Education Commons^™

Teacher Perceptions Of The Impact Of Administrators On The Social And Emotional Health Of Teachers And School Climate: A Qualitative Case Study, Allison Breen

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This intrinsic, qualitative single case study took place at a suburban, public elementary school in Massachusetts with teachers from second through fifth grade. The study addressed the importance of administrative support and engagement on teachers’ social and emotional health and sustaining a positive school climate. The study aimed to help stakeholders understand the perceptions of teachers regarding the perceived impact of administrators’ support and engagement on teachers’ health and well-being. The online survey used convenience sampling that included seven topics from a pre-existing instrument. The semi-structured interviews were based on purposive sampling and included open-ended questions. A total of 16 …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of Secondary World Language Teachers Who Use Proficiency-Based Rubrics For Assessment, James Donovan

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of Massachusetts public secondary (middle school/high school) world language teachers who utilized the ACTFL proficiency-based rubrics to evaluate student performance environments (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 2012). This study was guided by the research question, “What are the lived experiences of secondary world language teachers who used Proficiency-Based Rubrics to evaluate student performance?” Husserl’s (1964) transcendental phenomenology served as the study’s conceptual framework, and Andrade and Brookhart’s (2020) classroom assessment theory served as the theoretical framework.

Semi structured interviews were used to gather …

Math Teachers Who Don’T Like Math: A Phenomenological Study Of Elementary Teachers Who Dislike Mathematics Viewed Through The Lens Of Mathematics Teacher Identity In The Context Of Mathematics Education Reform, Melinda J. Bixby

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Due to the increased expectations for rigorous mathematics instruction demanded by the Common Core Standards, it has become increasingly difficult for elementary teachers who are trained to be generalists to deliver expert instruction in mathematics. This difficulty is compounded by the reality that many elementary teachers self-identify as disliking math. The purpose of this qualitative, interpretive phenomenological study was to explore, investigate, and interpret the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who describe themselves as disliking mathematics. The central research question answered by this study is: What are the lived experiences and perceptions of self-contained elementary teachers who …

Perspectives Of Fieldwork Educators: The Relationship Between Emotional Competence And Occupational Therapy Level Ii Fieldwork Success, Kathleen Hughes-Butcher

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Emotional competence encompasses multiple skills and attributes that are essential to success of occupational therapy level II fieldwork. Learning more about the relationship between emotional competence and level II fieldwork success holds implications for occupational therapy students, academic programs, fieldwork educators and recipients of occupational therapy services. The Emotional Competence Theory of Mikolajczak (2009) guided the conceptual foundation of this study. This qualitative study, using a phenomenological approach, explored the relationship between emotional competence and level II fieldwork success from the perspective of fieldwork educators. Purposeful sampling was utilized to recruit the three occupational therapists who serve as fieldwork educators …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Parenting Adult Learners Regarding Persistence In Two-Year Community Colleges, Michelle T. Webb Ed.D.

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the results of semi-structured interviews conducted with six parenting adult learners (ParentALs) enrolled in three public two-year community colleges in the United States. This study investigated the problem of a lack of understanding of the experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine how the lived experiences of ParentALs enrolled in community colleges may influence their persistence. Three themes emerged from the literature review and data analysis: the identity of the ParentAL, characteristics and intersectionality of factors, experiences, and perceptions that may influence ParentAL persistence in community college, …

Where Do I Belong?: Gender And/Or Sexual Minority Students And Leaders In International Schools, Douglas J. Beam

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The heteronormative ordering of schools poses challenges for gender and/or sexual minorities (GSM). GSM leaders in schools are challenged by decisions about whether to come out of the closet and the implications that these decisions can have for the leadership they enact and their career trajectories. Meanwhile, GSM students face difficulties including identity-based victimization and diminished sense of belonging in school. The experiences of attending high school are further complicated for students who attend an international school outside their country of origin. This qualitative investigation explored how GSM former students at international schools experienced a sense of belonging at school …

Faculty And Staff Perceptions Of Social Emotional Learning At The High School Level: A Qualitative Case Study, Shari L. Jordan

