Education Commons^™

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, …

Online Training To Improve Job Coaches’ Support Of Minimally Verbal And Nonverbal Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Erin Brooker Lozott

Theses and Dissertations

Although a sizeable percentage of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are minimally verbal or nonverbal, there is limited research on how to best support these individuals in employment settings. Job coaches working with this population should receive specialized training in evidence-based practices (EBP) for ASD to ensure optimal outcomes. This study describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an online training program for job coaches focused on a behavior skills training approach supporting the use of augmentative and alternative communication. Twenty-two job coaches completed the study. Pre- and posttraining measures were used to evaluate knowledge, self-efficacy, and belief systems …

The Effect Of Case Presentation On Student Physical Therapists' Clinical Reasoning Hypotheses, Nicholas Larosa, Daniel L. Dinsmore

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Clinical reasoning is an essential skill for Physical Therapists to develop for making sound decisions regarding patient care. Case-method teaching is an instructional strategy commonly implemented in physical therapy professional education programs for facilitating clinical reasoning skill acquisition. One advantage of case-method teaching is the various ways cases can be portrayed. The purpose of this study was to identify how a case is portrayed effects student thinking and their subsequent clinical decision making. Method: Third-year student physical therapists (n = 14) working in dyads clinically reasoned through a hypothetical musculoskeletal case presented via written case study or simulated patient …

A Pilot Study Using Asynchronous Case Discussion And Reflection To Provide Interprofessional Education To Physician Assistant And Physical Therapy Students, Erin Mccallister, Emily Weidman-Evans

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects an asynchronous interprofessional education (IPE) activity had on graduate healthcare students’ beliefs regarding IPE, as measured by the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Methods: All first-year physician assistant and physical therapy students participated in a collaborative four-week online case discussion. Students who consented to participate in the research component filled out a pre- and post-activity RIPLS questionnaire. Responses were matched by an individualized, student-generated number to protect students’ identity. Only matched scores were analyzed. Results: The total score as well as the Teamwork and Professional Identity …

Mentorship Experiences Of Doctoral Students: Understanding Desired Attributes Of Doctoral Student Mentors, Stephanie M. Singe, Lauren Sheldon, Kelsey Rynkiewicz, Ciara Manning, Erica Filep, Emma Zuk, Caitliin Hargrave

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: Mentorship is a critical aspect of the professional development of the doctoral student who wishes to pursue a role in higher education. Continued understanding is needed regarding the needs of the doctoral student when it comes to mentorship. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe the needs of a doctoral student from their mentoring relationships, as they work towards their terminal degree. Methods: This is a descriptive, phenomenological qualitative research study within universities that offer doctoral education. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted using Zoom video conference technology. Each interview, after transcribed, was analyzed following the step-wise approach …

“Where I Am Weak, They Are Strong”: Students’ Perceptions And Attitudes Toward Interprofessional Education, Christen G. Page, Karina Christopher, Leah Shea Simpkins, Casey E. Humphrey, Lisa G. Jones, Aaron D. Sciascia

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Healthcare professionals strive for interprofessional practice to achieve optimal patient care. Extant research suggests that to best prepare students for interprofessional practice, interprofessional education (IPE) should be a key element in curriculum. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to evaluate the impact of an IPE activity on participants’ attitudes and perceptions of IPE across five academic programs. Methods: This study utilized a modified version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale Questionnaire (RIPLS) pre and post IPE and reflective essays. Participants included 67 students from nursing, occupational therapy, athletic training, dietetics, and speech-language pathology programs. After reviewing a …

Students’ Response To The Covid-19 Remote Learning Transition, Sandra Dunbar-Smalley, Roy Lukman, Joe Hawkins

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background: The global pandemic has created a need for several higher education institutions to transition to emergency remote learning. Students and faculty have experienced a significant disruption to their daily academic routines. It is critical to understand the perceptions of students in relationship to their learning experiences and ability to effectively manage the new and changing learning environment and expectations. This study sought to understand the students’ response to the transition to remote learning, as a necessary strategy for managing learning during the pandemic. Methods: A 15-item electronic survey was provided to approximately 1600 students at a private faith-based university …

Addressing Health-Related Myths In The Culturally Diverse African American Population: A Call To Action, Lucson Joseph

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

African Americans (AAs) experience numerous challenges that socially, economically, and physically affect their communities. Recent studies have found that a diverse array AAs encounter many struggles as they navigate the United States (U.S.) healthcare system to access care and receive healthcare services. AA communities are significantly affected by the burden of chronic diseases. They face considerable barriers to healthcare services that contribute to adverse health outcomes. This paper explains the daily struggles many AAs face within their communities to access and navigate the healthcare system due to culturally held myths and barriers. This paper discusses commonly held myths among Afro-Caribbean …

The Effects Of New Teacher Induction Programs On New Teacher Retention In Urban School Districts, Lisa Maria Smith-Sherrod

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effect of new teacher inductions programs on new teacher retention in urban school districts. Teachers are leaving urban school districts at alarming rates. The expectation that every student will receive a quality educational experience is becoming increasingly less common for the neediest students, who are often minorities in rural or urban settings, or who have special needs (Snodgrass, 2018). Urban school districts and institutions of higher education need to determine strategies that will retain highly effective educators in the field. This applied dissertation was designed to provide insight into how to improve …

