Education Commons^™

Establishing A Sense Of Community While Meeting The Needs Of Online Adjunct Instructors, Melissa Weber

Dissertations and Theses

As online adjunct instructors continue to fill an instructional role and meet the needs of online learners, university leaders need to look for ways for professional development to increase online adjunct instructors’ sense of community and meet their diverse needs. The critical problem of this study recognized that online adjunct instructors have different needs than those of on campus faculty; these needs are not being met by traditional means currently used in university settings. Therefore, the overall goal of this qualitative phenomenological study sought to explore how university leaders could establish a sense of community while meeting the professional development …

Crossing The Goalline: Identifying The Success Of Black Football Players At A Predominantly White Institution, Mark Blackburn

Dissertations and Theses

The presence of Black football players in predominantly white institutions in athletic programs often highlights the racial disparities in college athletics. It is important to understand the dynamic discrepancies in the resources, support, and opportunities provided to Black football players to obtain success. This research examines the lived experiences of Black football players at a PWI located in the Midwest. Data was coded and analyzed into categories. There are six themes that emerged. 1. The attention to have academic focus. 2. The ability to maintain a connection and support from family and other important figures. 3. Constantly navigating microaggressions from …

Integrated Stem Learning Activity: Effect On Student Engagement And Learning, Leslie Deitrich Sauder

Dissertations and Theses

Student engagement in math and science courses decreases starting in middle school and continues throughout high school (Museus et al., 2011). This lack of engagement results in students taking only the required math and science coursework and not advanced coursework that would help prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning activities may be used to promote student engagement and learning. This experimental design study was conducted with students in grades 3-5 in one rural mid-sized school district in the upper mid-west. Student engagement was analyzed using a …

Reading Utopian Pedagogies: Discovering The Practical Here And Now Of Utopian Thinking, Carter Johnke

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis offers a way of reading texts for their utopian aims, a term I use to analyze utopian themes and ideas in a text while keeping the focus on practicality. Reading a text for its utopian aims discovers what a text hopes for but always reflects on how those hopes serve the here and now of the author and the reader. The idealistic conclusions of utopian thinking, the utopian visions, only play a role in the utopian aim. This project does not promote the ultimate or extreme ends of utopian visions; instead, it analyzes the educational effects of entertaining …

Attachment Network Structures And Adult Mental Health, Junnan Tian

Dissertations and Theses

Close relationships are essential to the mental health and adaptation of adults. The study of close relationships and mental health has concentrated on dyadic interactions in different types of relationships, such as parents, best friends, and romantic partners. Much less attention has focused on how a network of close relationships informs mental health. This study concentrated on a network of five close relationships in relation to adult mental health outcomes. Four network metrics, which are composition (who), strength (number of attachment figures), morphology (hierarchical or nonhierarchical), and physical proximity were examined as predictors of adult mental health outcomes (i.e., depression, …

Information Technology Security Concerns For University Workforce And Supporting Infrastructure During A Pandemic, Garrett Stevens

Dissertations and Theses

Faculty and staff working from home during the COVID pandemic were presented with new challenges in adapting to emergency remote teaching, as well as new and expanded cyber security threats. Changes to course delivery, remote access from public locations, and the potential of faculty and staff storing confidential educational records on university-issued devices, and potentially personally owned devices, made faculty and staff prime targets of malicious attackers. Information technology departments were challenged to support and secure the remote workforce from new cyber threats to protect their faculty, staff, and students from cyber-attacks. The focus of this study was to identify …

Information, Communication, And Technology In Developing Countries: The Impediment To Nigeria Economic Growth, Fatima Ali Muhammed

Dissertations and Theses

Technological revolution has shifted the world to a post-industrial society as information communication and technology (ICT) govern the centrality of human interaction. ICT has become widely influential at all levels of life, especially socially and economically.

In the 21st century, innovative technologies have become a crucial element of accelerating all factors of production to deliver rapid and effective results in every sector of the economy. The Internet, as a component of ICT, has become the global computing network that facilitates the access, analysis and dissemination of infinite information rapidly using advanced technology.

