Education Commons^™

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Orientation And Persistence, Kellie A. Ziemak

All Theses And Dissertations

This study sought to understand persistence from a student’s perspective. In the past, student success courses were able to provide students with the opportunity to learn the college-readiness skills essential to student persistence. Developmental education reform in Florida has restructured course requirements, and students can now decide if they want to enroll in a student success course. This leaves colleges exploring alternatives to assist students in gaining the skills they need to be successful in college. This study used Tinto’s student integration theory as a conceptual framework to determine if students thought orientation helped them integrate both socially and academically …

Special Area Teachers’ Perceptions Of Performance Evaluation Feedback And Professional Development Provided, Christy Isaacs

All Theses And Dissertations

There is significant research showing that teachers are motivated to grow intrinsically through the feedback and professional development opportunities they receive from their principals following the evaluation cycle. The quality of this feedback greatly influences their willingness to continuously improve their practices. However, limited research exists on whether special area teachers receive meaningful feedback and professional development opportunities from their principals, who may lack specialized content knowledge, following their evaluations.

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to explore special area teachers’ perceptions of the feedback and professional development opportunities their principals provided following the evaluation cycle. Participants included …

Leadership Effectiveness In Curriculum Adoption For A Kindergarten, Bo Peng

All Theses And Dissertations

This study of leadership effectiveness focused on adoption, implementation, and evaluation of kindergarten curriculum. The researcher evaluated leadership effectiveness through the processes and outcomes of the team’s decision-making. Research questions were: How does the kindergarten leadership team make decisions about adoption of kindergarten curriculum? How does the kindergarten leadership team evaluate the quality of kindergarten curriculum? How does the kindergarten leadership team evaluate student learning in the three curriculum areas of Chinese language, English language and science? How does the curriculum they have adopted align with the CKEG national standards for kindergarten curriculum in China? The program evaluation, guided by …

Decision-Making And Ethics: A Study Of Massachusetts Superintendents, Maryann Perry

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the basis on which superintendents made decisions to see if they were using the four ethical frameworks of the multiple ethical paradigms to guide their decision-making. The primary purpose was to comprehend, as portrayed by Shapiro and Stefkovich (2016), which moral frameworks (i.e., justice, care, critique, and the profession) were used, assuming any were actualized by Massachusetts superintendents in decision-making. Superintendents require methods and processes that assist them to probe, “the ethical depths of each situation that calls for a judgment” (Rebore, 2013, p. 31). For this qualitative study, the modification of …

Threads Of Support: Mentoring Of Online Doctoral Students, Debra Lynn Welkley

All Theses And Dissertations

Doctoral students in programs throughout the United States express a need for mentoring as an important element in the completion of their degree (Associate Students of the Graduate Division, 2017; Noonan et al., 2007; University of Michigan, 2006). Although there are several studies that explored types of mentor programs and student perceptions of mentoring (Johnson, 2015; Terry & Ghosh, 2015), a review of the literature indicates an examination of doctoral student mentoring from a faculty mentor’s lens had not been examined. This transcendental phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of faculty who mentor online Ed.D. students. The findings in the …

Through Their Eyes: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Perceived Leadership In Special Purpose Private Schools, Reva L. Mathieu

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions and experiences of leaders and followers within a special purpose private school during on-going crisis events to better understand demonstrated behaviors, values, and characteristics of leaders. The study site was the state of Maine, USA. The participants completed a survey and semi-structured interview. Four leaders and eight followers participated in the study from four schools and two agencies. A survey asked participants to prioritize leadership characteristics in the areas of relationships, operational style, and personal qualities; and to describe the five most challenging crisis experiences they have encountered working in their …

Addressing And Assessing Social-Emotional Learning Standards: An Educator’S Perspective, Naomi J. Stahl

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative study considers the results of a needs assessment survey conducted at the Cranberry Elementary School in Cranberry, Massachusetts. Fifteen early childhood educators responded to questions involving social-emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom, specifically relating to the Massachusetts Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning, and Approaches to Play and Learning. A thorough literature review revealed a gap in the literature regarding teachers’ experiences implementing SEL programs.

The results revealed information about the current understanding and potential for improvement in implementing those standards. Five themes emerged from the data: Interest Level, High Level of Comfort, Assessment, Time, …

The Mandatory Accreditation Of Emergency Medical Services Paramedic Programs In The United States: A Workforce Perspective, Tamantha Anne Cumbie

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the mandatory accreditation of paramedic initial education programs on the paramedic workforce while looking through the lens of professionalization theory and occupational closure. The study included a non-probability convenience expert sampling of the state EMS Director in each of the 48 contiguous states and yielded an 80.85% return rate. The online survey utilized dichotomous and multi-option variables and included skip logic questioning with open text boxes to allow the respondent to add explanations in their own words. The survey contained three parts, including the demographics of the leaders, workforce staffing, and …

