Education Commons^™

The Impact Of Mentoring Practices On New Faculty And Staff, Paige Lloyd

Education Theses and Dissertations

Annually, schools nationwide welcome new educators to their facilities that bring with them a vast array of experiences. Onboarding tools such as mentoring or induction programs are often a customary practice, utilized to provide new educators with skills to assist them in the classroom as well as acclimate them to their new organization. Mentoring is often synonymous with induction programs and associated with the pairing of an experienced educator with a novice to the field or location that can offer support from instructional and classroom strategies to campus policies. With recent shifts in education and an ever-present national teacher crisis …

Prediction Of Radiography Certification Examination Scores Using Astin’S Input-Environment-Output Model, Deanna Barymon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Numerous health profession fields, including radiology, have attempted to identify predictors of success on their respective credentialing exams. This preregistered study seeks to determine if available academic performance measures may predict radiography national certification examination scores and help educators identify students for remediation and support. The study will use the Astin Input-Environment-Output Model, which ascertains that student outcomes are a result of what they bring into an academic program and the environment experienced during the program. The non-experimental retrospective study will look at the 2018 to 2021 Arkansas State University radiography cohorts. Multiple regression will be used to determine if …

The Experiences Of Cohort Membership In An Alternative Certification Program, Roxanne Marie Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Employing and retaining teachers has been a rising problem affecting employment at school districts. Nationwide school districts have noted high instances of teacher shortages and are finding it more difficult to fill positions with traditionally trained teachers. In the 2019-2020 school year, at a local district in South Florida, it was assessed that 56% of new teachers to the district were of a noneducation background or career changers.

Retention of this subgroup of teachers is pertinent to reducing teacher attrition, specifically within the school districts that most frequently employ them. Certificate expiration, due to not completing their certification requirements within …

Examining The Perceptions Of Early Elementary Classroom Teachers With Supplementary Literacy Certification, Theresa Boehm Marsicek

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher expertise can have a large influence on student experiences and achievement. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences, practices, and beliefs of early elementary classroom teachers who have supplementary literacy certification. Although characteristics of effective literacy teachers have been identified in previous research, a literature review indicated the current literature is lacking information regarding teachers with this additional literacy certification. In this phenomenological study, data was collected through semi-structured one-on-one interviews and analyzed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis procedure. The sixteen participants taught kindergarten, first, or second grade in Wisconsin (WI) and held a WI Reading …

What Boosts? What Drags? A Study Of Teacher Views About The Halt Certification Process Provided By The Australian Professional Standards For Teachers, John Cole

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) has offered certification for teacher career progression to Highly Accomplished and Lead teacher status since 2012. By 2020, about 800 teachers (from an Australian teacher workforce of 300,000) had achieved certification. At the same time, AITSL leadership has advocated for a HALT in every school – which would require 10,000 certified teachers. This research examines the views of teachers from one education sector, in one Australian territory, regarding teacher certification. This research identifies major factors encouraging these teachers to consider certification; drag factors encountered by the teachers during their consideration of …

Self-Efficacy Of Endorsed And Nonendorsed Elementary Teachers Of Gifted Students In Stem Education, Lianna L. Moss-Everhart

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared elementary endorsed and nonendorsed teachers of gifted students in science, mathematics, and STEM self-efficacy as well as self-reported use of STEM instructional strategies in central Virginia. The survey, adapted from the T-STEM survey by the Friday Institute at NC State University, focused on self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANOVAs, univariate linear analyses, were conducted on 39 responses to compare teachers’ self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANCOVA and moderated regressions were used to compare the groups of teachers while controlling for the variables of grade level, years of experience, and recent STEM training. Multiple …

Indicators And Precipitators Of Special Educator Satisfaction: The Role Of Certification And Advanced Coursework, Jessica Spencer

Dissertations

Special education teachers are leaving the education field at a higher rate than other education professionals. The annual attrition rate for special education teachers is estimated to be between 8-10% of special educators across the United States. These attrition rates are concerning, as they contribute to the shortage of quality special educators. Considering that an estimated 50% of special educators leave their positions within their first five years, researchers have conducted studies examining criteria centered on teacher retention and attrition. This study examined the findings of such studies, and explored the role of how teachers' certifications and obtaining advanced degrees …

Arkansas Superintendents' Perceptions Of The Quality Of Their Preparation Programs, Clinton Garry Jones

Theses and Dissertations from 2018

This qualitative research study, using survey research methods, examined the extent to which Arkansas school district superintendents believe that their university-based preparation programs adequately prepared them for the superintendency in Arkansas. An online survey containing a Likert scale was used to determine participants’ perceptions of their programs. The survey instrument also included open-ended questions to enable participants to provide additional feedback related to their superintendent programs. The findings show that 80.7% of participants stated that they would recommend their superintendent preparation programs to aspiring superintendents. The participants did, however, indicate areas where additional focus was needed. Those areas included the …

Examining Paths To Success By Assessing Performance Of Undergraduate Pre-Service Teachers On High-Stakes Texas Examinations Of Educator Standards Teacher Certification Exams, Héctor Hernández Jr.

