Education Commons^™

A Narrative Inquiry On Chinese International Doctoral Students’ Perspectives On Developing Critical Thinking In The U.S., Shuaipu Jiang

Doctoral Dissertations

Guided by transformative learning theory and Perry's scheme of intellectual and ethical development, this dissertation study examines Chinese international doctoral students' critical thinking development process in the US. The two research questions that guided this study are: (1) How do Chinese international doctoral students understand and conceptualize critical thinking? and (2) How have Chinese international doctoral students developed critical thinking during their doctoral studies in the U.S.? Narrative method design is applied to the study, which interviews eight participants. Using narrative thematic analysis of data, four key themes emerged from the study: a) awareness of critical thinking in Western versus …

The Other Side Of The Story: An Exploratory Case Study Of Barriers Experienced By Tennessee Transfer Pathways Students, Alexis Hartley

Doctoral Dissertations

The vital topic of improving the experiences of transfer students is investigated comprehensively in this research. A qualitative method was used in the design of the case study to explore the experiences that transfer students had while participating in a state transfer pathway program. In particular, this approach focused on the barriers that transfer students faced and the knowledge and actions that were required to overcome these barriers. After completion of an accredited associate's degree, students who have participated in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway (TTP) are eligible to transfer into a four-year program at one of the state's participating four-year …

Experiences With Student Loan Debt: A Phenomenological Study Of First-Generation, Low-Income College Graduates, Sarah Leigh Gardner Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations

First-generation and low-income (FGLI) individuals currently represent a large percentage of the total undergraduate student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities. Student loan debt in the United States is also at an all-time high with approximately 43 million Americans sharing the $1.75 trillion total. Because FGLI individuals, like many other college students, often take on large amounts of student loan debt to successfully graduate college, it is worth learning more about the long-term effects that student loan debt has on the experiences of FGLI college graduates within the first ten years of graduating with a baccalaureate degree. The purpose of …

Counselor Influences On College Decision Making, Jordan Mccarter

Doctoral Dissertations

Although numerous studies have been devoted to understanding the role of the counselor in schools, few studies have been conducted to understand the specific influence that counselors have on girls throughout their college admissions process (Bryan, Farmer-Hinton, Rawls, & Woods, 2017; Bryan, Holcomb-McCoy, Moore-Thomas, & Day-Vines, 2009; Bryan, Moore‐Thomas, Day‐Vines, & Holcomb‐McCoy, 2011). The purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between girls and their high school college admissions counselors and the resources and programmatic offerings of the college counseling office that girls experience. Perna’s (2006) proposed conceptual model of college student choice served …

Mentor Teacher Positioning During Pedagogical Documentation With Early Childhood Preservice Teachers, Melissa Renee Westfall

Doctoral Dissertations

Teacher education research shows that partnerships among mentor teachers and preservice teachers facilitate meaningful professional development when both are afforded the opportunity to assume dynamic positions of teacher and learner. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive case study was to explore mentor positioning and pedagogical documentation at a university-based early childhood center with five mentor teachers (MTs) and five undergraduate preservice teachers (PTs). It explored the efficacy of pedagogical documentation review as a tool to facilitate moments of reciprocal mentoring. Through the framework of cultural-historical activity theory and subject positioning theory, I investigated how mentors positioned themselves during pedagogical documentation …

Social And Cultural Identities Of Mentors And Their Impact On Mentorship Experiences, Temvelo Rejoice Matsebula

Masters Theses

The relationship between social and cultural identities and experiences and how we interpret encounters is vital when looking at mentorship. Early childhood education values the combination of classroom education and field experience for pre-service educators. The ability to be a successful mentor relies on one's ability to reflect on their identity, beliefs, practices, values, and skills. This study sought to explore early childhood mentors' views of their social and cultural identities in relation to their experiences with mentorship by engaging with mentors (n=4) in an interview and through reflective journaling about their experiences. Interviews and journals were transcribed …

Mandated Learning: Administrators' Perceptions Of Unfunded Mandates In Online Education, Ronald Aaron Hennen

Doctoral Dissertations

Online education has become a solution for many states to facilitate the growing requests from state legislatures to lower educational costs while meeting the academic needs of students. Legislation from Florida provided the impetus for this study, after Florida CS/CS/HB 7197 mandated that all students enroll in an online class for 1 credit as a graduation requirement. While the rationale for such legislation may be cost savings, for most school districts, implementation may be viewed as an unfunded state mandate. The purpose of this study was to examine administrator’s perceptions of mandated online teaching as an additional financial burden on …

Resource Use And Success In Life Science Graduate Education, Maryrose Weatherton

Doctoral Dissertations

Given that attrition rates for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) graduate programs have been higher than 50% for more than a decade, increasing student success in graduate programs has long been a focus of research in higher education. However, previous research has paid little attention to the opinions and experiences of graduate students themselves. Graduate students’ lived experiences may be critical to understanding factors driving graduate attrition and to improving STEM graduate programs broadly. This dissertation explored two understudied aspects of the graduate student experience: students’ definitions of success and their use of resources.

