Education Commons^™

A Transitional Program From Elementary To Middle School, Savannah S. Shontere

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

I created a program to promote a smooth transition from elementary to middle school for the students at Bradenton Christian School (BCS). Following my literature review and needs assessment, the program was designed to provide students with the tools and strategies needed to feel prepared for middle school, foster friendships, and advocate for themselves and their peers. Following the program implementation, I created educational resources for the faculty at BCS to continue the program in the future.

A Generic Qualitative Study Of District, School, And Teacher Leader Experiences With Increasing Reading And Writing Achievement, Jennifer Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Arts (ELA) test scores have declined since the 2020 COVID-19 virus caused schools and districts in the United States and around the world to shut down for substantial periods of time. School and district leaders and teachers across the country are working to increase ELA achievement.

In this generic qualitative research study, local district, school, and teacher leaders were interviewed and asked questions about their experiences with increasing reading and writing achievement using semi-structured interview protocols.

Four research questions were addressed. They concerned the challenges, successes, supports, guidance, mandates, and advice offered by district, school, and teacher leaders …

Novice Teacher Experiences Of Online Reading Instruction During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Deyanira M. Echevarria Candales

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation documented novice teacher experiences providing online reading instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the researcher captured educators’ first-hand accounts of their experiences shifting to fully online reading instruction, adapting instructional materials that were designed for in-person instruction for online learning, confronting challenges and successes during this period of uncertainty, and transitioning back to in-person instruction amidst the then ongoing pandemic.

The following research questions were posed: 1. How do novice elementary reading teachers, in a large public school district in South Florida, describe their experiences teaching reading online during a global pandemic? 2. How do novice elementary …

Gaining Experience In Academic Setting Of Entry-Level Doctoral Program, Conner Hansen

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Worked with faculty advisors to develop activities and assignments within the OTD 8271: Interventions 1: Psychosocial and Community course for students to guide their interactions with children volunteers from A Kid’s Place (AKP). The pre-existing relationship with AKP allowed for the incorporation of hands-on activities to increase the excellence of education, confidence in clinical skills, and quality of practitioners entering the field.

Assessing The Comprehensive Academic Needs Of Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Students: A Focused Review Of Polk State College, Jasmine M. Thomas

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

In 2016-2017, the NBCOT revised and field-tested the certification examinations for occupational therapists (OTRs) and certified occupational therapy assistants (COTAs). The revised examinations begin officially being administered and scored in 2018-2019 (NBCOT, 2021). In recent years, the Polk State College (PSC) OTA program’s faculty and staff witnessed its graduating cohorts decline from a 100% passage rate to a 75% passage rate on the revised NBCOT COTA examination (NBCOT, 2021). The purpose of this review was to examine potential causes for the decline in student passage rates, with the goal of completing an academic needs assessment of PSC OTA program students. …

Aceptación Del Docente Sobre El Uso Del Aprendizaje Móvil En Una Escuela Del Área Sur De Puerto Rico, Luis Adán Berríos Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

En Puerto Rico existe una implementación limitada del aprendizaje móvil como estrategia en las escuelas públicas. Existen factores que pueden afectar esta implementación como la utilidad percibida, la capacidad de auto prepararse, la intención de uso, la facilidad de uso, las actitudes del maestro, sus creencias constructivistas, las barreras tecnológicas y el apoyo de la institución. Estos criterios pueden establecer el nivel de aceptación por parte de los maestros y por qué la implementación del aprendizaje móvil como estrategia pedagógica es limitada en dichas escuelas. El propósito de este estudio consiste en determinar el nivel de aceptación del aprendizaje móvil …

Implementation And Efficacy Of Interprofessional Education (Ipe) Initiatives, Javed A. Mohammed

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The literature demonstrates many benefits of interprofessional education (IPE) simulations in various types of formats that facilitate greater student knowledge and understanding of professions outside their own (O’Hara et al., 2018; Clauser et al., 2020; Cooper, Spencer-Dawe & Mclean, 2005; Djukic et al., 2015; Lazinski et al., 2021). The goals of my doctoral capstone experience (DCE) were to: 1) Develop IPE curriculum and active learning sessions along with assessment plans for professional programs on the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) – Tampa Bay Regional Campus with emphasis on advocacy for the occupational therapy (OT) profession, 2) Lead educational opportunities for students …

Best Practices In Ipe Throughout Literature: Identifying Common Supports, Barriers, And Recommendations For Future Program Development, Megan E. Byrne

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Interprofessional education (IPE) is defined by AOTA (2015) as an “occasion by which students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to improve collaboration and quality of care”. IPE is closely related to and often overlaps with interprofessional collaboration (IPC) within healthcare settings. IPC “occurs when multiple health workers from different professional backgrounds work together with patients, families, [caregivers], and communities to deliver the highest quality of care” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2010, p. 7). The overall aim of IPE is to promote and develop effective IPC thereby improving patient outcomes (Khan, 2016).