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to identify predictors of success for pre-service teachers in state mandated high-stakes teacher certification exams. In the last decade, Texas legislators have centered their attention in the preparation and certification of educators and have turned to more rigorous accountability measures to reach their objective of having programs be more selective about the candidates they prepare. The uniqueness of the student population at the institution served as the catalyst to bring to light the importance of not leaving behind these vulnerable populations. A path analysis model was developed to analyze the relationships of four exogenous …

Open Source Micro Diplomas: New Credentials For New Learning, Jack F. Powers

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The standard model for college in America—a four-year bachelor’s degree that teaches critical thinking, analytic reasoning, and written communication skills—is unaffordable and unattainable for most Americans. Only about a third of citizens aged 25 and over have achieved a baccalaureate degree or better. Two-thirds are left behind in precarious jobs that pay substantially less and that are losing ground. Everyone from politicians to parents repeats the mantra of “college for all”, but the reality is more like “college for the socio-economically gifted.”

At the same time, the modern world of work is evolving into a more complex, technical, and computerized …

A Delphi Study Of Aviation Maintenance Experts' Recommendations For A Model School Curriculum, Fred D. Dyen

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

The program described in this paper is the essential first step in reviving and reinitiating the delivery of aviation maintenance technology instruction. The demand for aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) is rapidly increasing and there is a need to provide as many as 679,000 AMTs over the next 20 years (Boeing, 2016). Given the high cost of certification, new aviation maintenance schools are unlikely to be certificated in the near future, and ramping up the existing schools to meet the anticipated demand is unlikely without incorporating attractive cost-effective measures such as competency-based and distance education.

The purpose of this study is …

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Alternate-Route Teachers' Effect On Student Learning, Cassandra Faye Spearman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to teacher shortages at the study site, teaching positions in the state that is the focus of this study are filled by alternate route (AR) teachers, who earned bachelor degrees in the fields that were not related to education and received teacher certification through alternative teacher education programs. Because there is limited information about the preparation and performance of AR teachers at the site of this study, the purpose of this sequential mixed methods project study was to explore AR teachers' preparation and their effect on student learning as measured by Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress/Discovery Education …

Factors That Affect Reattempting The Emergency Medical Technician Cognitive Certification Examination, Kim Darlene Mckenna

Dissertations

Certification as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) is often the entry point for firefighting careers and is a pre-requisite to enter Advanced EMT or paramedic programs. EMT candidates in most of the United States must pass the National Registry of EMTs cognitive examination (NREMT-C) to be eligible for state licensure. Many candidates who fail their first NREMT-C attempt never take even one of the five additional possible attempts within the specified two-year time frame. Using binary logistic regression with de-identified existing NREMT test data from 2007 though 2012, this research attempted to develop a model to show the relative contribution …

Stakeholders' Perception Of Alternative Certification Program, Sherry Park

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The diminution of Alternative Certification Program (ACP) teachers contributes to the teacher shortage and complicates the challenges of hard-to-staff schools. Some ethnic minority, economically challenged districts have experienced a growing attrition rate of teachers prepared by ACPs, resulting in a scarcity of qualified teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of stakeholders, including teachers currently in the program, teachers who left the program before completion, and program administrators, in order to understand the ACP program. A conceptual framework was based upon theorists Feistritzer and Klagholz, the originators of the ACP movement. Ten participants were selected for …

The Requirement To Be Fit And Proper: What Does It Mean To Australian Psychologists?, Francesca A. Bell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The phrase fit and proper is used in the Health Practitioners Regulation National Law Act (Qld), 2009, which came into effect nationally in 2010 and governs psychologists. As with previous legislation that used the phrase, the legislator does not define fit and proper, leaving it up to each profession to determine its exact meaning and inform the courts accordingly. A review of the literature established that to date no Australian psychologist has attempted to define the construct. This means that Australian lawyers do not get any guidance from psychologists regarding how they should interpret the phrase fit and proper in …

