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Full-Text Articles in Education

An Interpretive Phenomenological Investigation Of The Meaning Of Job Satisfaction Among Veteran Special Educators, Raeann Barnes Jan 2016

An Interpretive Phenomenological Investigation Of The Meaning Of Job Satisfaction Among Veteran Special Educators, Raeann Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The attrition rate among special education teachers is ranked among the highest in the education profession. Retaining teachers early in their careers continues to be a concern due to increased job responsibilities, larger caseloads, challenging student behaviors, minimal support from colleagues, increased paperwork, and diminishing resources. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the meaning of satisfaction special education teachers made of their careers. The transactional model developed by Lazarus and Folkman (1984) can help to explain how the occurrence of stressful events can impact an individual. A purposive sample of 9 tenured, certified special education teachers currently …


The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And School Performance In Middle School Girls, Jamie Anne Donnelly Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And School Performance In Middle School Girls, Jamie Anne Donnelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past research has indicated a significant relationship between physical fitness and standardized test scores; however, the relationship between physical fitness and other aspects of school performance has yet to be empirically examined in a population specifically composed of middle school girls. This study examined several factors that contribute to school success, such as classroom behavior, attendance, and grades, in relation to physical fitness among a group of adolescent girls. It was specifically designed to examine the statistical relationship between physical fitness, as measured by the Fitnessgram, and quantitative data on school performance including grades, standardized test scores, school behavior, and …


Transition And Transformation - From Military Combat To College Classroom: Strategies For Success, Charles Mark Brewer Jan 2016

Transition And Transformation - From Military Combat To College Classroom: Strategies For Success, Charles Mark Brewer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that faculty, staff, and administrators at institutions of higher learning have a fundamental responsibility to create a safe and effective learning environment for returning military combat veterans. Studies of student veterans have shown that combat veterans have both unique strengths and barriers that must be taken into account if they are to complete an advanced degree. This study contributes to the literature on educational barriers faced by student veterans and their educators. Knowles' andragogy theory provided the theoretical framework for this transcendental-phenomenological research study. Ten randomly chosen student military veterans from Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington, participated …


Identifying Supportive Education Practices For College Students With Psychological Disabilities, Lekeia Shari Sears Jan 2016

Identifying Supportive Education Practices For College Students With Psychological Disabilities, Lekeia Shari Sears

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with psychological disabilities who enter the post-secondary environment can struggle without proper support services. Faculty and staff members typically interact with their students as much as or more than any other post-secondary personnel. This project study explored faculty and staff members' knowledge of supportive education programs and their feelings about engaging/helping these students. Guided by Bandura's self-efficacy theory for faculty and Rogers' humanistic approach to education, which supports the need for faculty involvement and training, this study explored whether faculty and staff members feel effective in addressing these issues with students. A qualitative case study design was employed to …


Examination Of The Mediating Role Of Student Engagement On The Relationship Between Personality And Academic Success For Hispanic College Students, Fernando Chapa Jan 2016

Examination Of The Mediating Role Of Student Engagement On The Relationship Between Personality And Academic Success For Hispanic College Students, Fernando Chapa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Traditionally, college and universities have relied on achievement indicators to estimate students' potential for success. More current researchers have demonstrated that other noncognitive factors provide incremental predictive validity to traditional achievement measures in predicting student success. This study is intended to contribute to the scholarly work in this regard by examining the mediating role that student engagement has on the relationship between Big Five personality traits and student success for Hispanic, two-year college students. First factor analysis derived four factors of engagement: Mental Activities, School Opinions, Collaborative Learning, and Student Services. Mediation models showed that there was a negative relationship …


Nigerian Educators' Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge And Classroom Behavior Management Practices, Arthur N. Ojionuka Jan 2016