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the results of the CASEL School-based Staff Survey on SEL Implementation (2021) and interviews conducted at a small high school in Maine. Three teachers, three education technicians, and two support staff participated in this study. The purpose of this study was to explore public high school’s faculty and staff’s perceptions on social emotional learning (SEL) so there could be a better understanding of the challenges, resources, and supports that are needed for long-term integration. Three themes emerged from the data: building relationships with Students, SEL and future preparedness, and district-wide goals and capacity building. The first …

A Narrative Inquiry On Public Middle School Teachers Experiences With Demoralization, Jessica E. Alfieri

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Teachers may become demoralized when they feel they are unable to access the moral rewards of teaching. Some moral rewards of teaching include building relationships with students, adjusting methods of instruction that impacts individual student growth, and completing a creative and engaging lesson plan. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the experiences of public middle school teachers with demoralization in the context of their teaching environments. Six participants who self-identified as demoralized completed semi-structured interviews over Zoom. These interviews were then restoried into narratives, then manually coded into themes. The themes that were developed included time …

Nefom: Board Of Trustees: Corporation Members, New England Foundation For Osteopathic Medicine

William Kirmes, D.O. Collection

List of NEFOM corporation members, undated.

Nefom: What Is An Osteopathic Physician Anyway?, New England Foundation For Osteopathic Medicine

William Kirmes, D.O. Collection

A pamphlet entitled "What is an Osteopathic Physician Anyway?"

New England Osteopathic Assembly: Maxwell To Kirmes, R. E. Maxwell D.O.

William Kirmes, D.O. Collection

A short handwritten personal note from Dr. R.E. Maxwell to Dr. Kirmes arranging their trip to the New England Osteopathic Assembly meeting.

New Hampshire Osteopathic Association: Dr. Kirmes To Potential New Hampshire D.O.S, William Kirmes D.O.

William Kirmes, D.O. Collection

A letter from Dr. Kirmes to potential New Hampshire D.O.s recommending coming to New Hampshire to practice.

Needs-Based Standards Of Practice For The Use Of Forensic Genetic Genealogy In Investigations Of Violence Toward Marginalized Victims, Anthony Redgrave

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to identify strategies by which forensic genetic genealogy can be applied to cases of unidentified decedents who are from marginalized populations. Three research questions guided this study: (1) What is each affected group most concerned about regarding the use of forensic genetic genealogy to identify marginalized unidentified decedents or perpetrators of violent crime against marginalized group members?, (2) How have the past experiences of individuals in the affected groups contributed to their stance on the use of forensic genetic genealogy?, And (3) How do stakeholders’ opinions on the use of forensic genetic …

Assessing The Academic Impact Of Two Adaptive Learning Technology Math Programs Using Hattie’S Visible Learning Theory, Charles C. Swan

All Theses And Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the academic impact of two adaptive learning technology math programs (Espark and iXL) alongside the social validity of teachers in a rural western Maine school district who used the program in their classrooms. Using Hattie’s Visible Learning Theory (2008) as the theoretical framework, the study tested two different hypotheses. The first hypothesis stated that both Espark and iXL would have an effect size of .40 or greater when the pre and post tests were compared. The study used the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) assessment for its pre and post assessment because it is a nationally normed …

Mindfully Organizing Collective Teacher Efficacy: A Case Study Of Efficacious Educator Teams, Bruce "B.C." Preston

All Theses And Dissertations

Collective teacher efficacy (CTE) has well documented positive effects on student outcomes (Goddard et al., 2017), teacher job satisfaction (Buonomo et al., 2020), and educator persistence (Guidetti et al., 2018) in the face of challenging tasks. Characterized by the collective belief in the group’s capability to successfully accomplish tasks associated with their professional practice (Donohoo, 2018), what influences group efficacy belief formation remains an underdeveloped area of academic and practical understanding (Tschannen-Moran et al., 2014). To better understand the influences that shape CTE beliefs, and how those influences contribute to the known sources of CTE, a multiple–case study design was …

A Narrative Inquiry On The Entrepreneurial Experiences Of Female Military Spouses With Advanced Degrees, Rosette Mupas-Obedoza

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the entrepreneurial experiences of female military spouses with advanced degrees. This study documented how these entrepreneurial experiences may have helped the military spouse population overcome underemployment while their servicemember spouse was still on active duty. Through purposeful sampling, five female military spouse entrepreneurs with advanced degrees were selected to participate in the study. Virtual interviews were conducted to provide a detailed account of their entrepreneurial experiences including how and why they got started in entrepreneurship, challenges and opportunities in entrepreneurship, funding programs and educational services supporting every stage of their entrepreneurship, and …