Policy makers, researchers, business leaders, academics are all …

Student Privacy And Learning Analytics: Investigating The Application Of Privacy Within A Student Success Information System In Higher Education, Mary Francis

Dissertations and Theses

Learning analytics are starting to become standardized in higher education as institutions use the techniques of Big Data analytics to make decisions to help them reach their goals. The widespread use of student information brings forth ethical concerns primarily in relation to privacy. While the overarching ethical issues related to learning analytics are discussed in the literature, there has been a call for more studies to examine how they are put into practice. This case study used interviews and other data resources to determine how privacy is addressed within a student success information system at a public institution of higher …

Handwriting: A Qualitative Study Exploring Elementary Teachers’ Beliefs, Knowledge, Preparation, Practice And Influencing Factors In Handwriting Instruction, Lori Beth Fox

Dissertations and Theses

Handwriting instruction is often seen as less important in the curriculum, particularly due to pressures of passing high states assessments and the need to develop technology competencies, as technology in education and society has become commonplace. Current research shows that literacy skills are supported through the direct instruction of handwriting. Handwriting has also been associated with academic success, autoactivating the memory and processing portion of the brain, and is an important component in preparing the brain for phonics and reading acquisition. This has created a problem of a significant disconnect between research-based recommendations and current classroom practices in handwriting instruction. …

Induction And Mentoring Programs: Pathways To New Teacher Retention And Success, Valerie Kim Seales

Dissertations and Theses

The pipeline of college students seeking teaching positions is shrinking. The teacher shortage makes finding and retaining new teachers even more challenging. The cost of replacing existing teachers who leave is tremendous, and new teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate. This dissertation explored the lived experiences of new teachers who recently completed their induction and mentoring program. The study addresses three primary research questions: (1) What are the perceived benefits and deficits of the induction program (2) What (if any) additional support do new teachers need to improve their work experience in our schools? Using a phenomenological research …

Toward A Typology Of Internationalization Strategy: The Intersection Of External Environments With Universities’ Structures And Cultures, Eric D. Leise

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university’s internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were situated within the contextual framework of comprehensive internationalization developed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Applying neoinstitutionalist theory of isomorphism, the case study revealed three typologies of internationalization strategies: idealist, realist, and pragmatist. The study’s findings provide scholars and practitioners with new tools and insights to right-size …

Academic Advisors’ Perceptions, Knowledge, And Attitudes Toward Working With Students Experiencing Substance Use Concerns, Amy Orr

Dissertations and Theses

Academic advisors have played an essential role within higher education institutions. Not only did academic advisors assist students in selecting courses/scheduling, but advisors could also help address students' substance use concerns. These concerns could be a factor preventing students from graduating. Students with substance use concerns who did not receive adequate services were barred from reaching their full potential in life and academics, receiving lower grades, and suffering from higher dropout rates than other students. Thus, it was vital for advisors to have the skills to help students with substance use concerns or refer them for additional services. Intrusive advising …

Identifying Barriers To The Longevity Of Athletic Coaching: A Case Study Of A National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Ross Douma

Dissertations and Theses

Significant research regarding longevity existed for many professions. However, very little research was conducted on longevity for small college athletic coaches. This case study sought to identify barriers that affected athletic coaches who served at small colleges in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Participants in this study were current head athletic coaches in the GPAC with at least 15 years of experience. The research concluded that each of the participants in the study was a transformational leader who desired to impact and influence young people beyond their sport. This study of eight athletic coaches revealed themes pertinent to coaching …

An Examination Of Pell Grant Recipient Graduation Rates And Institutional Expenditures At Public Baccalaureate Institutions, Lamont Alphonso Sellers

Dissertations and Theses

The present study examines the differences between public baccalaureate institutional expenditures and Pell Grant recipient graduation rates at high and low Pell Grant recipient graduating institutions. IPEDS data were analyzed, including instructional, academic support, student services, institutional support, and Pell Grant recipient 6-year graduation rates from the 2018 academic reporting year. Results from a Mann-Whitney U test compare 99 institutions divided into a high graduation rate group (N_high=40) and a low graduation group (N_low=59). The analysis showed there are mean rank differences between the groups that are statistically significant. These results support the need for further study to make sense …

Examining Elementary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy To Teach Engineering: The Impact Of Project Lead The Way Launch Professional Development, Branden Robert Hoefert

Dissertations and Theses

Today’s elementary teachers are expected to teach the engineering practices included in the National Research Council’s Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards. Recent studies have indicated that teachers are less self-efficacious in teaching engineering than in other subject areas. Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a nonprofit organization that offers pre-K–12th grade curricula and teacher training focused on three pathways: engineering, computer science, and biomedical science. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PLTW transitioned its teacher trainings to a virtual modality. At the time of this study, most of PLTW’s teacher training remained virtual or hybrid. …

Factors Influencing Hard Running Distances In Ncaa Division I Female Soccer Players, Isaac A. Sam