Effects Of A Faculty Training Program On Knowledge And Awareness Of Student Concussion And Academic Performance, Christina M. Finn

All Theses And Dissertations

Concussion and the cumulative effects of repetitive head injury are a growing health concern (Ahmed & Hall, 2017). Although a major emphasis throughout the literature related to concussion is on ‘return to play’, there is a growing body of literature focused on safe return to school following concussion. However, many educators and school personnel are unaware of the potential impact of concussion on academic performance or how to implement return to learn procedures following concussion (Dreer, Crowley, Cash, O’Neill, & Cox, 2016; Wing, Amanullah, Jacobs, Clark, & Merritt, 2015). Although college students may face unique challenges when returning to school …

The Knowledge And Perceptions Of Generational Cohorts Of K-5 Elementary Educators Who Use Technology For Teaching And Learning, Zachary A. Fodor

All Theses And Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions and knowledge of generational cohorts (Baby Boomer, Generation X, and/or Millennials) of elementary (K-5) educators regarding the use of technology for teaching and learning. The remarkable pace of the transition to digital-age learning environments has made it challenging for schools to build sustainable, program-wide systems for the purposeful use of educational technology during instruction (Stevens & South, 2016). This underscores the need for schools to prepare staff from every generational cohort to be confident, experienced, and ready to lead with technology in their classrooms (Stevens & South, 2016). The first research question was how do …

Understanding Disinterest: How Online Undergraduate Students Perceive And Respond To Disengaged Faculty Members, Blake Clifford

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretative, qualitative study was to discover reasons students participating in asynchronous online undergraduate courses perceive faculty as disinterested, the significance of this perception, and how students respond to disinterested faculty. Online education continues to evolve and change how students learn and how online undergraduate students perceive and respond to faculty members. With these changes, understanding which elements influence and impact the success of online undergraduate students becomes more complex. The distinctive social context of virtual learning environments often contributes to online students characterizing faculty as disengaged. Online students often have limited opportunities to interact directly with …

Examining Online Delivered Orientation To Online Learning Association With Community College Student Success, Kelly White

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to discover if there is an association between student completion of an online delivered orientation (OLO) to online learning and the student success factors of end of course grades and course completion. This study was conducted because course completion rates in online courses are unacceptably low. Educational institution administration, state and federal agencies have all taken an interest in student completion and retention rates. Discovering ways to improve the situation is gaining support. There are many factors which may influence student grades and completion rates. This study focused on the factor of an online …

Impact Of Teacher Perceptions On Instructional Practices In Alternative Public High Schools, Stacy A. Miller

All Theses And Dissertations

Alternative schools are perceived by some as low performing schools with ineffective faculty and delinquent students. This perception affects the perceptions of some alternative school teachers about their students and influences the instructional practices they employ. By being aware of their perceptions and resulting practices, these educators can make a positive impact on the education of at-risk students in alternative settings. The purpose of this study was to understand how alternative school teachers’ perceptions of their students’ abilities influenced their instructional practices and how they perceived those practices support at-risk student academic success in public alternative high schools. To fulfill …

Principal Leadership Of Tier 3 School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports, Cynthia M. Kennedy

All Theses And Dissertations

School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) is a systems-approach to teaching and reinforcing behavioral expectations within schools. Based on a three-tier public health model, SWPBIS encompasses universal, strategic, and tertiary tiers. This study focuses on early phases of SWPBIS Tier 3 implementations in five elementary schools, and seeks to examine how school principals use SWPBIS Tier 3 to effect transformative change for all students, including at-risk students. Using an ethnographic collective case study methodology, perceptions and attitudes of the participants are utilized to understand how principals use leadership to enact change in their schools with respect to SWPBIS. The …

Educational Groupings In The Middle School Science Classroom, Erica L. Mcneil

All Theses And Dissertations

Grouping students for learning has historically been debated among educational professionals. Twenty-first century skills encourage students to work together within their classrooms in preparation for future careers. Adopting Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) has required educators to encourage collaboration among students for science learning. Understanding the implications of student groupings and differentiated instructional strategies on learning requires an important conversation for educators who strive to support all learners needs sufficiently and prepare them for their future. This qualitative study examines and describes the perceptions of teachers regarding the role of educational student groupings on student learning of science concepts. Ten …

Engaging Generation Z: A Study On Facebook Group Implementation In Language Courses And In Multiple Contexts, Garrett Fisher

All Theses And Dissertations

This dissertation uses a mixed-methods approach with both an analysis of Facebook group data from a 2016 faculty-led trip and a meta-analysis of Facebook group studies from the past five years to examine popular theoretical frameworks, publication bias, themes, and how a Facebook group can be used with Generation Z learners to facilitate engagement with language instruction. The research was supported by a literature review that includes second language acquisition theory, sociocultural theory, and generational theory. The study revealed that a Facebook group can facilitate engagement for Generation Z language learners at the university level by creating an environment that …