Education Commons^™

Factors That Influence The Use Of Culturally Relevant And Responsive Pedagogies For Elementary School Leaders, Stephanie Lindstrom

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of minority students in public schools has highlighted the need for teachers and school leaders to seek and implement exclusive instructional strategies that will foster cultural diversity. The climate, culture, and vision of a school are a direct reflection of the school’s leadership. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural readiness of elementary school leaders, as measured by the cultural readiness leadership scale (CRLS), and their beliefs and perceptions of culturally relevant and responsive practices. The foundational philosophy used to support this research was the transformational leadership theory. The research methodology entailed a mixed-method approach …

3ddp Engineering Design Intervention Impacts On Student Perceptions, Attitudes, And Interest Towards Engineering, James Robert Kane

Theses and Dissertations

The study, “3DDP Engineering Design Intervention Impacts on Student Perceptions, Attitudes, and Interest Towards Engineering” explored the impact of a culturally responsive, semi-formal 3D printing (3DDP) intervention on middle school students' perceptions, attitudes, and interest in engineering. The intervention aimed to broaden access to engineering education by providing formative experiences outside traditional classroom settings within the regular school day. A multifaceted approach was employed, utilizing quantitative analysis of assessments and surveys, qualitative analysis of written responses, follow-up interviews, and student-produced artifacts. The intervention functioned as a student-driven engineering club, integrating culturally relevant themes and hands-on activities spanning diverse engineering domains. …

Photovoice As A Reflective Pedagogy For Undergraduate Community Psychology Students, Shereé Bielecki

Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive qualitative study was designed to understand the experiences of former Community Psychology (CP) undergraduate students who participated in a degree program at a California university. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how former Community Psychology undergraduate students describe their experiences using reflective Photovoice activities to learn about and become involved in social justice. The theoretical frameworks that informed this study were in social justice theory, pedagogical practices related to teaching social justice using Photovoice, and the practice of self-reflection in college classrooms. Two primary research questions guide the inquiry: 1) How do former Community Psychology …

A Critical Perspective On Supporting Parents In Facilitating Informal Steam Learning On Children's Early Literacy Development, Suzanne G. Alexandre

Theses and Dissertations

Considering that parents/caregivers and home environment play an influential role in a child’s school readiness and future academic success, this study sought to support parents in using facilitation strategies to engage their child in informal learning at home. In order to examine if access to support for parents of preschoolers influenced parents’ confidence in their ability to facilitate informal learning at home, the project used informal STEAM learning, for context. The study also examines the potential impact of informal STEAM learning on children's school readiness and early literacy skills and the intersections of parent involvement, STEAM, and school readiness through …

Exploring The Experiences Of Refugee Youth In Public Schools: An Ethical Phenomenological Inquiry, Hilary T. Stim

Theses and Dissertations

The study outlined in this dissertation focuses on the intersection between refugee youth between the ages of 13-18 and the United States public school, specifically the manner in which refugee youth experience institutionalized education. It utilizes ethical phenomenology as a means to amplify the voices of refugee students and to centralize the students' experiences, thoughts, and ideas related to education The study was framed by one research question that is addressed to the participants: “What is it like being a student in a public school?” Seven students took part in the study. Collaborative dialogues took place with the participants across …

Considering Systems Of Power And Black And Latine Students’ Belonging In Stem, Korinthia D. Nicolai

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on (a) exploring the need for and strategies to facilitate the integration of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and educational psychology and (b) supporting Black and Latine students through examining the impact of systems of power via the integration of belonging and Critical Race Theory. This dissertation follows a three-paper format. In Paper 1, we recognize that psychology researchers can use CRT to explore race and racism. However, psychology scholars may confront growing pains when integrating CRT due to their respective inquiry worldviews–postpositivism and critical–which result in several tensions. These tensions may limit the uptake of CRT in …

Exploring The Experiences Of Faculty Learning To Teach Online: A Case Study, Peyton P. Burgess Jr

Theses and Dissertations

Through an examination of literature, interviews and focus groups with participants of a faculty development program on online teaching and learning at a large Public Mid-Atlantic Urban University (PMUU), this research aimed to uncover the elements of a faculty development course or other impacts that contributed to the success or hindrance of faculty in their online course delivery. This qualitative study aimed to foster collaborative relationships with participants and resulted in data that might inform the development of faculty and their online courses in similarly situated contexts.

Learning Curve: Designing An Inclusive Early Childhood Learning Center, Sarah Alrumayh

Theses and Dissertations

This research centers on the improvement of early childhood education environments in hopes to reduce the disparities in outcomes among children aged 2-6, widely known as "the achievement gap." It sheds light on designing an inclusive, child-centered school for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and speech or language impairments (SLI). Drawing on the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), it underscores the benefits of integrating students with special education needs into mainstream education, thereby fostering inclusive learning environments. (IDEA, 1975).

