Education Commons^™

A Neuroscience-Based Curriculum For Addiction Prevention For Fourth-Grade Students, Paola Andrea Benitez

Social Work Theses

Substance use is one of the main problems affecting adolescents and young adults. While the consumption of alcohol has decreased, the consumption of marijuana has increased rampantly due to youth's positive perception after being legalized in 24 states with no clear message of the many adverse effects this drug causes. Different approaches to prevention have been used throughout the years: scare-led tactics, socio-emotional learning skills, and neuroscience-based curriculums. Since substance use results from the conjunction of different biopsychosocial factors that lead to this relapsing brain disease, the solution should integrate different preventive solutions as well. Public policy, schools, social workers, …

Behind The Scenes: Instructional Coaches’ Perceptions Of Curriculum Leadership Development, Cora C. Garner

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Since the 20th century, instructional coaching has influenced curricular and pedagogical practices that impact student achievement in K-12 schools; however, the existing literature provides minimal evidence of their experiences in curriculum leadership development. To fill the research gap, this study explores instructional coaches’ perceptions of their professional learning related to curriculum development and leadership. The research questions included (1) How do ICs perceive professional learning opportunities for curriculum leadership? and (2) How do instructional coaches describe the development of their curriculum coaching knowledge and practices? Upon applying the conceptual framework, which included the Saylor et al. (1981) curriculum development model …

"I'M That Girl": Exploring Black Women College Students’ Identity Expression And Hip-Hop, Fallan S. Frank

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Despite the expansion of the literature on Black women in college student identity development, there is little understanding of how Black college women express their identity and what influences the expression of their multiple identities. This study focuses on understanding to what extent the significant cultural influence of Hip-Hop influences Black women college students’ expression of their multiple identities within the various college environments. As Hip-Hop culture increasingly becomes significant within contemporary college student life, it is more critical than ever to understand its impact on Black college women’s identity expression and lived experiences as they navigate college. Thus, in …

Calculus Students’ Problem-Solving Strategies On Related Rates Of Change Problems Appearing In Online Versus Paper-And-Pencil Format, Tyson Bailey

Mathematics Dissertations

This study explores first-semester calculus students’ use of mathematical problem-solving strategies while working related rates of change problems in both an online homework format and a traditional pencil-paper format. We address two research questions: (1) How do students’ mathematical problem-solving strategies when working online homework on related rates of change problems compare with their problem-solving strategies when working paper-and-pencil homework related rates of change problems? (2) What influence does the ‘view an example’ feature in online homework have on a student’s problem-solving strategies when working an online RRC homework problem? Using scores on free-response midterm exam problems on related rates …

The Establishment And Sustainment Of Trauma-Informed Culture Perspectives Of Trauma-Sensitive Principals In Elementary Public Schools, Elizabeth R. Foreman

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic brought much awareness to the public education system and the role it plays in alleviating the adverse effects of childhood trauma. However, extant literature has focused mainly on classroom-level interventions rather than school-wide interventions implemented by school leadership. This study examines the perspectives of trauma-sensitive principals in public elementary schools on implementing TIPs. The research questions that guided this study are as follows: What are elementary principals' perceptions regarding implementing school-wide TIPs? What are the leadership approaches of principals in trauma-informed schools? Two findings were identified: (1) principals proactively establish a trauma-informed culture, and (2) principals sustain …

Student Performance In Modern Physics In An Active, Partially-Flipped Classroom, Scott Yarbrough

Physics Dissertations

The effectiveness of the flipped classroom and hybrid-flipped (partially flipped, partially lecture-based) method of instruction has been extensively studied for high school and introductory undergraduate physics courses, and it has been shown to increase student understanding and performance. However, few studies have been done for upper-level undergraduate courses, and even fewer have been done for virtual courses. In Spring 2021 and Fall 2023, a fully virtual, hybrid-flipped Modern Physics course was taught, primarily to a class of primarily juniors and seniors, with some sophomores. All were STEM majors. The same course, with a similar enrolment and demographic of students, was …

Critical Convergence: Mapping The Boundaries Of How Faculty Interrogate Whiteness In The Geoscience Educational Landscape, James E. Hobbs

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

This study examined the role of faculty members in interrogating whiteness within geoscience education. The dominant reliance on whiteness as the primary way of knowing in geoscience education has long perpetuated a singular perspective that serves as a mechanism for reinforcing existing power structures rooted in white supremacy. Drawing on tenets from Critical whiteness Studies, Curriculum Theory, and Transformative Learning Theory, this research investigated U.S. higher education faculty members' strategies and challenges in disrupting whiteness within the geoscience curriculum.

