Education Commons^™

Exploring Persistence Of Indigenous Students At A Midwest University, Michelle Lynne Sayers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Indigenous students attending non-tribal colleges represent approximately 1% of the college student body, with a smaller percentage that graduate. Indigenous students often encounter racism and experience cultural differences. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore Indigenous students’ persistence at a mainstream college in the northern Midwest. Purposeful and snowball sampling was used to create a final sample of 10 self-identified Indigenous students who completed at least one semester and were 18 years or older, one full-time staff person, and two-part time student workers. Data also included a review of university strategic documents, social media pages, and observations …

Preschool Teacher Perspectives Of Crisis Preparedness, Sara Ann Machado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of preschool teachers

regarding school-based emergency planning in independently funded childcare centers.

Current research has investigated perspectives of crisis preparedness by a variety of

school staff but has not yet included the extent to which preschool teachers feel prepared

to handle a school crisis event. This study was based on the integrated model of school

crisis preparedness and intervention proposed by Jimerson, Brock, and Pletcher. This

study examined how preschool teachers describe the effect of crisis preparedness drills

and training on their ability to handle school crisis events prior to, …

Instructor Beliefs Related To Technology Use After Professional Development, Bethany Ann Croton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty in higher education often see themselves as researchers and identify less as instructors. The problem is that nearly every profession has embraced technology in new ways, except in the world of education and students need 21st-century skills to be competitive in the workforce. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore instructors' lived experiences and beliefs regarding teaching and technology integration before, during, and after completion of a professional development program at a Midwestern Tier 1 research institute. The study was framed by Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory and the sustainability education academic development framework. The research …

Experiences Of Postpartum Women With Nurse-Delivered Education And Postpartum, Krystal Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postpartum depression affects many women globally, yet largely remains underdiagnosed. It is thus important for nurses to have all available tools when delivering education and care to the postpartum patient. Yet, there is a lack of information on the experiences of postpartum women related to postpartum education and postpartum depression. The purposes of this quantitative study, for which Beck's postpartum theory was the framework, were to explore postpartum women's perceptions of education experiences and to determine if a correlation exists between the satisfaction with education and scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Sixty study participants who were 6-8 weeks …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Implement Ccss Writing Standards, Latonja Allen-Mallard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Writing achievement is a concern in the United States at the national and local level. The problem addressed in this study, in an urban Illinois school district, is that there has been a lack of adequate teacher instructional preparedness in Common Core State Standards (CCSS) writing instruction coupled with low student writing performance. The purpose of this study was to explore how elementary school teachers who teach Language Arts perceive their instructional preparedness to teach writing that aligns with the CCSS writing standards; and, to explore what elements of instructional preparedness they perceive would be beneficial to meet the demands …

Parent-Teacher Relationships Of Students Diagnosed With Autism, Job Burnout, And Stress As Predictors Of Teacher Self-Efficacy, Sohna Shook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Excessive workload, personal stress, and a lack of resources are some of the factors that contribute to teacher stress and burnout. One third of new teachers quit the teaching profession within their first 3 years, half leaving within 5 years, and 10% quitting every year after that. Research has identified a relationship between work stress and burnout among teachers. However, this relationship has not been explored among teachers who have students diagnosed with autism in their classrooms. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between teacher job-related stress, burnout, quality of parent-teacher relationships, and teacher self-efficacy among …

Student Satisfaction And Educational Experience With Collaborative Learning Teams, Jacquelyn Lee Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe use of collaborative learning teams is successful at many traditional higher education institutions. However, the use of collaborative learning teams at 3 University X campuses was noted as a source of frustration for students and may affect student satisfaction. Lower satisfaction rates equate to lower rates of success, graduation, referrals, and retention. The purpose of this study was to explore student satisfaction with the use of collaborative learning teams and how learning teams affect students' educational experiences at University X. Vygotsky's social learning theory and Astin's theory of student involvement framed the study. The mixed-method design included a quantitative …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Financial Technology To Support Financial Socialization And Literacy Levels, Patricia M. Page

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current generation of emerging adults are ill-equipped to navigate the evolving financial landscape, which can further exacerbate socioeconomic inequality. Extant research rooted in Gudmunson and Danes’ family financial socialization theory and Brown et al.’s situated cognition theory, which served as the conceptual framework for this study, acknowledged the long-standing influence of parents and authentic learning opportunities on child(ren)’s financial literacy and well-being. This study’s research questions explored parents’ experience with, and perceptions of, a family-managed virtual bank and prepaid debit card service designed for children ages Pre-K through college. The basic qualitative approach and semistructured interviews provided context to …

