Education Commons^™

“The Moral Of This Nazi Fairytale”: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Invisible Adult Education In World War Ii-Era Film, Lauren Carson

Dissertations

When the United States entered WWII, the government contracted with several film studios to produce propagandistic cartoons, newsreels, and short films. These contracts continued throughout the war, and government agencies not only censored these films, but also produced some of their own film media. The deliberately embedded messages planted to influence viewers worked well for several reasons. During the war years, the Nazi Party produced its own propaganda films, and while the United States decried that deliberate attempt to influence populations, the United States government was doing exactly what they condemned: producing film made to influence its own population. Since …

Cultural Branding: An Examination Of Website Marketing Practices At Historically Black College And Universities And Non-Hbcu Black Serving Institutions, James Hudson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference between the way that higher education marketing professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and non-HBCU Black Serving Institutions (BSIs) use website marketing techniques for institutional branding. This examination was prompted by Gasman (2007) who suggested that the inability of some HBCUs to garner and/or maintain sufficient enrollment numbers stems from poor image management. Further, Gibbs (2015) suggested that a comparison between HBCU websites and Traditionally White Institution (TWI) websites might be beneficial. Thus, this study sought to answer the following research questions:

RQ1. Is there …

Voluntary Professional Development In Thailand: Teachers’ Motivation, Professional Life Phase, And Contingencies Of Self-Worth, Pongwat Fongkanta

Dissertations

To address the increasing focus on teacher proficiency, professional development opportunities for teachers are routinely provided in Thailand. The focus of this work is on professional development at the individual level and addresses teachers’ motivation for self-improvement and their own worth. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to first validate the relative importance of teachers’ motivation for participating in voluntary professional development and contingencies of self-worth. Secondly, the study sought to determine the relationship of the indicators that contribute to teacher participation with contingencies of self-worth. Lastly, this study examined in what way professional life phase may be related …

Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In Transitional Kindergarten Through Second Grade Classrooms: Year Three And Beyond, Anne Driscoll-Mink

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the effects of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on students in transitional kindergarten (TK) through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools.

Methodology: A mixed-methods study will be used to examine the effects of PBIS on students in TK through second grade before implementation and after implementation of PBIS at platinum level elementary schools in southern California. The quantitative method was used to gather archival data on pre PBIS implementation and post PBIS implementation to determine if there was a difference in …

Teacher Perceptions Of Ability In Implementing A Culturally Responsive Educational Practice For Culturally Linguistically Diverse Students With Dis/Abilities, Melanie Ziebatree

Dissertations

All children in the United States have the right to an equitable education, regardless of gender, religion, class, race, culture, language, or dis/ability. The literature demonstrates that financial, educational, and legal outcomes are disproportionately negative for those students falling outside of white able-bodied norms and that educational institutions often perpetuate exclusive policies and practices that disproportionately impact culturally linguistically diverse students with dis/abilities. A critical examination of the sociopolitical and contextual factors that fortify the barriers faced by marginalized groups highlights the need for a culturally responsive approach to educating students with multidimensional identities.

To serve the needs resulting from …

Resilience And College Persistence: Characterizing Students Who Have Failed Courses, Mary Merrifield

Dissertations

Students who fail a course early in their college careers are at risk of leaving college before completion of their programs. Little is known about this high-risk group and why some members of this group complete their programs while others do not. This research addressed this gap in the college-level persistence literature by focusing first on differences between completers and non-completers, then on differences between students who fail a course early in their college careers but become completers or non-completers. The goal was to understand the protective value of individual traits beyond the prediction of risk based on membership to …

Unmasking Whiteness: Progressing Toward Cultural Responsiveness Within A Rti Framework, Melinda F. Scheetz

Dissertations

Response to Intervention (RTI) developed out of educational policies and practices that comprise NCLB and IDEA. RTI is a system to ensure all students receive high-quality instruction that meets their needs, increases opportunities to learn, and prevents reading failure. A culturally relevant RTI framework offers the most promising pedagogical approach to quality instruction and educational equity. The purpose of this study was to understand, describe, and explore the intersection of culturally relevant practices and RTI. The research questions that guided this study were: What can be learned about a culturally responsive approach to RTI by listening to teachers’ perspectives and …

An Analysis Of African-American Faculty Experiences During The Tenure Process, Katrina M. Hubbard

Dissertations

Abstract

How faculty allocate their time among research, teaching, and service, and the perceived quality of that work determines whether faculty obtain tenure or are released from the university (Bellas & Toutkoushian, 1999; Link, Swann, & Bozeman, 2008; Price & Cotten, 2006). Prior research indicated that African-American faculty comprised 4.5% of the faculty at high-activity research institutions and 3.5% of faculty at very-high-activity research institutions (The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac 2016-2017, 2016).