Current research …

A Strategic Plan To Increase Equitable Practices In A Pacific Northwest School District, Nancy Lee Reisner

Theses and Dissertations

This strategic research project was designed to provide a plan to support global implementation of equitable practices in a school district in the Pacific Northwest. Using results of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, internal and external factors were analyzed to score each item to identify areas that could be addressed to improve the overall function of the organization. Grounded in cultural relevancy theory and social justice theory, the problem of implementation of equitable practice with fidelity throughout the district was identified and addressed.

Key factors impacting the implementation of equitable practices identified were teacher training, leadership structure, …

Employers’ Attitudes Towards Individuals With A Physical Disability During The Hiring Process, Alix Jean-Joseph

Theses and Dissertations

Decades of research in the field of disability and employment have recorded various negative and positive employer attitudes towards the disabled. In comparison to other disability categories, the physically disabled tend to evoke more negative stereotypes, attitudes, and misconceptions in employers. Physical appearance and physical deformities continue to be a barrier to full participation in employment. Thus, additional research is needed to understand and explore how these attitudes are impacting employment experiences. The purpose of this study was to examine employers’ attitudes towards individuals with a physical disability during the hiring process.

An online survey was completed with the collaboration …

Diversity In School Leadership: Re-Conceptualizing The Narrative Of Black Male School Principals And Assistant Principals For Recruitment And Retention, James Avery

Theses and Dissertations

Educational leadership is one of the most vastly explored topics in education. School principals and assistant principals make up a substantial portion of those in leadership positions. Experiences in educational leadership have been chronicled for a number of years; however, the diversity in the recorded lived experiences is lacking. To that end, the purpose of this study was to contribute to the literature by developing an understanding of and recording the essence of Black males’ experiences working in K-12 school leadership positions.

The intersection of race and gender has been proven to create dynamics which impact the enactment of leadership …

African-American Male Teachers: Examining The Insight, Encounters, And Best Teaching Practices, Brandon Morgan

Theses and Dissertations

The experiences students have in schools has a large effect not only on their career choices but also on the way they interact with other members of society in the future. Specifically, the K-12 education system has an objective of ensuring that all students are adequately prepared to become responsible and productive members of society. Unfortunately, research shows that African-American male students and teachers face comparatively high levels of societal challenges compared to their Caucasian counterparts. General demographic trends reveal a serious concern.

While the number of black students entering the education system is increasing, there is a reduction in …

Assessment Technologies Institute Test Results And Blended Experiences For Senior Community Health Nursing Students, Linda Lou Lacomb-Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between senior community health nursing students’ ATI test scores and their clinical community health nursing experiences, either in-country or out-of-country. The ATI test results are a reliable predictor of whether the student will pass their nursing board exams (NCLEX-RN). The study also examined whether the two groups of students reported any similarities and differences in their sense of confidence or transcultural self-efficacy and conceptual knowledge and their clinical experiences. ATI test scores were reviewed for the two groups. Focus groups were held to discuss any similarities or differences in the …

Influence Of A Post-­Graduate Physical Therapy Residency Program On Clinical Reasoning, Professional Development, And Career Advancement In Nairobi, Kenya, Shala Cunningham

Department of Physical Therapy Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Problem Statement

Residency programs that emphasize clinical reasoning and manual therapy can provide a means to optimize the outcomes of physical therapy without the need for or access to expensive equipment. The residency format of continuing education could allow physical therapists in developing countries access to specialty training and ongoing mentorship. However, there are limited studies that investigate the influence of residency training on the progression of clinical reasoning, professional development, and career advancement.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was threefold. The first objective was to describe the outcome of a post-graduate orthopaedic manual therapy residency program on development …

From The Front Line To The Living Room: The Transition Of Female Veterans Back Into Civilian Life, Bretia Arrington Gordon

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was female veterans faced unique challenges during military service and even more difficult experiences when transitioning into civilian life. Women long served in the military and reported similar as well as different experiences than men, especially in relation to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). For example, female veterans reported a higher percentage of sexual harassment and gender discrimination than did male veterans. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues were also reported differently for female veterans than males. Women were found to be more likely to be diagnosed …