Perceptions And Test Results Of Spatial-Temporal Math In Middle School, Lilian Uneojo Zekeri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The spatial-temporal math (ST Math) technology program was developed to address mathematics deficiencies experienced by students. However, the advantages and challenges of implementing ST Math for middle school students and teachers had not been examined. This single case study of 7th and 8th grade students’ performance after using the program had 2 purposes. The 1st was to ascertain teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions of the advantages and challenges of implementing the ST Math program. The 2nd was to see what a descriptive analysis of students’ test results indicated about performance of students using the program. Vygotsky’s activity theory, Mayer’s cognitive theory …

The Values Influencing Assistant Principals' Decisions To Utilize School Resource Officers, Tracy Yvette Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators use control and maintenance to create a safe learning environment for students in the United States public schools. However, when school resource officers (SROs) within U.S. schools are assigned authority over disciplinary procedures certain students become negatively impacted. Substantial research has been conducted regarding the impact and roles of SROs, but very few studies explored the opinions of assistant principals (APs), the individuals typically responsible for the enforcement of school discipline. In this study, a qualitative interpretative design was used to explore what values and beliefs guide APs in their decisions to involve SROs in school disciplinary procedures. …

Experiences Of Parents Interacting In An Urban Preschool Outreach Program, Sonya Renee Baines-Corey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractParental engagement supports children academically. However, African American parents engage at lower levels than other parents. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand the experiences of urban preschool parents in a blended parental engagement program. A combination of critical race theory, experiential learning, social learning theory, and andragogy served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected through semi structured face-to-face interviews with eight African American parents, observational field notes, and an archival review of preschool documents in a Southeast U.S. state’s innovative parental engagement program that incorporates technology. Findings from inductive thematic analysis indicated three major themes. …

Teachers’ Attitudes, Beliefs, And Confidence Levels And Technology Integration In Urban Schools, Renée Rousey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many K–12 schools do not exploit the advantages of technology, despite the influx of equipment that can enhance pedagogy and student success. A gap exists in the literature about the extent to which urban teachers’ perceptions influence technology use in the classroom. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the ABCs of K–12 teachers regarding technology integration in their classrooms. Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory and the technological pedagogical content knowledge model were the frameworks for this study. The research questions examined teachers’ intrinsic factors that impact the integration of technology in the urban classroom and the perceptions …

Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Implementing The Workshop Model In Their Classroom, Patience Ndidi Onyegwara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Due to the increasing diversity in U.S. schools, there is a need for differentiated and individualized educational models for these learners to be successful in the future. However, little is known about innovative educational models allowing differentiation and individualized education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of middle school teachers implementing the innovative Workshop Model (WSM) of teaching and learning. The conceptual framework for this study included the diffusion of innovation, sociocultural, and andragogical theories, and the principles of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The participants were 10 middle school teachers …

Lived Experiences Of African American Nursing Students In An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Monique Renee Merritt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite recognition of the barriers that African American nursing students encounter while pursuing nursing education, leaders of U.S. nursing programs continue to struggle to retain these students and promote their degree completion. Poor retention and lack of completion contributes to the unequal representation of African American nurses in the U.S. healthcare workforce compared to the overall population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences that helped to promote African American nursing students’ success or served as barriers to successful completion of an Associate Degree Nursing program. Tinto’s integration model was used as the theoretical framework. Semistructured …

Elementary-Level Instructional Coaches’ Perspectives On Roles And Teacher Effectiveness, Amanda Miliner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaches help improve teacher effectiveness to ultimately help improve student performance. The roles of instructional coaches often vary depending on the leadership or recent trends of a school district. This inconsistency impedes the instructional coach’s ability to improve teacher effectiveness. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary-level Title I instructional coaches’ perspectives on their roles and how these roles improved teacher effectiveness. Organizational role theory served as the conceptual framework for this study. This study consisted of a convenience sampling of 7 Title I instructional coaches in one school district in a Southern state. The …

First Responders' Perceptions Of Diversity Training Practices To Assist At-Risk Populations, Sara Parry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New York State first responders, including police, fire, and emergency medical personnel, often lack consistent awareness and diversity training to assist at-risk populations, which can pose challenges to preparedness and response strategies during disasters and emergencies. The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness and diversity training practices among first responders across New York State in assisting people with at-risk characteristics during disasters. Punctuated equilibrium theory provided the framework for the study. Data from interviews with 15 participants and from historical and legal documents were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Findings indicated that that there had been …

The Relationships Among Body Appreciation, Self-Esteem, Academic Self-Efficacy, And Academic Achievement, Alicia Camille Latty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Because poor body image is correlated with poor academic outcomes, it is possible that body appreciation may be associated with improved academic outcomes. The problem that was addressed in the current investigation was the lack of research on the potential relationships between academic outcomes and positive body image, conceptualized as body appreciation. Accordingly, this study leveraged a positive psychology approach to examine the ways body appreciation and self-esteem predict academic self-efficacy and self-reported GPA. The framework combined Bandura’s (1977) theory of self-efficacy and Higgins’ (1987) self-discrepancy theory with Seligman’s (2000) positive psychology approach. This quantitative study followed a non-experimental correlational …