The purpose of this study was to 1) document African-American faculty experiences during their tenure probationary period at PWI research institutions; 2) compare faculty experiences during the …

The Impact Of Male Gender Dissonance On Women’S Potential Eligibility For Advancement To The Position Of High School Principal, Kristen Lee Harris

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, replication study was to discover what behaviors female administrators exhibit that may prompt male administrators with whom they work in California public education to demonstrate behaviors associated with gender dissonance and also to determine what impact these dissonant behaviors may have on women’s potential eligibility for advancement to the position of high school principal.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study examined the experience of six male and six female high school principals in Riverside County, California. Purposive criterion sampling method was applied to identify participants based on delimiting criteria. The researcher collected and coded data …

A Comparison Of Student Success, Attrition, And Perceptions Of Course Satisfaction In Online Courses With Face-To-Face Health Information Management Associate Degree Programs, Susan L. Foster

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is centered on health information management (HIM) student learning outcomes and attrition in an online learning environment as compared with that of a traditional face-to-face learning environment. Online education has become mainstream and enrollment continues to grow even though overall enrollment in higher education has decreased (Poulin & Straut, 2016). In addition, colleges and universities retain fewer online students than traditional face-to-face students (Brown, 2017). Furthermore, student satisfaction has been labeled as a measure of quality for online education (Online Learning Consortium, 2017). The Community of Inquiry theory of student satisfaction with an online learning …

The Impact Of Learning Contracts On Eating Habits Groups, Jose Jones

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was for the researcher to explore adult education techniques and tools that could be used to explore eating habits within research study groups. The participants enrolled in the research study groups brought their own way of thinking on eating habit discussions based on their unique experience in life. The researcher explored different techniques that could help improve the participants’ quality of life and other positive solutions to benefit the participants. This research study explored the impact of learning contracts on participants with eating habit research-based study groups. The study explored the degree to which learning …

A Quantitative Comparative Analysis Of Early Learning And Developmental Programs In High Poverty And Low Poverty Counties In Missouri, Tracy Jenkins Pelot

Dissertations

The researcher completed a quantitative comparative content analysis of early childhood developmental programs in high-poverty and low-poverty counties across the state of Missouri. The researcher discussed the importance of early childhood programs in the longevity of academic, professional success and long-term health benefits. Although lawmakers, educators, parents and policy makers emphasized the immense importance of early childhood education, the state of Missouri had not completed an evaluation of early childhood developmental programs for over 15 years. The last study (Fuger et al., 2003), completed in 2003, only evaluated early childhood programs described as part of the state’s Missouri Preschool Project …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Middle School Students’ Perceptions Of Teacher Feedback And Its Effects On Metacognition And Motivation, Jody A. Marberry

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to investigate middle school students’ perceptions of teacher feedback, middle school teachers’ perceptions of the same feedback, and the extent to which those perceptions matched. While research into feedback practices was rich, few studies investigated middle school students’ perceptions and experience with feedback practices. The study aimed to address possible miscommunication between teachers and students which may negatively impact middle school students’ learning trajectories. Middle school students and teachers from a Midwestern Independent school participated in the study. Student data was examined in aggregate and by race, gender, grade level, years of experience at …

Perceptions Of Accommodation Enhancements On Student Academic Achievement In Higher Education, Cheryl Lynne Coleman

Dissertations

The researcher used a series of qualitative research techniques to gain a perceptual understanding of how the use of reasonable accommodations relates to academic achievement outcomes for postsecondary students with disabilities. In the research all student participants reflected on their personal experiences about the value of accommodations in the instructional setting at a small private Midwestern liberal arts university. The research captured the views of the target population to investigate this phenomenon. The use of an online survey and audiotaped focus group were the research tools used to conduct this qualitative study. The research included students’ perceptions on an array …

A Correlational Study Of Academic Locus Of Control, Study Preparation, And The Praxis Ii, Elizabeth Polzin

Dissertations

For school counseling candidates, the culmination of the pathway to state certification and/or licensure lies in a passing score on a standardized test. Within the state of Missouri, this test is the Praxis II. Within the state of Missouri, an achievement gap on the pass rates of the Praxis II existed between Caucasian and African American students. Participants in this study, both male and female, attended a Midwestern, private university and spanned a wide range of ages, all older than 20 years. The participant population included African American and Caucasian students. This dissertation sought to explore potential contributors to the …

A Mixed Method Analysis On The Relationship Between Engagement, Achievement, Satisfaction, And Syllabus Design In A Private Midwest University, Hannah Kohler