Teacher Perception Of Preparedness For Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Mainstream Classrooms, Cynthia Diann Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem for the current study was that many general education teachers feel unprepared to teach students with ASD in their general education classrooms. The purpose of this quantitative study was to describe teachers’ perceptions of their preparedness for teaching students with ASD in mainstream elementary classrooms. Three research questions guided the study, focusing on perceived levels of preparedness of knowledge and skills in the areas of (a) instructional content and practice, (b) planning and managing the teaching and learning environment, and (c) managing student behavior and social interaction skills. A quantitative method with a survey design was used. …

An Examination Of African Americans’ Fear Of Police Among Generation Z, James Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of fear Generation Z-African Americans have of police. The population for this research consisted of African Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 and resided in the United States of America. From this population, a sample size of 105 participants were constructed for the study. The research compared the level of fear Blacks have of police when grouped by age, gender, education level, region of the country, and community of residence. Random sampling was used for participant selection, and a series of non-parametric ANOVAs (i.e., Kruskal-Wallis tests) were conducted …

Percepción Del Director Escolar Sobre El Liderazgo Servidor En Las Escuelas Cinco Estrellas En Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Enrique Antonio Cordero Soto

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de la investigación fue Indagar la percepción de los directores escolares de las escuelas cinco estrellas sobre el liderazgo servidor. Los mismos tendrán una evaluación sobre su liderazgo en sus entornos escolares y si ellos son partes de sus logros, tanto en lo administrativo, clima escolar y aprovechamiento académico de los estudiantes. Los propósitos del estudio fueron determinar si existía una relación entre su liderazgo como directores escolares y el líder servidor, el reconocimiento de las cualidades y ventajas sobre el liderazgo de servicio y como relaciona el impacto de servicio en la clasificación de las escuelas y …

Employee Perceptions Related To Specific Work Processes Within The Crime Control Model Known As The Stratified Model, Robert William Steinkraus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure employee perceptions of satisfaction as they relate to specific work processes and products within the Stratified Model. The Stratified Model is a crime-reduction model that was developed and gradually implemented first within the Port St. Lucie Police Department between 2004-2011. The full implementation of this crime-reduction model occurred in 2012. The Port St. Lucie Police department has since achieved greater reductions of the overall crime rate than other cities in Florida consisting of similar populations. In 2019, Port St. Lucie had the 7th largest population in Florida.

Currently, it is unknown how …

Parental Involvement In At-Risk Students’ Academic Affairs Versus The Athletic Arena In Low-Performing Schools In South Florida, Antrell L. Dirden

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher designed a qualitative case study to delve further into the lack of consistent parental involvement and academic support in low-performing schools in South Florida with at-risk African American students, most especially when compared to the support in the athletic arena by those same parents. Educators and leaders in the field of education agree that the same effort and energy displayed in support of the athletic aspirations of their child should be equal or even greater in the academic success of the same students. Research questions focused on perceived challenges that prevent consistent parental involvement in academics over athletics, …

An Examination Of How Teacher Tenure And Job Satisfaction Affect Student Achievement, Robert Farris

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the correlation between teacher job satisfaction, job retention, tenure and its effect on student achievement and the adjusted cohort graduation rate. This study involved the use of a sequential exploratory qualitative design as a pragmatic philosophical approach to examining the correlation. The researcher utilized three distinct datasets: The OECD Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2018; The National Center for Educational Statistics, Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate; and the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Teacher Evaluation System.

An analysis of the data revealed that statistically significant themes emerged among the datasets for the job …

Exploring Academic Leadership In Higher Education Through The Lens Of Leader-To-Member Exchange (Lmx) Theory, Dequies A. Lanier

Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological study focused on Exploring Academic Leadership in Higher Education Through The Lens of Leader-to-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory, Dequies A. Lanier, 2020: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: communication, leadership development, higher education, leader-member exchange, organizational leadership This applied dissertation was designed to explore the communication between higher education leaders and faculty at the department level in the United States at a southeastern higher education institution. The study sought to explore (a) the communication relationship between leaders and followers; (b) commitment to the organization; and (c) suggested communication …

Teaching Strategies Leading To Success In Self-Contained Classrooms, Sonja Michelle Robinson-Madden

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation addressed the strategies used in self-contained classrooms that lead to the success of students with intellectual disabilities in Jamaica. The study was prompted by the poor performance of primary schools in teaching delivery as evidenced in the National Inspectorate Report. The views of successful teachers were collated in order to provide meaningful research data that can be used to improve the effectiveness of teachers regarding their teaching strategies and engagement of their students in the teaching-learning process. In addition, the research findings may be used to inform policies regarding the education of special needs students who are …

Blended Learning Transitioning To Virtual Learning: Middle School Teacher Perspectives, Jennifer Louise Henry

Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed specific factors that influenced the success of blending learning as it transitioned to virtual learning from the perspectives of middle school teachers. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to determine the challenges of blended and virtual learning from a teacher’s perspective and the positive outcomes of the integration of blended and virtual learning.