Through critical qualitative narrative inquiry, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with geoscience faculty members across multiple institutions across the United …

Exploring Black Women Initiative Programs At Community Colleges: Potential Possibilities For Institutional Support, Erin K. Lewis

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The existing literature lacks sufficient exploration of Black women’s experiences of a sense of belonging in institutional-sponsored programs centered around their Black and Woman identities at community colleges. Using a collective case study qualitative methodology, the purpose of this study was to understand Black women's experiences of a sense of belonging in institutional-sponsored initiative programs centered around their Black and woman identities at community colleges. The research question guiding this study is: How do Black women experience a sense of belonging in initiative programs centered around their Black and woman identities at community colleges? And to what extent? The conceptual …

New Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Of Multicultural Teacher Preparation, Kelli J. Foster

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The nation is becoming increasingly diverse, with the student population mirroring a broad range of ethnicities and cultures. To best serve their diverse classrooms, new teachers need training on multiple teaching styles and cultural backgrounds to understand and meet the individual needs of their students. This qualitative study investigates novice teachers’ preparation experiences with culturally relevant teaching and multicultural teacher education practices, their perceptions of its presence and effectiveness in preparing them to teach diverse student populations, and how novice teachers describe their experiences working with diverse student populations. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews with eight …

Gender Associations Of American Band Instruments: Exploring And Comparing The Perceptions Of Three Age Groups, Kevin R. Merkel

Music Theses

This collection of three related studies explored the current gender-related perceptions of American band instruments. The first study investigated adults’ perceptions, as they were asked to rank instrument preferences for their hypothetical son and daughter. The second study examined the perceptions of seventh- and eighth-grade band students by allowing them to rate band instruments based on their gender perceptions. The third study investigated the perceptions and experiences of university band students related to gender norms and instruments utilizing a survey and interview process. The results provided evidence that instrument gender perceptions and stereotypes can change, and they suggest that intentional …

Exploring The Role Of Undergraduate And Graduate Real Analysis Experiences In The Mathematical Trajectories Of Women Mathematicians From Historically Disenfranchised Groups, Te'a Riley

Mathematics Dissertations

This phenomenological study examines the role of undergraduate and graduate Real Analysis courses in shaping the mathematical trajectories of seven women Ph.D. mathematicians from groups historically disenfranchised in mathematics.Qualitative analysis of interviews explores various aspects of their development as mathematicians with a focus on their experiences in Real Analysis. This study applies Ryan & Deci’s (1985) Self-Determination Theory's Basic Psychological Need Theory and Critical Race Theory to analyze the trajectories of the participants. The research explores how the fulfillment of basic psychological needs in their Real Analysis courses may have influenced their academic and professional journeys. The basic psychological need …

An Analysis Of Traditional Pedagogical Practices With Innovative Strategies For Beginning Band Students With A Focus On Assessment, Higher-Order Thinking Skills And Differentiation, Cole Woods

Music Theses

Instrumental education is a field rich in tradition, with a strong foundation of methodology being codified in method books used by band directors around the country. Equally rich is the vibrant research community found within music education, and innovative techniques for teaching band are being presented yearly in both journals and conventions. These new strategies and additions to curriculum supported by recent research could potentially deepen the learning taking place in the instrumental music classroom. Nowhere is this more visible than in the wealth of new research, curricula, and literature that has been published regarding beginner instrumental music instruction in …

Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Bundle For Hypertension Outcomes In Adult Patients Receiving Care In Public Health Clinics, Christine Jennifer Victorian

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Hypertension (HTN) that is not adequately controlled leads to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart disease. It affects 116 million adults (47%) in the United States (U.S.). The HTN compliance rate in a South Texas public health clinic was 64%, below the national benchmark of 76%. Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) was recommended in a joint statement by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Literature evidence revealed that the HBPM bundle increased BP control (<140/90 mmHg) compliance.

Methods: A quality improvement (QI) bundle was initiated to address the low HTN compliance rate from a quality management …

The Way Of Eldering: Spiritual Maturation Across The Lifespan, Kineret Yardena

Social Work Theses

Background and Objectives

People in midlife are often encumbered with uncertainty about how to transition toward later life without regret. Many sense the need to spiritually mature as they age, but lack practical guidance. Elders are those in later life who have made this transition and who have become sources of wisdom, nurturance and guidance for those younger than they. This phenomenological study explores the spiritual maturation journey of eldering.