Aligning Secondary Benchmarks In High School Curriculums Across Content Areas, Michael George Forrest

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide insight into aligning secondary benchmarks in a high school curriculum across content areas to prevent students from failing reading in a South Florida high school. Few studies have investigated the effects of the alignment of secondary benchmarks across content areas. The study focuses on a case study design for data collection to reveal its analysis. The researcher utilizes content analyses and a panel of experts in the field of education to review the protocol and review the assessments, using open-ended interview protocol procedures on more than 13 teachers. The teachers’ positions can be …

Self-Efficacy Of General And Special Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion, Karen P. Sims

Theses and Dissertations

This sequential mixed methods study was designed to compare the perceptions, attitudes, and self-efficacy of elementary and middle school general and special education teachers and administrators regarding inclusion. The study identified specific areas of needed support and training to improve these factors. The study took place at a kindergarten through 8 research site in the southeastern portion of the United States. The problem addressed was that school administrators are uncertain about the perceptions of general and special education teachers’ self-efficacy regarding effective instructional inclusion of students with special needs in the general education classroom.

Using quantitative survey inquiry and qualitative …

Decreasing Incidents Of High School Cyberbullying, Erica Nichole Dawson

Theses and Dissertations

With the Internet being an ever-growing part of everyone’s lives, the nature of bullying has evolved. Cyberbullying is a new problem with far reaching implications and is a problem that is growing fast. However, there is a limited amount of research available. Most of the research has been conducted from 2007 until the present with little research available before 2001. The purpose of this study was to decrease the percentage of incidents (students participating and students victimized) of cyberbullying at a public high school in a large school, suburban school district, in the southeastern region of the United States, by …

Exploring Incivility Among Nursing And Health Science Students: A Descriptive Study, Diane Louise Smith

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Incivility has infiltrated our institutions of higher learning as well as the world of nursing. All too familiar in nursing is the phrase “eating their young,” which aptly describes how nurses treat other nurses, even though they should be nurturing and caring professionals.

The investigator explored nursing and health science students’ perceptions of student and faculty uncivil behaviors within the academic environment, seeking the levels and frequency of the problem. Bandura’s social learning theory presents a sound theoretical framework for this dissertation. The research methodology consisted of a quantitative descriptive approach. The Incivility in Higher Education-Revised (IHE-R) Survey was used …

Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Delaware Bullying Intervention Programs, Tracy Jones

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to measure the attitudes of teachers about bullying within the state of Delaware, to provide steps in reporting bullying incidents, to determine key factors teachers consider important for state bullying intervention programs, to understand teachers’ perceptions of the uniform definition of bullying and their perceptions of the Delaware bullying intervention programs, and to provide insight to the people who work with victims in the state of Delaware to ensure that bullying is being addressed. In 2010, due to several incidents of suicide caused by bullying, a consortium was convened by Family Court Chief Judge Chandlee …

The Impact Of Small Group Intervention Focusing On Operations With Rational Numbers On Students’ Performance In The Florida Algebra I End-Of-Course Examination, Evelyn Dopico

Theses and Dissertations

In Florida, passing the Algebra I end-of-course examination (EOCE) is a graduation requirement. The test measures knowledge of basic algebra. In spring 2015, the Department of Education introduced a different version of the test. For the first two administrations of the new test, the failure rate for 9th-grade students in the state was almost 50%. In contrast, the failure rate for students in the school where this study was implemented exceeded 70%. The purpose of this study was to determine the outcome of small group intervention focusing on operations with rational numbers of high school students’ performance on the Algebra …

Blended Learning For Faculty Professional Development Incorporating Knowledge Management Principles, Julie E. Hewitt

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Adjunct faculty comprise a large percentage of part-time faculty for many colleges and universities today. Adjunct faculty are hired because they are experts in their content areas; however, this does not guarantee that they are skilled in effective classroom management. These instructors can become bewildered and frustrated because they lack the knowledge and skills that are needed to run an effective classroom.

While educational organizations have adopted blended learning environments as an effective delivery method for their students, this method has not gained much traction as a way to deliver instruction to their own employees. Thus, there are opportunities to …

Use Of Student Created Video Podcasts To Promote Foreign Language Grammar Acquisition In Middle School, Sergio Parra

CCE Theses and Dissertations

The use of video podcasts in education has emerged as a phenomenon that has gained a considerable amount of attention over the last few years. Although video podcasting is becoming a well-established technology in higher education, new multimedia instructional strategies such as student-created video podcasts in grades K-12 are under-researched.