Dissertations and Theses

As the total distances covered in soccer games have remained relatively constant, the hard running distances covered by players have shown varying changes due to the higher physical demands and dynamics of team running performances. Although factors affecting the total distances covered in a match are multifactorial, no study has specifically examined match performance indicators (MPI) that impact hard running distances (HRD). Consequently, the purpose of this study was to better understand how MPI (hard running efforts, turnovers, minutes played, duels won, duels lost, and pass completions) are associated with HRDs and to investigate how each variable contributes to HRDs …

The Educator’S Experience Incorporating Blended Learning In A Secondary Classroom, Kiki Nelsen

Dissertations and Theses

Blended learning is a teaching strategy that broadly consists of the use of multiple methods of delivery, often including face-to-face and technology-enhanced teaching. Research on the efficacy of blended learning programs has lacked focus in large part due to the ambiguity of the definition. Most existing blended learning research has been conducted in post-secondary environments and centers on the experience of the student. Research on motivation and engagement in technology-enhanced learning classrooms yields both positive and negative outcomes found in some studies to be correlated to the involvement of the teacher in the design and facilitation of the technology. Given …

Disconnected, Frustrated And Withdrawn: Institutional Policy Implications For Equity In Student And Faculty Community, Jessica Marie Welsh

Dissertations and Theses

DFW rates at intuitions of higher education for students from underrepresented populations trended higher than majority students. A single explanatory case study provides insight to the factors impacting DFW rates in first-year gateway courses at a four-year, public, comprehensive institution. The study employed the use of focus groups of students, non-tenure-track faculty, and tenure-track faculty. In addition, institutional data was collected and used to triangulate to the data collected from focus groups. The inductive results showed multiple institutional barriers causing DFW rates among first-generation, Pell Grant, and/or students of color. Using Turner and Angulo’s (2018) theoretical framework of high-risk decision-making …

The Effectiveness Of The Teaching Interaction Procedure For Young Children With Developmental Delay, Bailey Nicole Swain

Dissertations and Theses

Developmental Delay (DD) is an IDEA classification for young children who fail to meet developmental milestones at typical times. Young children with delays in social or emotional development may show deficits in social skills. Noting the importance of early intervention, identifying effective social skills interventions for children aged 3-5 is essential. Kopp et al. (1992) note the differences in social skills between preschoolers with DD and typically developing peers. This study investigated the effects of the Teaching Interaction Procedure on skill acquisition and generalization to a free play activity in the general education classroom.

Academic Freedom And Theological Commitments In Ats Accredited Institutions, Leon Miles

Dissertations and Theses

Academic freedom is an important principle in higher education. This is no less true for religious higher education than public higher education. There exists, however, a tension between academic freedom and theological commitments in religious higher education. This dissertation presents findings from a comparative case study between a church body sponsored seminary and an independent seminary. The purpose of this comparative case study was to investigate the policy development and implementation of academic freedom and theological commitments for institutions of religious higher education at two religious graduate schools accredited by ATS in North America. There is an inherent dynamic tension …

Increasing Collaboration To Improve Student Outcomes: Improvement Science, Cassandra Diane Thonstad

Dissertations and Theses

The aspiration of achieving equitable outcomes for all students is a focus of schools, districts, and communities but has largely remained unattainable with the top-down implementation of change ideas and directives that come and go as quickly as they are implemented. Too often the direct users, students and classroom staff, are left out of the conversations around what works best to improve student success, contributing to the achievement gaps experienced by our students of color, students receiving special education or English language services, or in the case of a hook discipline, young men. By utilizing Improvement Science through collaboration across …

K-12 Racial Equity Work In The Predominantly White Pacific Northwest: Interracial Conversations, Counter-Stories, And Considerations, Bradley Justin Parker

Dissertations and Theses

K-12 public education in the United States, post Brown v. Board of Education (1954), has historically maintained a predominantly White teaching force, and has persistently underserved students of Color in terms of academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Additionally, K-12 school-based racial equity work that strives to address the operation of racism is inconsistent, difficult to measure, and has not demonstrably created more racially equitable experiences or outcomes for students or educators of Color. In this project, I critically explore K-12 school-based efforts towards more racial equity in the predominantly White Pacific Northwest, and I take an intentional and critical look …

Critical Awareness, Reflection, And Action In Head Start Leadership: A Critical Consciousness Case Study Of Head Start Leaders, Christopher Pearce Agudelo

Dissertations and Theses

Diverse families with preschool-aged children are at an enhanced risk of marginalization in the United States. Whether they are of a different race, level of ability, gender, or socioeconomic background, they need early childhood leaders and educators who can focus on caring for their children. In this exploratory qualitative study, I conducted five open-ended interviews with Head Start education managers--a similar position to a preschool Director or a K-12 Principal. The objective was to understand better how Head Start Education Managers attend to equity and inclusion via critical awareness, critical reflection, and critical action. I utilized the three-element construct of …