Educational Pathways Of Teachers And The Effects On Students' Performance On High-Stakes Testing In Texas, Patrizia Antoinette Grigsby

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Meeting the needs of placing "highly-qualified teachers" in the classroom is becoming more challenging every year. One option that many states are using involves certifying potential teaching candidates through alternative pathways, which differs from traditional certification programs. In this study, teacher certification routes were examined to determine if there is a difference in student performance on state standardized tests based on the teacher certification routes. This study compared student test scores of traditionally-certified teachers with test scores from students of alternatively-certified teachers on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) during the 2011-2012 administration of the test. The …

The Perceived Benefits Of Automotive Service Excellence (Ase) Certifications For Graduates Of Four-Year Automotive Technology Programs, John Thompson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The roots of certification in America date back to guild-like associations similar to those in Europe, but did not gain industry recognition until after World War II. It is recognized as a way for an industry to elevate itself and be recognized as a stand-alone, autonomous profession, as long as there is validity in the process and impartial oversight by an accredited governing body. It is also a way for individuals to distinguish themselves from their peers by proving a technical aptitude or competence. It allows a prospective job candidate to signal to a potential employer that they have attained …

Predictors Of Success On The Prosthetics Certification Examination, Rebecca M. Miro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students who graduate from a practitioner program in prosthetics & orthotics must achieve certification in order to obtain licensure and practice independently in 16 states. In states where licensure is not mandatory, graduates may choose to pursue certification in order assure patients that they are practicing at the highest level as well as to differentiate themselves from competitors. While studies have been carried out extensively regarding predictors of success on the certification exams in other professions, no such study has been carried out to date in prosthetics.

The American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, Orthotics, & Pedorthics (ABC), established in …

A National System Of Reciprocity In The Fire Service, Bill Hicks

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper reviews literature from on line, research papers, dissertations, conference proceedings, and monthly periodical sources discussing firefighter certifications to identify the current status of reciprocity in the U.S. Fire Service, as well as the components that make up the necessary steps to achieve a national system of reciprocity for fire service professionals. Accreditation (NFPA, 2011), programs, and agencies (IFSAC, 2012), (ProBoard, 2012) already exists to insure the levels of training set by nationally accepted standards (NFPA, 2013) are being meet by training providers, and are possessed by fire service professional. A model system that the fire service is already …

A Qualitative Investigation: Why Teachers Are Not Aspiring To The Principalship, Jennifer Carne

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

While No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top inaugurated new movements in education, it has been reported that school districts are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit qualified new principals. Reports indicate there is an abundance of certified individuals able to assume this position. However, the principalship has evolved into a position that is associated with additional responsibilities and new accountability mandates.

The purpose of this study is to explore the reasons why teachers who hold administrative certifications are not pursuing the principalship. During this new era of educational accountability, it is important to understand why teachers pursued …

Transferability And Alignment Of Program Exemplars In Teacher Preparation, Juliann Sergi Mcbrayer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Teacher preparation needs to be revamped to adequately prepare teachers for P-12 classrooms. Public charter schools are experiencing challenges that include high teacher attrition rates and staffing difficulties in a rapidly growing sector, as well as obstacles for teachers to obtain certification. Thus, charter school teachers are seeking a “choice” in teacher preparation to meet the innovative needs of the sector. To address critical shortages of highly effective teachers, states are offering both traditional and nontraditional teacher preparation to earn licensure. The goal of this study was to determine if program exemplars from traditional teacher preparation were transferable to, and …

The Effect Of Co-Teaching On Student Achievement In Ninth Grade Physical Science Classrooms, Karen M. Lafever

Dissertations

Co-teaching is a method that is increasing within schools across the US as educators strive to leave no child behind. It is a costly method, having two paid instructors in one classroom, with an average of 24 students shared between them. If it significantly increases the achievement of all students, it is well worth the costs involved. However, few studies have analyzed the effectiveness of this method on student achievement. This research follows the academic accomplishments of students in a ninth grade physical science course. Nine sections of the course “Force and Motion” were taught with a single teacher, and …

The Effect Of Select Programmatic Characteristics On First-Time Pass Rate Of The Board Of Certification Examination, Matthea S. Hungerford

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study was designed to examine the progression of Board of Certification (BOC) Domain content within athletic training courses and the introduction of Domain content within the curriculum of the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) on first-time pass rate of the BOC exam for 2010 graduates. The researcher also gauged the perceptions of athletic training education program directors and instructional faculty regarding importance of specific ATEP characteristics on preparing students for success on the BOC examination.