Research Design and Methods

Ten people who were identified as elders took part in intuitive life story interviews. Using Story Method, this phenomenological study sought to identify key themes in …

(Un)Hidden Whiteness: A Critical Policy Analysis On Race-Related Education Policies, Kerry Foraker Green

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Over the last three years (2020-2023), many state legislatures responded to grassroots campaigns for social justice by enrolling legislation that explicitly and implicitly bans Critical Race Theory (CRT) and controls race-related instruction and training. This study examines race-related educational policies enacted by Iowa, Texas, and Florida legislation as leading examples of these efforts. The research question guiding this study was how educational school policies related to CRT in Texas, Florida, and Iowa are framed in state documents. The legislative frame includes the process and language that is utilized in crafting these bills to reveal the policies origins and goals. Three …

Effect Of Financial Factors On The Postsecondary Participation And Choice For First-Generation Students, Deanna L. Pickney

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

As first-generation students make the decision to pursue postsecondary education and choose a specific college, they are currently met with the reality of rising tuition costs and a student loan debt crisis. First-generation students come often from low socio-economic backgrounds and their comprehension of the higher education financial system can vary significantly. This quantitative study uses data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 to examine the financial factors that contribute to first-generation students’ postsecondary education participation and choice by age 22. The guiding theoretical framework is Bourdieu's theory of capital that supports the notion that acquisition of college …

What’S Mentoring Got To Do With It: Examining The Role Of Mentoring In The Success Of Historically Black College And Unviersity (Hbcu) Presidents, Jacolahn Deshawn Dudley

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Over the years there has been an increase in the turnover of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) presidents. As the turnover rates at HBCUs continues to increase, many higher education researchers have noted that HBCUs are currently being plagued by a leadership crisis (Evans et al., 2002; Freeman & Palmer, 2020; Kimbrough, 2017). Despite heavy criticism by media and academic researchers, very few recommendations have been made in regard to combating the “leadership crisis” at HBCUs. Of the studies conducted, researchers have recommended that one way to counter the rapid turnover of HBCU presidents is by engaging in some …

The Me You Can’T See: Stories Of Black Male Elementary Teachers’ Experiences And Decisions To Teach, An Endarkened Storywork Study, Trevor Dustin Mccray

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Black male teachers in PK-12 make up less than 2% of the teacher workforce with an undetermined representation in elementary education. Although there have been efforts to increase their representation in the field, there remains a lack of Black males entering the classroom as teachers. In addition, there has been limited research examining ecological systems' influence on Black male teachers' elementary teacher experiences and their decisions to teach in early childhood education. In response, this proposed qualitative Endarkened Storywork study examined Black male elementary teachers' experiences and highlighted the perceived influence of Black males teaching in early childhood education through …

Spare The Rod: African American Students’ Experience Of Postsecondary Student Conduct Processes, Melissa Sanders

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Although African Americans enroll at postsecondary institutions at similar rates as other ethnic groups, consistently, they lag in degree completion. This has led to lower wages, fewer employment opportunities, and higher health disparities among African Americans. Consequently, the literature is full of studies attempting to increase Black student degree attainment. This includes their perception of campus climates, academic preparedness, and sense of belonging. However, other opportunities to promote and encourage African American scholastic success, such as the disciplinary process, are understudied. To address this gap, I utilized a phenomenological qualitative study to examine the way African Americans perceived the impact …

The High Cost Of Leaving: Veteran Teachers In Islamic Schools, Hanan Almasri

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Utilizing a traditional qualitative approach, this study explored the experiences of veteran teachers in Islamic private schools and their retention decisions through the lens of the job embeddedness framework, which examines the attachment factors that keep people in their positions through three distinct dimensions (Links, Fit, and Sacrifice) The participants in this study include eight veteran teachers with five or more years’ experience teaching at the same school and two current principals. The study site is a private, well-established, K-12 Islamic school in North Texas. The participants engaged in semi-structured, in-depth interviews to share their motivations for remaining at their …

Parental Involvement And Satisfaction: A Comparative Study Of High-School Charter Schools And Traditional Public Schools, Nicholas Thompson-Davis

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine parents’ levels of satisfaction with school choice by comparing charter and traditional public schools at the secondary level. The main assumption of the study is that parental satisfaction with school choice is related to parental involvement with children’s education and their views of school-home communication. The study is guided by Bourdieu’s theory of capital to interpret parental involvement efforts and their assessment of school-home communication as ways to acquire social capital for themselves and their children. Epstein’s framework of parental involvement allows for operationalizing the concept with respect to school and out-of-school …

Pipeline To Power: A Creative Exploration Of My Journey To Black Youth Empowerment, Junichi Uehara Lockett

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Through an arts-based autoethnography, I explored the influences and experiences that informed my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming. Although there is a significant amount of scholarship on Black youth empowerment programming and its importance to Black children, there is limited literature on how one becomes a Black youth empowerment facilitator in the community. I sought to answer the following questions: (1) How did external forces and people inform my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming? (2) How did my inner drive and consciousness inform my approach to leading Black youth empowerment programming? (3) How does a critique …

The Medicalization Of Communication: An Analysis Of The Policies And Educational Practices Surrounding Patient And Physician Interaction, Ramona Jewelmaria Dorough