The research question probes how to create a nurturing and adaptable school environment tailored to the diverse needs of …

Living The American Dream? College Experiences Of Undocumented Students In An Era Of Rising Xenophobia And Political Turmoil, Sandra Y. Ting Ph.D.

Theses and Dissertations

This research study sought to deepen the understanding of the journeys of undocumented and DACAmented college students in an era of escalated xenophobia and political unrest. Three noteworthy themes emerged from the sentiments expressed by participants. The experiences they described included: 1) the turmoil of undocumented status eliciting unique and empowering demonstrations of resourcefulness, creativity, and self-advocacy, 2) motivation and stress from their respective citizenship statuses existing as two mutually dependent facets of a unified whole, 3) a community of support from other undocumented and/or DACAmented peers as a necessity for wellbeing. These critical outcomes culminate in the conditioning to …

From Temporary Nurse Aide To Certified Nurse Aide: Examining Temporary Nurse Aides’ Perceptions Of Situated Learning As Preparation For The National Nurse Aide Assessment Program Examination, Amy Taloma

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) staffing shortages in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities. To address these shortages, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) authorized LTC facilities to employ Temporary Nurse Aides (TNA). The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) developed free online training for individuals which is much shorter than traditional nurse aide training and does not require hands-on skill training or a clinical practicum. The Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) ended in October 2022. As a result, TNAs are no longer authorized to work in LTC Facilities …

Department Chairs’ Impact On The Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Of Their Departments, Nicholas R. Garcia Ii

Theses and Dissertations

Department chairs serve not only as the leaders of their departments but also as middle managers in their schools, colleges, and universities. While many department chairs see their role as having little authority, they still play an integral role in day-to-day campus operations (Hunt & Jones, 2015). As leaders of their departments, chairs can directly influence the department’s organizational culture (Schein, 2010), including the culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Departments nationwide are being held responsible for increasing the diversity of the faculty and responding to students' calls for diversity. Departmental organizational culture and the role of the chairperson are essential …

Youth Literacy And Social Practices In A Gaming Club, Abdul R. Siddiqui

Theses and Dissertations

One of the growing phenomena of our digital age is the proliferation of digital fan spaces (Gee, 2018). Dedicated to a specific fandom or activity, these spaces have allowed participants to play competitively, share videos with each other, create fanfiction, provide feedback to one another and engage in a host of literacies around something they share an affinity for (Black, 2009; Gee, 2017a). Through advances in technology, access to multiple tools and highly specialized knowledge of specific subjects, youth can now create communities in online spaces where they can engage in complex activities with their friends and fellow gamers without …

Spouse Violence In Case Of Police Officers In Puerto Rico: Violence In Police Families, Jorge Ismael Suarez

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the relationship between factors related to police work and whether these factors help predict domestic violence in a sample of officers of the Puerto Rico Police. The following factors were explored in this study: external burnout, alcohol abuse, department withdrawal, and authoritarian spillover. This study was based on a previous study by Johnson et al. (2005), which revealed that violence exposure and domestic violence among police officers are linked according to four mediation chains. The mediation chain was a model implemented by the authors to determine the influence of burnout, authoritarian spillover, alcohol …

Administrators’ Perceptions Of The Impact Of Restorative Practices On Discipline Referrals And Suspension Rates In A Rural Elementary School, Gregory W. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in the study involved excessive out-of-school suspensions, which have been a major concern for public school educators for decades. The purpose of the study explored the perceptions of participants regarding the effects of implementing restorative practices on suspension rates at a rural elementary school.The qualitative phenomenology study used a purposive sample of 10 educators who interacted with students suspended for violating the school's code of conduct. Six kindergarten through Grade 5 teachers, two Grades 3–5 grade-level chairpersons, the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support coordinator, and one administrator participated in the study. Utilizing case study approaches, this qualitative …

The Experience Of Teaching Disengaged Students In Stem: Examined Through The Lens Of The Abc Engagement Framework, William Randall Hjorth

Theses and Dissertations

Young people today are increasingly disengaged from their education. Studies indicate that of all school subjects, American students struggle to engage in STEM subjects more than others. For decades, we have known that student engagement/disengagement impacts teachers. Researchers have also claimed that engagement/disengagement can be described as a construct made up of affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions (ABC). However, we do not understand how teachers experience student disengagement in these three areas. At a crucial time in education, investigation into the experiences of teachers with disengaged students is needed to uncover insights which may help us understand how teachers interpret …

Drawing About Writing: Exploring Egyptian Middle School Students’ Writing Motivation And Perceptions, Maryam Elbayady