The researcher focused on the transition to virtual teaching during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic of 2020 and how blended learning impacted this transition to virtual teaching. The study included middle school teachers from various disciplines who taught at the middle school level. …

Gender Disparity In Studying Chemistry, Carlo Semerzier

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine if there is a difference between students’ gender, ethnicity, and age and their performance in General Chemistry I at a Christian University in Florida. Many scientific studies reveal the existence of a gender performance gap in chemistry: women mostly underperform men. Certain factors reported by researchers and cited in this study that might contribute to this gap include self-efficacy, math ability, prior conceptual knowledge in chemistry, attitude toward chemistry, spatial ability, discrimination, learning styles, and exam types.

This quantitative research study used retrospective data from 113 students from eight sections (2016-2019) of a …

Risk Factors And Precursors To Police Suicide, Matthew J. Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

Police suicide has consistently remained a more likely cause of death for police officers than being killed in the line of duty for the past several years. Understanding the risk factors and precursors associated with suicide is crucial to changing this anomalousness. Prevention, early intervention, treatment, support, and reducing stigma, may help lower the number of police officers committing suicide.

Several research studies have found the rate of suicide for police officers to be double that of the general population (Chopko, Palmieri & Facemire, 2013; Violanti, 2010; Lewis, 2014; Charbonneau, 2000). The day-to-day job of policing may be stressful and …

A Qualitative Study Of African American Middle School Students’ Perception Of Low Student-Teacher Racial Match On Their Educational Experience, Tai Lynn Swift

Theses and Dissertations

The problem that will be explored within this research is that many African American students lack the opportunity to be taught by African American teachers. Research shows that students taught by teachers with whom they identify as having similar or the same experiences may result in meaningful learning for the student. Given, African American teachers represent only 18% of all teachers, there is not an abundance of African American teachers within the school system to serve as role models for African American students.

The literature review explored included critical race theory and highlighted how race in education does not yield …

Response Interruption And Redirection (Rird) As A Treatment For Vocal Stereotypy In Children Who Are Dually Diagnosed With Autism And Down Syndrome, Stacy Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals who are dually diagnosed with Down Syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently engage in vocal stereotypy that can interfere with learning, impede socially appropriate behavior, and disrupt others. Response interruption and redirection (RIRD) is an intervention that blocks and redirects stereotypy to reduce behavior. Studies on RIRD, while varied in their overall approach, have overwhelmingly been shown to be effective in clinical settings for children with ASD. There are few studies that have evaluated this procedure in more natural settings and with other diagnoses. Given that ASD is prevalent in those with DS and that stereotypy is …

Community Attitudes Towards Juvenile Sex Offenders And Registration In Virginia, Paige Reed

Theses and Dissertations

The collateral consequences and harmful effects of juvenile sex offender registration and restrictions has been the forefront of conversation surrounding sex offender legislation in the United States. The literature available has consistently shown that juveniles profoundly differ from adults in significant areas such as decision making, cognitive capability, judgment, and overall development. The literature has also consistently shown that juvenile sex offenders are amenable to treatment, have considerably low recidivism rates, and are unlikely to offend into their adulthood. Despite this, and even though the juvenile justice system prioritizes rehabilitation over punitive measures, juvenile sex offenders are commonly subjected to …

Serving Culturally And Linguistic Students Identified With A Communication Disability In The K-12 Educational Environments, Lashell Dauterman

Theses and Dissertations

As more and more students enter public schools with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds that require services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, facilitators must be more sensitive to the needs, especially in the area of communication. Augmentative and alternative communication devices and other assistive technology are required by law to be utilized with individuals identified as disabled. However, due to the challenges that exist in properly identifying and implementing intervention plans for children who require services as English language learners and special education, communication needs are often misidentified or not provided. Another issue that exists is the lack …

The Relationship Of Authentic Leadership And Growth, Retention, And Productivity, Michael B. Horwitz

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership has been heralded a critical component for the achievement of successful organizational outcomes. Recent financial, social, psychological, and environmental challenges that are being faced on a global scale have raised the call for new and effective leadership. Researchers and practitioners have expressed the need for the development of good leaders. Authentic leadership (AL) has been described as the root theory of all other forms of positive leadership and offers a way to describe and develop more effective leadership and drive veritable sustained superior performance.

Authentic leaders are proposed to have greater self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors, seeking to develop …

Therapists' Perspectives On Aiding Individuals To Maintain Social Connection While Struggling With Health Concerns, Shari Howington-Carlin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore therapists’ perspectives on aiding individuals to maintain social connection while struggling with health concerns. Social relationships support physical and psychological well-being, yet individuals struggling with physical or mental health issues often have difficulty maintaining their relationships. Therapists, as health professionals, often discuss physical as well as emotional health concerns with their patients, including components of physiological and psychological heath care. Emerging neuroscience is aiding in understanding how research in this field supports early intervention for health outcomes around healthy social and family relationships during chronic disease or illness onset.The researcher conducted a phenomenological …

2021-2022 Nsu Undergraduate Student Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

Undergraduate Programs Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.