I used interviews and surveys …

A Feminist Ethnography Of Care In The Infant/Toddler Classroom, Chesley Anne Sorrells

Doctoral Dissertations

In the neoliberal context of the Global North, early care and education (ECE) is a conceptually dichotomized and stratified field, with ‘care’ widely considered to be separate from - and lesser than - ‘education.’ Feminist perspectives challenge this dichotomization by reconceptualizing care as foundational to education, centering the historically feminized ideals of emotion, relationality, and interdependence. This three-part qualitative dissertation presents the findings of an 8-month feminist ethnography of care practices in one infant/toddler classroom. Participant observation and semi-structured teacher interviews were used to explore the following research questions: 1) What are teachers’ lived experiences of care in this early …

Sexual Assault Survivors’ Experiences Of Campus Spaces: A Photovoice Study, Amber Giffin

Doctoral Dissertations

Sexual violence continues to be a widespread issue for women, and many survivors of sexual assault face numerous challenges in higher education when they are working to achieve their educational goals. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how women adult learners who are also sexual assault survivors experience the university campus. Two research questions framed this study: 1) What types of spaces on university campuses engender feelings of safety for women adult learners who are sexual assault survivors? 2) How can universities create more inclusive learning spaces for women adult learners who are sexual assault …

“Every Dollar Counts”: An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Students Persisting In A Four-Year, Institutional Promise Program, Ashton Braddock

Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the experiences of students participating in UT Promise, a free-tuition program in the state of Tennessee that requires completion of community service and participation in a mentoring program. With a variety of Promise program designs and limited research on the experiences of students participating in these programs, this qualitative study sought to explore the perceptions and experiences of students in the program. Findings revealed that the UT Promise influenced college access, college affordability, and student success. Being offered free tuition changed the college-going conversation for students and had implications for college choice. The scholarship made college more …

Examining The Impact Of Course Modality And Course Content Presentation Modality On Undergraduate Grade Outcomes And Course Evaluations, Valerie E. Hogan-Sandi

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was conducted with students previously enrolled in an introduction to educational psychology course during the fall 2019 “F2F”, fall 2020 “online”, and fall 2021 “mixed” semesters, (N =515). The primary goal of this study was to examine how course modality, online and F2F, impacts certain course variables. Specifically, research questions examine how course modality impacts overall course performance, exam performance, homework completion, homework timeliness, and student ratings. Overall course grade, exam grades, and homework completion information were downloaded from Canvas and students identifying information were removed. De-identified student evaluation data were shared with the investigator.

A Kruskal-Wallis H …

Relationships Between Self-Directed Learning And Character Strengths In Doctoral Students, Cynthia Noblin Perry

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between self-directed learning (measured using the PRO-SDLS) and character strengths (measured using the VIA-IS-P), as well as gender, age, and stage of doctoral study, in Ph.D. students. This relationship is examined using Hiemstra and Brockett's Person Process Context (PPC) model of self-directed learning and Peterson and Seligman's positive psychology VIA Model for Character Strengths and Virtues. The multiple regression study found that ten of 24 character strengths, as well as age, were associated with one or more of the four components of self-directed learning (initiative, control, self-efficacy, and motivation), as well as the composite measure.

Insights Of International Faculty Into The Role Of Instructor Factors In Educating Counselors: A Qualitative Study, Paula Carina Lazarim Marques

Doctoral Dissertations

It is critical for counselor education (CE) to increase knowledge in effective teaching practices specific to CE (ETP-CE) in order to prepare counselors optimally. Research in higher education has established the significance of instructor factors (IF) in enhancing instructor-student relationship, predicting instructors’ self-efficacy, and informing quality teaching. However, the literature specific to ETP-CE reveals a limited focus on the connections of IF to counseling students learning and development and has has yet fully addressed the complexities and nuances of IF in CE. This highlights the need for further research investigating the roles of IF in CE to fill this gap …

The Development And Validation Of An Aspirational Capital Scale Dissertation, Sarah Narvaiz