The Lack Of Representation In Leadership At Predominantly White Institutions In The United States: A Qualitative Analysis On The Executive Leadership Pathway For African American Males, Eric Pulley

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of Black men in the United States who have overcome barriers to advance to leadership positions at predominantly White institutions (PWI). The qualitative phenomenological approach was used to examine three research questions that addressed the factors that encouraged Black men on their paths to pursue executive leadership positions, the obstacles they encountered, and how identifying as a Black male at a PWI affected their career pursuits. Social support theory (SST) guided the theorical framework and critical race theory (CRT) guided the conceptional framework. Interviews from six participants were used. During the interviews, …

The Perceptions Of School Psychologists Regarding The Disproportionality In Special Education For Students Of Color: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Jessica Ann Marshall

All Theses And Dissertations

Racial disproportionality in special education has been a problem of practice since Dunn called attention to it in 1968. Research has demonstrated the adverse effects on students including stigma, labeling, reduced access to high-quality educational opportunities, restrictive settings, and lower expectations and educational outcomes. Little research on disproportionality has examined how individual characteristics and societal factors intersect with specific school variables and contexts. Using disability critical race theory as a lens for exploration, this qualitative phenomenological study examined the phenomenon of disproportionality situated within a specific context to uncover how local factors may contribute to the incidence of disproportionality. Seven …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Public High School Teachers And Instructional Coaches Participating In Virtual Instructional Coaching During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alyson J. Manion

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of public high school teachers (grades 9-12) and instructional coaches who have participated in virtual instructional coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do public high school teachers and instructional coaches describe their experience with virtual instructional coaching during the COVID-19 pandemic?, (2) How do public high school teachers and instructional coaches describe the changes in instructional coaching experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic?, and (3) How do public high school teachers and instructional coaches describe their relationships with their instructional coaching …

How Canadian School Leaders Perceive Their Capacity To Foster Culturally Responsive School Practices To Influence Student Outcomes, Heather Saunders

All Theses And Dissertations

Despite numerous studies on race relations and racism in Canada, there is a relative paucity of research on school leaders’ perceptions of cultural responsiveness in the Canadian educational system. Racial diversity among students enrolled in Canadian schools has increased dramatically over the last few decades. The diversity gap between a racialized student population and White school leaders continues to widen, with more than 95% of Canadian school leaders being White (Turner, 2015). The primary objective of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore school leaders’ perceptions of how culturally responsive practices improve student outcomes. This study was guided by the …

Educators’ Perceptions Of The Universal Design For Learning Framework In Support Of Economically Disadvantaged Third And Fourth Grade Students, Luke Callahan

All Theses And Dissertations

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a set of principles that provides an innovative curriculum and instructional design framework. By eliminating learning barriers across a wide range of learner variations, UDL implementation can enhance teaching and learning. This study explored the perceptions of a sample of third and fourth-grade school teachers in a suburban school district outside of Boston, Massachusetts, implementing the principles of UDL to support the achievement of economically disadvantaged students. The constructivist theories of Vygotsky and Piaget guided the study's conceptual framework. The five prominent themes that emerged from the semi-structured interviews were (1) classroom learning environment, …

Mindfulness And Its Impact On Leader-Employee Relations In Higher Education Social Work Departments, Autumn A. Straw

All Theses And Dissertations

This sequential, fixed, mixed-methods study explores how mindfulness practice by leaders in higher education social work programs influences the leader-employee relationship among a sample of higher education social work department leaders and their faculty. This study was developed out of the intersection of personal, professional, and academic interests in both mindfulness and leadership. Additionally, this study fills a gap in the existing literature on how leaders’ individual mindfulness practice influences the relationship between them and their employees (Reb et al., 2019; Rooney et al., 2021; Urrila, 2021).