Nigerian Educators' Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Knowledge And Classroom Behavior Management Practices, Arthur N. Ojionuka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This correlational study assessed Nigerian educators' knowledge about attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and inclusive classroom management practices when serving students with ADHD. Specifically, the study examined the predictive correlation between teachers' demographic characteristics, including years of teaching experience, level of education, and knowledge about ADHD, as well as how their knowledge informed their choice of behavior management interventions. Teachers are accountable for pedagogical responsibilities including maintenance and management of a learning environment that promotes learning and inclusion. Further, they play a significant role in identifying and supporting students with learning impairments including ADHD. Thus, it is critical for teachers to …


The Effectiveness Of Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies ( Paths) When Used Once Per Week In Therapeutic Day Treatment, Beth Cherish Wilson Jan 2016

The Effectiveness Of Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies ( Paths) When Used Once Per Week In Therapeutic Day Treatment, Beth Cherish Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) is an intervention program for children with behavioral and emotional deficits, designed for use, and shown to be effective when used in the classroom a minimum of 3 times per week. However, in some settings, as in the current study, PATHS is being used just once per week. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether PATHS was beneficial in helping elementary school aged children improve their behavioral and emotional health when implemented once per week in a group therapy setting. PATHS was developed based on cognitive behavioral theory, which focuses on improving …


High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Mental Health And Adolescent Depression, Christine Ann Breuer Jan 2016

High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Mental Health And Adolescent Depression, Christine Ann Breuer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescents have a high rate of untreated mental health issues, specifically related to depression. Current literature does not indicate the impact of teachers' attitudes toward mental health on their decisions to refer students for services. This study provides understanding specifically, how teachers' beliefs about mental health, as well as their age, gender, ethnicity, years of education, and years of teaching, were analyzed to determine the impact each these characteristics had on the decision to refer a student for services. 92 high school teachers participated in this quantitative study by completing a survey measuring their attitudes of mental health, and then …


The Use Of Online Supplemental Materials In College Courses To Improve Retention, Amy Lynn Hennings Jan 2016

The Use Of Online Supplemental Materials In College Courses To Improve Retention, Amy Lynn Hennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-generation college students continue to have lower retention and success rates in colleges and universities, reducing their likelihood of staying above the poverty line. The study tested Bandura and Vygotsky's social cognitive theories of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and student ability to self-pace in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to explore if offering supplemental online materials to traditional class delivery, which can be self-regulated and self-paced, impacted students' success rates in the class and semester-to-semester retention. Using a quasi-experimental method, first-semester college students, in a small private liberal arts college (N = 678); were compared on use of supplemental …


Evaluating Positive Psychology Curriculum Among Nontraditional Students In A Foundational Course, Ruth Hilton Rhodes Jan 2016

Evaluating Positive Psychology Curriculum Among Nontraditional Students In A Foundational Course, Ruth Hilton Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive psychology emphasizes growth, adaptive functioning, and human potential. The present study contributes to this literature by examining the impact of exposure to a positive psychology curriculum among nontraditional students taking foundational courses in a career college. Mixed methods were utilized to assess changes in student well-being and goal setting quantitatively through pre- and post-tests of the Authentic Happiness Survey and the Satisfaction with Life Scale as well as identifying emergent themes from qualitative analysis of student reflections and written assignments over a 9-week term. Twenty-five students participated in foundational courses, which placed an emphasis on positive psychology. Paired samples …


School Community Members' Perceptions Regarding Lgbt-Based Bullying, Harassment, And Violence, Steven W. Street Jan 2016

School Community Members' Perceptions Regarding Lgbt-Based Bullying, Harassment, And Violence, Steven W. Street

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Tennessee, a majority of students who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender (LGBT) do not feel safe due to bullying and harassment that is targeted toward them by their peers. Schools, such as MTS school (a pseudonym), are not required to specify protection for LGBT students, causing the LGBT bullying to continue without being reported and resulting in higher absences, lower achievement, greater mental health issues, and in some cases, suicidal ideation among LGBT students. Through confidential personal interviews that were transcribed and coded, this case study's purpose was to better understand how MTS adult stakeholders perceive (a) …


Evaluation Of The Intervention Efficacy Of Lions Quest Skills For Adolescence, Jennifer Lee Switzer Jan 2016