Theses and Dissertations

The principal aim of this study is to explore Egyptian middle school students’ perceptions of their writing experiences using artistic expression, specifically drawings. It also aims to understand their levels of writing motivation using the Self-Beliefs, Writing-Beliefs, and Attitude Survey (SWAS) (Wright et al., 2019). Finally, it examines the relationships among participants’ perceptions, motivation, and their narrative writing performance. The view that students’ voices are valuable to research geared towards school improvement has largely propelled this study (Bland, 2018; Zumbrunn et al., 2017). In addition, due to the limited literature about middle school students enrolled at private Egyptian schools, this …

Examining The Impact That A Modified School Calendar Had On Teacher Attendance In A Rural Mississippi School District, James W. Carlisle Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Educational leaders have long recognized the certified classroom teacher as the most important factor in student performance and success. In his research article Teachers Matter: Understanding Teachers’ Impact on Student Achievement for the Rand Corporation, Opper (2019) stated, “When it comes to student performance on reading and math tests, teachers are estimated to have two to three times the effect of any other school factor, including services, facilities, and leadership” (para. 2). While district and school administrators certainly understand the impact teachers have on student performance, little has been done to mitigate the issue of teacher absenteeism, which has become …

College Preparedness. Narratives Of Transitions From High School To College., Chelsey Luann Vincent

Theses and Dissertations

Despite many theories on student success as well as many resources to help students make the transition from high school to college, many students do not persist in or graduate from college. The purpose of this dissertation is to provide insight into what takes place when students leave P-12 institutions and enter institutions of higher education by using focused narrative inquiry. This study took place at a large research university in the south. The study included 4 participants at various parts of their transition journey. Participants in the study responded to written prompts. Follow up interviews were conducted, and a …

Exploring The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Adolescent Development: A Study Of Students Attending Schools In Poverty And Non-Poverty Areas, Clifton B. Thames

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has indicated a relationship between poverty, participation in extracurricular activities, and developmental outcomes. The current study aimed to investigate and develop a deeper understanding of extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their impacts on adolescent development using two self-report tools, the YES 2.0 and the Delinquent Attitude Scale (DAS). The researcher surveyed 174 high school seniors from students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas in Mississippi, examining disparities in ECA opportunities, barriers to participation, and the positive and negative impacts of ECAs on development. Additional data were collected from school administrators, allowing …

Does Mississippi School Principals’ Age, Race, Gender, Educational Attainment, Work Experience In Education, Or Evaluation Scores Influence Accountability Points?, Braxton Dywayne Stowe

Theses and Dissertations

Traditional research agrees that only effective school principals can fully influence student achievement, and school leaders are pivotal to the success of schools in America. Researchers have linked positive student outcomes to further illustrate the point, including student achievement, to high-quality school leadership. The purpose of this study is to assist state and district education leaders in Mississippi in having a more profound knowledge of which principal demographics and characteristics are more directly correlated with the improvement of accountability scores or student achievement. The results of the correlational and regression analysis to determine the relationship between principal variables and the …

Current And Future Perceived Needs And Concerns For Older Adults Aging In Place In Mississippi: Intergenerational Perspectives, Muhammad Riaz

Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to identify the perceived needs and concerns of three generations in a family with an older adult aging in place in Mississippi. This mixed-methods study used snowball sampling in addition to recruitment by community leaders such as Extension agents to collect data through semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires that asked about current and future problems among aging adults in rural communities in Mississippi. Three generations of Mississippians participated in the study, including older adults (G1; n = 22), adult children (G2; n = 23), and young adult grandchildren (G3; n = 19). Quantitative data were analyzed …

Student Thinking Driving Collaboration And Teacher Knowledge, Rachel Cheney

Theses and Dissertations

The study in this paper examined how teachers engaged in their structured Professional Learning Community (PLC) time in a manner that focused their work on student mathematical thinking. The participants included two third-grade teachers and two fourth-grade teachers engaged in an alternative PLC process during their collaboration time. Interviews were conducted and focused on how the teachers thought about student thinking as the driving force of their collaboration. The teachers found their PLC time was more focused, student thinking led the discussions and lessons, they were more responsive to student needs, and their own mathematical understanding increased. The teachers also …

Parent Training In Video Modeling: Comparing Least To Greatest Supports, Janae Hammond Robbins

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines one type of parent training—Video Modeling (VM)—and how intense the training needs to be for a parent to learn this intervention effectively. The researchers observed three types of training: self-training, didactic training through a pre-recorded lesson, and one-on-one training. A repeated acquisition single case design across participants was used along with a control group. The participants included nine parents from the surrounding areas of Brigham Young University who were randomly selected for either the intervention group or the control group. Four of the five participants in the intervention or treatment group achieved mastery once they received didactic …