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

This dissertation explores the medicalization domains through three studies to assert that communication exists in all facets of the patient- physician relationship. The first study is a policy analysis that examines the institutional domain through policies and educational standards created in the medical community that dictate the importance of communication. The second study examines medical students' level of clinical empathy using the Jefferson Scales of Empathy. The second study ties to the conceptual domain of the medicalization of communication, showing the creation of terminology (i.e., clinical empathy, clinical communication) helps uniquely identify and measure empathy through communication. The third study …

"And Still I Rise": Exploring Black Women's Joy While Aspiring To The College Presidency, Courtney E. Matthews

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Despite the expansion of literature on Black women college presidents, there is an oversaturation of the struggles Black women experience once in the role that is rooted within the role of racism and sexism. This study focuses on understanding how Black joy influences Black women's aspirations to pursue university or college presidencies at historically white institutions (HWIs). The legacy of Black joy in Black communities is one of healing, resistance, and restoration. Yet, little is understood about how Black joy impacts Black women's experience in higher education. Black women’s journeys to the presidency are a unique exploration of their present-day …

Black Male Baccalaureate Degree Attainment: The Relationship Between Single- Mother Status, Family Background Factors, High School Gpa And College Engagement, Michael T. Russ

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Low bachelor’s degree attainment rates for Black males is a multiplex problem due to the array of academic and non-academic factors affecting student experiences. Among these factors, family factors play an important role in students’ development and educational success, particularly for Black students. While previous research has explored some contributing factors to the low degree completion rate of Black males, there is a paucity of research specific to how the status of the single-mother household impacts Black males’ degree completion. Therefore, this study sought to examine the relationship between household status and Black male college engagement and degree attainment. Furthermore, …

Performance-Based Funding In Texas: Sensemaking Experiences Of Administrators At Hispanic-Serving Community Colleges, Kathleen Elizabeth Launius

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Despite the expansive literature on higher education performance-based funding (PBF) policies, there is an oversaturation of quantitative studies focused on measuring metric performance at the statewide level. These studies have largely found that PBF fails to meet its goal of improving graduation rates and has unintended consequences for historically underserved student populations (e.g., Black, Latinx/a/o, low-income) and under-resourced institutions (e.g., community colleges, minority-serving institutions). Further, the limited qualitative studies have revealed widespread positive attitudes and institutional changes at the campus level in the early stages of policy implementation. However, the literature fails to critically examine campus-based attitudes and experiences over …

The Influence Of Black Greek Membership On The Academic Engagement Of African American Male Students, Cedric D. Shelby

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the experiences of Black male students who are members of Black Greek Letter Fraternities (BGLF) while attending a large institution. This study examines the academic practices of the fraternity members, and the effects fraternity membership has on their academic progress. For this study, four Black male undergraduate fraternity members and five graduates shared stories of their undergraduate experiences and how being in a fraternity impacted their academic progress. Semi-structured questions were used during the interviews to explore the student’s academic engagement and they focused on the following research question: 1. …

Regional Accreditation Of Southern Colleges And Universities, Ricardo Rodriguez

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

Higher education regional accreditation presents problems for colleges and universities in the Southern states. Research on regional accreditation has focused on qualitative approaches to understand how institutions experience accreditation reviews or on quantitative methodologies to examine a single issue of accreditation compliance. However, research has not examined the results of reaffirmation reviews in an entire region and in relation to institutional characteristics. This study aims to examine regional accreditation records of two-year and four-year institutions in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) membership to understand the most challenging standards of accreditation and explore the relationship …

Principal Retention: The Perceptions Of Veteran Secondary Principals Who Remain In Their Roles As Instructional Leaders, Coletha Tucker Johnson

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

The role of school principals has changed from being managers to instructional leaders. As a result, many principals do not feel prepared to lead under these conditions, in which some leave their campuses within the first five-years of service. Despite school districts implementing educational reforms to attract and retain principals, turnover persists and is more pervasive in secondary settings when compared to elementary campuses. This study explored the perceptions of six veteran secondary principals (five-years or more at their campus) from two Texas school districts and whether self-confidence in their abilities or self-efficacy impacted their effectiveness as instructional leaders, thus …

Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, And Social Identity: Experiences Of Social Work Faculty In Managing Controversial Classroom Discussions, Tiara Anice Thomas

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations

There is a dearth of literature on how social work faculty manage controversial conversations in the classroom. This qualitative study addresses the deficit in the literature by using Deardorff’s (2008) Intercultural Competence model, the literature on the role faculty social identity plays during teaching, and the lived experiences of eight social work faculty at a four-year public research university. The four themes that emerged in this study’s findings are: 1) preparation, 2) interactions during discussions, 3) engagement, and 4) social identity. Guided by Deardorff’s Intercultural Competence model, the study revealed that faculty knowledge, attitudes, and skills substantially influence the ways …