Dissertations

Background: Online learning is now at the forefront of education, making a college degree more accessible than ever before. With online enrollments at an all-time high, quality instruction is essential to the sustainability of the institution and ultimately affects student enrollment and retention. Research exists on the effectiveness of syllabus design and the use of inventories, but the gap in the existing literature lies in combining the two. Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to analyze possible relationships between syllabus design and student achievement, student engagement, student satisfaction, faculty instruction, and faculty satisfaction. Research Design: An Online …

Student Retention Matters: A Study Of Community College Student Retention Characteristics, Models, And Programs, Robert Joseph Goltra Iii

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if retention of first-year college students was influenced by specific variables and programs at one Midwest community college. The study was focused on responses from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2013) and peer mentoring program data. Data and retention were measured using Wald chi-square tests and t-tests, respectively. The CCSSE benchmarks were Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Student-Faculty Interactions, and Support for Learners. Benchmarks were analyzed using student variables age, gender, working for pay, student loans, and race/ethnicity. Benchmarks titled …

What About Us? For Girls Between Worlds: How Black Girls Navigate White High Schools, Cryslynn C. Billingsley

Dissertations

This qualitative study is about the experiences and challenges Black girls have while attending predominantly White high schools and what they are doing to navigate that particular space. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand more about how Black girls navigate White space as minority members of a system that was not originally intended for them. Through semi-structured interviews, Black girls were asked directly to share their lived experiences. This study hopes to illuminate and amplify the voices of Black girls and help others see them by giving them a platform to discuss and tell their stories. …

The Cs Teacher Evaluation Model: Exploring Teacher And School Leader Perceptions And A Model For Improving Teacher And Student Growth, Mustafa Icel

Dissertations

This study investigated the teacher evaluation model used by Concept-managed charter schools. The STEM-focused, college preparatory Concept Schools is a management company that manages 31 charter schools in seven different states in the U.S. The Concept Schools (CS) teacher evaluation model was based on the Danielson Framework and has been used in all CS-managed schools since 2011. This dissertation used data from three years of consecutive teacher evaluations scores to create a predicting model for K-12 school districts. The model analyzed an individual teacher’s performance growth and predicts future performance. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. The researcher …

Validation Of The Barkley Deficits Of Executive Functioning Scale-Short Form, Brian Sheble

Dissertations

The Barkley Deficits of Executive Functioning-Short Form (BDEFS-SF) is a short rating scale measuring executive functioning in adults. The BDEFS-SF was developed using the 5 highest loading questions from the BDEFS-LF. Consequently, the psychometric qualities of the BDEFS-SF were not investigated using formal methods. In this study, the psychometric attributes of the BDEFS-SF were examined using two separate but similar groups. The first group of 264 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF via an internet survey. The second group of 36 men and women aged 18-35 years old completed the BDEFS-SF and individualized assessments of executive …

A Mixed Method Study Examining Corrective Reading Implementation Models In An Urban Midwest School District, Claudette Denean Vaughn

Dissertations

In this mixed methods study, the researcher analyzed three school years of third through fifth-grade students’ reading scores on the NWEA MAP reading test to determine possible differences in students’ reading growth relative to the instructional delivery model used to provide Corrective Reading as supplemental reading intervention. Students received Corrective Reading intervention with the classroom teacher, the afterschool teacher (both large groups), or in small-groups with the Title I Reading Teacher. Five elementary school principals and 15 teachers answered interview questions related to experiences with Corrective Reading, perceptions of student academic and behavioral outcomes, and perceptions of the three instructional …

Reflection, Insight, And Critical Thinking In Nutrition Diagnostics Graduates, Kristen Jane Williams

Dissertations

Dietitian nutritionists are challenged with processing information and making clinical decisions as part of the nutrition diagnostic process, hence it is important to understand how dietitian nutritionists think and make clinical judgments (Goodman et al., 2018; Trostler & Meyers, 2008). Two major processes underlie decision-making: experiential (intuitive) and rational (conscious) thinking (Croskerry et al., 2017). The reflection process is a metacognitive skill thought to influence thinking (Croskerry, 2017). This mixed methods study was designed to investigate the difference in thinking styles, selfreflection, and insight between graduates of a Dietetic Internship and a combined Master of Science/Dietetic Internship, as well as …

A Case Study On Licensed Practical Nursing Program Outcomes: Exploring Factors Affecting Successful Program Completion And Licensure, Holley Goodnight

Dissertations

Student retention is important to higher education institutions (Shoemake, 2017). Nursing programs strive to choose admission criteria which identify students who show the best chance of successfully completing the program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination (Bremner, Blake, Long, & Yanosky, 2014; Chen, Heiny, & Lin, 2014; Knauss & Wilson, 2013). The crisis of a nursing shortage, compounded by the void retiring nurses place on healthcare industries, creates the need for nursing programs to graduate more qualified nurses (Kubec, 2017; Mooring, 2016). The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate factors which influenced completion of a practical nursing …