The study investigated the effects of video podcasts created by students to promote foreign language grammar acquisition at the middle school level and find how students described such experience. The current investigation was conducted by using the explanatory sequential design, which is a mixed methods research design that occurs in …

Teaching Presence And Intellectual Climate In A Structured Online Learning Environment, Janice Marie Orcutt

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Teaching presence and its implications for the intellectual climate of an online classroom cannot be fully understood unless explored from the perspective of the instructors who experience it. Framed in the theoretical perspective of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model, this collective case study investigated the actions, intentions and perceptions of instructors with the intent of developing an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of teaching presence as it was established in a structured online learning environment.

The experiences of selected successful instructors in this specific online context were explored to gain insight on how pedagogical choices influenced the establishment of …

Building Cloud-Based Information Systems Lab Architecture: Deriving Design Principles That Facilitate The Effective Construction And Evaluation Of A Cloud-Based Lab Environment, Thomas J. Trevethan

CCE Theses and Dissertations

The problem explored in this dissertation report was that at the time of this study, there were no design principles or methodologies based on design science research (DSR) available to use for artifact construction, implementation, and effective evaluation of cloud-based networking lab environments that can be used to foster hands-on technology skills in students. Primarily based on Hevner’s 7 guidelines of DSR, Peffer’s design science research methodology (DSRM), and Gregor’s IS design theory, this study forms the groundwork for the development of procedures and specifications derived from DSR literature to facilitate the construction, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive cloud-based …

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Accessibility Awareness Among Faculty In Online Learning Environments, Rachael Sessler Trinkowsky

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Although all organizations and institutions should consider accessibility when developing online content, inaccessibility is a recurring issue in recent literature pertaining to online learning environments (OLEs) and faculty accessibility awareness. The goal was to describe how online faculty gain knowledge regarding accessibility, to explore the lived experiences of online faculty who have worked with students who have disabilities, and to gain a better understanding of how faculty experience the process of accessibility implementation. The following research questions guided this study: How do faculty in OLEs experience encounters regarding accessibility for students who have print related disabilities? How do faculty in …

Helping Children With Autism Learn With Mathematics Software, Michelle Hansen

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are conditions where a person may exhibit developmental disabilities, significant social, communication and behavioral challenges, and process information differently than people without ASD. The Federal Government guidelines mandate inclusion of all students into the public school facilities. All school age children in the United States are afforded the same opportunities for public education.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of Computer-Aided Instruction (CAI) as a treatment for teaching mathematics to a group of autistic pupils in an elementary school environment. The public later elementary school is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan and had …

Teacher Perceptions Of Violence Prevention Approaches And Self-Efficacy: Where Do We Go From Here?, Kristie Jo Redfering

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This research project explored teachers’ beliefs of violence prevention approaches and self-efficacy. Relevant research indicates the value of violence prevention and conflict resolution education as well as the importance of teacher support of such programs. Theories of decision-making and self-efficacy provide the foundation for the variables that were examined through use of a survey instrument developed by Dr. K. King and Dr. T. Kandakai. Participants were sampled from two Florida school districts. Independent variables included teacher background and experience indicators including demographics and teaching/training experience. Dependent variables were comprised of multiple indicators of outcome value, efficacy expectation, and outcome expectation. …

Middle School Reading Clubs: A First Step Toward Increasing Pleasure-Reading Time, James Fazzone

Theses and Dissertations

This report describes the plans for, implementation of, and results of a reading club program conducted at a middle school. This program was a modification of an unsuccessful one that was criticized by the staff and students for lack of structure and meaning. The literature supported the need for students taking time out of the school day for pleasure reading. Krashen (1993), Atwell (1998), and Irvin (1998) all have recommended that students should be permitted to read appropriate reading materials of their choice and that they should be provided with a wide range of materials from which to choose. Therefore, …

Teaching Self-Esteem To Improve Performance In Eighth Grade Basic Earth Science, J Mark Huffines

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

Low performance in a basic eighth-grade earth science class was addressed by a one-class-period per week self-esteem unit presented by the writer and daily positive self-concept reinforcement methods implemented by the regular classroom teacher. Students were presented concepts of self-esteem such as "self-talk,” “irrational beliefs,” “setting and attaining goals,” and “positive relationships” and participated in discussions concerning their feelings about themselves, school, families, and others. There was a standardized measure of self-esteem pretest and posttest, and student performance was measured via comparison of their earth science grade average between the first and the tenth week. Students improved in both grade …