The results of this study were that the sample of social work higher …

A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of Public School Teachers’ Experiences While Teaching During A Pandemic, Andrew M. Bard

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of K-12 public school teachers related to stress and burnout while teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three research questions guided this study: (1) How do K-12 public school teachers describe their lived experiences while teaching during a pandemic?, (2) How do K-12 public school teachers describe their perceptions of stressors related to teaching during a pandemic?, and (3) How do K-12 public school teachers describe their experience as learners while adapting to teaching during a pandemic? Constructivism and social constructivism were applied as the conceptual and theoretical …

Blue Resilience: Is There A Need For An Alaskan Coastal Career Development Framework?, Jared Fuller

All Theses And Dissertations

Youth career outmigration has increased in Alaska’s coastal communities in the last few decades. The ocean and ocean-adjacent industries that comprise the blue economy make up the majority of the employment options in places have experienced declines within these regions which has been attributed to the outward movement of young people. The dynamic history of Alaska has had specific impacts with regards to Alaskan coastal communities, their ocean-resource economies, and thus, the potential for young people to find career paths within them. Potential economic-resource vulnerabilities could be mapped along with the complex systems to help build resilience within those communities. …

Factors That Correlate With Student Engagement And Success In Honors Student Theses At A New England Public Institution, Megan Williams

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the factors that correlate to successful outcomes on honors theses at an undergraduate public institution compared to findings collected from several private liberal arts colleges. Utilizing Kuh’s (2008) theory of engagement and success as a theoretical framework, this study sought to understand how participation in a single high-impact practice – a culminating senior experience – impacted sense of belonging, engagement and success in an honors senior thesis. An anonymous online survey (Trosset & Weisler, 2018) was deployed to answer two research questions: does a positive student-faculty relationship correlate to engagement and …

Open Education Resources (Oer) Create Equity, Cadence Atchinson, Sonya Durney, Cathleen Miller, Cindy Stewart

Library Services Faculty Posters

Presentation poster on topic of open education resources (OER) and the equity they engender.

Understanding The Perceived Impact Of Social And Emotional Learning Interventions On High School Student Success, Michelle Wright

All Theses And Dissertations

Integrating social and emotional learning (SEL) skills into instructional practices and academic content has become a priority in many school districts (CASEL, 2018). While educators and clinical professionals alike have made strides in recognizing the importance of SEL, the level of implementation across districts varies greatly (CASEL, 2018). This qualitative program evaluation explored whether school staff at a public suburban high school in the Northeastern United States perceived the implementation of various interventions aimed at increasing SEL skills of students to be successful. This study utilized semi-structured interviews to identify which interventions had been implemented by a group of school …

Examining Middle School Core Teacher Knowledge And Practices In Stem Education, Rachel Brill-Lee

All Theses And Dissertations

Many educational institutions reported challenges with achieving student success in STEM disciplines and attribute these challenges to the lack of knowledge and education among educators on how and what to teach regarding STEM education (Stehle & Peters-Burton, 2019). This qualitative case study explored how core subject teachers outside STEM/CTE education in one middle school in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States view, understand, and integrate STEM education and skills into their curriculum. The study used a combination of Likert surveys and semi-structured interviews to identify themes that may contribute to challenges many educational institutions are experiencing in regard to …

Lived Experiences Of Adults Formally Raised By Grandparents On Their Connection To The School Community While In High School, Karen M. Maguire

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis sought to understand the lived experiences of connectedness to the secondary school community of children raised by grandparents, told from the reflective viewpoint of the grandchildren now as adults. Although the relationship between grandparents and the grandchildren they raise has been studied, how those grandchildren connect to the school community has yet to be explored and was the focus of this study. Research on grandchildren raised by grandparents and student connection to the school community provided valuable insight, highlighting the need for additional exploration in this area. Education researchers have studied student engagement quite thoroughly, …

Perceptions Of Higher Education Learners And Educators Regarding The Learner-Centered Strategy Implementation: A Qualitative Single Case Study, Ngo T. Tran

All Theses And Dissertations

The problem in this study was the lack of an effective strategy implementation of learner-centered education in higher education institutions (Hoidn, 2017; Lee & Hannafin, 2016; Sabah & Du, 2018; Starkey, 2019; Sweetman, 2017). The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of higher education learners and educators on LCE strategy implementation. The study’s conceptual framework was rooted in personalized learning, and the theoretical framework employed the educational theory from Dewey (1897). Study findings included: 1. LCE is a philosophy of education that places learners and their needs at the center of the educational process. The LCE concept in …