Education Commons^™

Fighting For The Users: Using Action Research To Examine The Impact Of Sustained Dialogue Through Effective Instructor Feedback On Student Satisfaction In An Online Undergraduate Course: A Dissertation In Practice, Timothy Paul Lombardo

Theses and Dissertations

As online courses continue to gain popularity in higher education, there is a need to ensure instructors are providing effective instructional feedback. Research in the theory of transactional distance points out the impact instructor interaction has on student satisfaction in courses. One way to address this is through high amounts of dialogue, feedback in this study. Throughout my years of teaching an online undergraduate course, students have continually reported in course evaluations the existence of a miscommunication gap. However, specific details around this request have been minimal. The purpose of this qualitative, action research study was to examine the impact …

A Phenomenological Study Of Faculty Perceptions: Non-Native Speakers Of English (L2s) In Bachelor Degree Programs, Leisha Cali

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the experiences of faculty teaching L2s in bachelor degree courses at a private university in South Florida and to identify potential approaches and teaching methods that influence L2s’ learning and success. L2s comprise 10% of the nation’s college enrollment and are four times less likely to graduate with a bachelor degree than their socioeconomic peers who speak English as a first language.

The researcher examined the meaning of bachelor degree completion for L2s, perceived characteristics of successful L2s, and teaching methods influencing L2s’ success to understand how L2s succeed in bachelor degree courses. …

Care As The Essential Element In Teacher And Student Interactions: Examining Dialogue As A Vehicle For Building A Caring Environment, Crystal Plumley Mcswain

Theses and Dissertations

This present study considers to what extent dialogue between teachers and students can support a caring environment. Research investigating behavior and qualities of effective teaching has been liked with caring relationships (Anfara & Schmid, 2007; Marzano, 2007; Noddings, 2005). "Relationships and instruction are not an either-or-proposition, but rather an incredible combination." (Brown, 2010, p. 10) The present study will examine to what extent dialogue, as one of the components of a proposed model of caring, can build a caring environment in seventh grade classrooms at a local middle school (Noddings, 2005, p.53). Specifically, dialogue skills such as intonation, empathy, respect, …

Dialogue In The Relationships Between Principals And Teachers: A Qualitative Study, Tracie Shelley Prichard

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines dialogue and discourse patterns between principals and teachers. It analyzes daily verbal interactions in order to identify shared meanings, hidden messages, and the dynamics of power. This study is also based on the belief that democracy in education is vital to maintaining a collaborative, people friendly approach to working together to improve learning for all students.

Although much has been written on the importance of school culture and collaborating effectively, little has been written about the role dialogue plays in shaping school culture. While we know many successful leadership paradigms, including distributed leadership and collaboration, …