Doctoral Dissertations

As part of the cultural community wealth (CCW) framework, aspirational capital (AC) is one of six forms of non-dominant capital and defined as the “ability to maintain hopes and dreams for the future even in the face of barriers” (Yosso, 2005, p. 41). AC is theorized to help underrepresented and underserved students traverse through their education journeys despite education institutions praising dominant forms of capital such as middle- and professional cultural and social capital (Bañuelos, 2021; Claussen & Osborne, 2012; Yosso, 2005). While there is an abundance of qualitative research examining students AC, recent quantitative critical research examining the underlying …

Saudi Women's Abuse And Help-Seeking Experiences: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis, Shahad Ahmed Subiani

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2013 the Saudi government established the Protection from Abuse Act, which made domestic violence (DV) a crime, as well as outlined the responsibilities of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development in providing reporting mechanisms. These and more societal shifts, along with the creation of the governmental family protection units (FPUs), set the stage for greater recognition of DV and more women seeking help. Though public opinion is slowly changing, DV in Saudi Arabia is still largely perceived as a private family matter (Alhabib et al., 2010). Guided by the help-seeking and change model (Liang et al., 2005), …

Reading The Rainbow: Exploring The Educational Experiences Of Lgbtq+ Students, Ashley R. Stroud

Doctoral Dissertations

Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Queer and questioning plus (LGBTQ+) youth are at high risk for bullying and violent victimization, poor mental health, alcohol and other drug use, and poor academic performance. According to the 2019 GLSEN school climate survey, LGBTQ+ students reported hearing hostile remarks, experiencing harassment and assault, feeling unsafe because of personal characteristics, and being subjected to discriminatory policies. The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to understand how secondary students experience school environments and how their teachers can be supportive and affirming of their diverse identities. The following research questions guided this study: 1) …

Student Choice-Of-Text In An Upper Secondary Independent Reading Program: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Brian M. Deloach

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examined the effects of student choice-of-text and reading comprehension outcomes in a 12-week independent reading program in an upper-secondary school. Students aged 17-18 (N = 52) were divided into two groups with one receiving an assigned text of age-appropriate Lexile estimate and genre; the other group was given free choice-of-text from an appropriate Lexile level from a classroom library. This quasi-experimental study followed a pretest-posttest, one-way ANCOVA model with both groups receiving the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test series before and after the intervention. Both groups made modest gains; however, the ANCOVA results revealed no statistically significant difference between the …

Data-Wisdom As A Framework For Building Data Literacy, Rita Swartzentruber

Masters Theses

In a world where “big-data” rules, the need for data literate citizens is critical. Not only do we need citizens who can read data, but also citizens who are critical of data practices that perpetuate racist practices. One potential answer for this call is to create “data-wise” citizens. The purpose of this design-based research study was to explore how secondary and post-secondary students can develop data-wisdom through the analysis of three data-inspired artistic data visualizations. This study examined the growth of data-wisdom in participants, the development of classroom norms, and the increase in positive perceptions of mathematics in participants. Data …

To What Extent Does Early Childhood Education Impact Later Involvement With The Juvenile Justice System?, Sonya Edwards

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Reconciling Self-Censorship: A Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of University Staff And Administrators, Leigh C. Morales

Doctoral Dissertations

In addition to a global pandemic, the past three years have been marked by racial, social, and political unrest. These circumstances add meaningful context to examine and better understand factors that undermine free expression and contribute to self-censorship among university staff and administrators. To date, few studies have holistically explored the unique experiences of university staff and administrators with self-censorship and how this phenomenon affects their experience on college and university campuses. Understanding why staff and administrators choose to self-censor may allow for a deeper discussion about speech climate and the degree to which colleges and universities implement and uphold …

Natural, Experimental, And Educational Explorations Of The Interiors Of Terrestrial Planetary Bodies, Nadine L. Grambling

Doctoral Dissertations

Planetary interiors are enigmatic, inaccessible, and vital to the processes that have formed the rocks we see on the surface of bodies in the inner Solar System today. Based on geophysical explorations of the Moon and Earth, along with information gleaned from rocks at the surface today, there is understanding of the basic structure and processes at depth. Using a combination of natural samples and experimental studies, we attempt to learn more about the physical conditions beneath the surface, and their effect on material properties and tectonics processes in the mantle.

On Earth, mid-ocean ridge processes have long been debated, …

Highlighting Teacher Voices: Discussions On Race And Racism In The Elementary Classroom, Carrie Lynn Buckner

Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout my career in education, I have observed that teachers are challenged by engaging in discussions involving race and racism. This study seeks to understand teachers’ feelings further when discussing race and racism in the elementary classroom by answering the research question: How do elementary teachers experience race and racism in their schools and classrooms?

