds in surface water, groundwater, and soil pose threats to the environment. Fundamental studies that elucidate mechanisms of dehalogenation for C-X compounds (where X represents a halide) are required to develop effective remediation strategies. For halogenated benzenes, previously published research has suggested that the strength of the C-X bond is not rate-determining in the overall rate of dehalogenation. Instead, the rate-determining step has been hypothesized to be adsorption of the C-X compound onto the surface of a catalyst. Building on this hypothesis, in this work, we examine the reaction kinetics of fluorobenzene conversion to benzene, …

Investigating The Teaching And Assessment Experiences Of Maine Secondary Science Teachers During The Covid-19 Lockdown, Anupam Raj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In March 2020, an unexpected event changed the educational systems throughout the world. In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic caused public places to close down, including schools. To continue education, schools in Maine went online. This study describes how Maine secondary science teachers taught and assessed their students while teaching remotely for the first time during the lockdown. It does so by investigating teachers’ perspectives about the impact on their students, how they handled the issue of equity, their new priorities and expectations, their teaching and assessment challenges, and their successful strategies during the initial phase of the lockdown. …

Examining Overrepresentation In Special Education Amongst African Americans Diagnosed With Emotional Disturbance In The State Of Pennsylvania, Krisa Franzetta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the disproportionality in special education, regarding African American students being overrepresented, specifically under the disability category of Emotional Disturbance (ED) within the state of Pennsylvania. Demographic information was collected with the use of secondary data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, using 648 educational programs across 29 intermediate units. Data were analyzed with statistical representation of percentages as related to risk composition and the E-Formula. The results yielded an average risk of African American students being two times more likely to be diagnosed with ED than their White peers. Additional results from the calculation of the …