A Mixed-Methods Study Investigating The Relationship Between Minority Student Perceptions Of The Climate And Culture Of Their Institution And The Climate And Culture Of Higher Education, Melodie Carr-Winston

Dissertations

The researcher conducted a mixed-methods study at a private, Midwestern, Predominantly White institution in order to determine the relationship between minority student perceptions of higher education and minority student perceptions of their institution. The goal of the study was to determine whether minority student perceptions of the climate and culture of their institution influenced their perception of higher education as a whole. Another objective was to determine whether minority student perceptions connected to minority student retention. To determine the relationship, the researcher surveyed 20 undergraduate, African American students and conducted one-onone interviews with three of the students between the fall …

A Mixed Methods Study On The Relationship Between Jobfit, Teacherfit, Morgan & Associates Video Screener, And Iobservation In A Suburban Midwest Public School, M. David Duckworth

Dissertations

Research showed a correlation between highly effective teachers and student achievement. Studies also indicated school administrators play a vital role in overall student achievement by hiring quality teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the hiring process used by a Suburban Midwest Public School from 2011 through 2016. During this time, the research site used a systematic approach using various screening tools, JobFit, TeacherFit, and Morgan & Associates Video Interviews, as a way to reduce the time spent on reviewing application materials while hiring highly effective teachers. JobFit, TeacherFit, and Morgan & Associates Video Interview Screener all claim …

Teacher Emotional Intelligence And Best Practices For Classroom Management, Juanita E. Kelley

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how middle school teachers describe their use of the four elements of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management) to reduce student behavioral referrals. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to discover the barriers and benefits to teacher use of the elements of emotional intelligence (EI).

Methodology. This study utilized a qualitative approach to understand how middle school teachers describe their use of the four elements of EI to reduce student behavioral referrals. In addition, a qualitative approach was utilized to discover the barriers and …

Understanding The Relationship Between Student Demographic, Attribute, Academic, And Social Integration Factors With Retention, Landon Keefer Adams

Dissertations

Student retention has been studied more than any higher education subject (Vlanden & Barlow, 2014). Attempts to better understand the retention process through predictive modeling have become more common (Bingham & Solverson, 2016). However, modeling efforts have failed to properly account for elements of social integration and sense of belonging, both of which serve as key tenants in Astin’s (1975, 1999) theory of student involvement and Tinto’s (1982, 1993) model of college dropout and theory of student departure (Bingham & Solverson, 2016). In this study, social integration was evaluated in isolation using z-tests. Several forms of social integration were found …

Narrowing The Opportunity Gap: Developing Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy For Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Students, Niles Engerman

Dissertations

As per Breeze and Laborda (2016), a culturally responsive curriculum addresses the integration of students into a new culture, as bilingual education traditionally receives minimal interest from the authorities. Akkari and Loomis (1998) explain that bilingual education is socially and historically situated, while van Lier (2004) posits that diverse linguistic groups will have an ominous future if the educational system ignores their linguistic needs. This demands a paradigmatic shift to meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse students (CLDs). Advocating for culturally responsive curriculum, this defense will examine the history of bilingual education in the United States, linguistic ecology, …

Perceptions Of Commuter Students And Faculty: A Mixed Methods Study On Commuter Student Retention, Julie A. Wengert

Dissertations

College student success outcomes have become increasingly significant to many stakeholders as student attrition has proven costly for students, institutions of higher education, and the economy (Foss, Foss, Paynton, & Hahn, 2014; Jobe & Lenio, 2014). Historically, a positive relationship between college students who live on-campus and retention has been found (Astin, 1993; Bronkema & Bowman, 2017; Chickering, 1974; Pike & Kuh, 2005; Schudde, 2011; Soria & Taylor Jr., 2016; Walsh & Robinson Kurpius, 2016). However, commuter students now make up most of the current college student population (Skomsvold, 2014). The purpose of this mixed methods study was to advance …

Factors That Influence K-8 Educators In Regard To Teacher Retention, Jerold C. Osbourn

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to contribute to the understanding of teacher retention by researching factors that influence veteran teachers to remain in Missouri’s K-8 school districts. School districts all across the nation face the daunting task of improving student achievement in the face of teacher shortages, especially in rural areas and in hard-to-staff content fields such as math and science (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2017; Harrington, 2017). Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the researcher sought to articulate the core perceptions of superintendents and veteran teachers that lead to longevity and retention in the K-8 school environment and to identify the …