Evaluation Of The Intervention Efficacy Of Lions Quest Skills For Adolescence, Jennifer Lee Switzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescence is characterized as a time of impulsivity, emotional decision-making, and peer influence; thus, interventions targeting the development of effective psychosocial skills are imperative. Improved psychosocial functioning can equip adolescents for successfully overcoming future life challenges. There are few studies that have examined how adolescents' psychosocial skills could be improved in the context of substance abuse prevention program participation. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in psychosocial skills in a group of adolescents who participated in 2 of 10 Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (Lions Quest SFA) programs being used in central Virginia middle schools. This study …


Instructor's Employment-Level, Instructor-Efficacy, And Knowledge Of Effective Classroom Strategies For Emotional Disorders, Andrea Karen Haglin Jan 2016

Instructor's Employment-Level, Instructor-Efficacy, And Knowledge Of Effective Classroom Strategies For Emotional Disorders, Andrea Karen Haglin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college instructors are responsible for creating learning opportunities for all students, including adult students affected by emotional disorders (ED). Concerns in the literature have grown over how invested part-time instructors are in their teaching; however, limited data were available regarding instructor knowledge of ED, instructor-efficacy, and the impact of employment status. The purpose of this study was to address the gap in the literature and analyze relationships between instructor knowledge of ED strategies (as assessed by Teaching Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders scale) and instructors' efficacy beliefs (as assessed by the Ohio State Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale). It also evaluated …


The Relationship Between Stress, Coping Strategies, And Social Support Among Single Mothers, Nikitra Yvette Williams Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Stress, Coping Strategies, And Social Support Among Single Mothers, Nikitra Yvette Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have neglected to focus on understanding the relationships between stress, coping, and social support among single mothers versus mothers who are not single. Knowledge regarding how single mothers' lives are affected by stress, social support, and coping is important, and such information can help readers better understand how effectively single mothers raise children compared with mothers who are not single. A convenience sample of 173 mothers completed this study. Participants in this study consisted of mothers who were (a) raising at least one child ages 18 and under who lives in the home and (b) who were between the …


The Impact Of Psychological Birth Order On Academic Achievement And Motivation, Alissa Jo Combs-Draughn Jan 2016

The Impact Of Psychological Birth Order On Academic Achievement And Motivation, Alissa Jo Combs-Draughn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, research in the field of birth order yielded inconsistent and at times contro-versial results. Researchers have long been interested in the impact of birth order on both social and cognitive development, in part due to the research of Adler. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if psychological birth order directly impacts stu-dent achievement and motivation. The resource dilution theory and confluence model were used to investigate the relationship between sibling perception of family roles within familial settings and academic performance and motivation within the college setting. The quantitative study used an online survey to assess psychological …


Impact Of Positive Youth Development Services On Resilience Among Adjudicated Girls, Shaunette Roberta Byers Parker Jan 2016

Impact Of Positive Youth Development Services On Resilience Among Adjudicated Girls, Shaunette Roberta Byers Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive youth development (PYD) frameworks that guide PYD services suggest at-risk youth need to develop resiliency attitudes and resiliency skills in order to prevent long-term failure in their adult lives. This concept is based on multiple developmental theories that suggest increased levels of resiliency make it easier to navigate challenging situations. Adjudicated youth have faced a major setback in their short lives, yet they still have an opportunity to become successful and avoid additional jail time, if they are able to display a strong sense of resilience. Many youth development programs geared toward serving adjudicated youth, lack the appropriate structure …


Master's Students' Self-Assessment Of Competency In Grief Education And Training In Cacrep-Accredited Counseling Programs, Jane Earline Wood Jan 2016

Master's Students' Self-Assessment Of Competency In Grief Education And Training In Cacrep-Accredited Counseling Programs, Jane Earline Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counseling can promote positive outcomes for grieving clients by addressing personal loss and helping the client process their grief. However, a lack of understanding on the part of counselors of how people grieve may result in negative client outcomes such as psychological stress, poor health, or an increased risk of depression. Education and training in grief counseling can improve counselors' problem recognition and skills in treatment planning. The purpose of this study was to examine whether Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) master's degree counseling students view themselves as having been adequately trained in grief theories …