La Efectividad En La Integración De Una Biblioteca Virtual En Una Biblioteca Escolar De Una Institución Educativa Privada En Puerto Rico, Racaly Hernandez Calderon

Theses and Dissertations

Esta investigación fue diseñada para evaluar la efectividad en la integración de una Biblioteca Virtual en una biblioteca escolar. Para este proceso investigativo se utilizó el modelo de evaluación desarrollado por Kirkpatrick. Este modelo le presenta al investigador cuatro niveles de evaluación: reacción, aprendizaje, comportamiento y resultados. A través de este se puede identificar la efectividad de las acciones formativas. La muestra que se seleccionó fue una no probabilística por conveniencia. Por lo tanto, participaron 15 docentes que imparten cursos en la Escuela Intermedia de la institución privada localizada al norte de Puerto Rico. El diseño fue uno de corte …

Examining The Impact A Bus Driver Attendance Incentive Program Had On Bus Driver Attendance In A Rural Mississippi School District, Samuel B. Allison

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the impact of a bus driver attendance incentive program implemented in a rural Mississippi school district with the aim of improving bus driver attendance rates. There is a shortage of bus drivers across Mississippi which has made bus driver attendance paramount. Bus driver absenteeism causes disruptions in student transportation services and affects overall school operations. To address this problem, a rural Mississippi school district introduced a bus driver attendance incentive program that provided financial incentives for bus drivers who maintained perfect attendance rates each month.

The research methodology involved collecting and analyzing attendance data for bus drivers …

The Impact Of Institutional Culture On Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge In Higher Education, Kenna Spiller Vowell

Theses and Dissertations

Teaching and learning online is an increasingly important aspect of higher education, especially post-Covid-19. Previous studies have shown a relationship between Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and teaching efficacy and teaching efficacy and student success. However, the contextual factors impacting TPACK have not been adequately explored. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if the contextual factor of institutional culture impacts TPACK among online higher education faculty at institutions in the Southeastern United States as well as to what extent specific dimensions of institutional culture effect TPACK levels. Data were collected using an anonymous online survey that was …

Evaluating The Greet-Stop-Prompt Intervention In Decreasing Racial Disparities In School Discipline, Alexandra Utley

Theses and Dissertations

Exclusionary discipline practices are often considered to be generally ineffective and inequitable, however, they are one of the more common disciplinary practices used in schools today. Although there are many positive alternatives to school exclusion, there are limited disciplinary practices specifically intended to target discipline with racial equity in mind. The GREET-STOP-PROMPT (GSP) intervention, developed by Cook and colleagues (2018), is one intervention found in the literature explicitly created to reduce racial discipline disparities. Although there is currently limited research evaluating the GSP intervention, the results indicate it to be a potentially promising method of equitably addressing student behavior. The …

Taking Care Of What Matters: How Student Involvement And Characteristics Relate To Senior Student Sense Of Belonging, Kayla Pineda

Theses and Dissertations

Student sense of belonging has been a topic of discussion for decades; however, senior student sense of belonging has not been looked at as closely as other groups of students. As seniors transition out of college, institutions must consider that these students become the alumni who contribute through alumni donations and share their experiences with future generations of students.

Looking at data from a single very high research college campus in a rural state, the study explored variables that relate to senior student sense of belonging. Using Ahn and Davis’s (2020a) 4 domains of student sense of belonging, variables were …

Increasing Graduate School Enrollment In A Shrinking Applicant Pool: A Look At Factors Influencing College Choice, Lindsey Erin Storey Shelton

Theses and Dissertations

For years, the impending enrollment cliff has been a regular topic amongst higher education officials. With this event slated to hit undergraduate programs by 2025, it is anticipated that graduate schools will begin feeling the impact by 2029. By examining factors influencing graduate student college choice, enrollment managers can identify ways to offset the decline in eligible graduate students.

This study looked at applicants’ decisions to enroll or not enroll over a 5-year period at a public, research-intensive institution. The results of this study provided insight into the individual and academic factors that influence college choice, while also measuring the …

The Effectiveness Of A Signature Strengths Intervention On Maternal Well-Being Among Mothers Of Children With Autism, Tawni Nicole Poole

Theses and Dissertations

Mothers of children with autism face unique challenges that can negatively impact their well-being. Frequently, these challenges require elevated amounts of time, energy, and money to address. In an effort to investigate a low-demand approach to improving well-being, this study employed a signature strengths intervention with mothers of children with autism. Thus far, research on signature strengths with this specific population is very limited. Five mothers of children with autism participated in the study. All were married and highly educated. Four identified themselves as white, one as Hispanic. They ranged in age from 25-44. Each mother had between one and …