This qualitative, critical narrative inquiry dissertation focused on three participant interviews with public-school elementary teachers in Tennessee. The data generated from these interviews informed narratives and were then analyzed through the lens of Critical Race Theory. This was followed by In Vivo and structural coding …

Peer-Mediated Interventions To Improve The Transition Behavior Of Children And Young Adolescents With Disabilities: A Systematic Review Of 50 Years Of Literature, Jorge A. Sandoval

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the research available on the use of peer-mediated instruction and interventions (PMIIs) to improve the transition behavior of children and young adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual and developmental disorders (IDD). PMIIs are evidence-based practices that involve the use of peers without disabilities to engage children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in positive and meaningful social interactions. The use of PMIIs is founded is on the premise that practitioners can use an individual with ASD/IDD’s possible response to a peer or peer’s social initiation as a teaching tool (McConnell, 2002). …

Principal In Name Only: A Mixed Methods Study Of How Catholic School Governance Models Affect Leadership, Davis H. Bodie

Doctoral Dissertations

Catholic school principal effectiveness has been studied for years, along with the retention and attrition rates of Catholic school principals. Throughout the long history of Catholic education in the United States and around the world, there has not been a meaningful study of how the different governance models available to Catholic schools affect these school leaders. Through this explanatory sequential mixed methods research study, connections between different governance models and interactions with religious authority figures and offices and principal job satisfaction, retention, and attrition were evaluated. Results will allow current and future principals to be more informed concerning the best …

Specificity Of Infant Statistical Word Segmentation, Sara Parvanezadeh Esfahani

Doctoral Dissertations

By their first birthday, infants develop sensitivity to language-general (e.g., transitional probability (TP) between syllables) and language-specific (e.g., lexical stress pattern) cues to identify word boundaries. Across 5 experiments, I investigated two questions: 1) how do English learning 8-month-old infants segment high TP (TP=1; HTP) words in non-native languages that have a different rhythm and prosody? 2) how do English learning 8-month-old infants represent nascent word representations across indexical (i.e., talker’s voice), segmental (i.e., onset consonant) and suprasegmental (i.e., stress pattern) information? To that end, in each experiment, using HTPP, I familiarized infants with a familiarization corpus with two embedded …

Online Program Management Providers And Higher Education: A Revelatory Case Study On Value Co-Creation, Britta Svoboda

Doctoral Dissertations

With an increase in distance learning and online degree programs, many higher education institutions have partnered with online program management (OPM) providers, leading to a dramatic growth of the OPM industry over the past decade. The purpose of this study was to develop an empirically based understanding of the value proposition of entities of higher education partnering with OPMs through an in-depth, revelatory case study of value co-creation as experienced in the partnership between a doctoral research institution, specifically an academic department, and its OPM provider. The following research question guided this study: How does an OPM co-create value with …

An Examination Of University Employees' Green Workplace Behaviors, Stephanie Nicole Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

As colleges and universities implement or enhance campus sustainability programs and administrators seek to understand the impact of such programs on their campuses, much effort has focused on understanding the green behavior of students enrolled at these institutions. However, given that universities employ large numbers of faculty and staff, it is also important to understand employees’ green behaviors. This descriptive survey research study sought to better understand the green behaviors of employees at a research university in the southeastern part of the United States. Potential participants were emailed a link to an online Qualtrics survey consisting of 31 closed and …

Addressing Interprofessional Competence In Interpretation Of Electronic Fetal Monitor Tracings, Susan H. Hébert

Doctoral Dissertations

Interpretation of electronic fetal monitor (EFM) tracings is a critical clinical practice skill nurses and physicians perform during the intrapartum stage of pregnancy. However, if performed inaccurately can potentially jeopardize the well-being of the neonate. This risk is present because if concerning EFM tracings are not interpreted accurately, preventative care interventions to promote the well-being of the unborn child do not occur. The project was initiated by completing a scoping literature review on the methods for training and evaluating EFM interpretation competence, which revealed current EFM interpretation training and evaluation methods are lacking. A concept analysis defined nurse competence in …

Latinidad In Summer Reading: A Collaborative Approach To Multicultural Literacy For Latino/A English Learners’ Self-Efficacy In Transitioning To Middle School, Elizabeth Fincher

Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative interpretive case study unites literacy education and the field of second language acquisition with quantitative surveys and questionnaires to explore self-efficacy beliefs and literacy learning during transitional experiences of rising fourth through ninth Latino/a/a English Language Learners (LELLs) in a summer reading program. Community Engaged Scholarship in a co-developed summer program with community partner Centro Hispano de East Tennessee frames this research to offer diverse perspectives in curriculum and instructional improvement efforts towards equitable literacy education. How schools and youth-serving organizations support LELLs’ transitional processes in second language acquisition and literacy is shaped by how well teachers and …