The Lived Experiences Of Counselor Educators Using Mindful Teaching Approaches, Abby E. Dougherty Jan 2016

The Lived Experiences Of Counselor Educators Using Mindful Teaching Approaches, Abby E. Dougherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that mindful teaching approaches support students and educators throughout the learning process. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of counselor educators with a daily mindfulness practice in the classroom with culturally diverse students. Relational-cultural theory (RCT) was the conceptual framework. Relational cultural theory concepts of relational connections and disconnections were used to explore the participants' lived experiences implementing a mindful teaching approach. Purposeful sampling yielded 10 participants who participated in semi-structured interviews. Using an inductive approach, the data were analyzed to identify essential themes. Thematic analysis was conducted by hand …


Individual Characteristics As Predictive Variables Of The Level And Impact Of Contrapower Harassment Of Faculty Teaching In Schools Of Pharmacy, Joel M. Epps Jan 2016

Individual Characteristics As Predictive Variables Of The Level And Impact Of Contrapower Harassment Of Faculty Teaching In Schools Of Pharmacy, Joel M. Epps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A review of literature documents that higher education faculty are likely to be the target of student harassment. A scenario in which a person of lesser power in an organization harasses a person of greater power is known as contrapower harassment. Students' acts of harassment range from mild incivilities to aggressive and threatening behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative web-based survey study is to document (a) the prevalence of contrapower harassment in a sample of U.S. pharmacy school faculty (n = 110), a previously unstudied population, (b) gender differences in faculty experiences of contrapower harassment, (c) faculty characteristics which may …


Differentiated Instruction, Teacher Immediacy, And Students' Mathematic Success, Katherine Ann Albanese-Benevento Jan 2016

Differentiated Instruction, Teacher Immediacy, And Students' Mathematic Success, Katherine Ann Albanese-Benevento

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the role of both arts-integrated instruction (art activities as part of math instruction) and teacher immediacy (teacher caring behaviors) levels on students' math achievement. Although students from low socio-economic culturally diverse school districts have shown improvement in academic test scores, their scores are still significantly lower than scores of students from other school districts. Research has shown that when there is an increase in teacher immediacy, students' academic success increases. Despite this known correlation, there is a lack of literature on the ways that arts integration, combined with teacher immediacy, can affect academic success. Constructivist theories, experiential …


Using Cultural Cognition For Learning English: A Mexican Immigrant Family's Perspective, Cherri Louise Brown Jan 2016

Using Cultural Cognition For Learning English: A Mexican Immigrant Family's Perspective, Cherri Louise Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem focused on the 11 million Mexican immigrant families in the United States who speak little or no English. Their stated needs for English literacy, socioeconomic and academic success, and the increasing calls for xenophobic legislation throughout the nation indicated a need to investigate alternative pedagogies to compel positive social change through language fluency. In this case study, Mexican immigrant second-language learners and their descendants were asked how they wanted to learn English and if using native culture as a learning tool would help in achieving their literacy goals. Prior researchers had not asked those questions. Three adults …


Effect Of Culturally Based Arts Activities On Self-Efficacy, Self-Expression, And Achievement Motivation In Adolescent Inner-City Youth, Narjerah Lewis Delk Jan 2016

Effect Of Culturally Based Arts Activities On Self-Efficacy, Self-Expression, And Achievement Motivation In Adolescent Inner-City Youth, Narjerah Lewis Delk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the relationship between participation in a culturally-based arts program and the self-efficacy, self-expression, and achievement motivation in at-risk youth attending Atlanta public schools. The theoretical base used to examine this relationship was grounded in the social cognitive. Interviews conducted with students and parents provided demographic information as well as data on the participation in a culturally-based arts program and the resulting effect on self-efficacy, self-expression, and achievement motivation. Participants included a sample of 108 students between 10 and 14 years of age (M = 11.6, SD = .90). The results of the ANOVA data analysis revealed significant …