In Favor Of Bringing Game Theory Into Urban Studies And Planning Curriculum: Reintroducing An Underused Method For The Next Generation Of Urban Scholars, Brian Mcdonald Gardner

Dissertations and Theses

By looking at some historical examples of Urban Studies literature and theory (and a detailed dive into Neil Smith's "Toward a theory of gentrification…") this thesis makes the case that Game Theory has valid insights to add to the foundation of Urban Studies and Planning and should be included in Masters and Doctorate level curriculums. As a discipline Game Theory has revolutionized multiple other fields, and can be used both mathematically and/or non-mathematically. It is postulated below that the inclusion of Game Theory would help scholars and practitioners arrive at better outcomes. This case is made by reviewing various areas …

Does Instructional Autonomy Matter? Exploring Job Satisfaction For Math And Non-Math Teachers In Low, Middle, And High Ses Schools, Hannah Sean Ellefritz

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the 2000s, standards-based education policies decreased the autonomy of public schools across the U.S., deprofessionalizing educators and limiting their participation in the development of curriculum and instructional policy. Many education scholars argue that, rather than professionals with specialized skills and knowledge, standards-based reforms position teachers as technicians, accountable for measurable output in accordance with externally imposed standards. This literature suggests that such education policies may have implications for teachers’ job satisfaction, especially those working in schools or subject fields that are particularly susceptible to standardized curriculum and accountability procedures. Using nationally representative data from the Teaching and Learning International …

What's Care Got To Do With It? Expulsion Practices In Family Child Care, Josephina Paulina Emmrich

Dissertations and Theses

Expulsion of children under five years old in early childhood care and education settings is a problem, especially in family child care programs with the highest expulsion rates across early childhood care and education settings. Recently passed Oregon legislation prohibits expulsion in child care programs (Oregon SB 236, 2021). Influencing outcomes for young children and the family child care providers who work with them. Family child care programs are small businesses primarily run by women who work alone from their homes. Systemic inequities contribute to a lack of support and access to resources for family child care providers. These inequities …

Leaving College Without A Degree: The Student Experience At An Urban Broad Access Institution, Andrea Marie Garrity

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis seeks to understand how students who leave college without a degree, or non-completers, experience broad access institutions in an effort to shift our thinking from the student characteristics that predict college dropout to how broad access institutions can better serve students and improve graduation rates. To answer this question, I conducted interviews with former students who had recently attended a broad access institution and left without a degree. Results show that participants expressed internalized views of the traditional college student archetype, which was reinforced through their college experience. Further, participants encountered significant bureaucratic challenges and barriers, and expressed …

The Process Of Establishing A Blooming Chemistry Tool For Use In Undergraduate Chemistry Education And Research, Emryse Geye

Dissertations and Theses

While it is still common in college chemistry to assess student learning and skill with summative assessments, the CER community does not currently have a simple tool to determine and communicate whether an assessment is actually aligned with the outcomes of interest. In particular, as so-called evidence-based teaching practices and active learning strategies gain a foothold in college chemistry classrooms, the ability to communicate whether those (often labor-, cost-, and time-intensive) interventions are not only aligned with course outcomes, but also provide measurable benefit to students becomes more imperative. While college chemistry has made some strides in the area of …

High School Persisters And Alternative Schools, Hyuny Clark-Shim

Dissertations and Theses

In response to a "dropout crisis," over the past decade much effort was made to retain high school students. Recent years' trends indicated an overall increased level of graduation rates; however, there has been a largely overlooked student population, persisters, who did not earn a high school diploma by the expected graduation date but remain engaged and continue to work towards graduation into their fifth or even sixth year of high school.

Using exploratory CART analysis, this study examined what individual-level and school-level factors were most effective in distinguishing students who were persisters versus on-time graduates. Given that persisters …

Analyzing Classroom Discourse To Investigate Structuring Equitable Mathematical Talk In Small Groups And Whole-Class Discussions, Brittney Marie Ellis

Dissertations and Theses

Shifting classroom discourse to be more student-centered has become an integral part of reform-oriented instructional practices. At the same time, shifting discourse can open up opportunities for inequity to occur in the immediate learning environment as both the quantity and quality of mathematical talk changes. In this project, I examined complexities involved in such settings by using discourse analysis methods to explore the positioning of students relative to mathematics content and each other's mathematical ideas. First, I analyzed the ways teachers' discourse during group work enactments related to established equitable teaching practices. Findings from this study suggest communicating group tasks …