Invited study subjects included all Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Educated accredited ATEP directors and associated instructional faculty. Participants were e-mailed a study …

Efficacy Of Computer Aided Drafting (Cad) Certifications, Daniel L. Trent

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

This research investigated the perceived effect of industry recognized Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) certifications among community college drafting instructors and employers. The research questions that guided this study were: (1) Do community college drafting instructors believe that certified drafters perform better on the job than non-certified drafters? (2) Do employers believe that certified drafters perform better on the job than non-certified drafters? (3) Do employers seek CAD certified individuals to fill drafting positions? (4) Is there a difference between the perceptions of community college drafting instructors and employers of community college drafting program graduates regarding the importance of drafting certification? …

Relationship Among Teachers' Personality, Leadership Style, And Efficacy Of Classroom Management, Michael Clyde Burkett

Dissertations

In this study, research examined a possible relationship between a teacher’s leadership style, personality, experience, certification, and efficacy of classroom management. Six hundred high school teachers were given questionnaires to complete to report their leadership, personality, and classroom management preferences. These teachers were chosen by a random online search for schools in southern Mississippi. Of the questionnaires sent to the teachers, 151 (25%) were returned and analyzed.

Three main instruments were used to conduct this study. For leadership, a teacher’s leadership style was measured using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. While the instrument measures transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership styles, only …

Closing The Gap: The Effects Of Alternative Certification Programs On Intern Self-Efficacy, Marianne Mitchell

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The shortage of teachers necessitates systems of certification that quickly provide teachers for the field, especially in hard to staff schools. Alternative certification programs have attempted to address the need by enlisting non-certified college graduates and offering these individuals shortcuts to certification, special assistance, or opportunities to study that prepare them for eligibility to obtain their teaching credential. (Darling-Hammond, 2000). These types of programs bring consequences with the benefits. This mixed methods study examined the effect of alternative certification programs on teacher self-efficacy. The Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (Tschannen- Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001) was administered to interns prior …

Fostering Reflection In Teachers Pursuing National Board Certification: A Multiple Case Study, Pamela Renee' Williams

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Candidate Support Providers and candidates in regards to exploring how the reflective practices of the candidates were fostered by the Candidate Support Providers. A multiple case study methodology was used for this qualitative research (Creswell, 2007; Merriam, 2008; Stake, 1995). Five Candidate Support Providers and five candidates from an urban school district in Alabama participated in this study. Multiple data sources collected for this qualitative case study included: a) semi-structured interviews, b) direct observations, c) journal entries, d) participant artifacts and e) an online questionnaire. The findings of this …

Faculty And Program Predictors Of Pass Rates Of Graduates Of Nursing Programs In West Virginia On The National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses 1991 To 2000, Lynda F. Skinner Turner

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mean student program scores on standardized pre-graduation nursing tests, program attendance policies, grading scales, policies on repeating nursing courses, faculty turnover, degree, teaching experience, clinical nursing experience, part-time faculty, national certification, and NCLEX-RN success in West Virginia nursing programs from 1991-2000. A causal comparative and correlational design was used to investigate the relationship between the dependent variable of NCLEX-RN pass rates and the independent variables. The population of this study consisted of 19 undergraduate nursing programs preparing graduates for entry into practice as registered nurses. Data collection tools utilized …

Perceived Indicators Of Support Leading To The Successful Attainment Of The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards Certification., Richard W. Bales

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been limited research completed to identify supports or supporting behaviors that assisted candidates while they were completing the national board certification process. Identifying support factors that assisted national board certified teachers to the successful completion of the process was the primary focus of this study.

A qualitative research method was used to interview national board certified teachers, their teaching colleagues, and their administrators. Questions were posed from the interview guides developed for each of the three targeted groups. Information derived from the interviews focused on the perceived supports that lead to the successful attainment of the national board …

Perceived Barriers To The National Board For Professional Teaching Standards Certification., Jan Woodard Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since its conception in 1987, much money and effort have been expended establishing the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Although 16,038 educators in 45 states and the District of Columbia have obtained National Board Certification, there are over 1,200 teachers in the East Tennessee counties of Cocke and Sevier who are eligible for National Board Certification, but have not obtained this certification. This study sought to identify the barriers that discouraged this population from attempting to gain National Board Certification.

The research design was inferential and utilized data from a survey instrument constructed by the researcher. A pilot test …