Teacher Characteristics And Blended Learning Adoption In Stem-Focused Charter Schools, Omer Faruk Polat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As an innovative teaching strategy, blended learning provides an environment where students are able to receive individualized instruction based on their needs. Even though the number of schools that adopt blended models of instruction has been increasing nationwide, the number of studies that explore the relationship between teacher characteristics and blended learning use is limited. This quantitative survey study explored the relationship between selected characteristics of teachers and the levels of blended learning adoption in charter schools with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focus. The concerns-based adoption model (CBAM) was used as a theoretical lens as it provided tools …

The Role Of Corporate Healthcare Instructors' Credentials And Experiences In Corporate Training, George Edmond Napier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Corporate healthcare education has changed drastically in the last few decades with few rules for compliance or standardization. A large healthcare company in the Southeastern United States was experiencing inequitable training due to differing teaching styles and instructor skill levels. Guided by Bandura's theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how corporate healthcare instructors' credentials and experiences affect their perceived self-efficacy and teaching style. Interviews were conducted with 11 purposefully selected corporate healthcare instructors from a physician education team; collected data were then coded and themed. Findings revealed 3 major themes: (a) credentials enhanced the …

Faculty And First-Year Students' Perceptions Of Civility In College, Conni Eve Claflin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While researchers have identified student incivility as a problem in higher education in the United States, little is known about how students and faculty perceive the issue within the classroom environment at a private university in the northeast. Uncivil behavior can negatively impact the learning environment. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to compare students' and faculty's perceptions of civility in the classrooms and explore how civility is addressed in course syllabi and artifacts. The theoretical base was Clark's continuum of incivility, and the conceptual framework was Bandura's social cognitive theory. Types and frequency of uncivil behaviors were …

Perceptions Of Curriculum Quality Management In A Multicampus Community College District, Cathy Donald-Whitney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college systems must create and maintain curriculum quality management processes and mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of curricula as mandated by state accountability measures. This basic qualitative study was employed to understand the perceptions of members of a curriculum quality management team at a multicampus community college district. Senge's learning organization theory and tenets of Gronn's distributive leadership principles guided this study. Semistructured interviews were used as the data collection method to examine perceptions of 8 full-time curriculum team members at a multicampus community college district in the southwestern United States about the organization, collaborative formats, and governing procedures …

Teachers' Perspectives Of Best Instructional Practices In Motivating African American Boys To Read, Jamilia R. Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary school officials have reported difficulty motivating young African American boys to read. It is important that teachers understand why these children have not been motivated to read and create classroom environments that encourage reading motivation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers' perspectives on best instructional practices for motivating 3rd -grade African American boys to read. The conceptual framework for this study consisted of critical race theory, self-determination theory, and the theory of social constructivism. The research questions focused on teachers' perspectives regarding 3rd -grade African American boys' motivation to read and best instructional practices …

Differentiated Instruction In Middle School Inclusion Classrooms To Support Special Education Students, Latoya Keyona Benjamin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction (DI) research has shown many benefits of implementing instructional practices within an inclusive classroom. However, many teachers do not utilize this instructional practice regularly. An instrumental qualitative case study design that included teachers from one middle school in a rural school district in a southeastern state was used in this study to explore rural middle school teachers' experiences with incorporating the components of DI to support special education students in an inclusion classroom. The challenges faced when incorporating DI were also examined. Tomlinson's model of differentiated instruction framed this study, as it explores the need for teachers to …

Perceptions Of African American Faculty Retention Practices In Community College, Kyle Huntington Bright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The retention of African American faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWI) has long been a point of concern in higher education. Midwest Community College (MCC), a PWI, 2-year public institution, has a problem of retaining African American faculty employed by the college. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of African American faculty retention practices at MCC since little is known about the African American faculty experience at PWIs. Delagado and Stefancic's critical race theory conceptual framework of counter storytelling, Whiteness as property, interest conversion, and critique of liberalism guided this study. A qualitative case study research …

An Exploration Of The Criminal Thinking Processes In Criminal Offenders, Mark V. Lemieux

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study sought to learn about Criminal Thinking patterns of thought in former criminal offenders. The discovery of this information is important to several fields in the formulation of treatment programs toward the elimination of criminal behavior. This research is based on the theory formulated by Yochelson and Samenow, and expanded on by Walters, that holds that Criminal Thinking patterns develop along a continuum and can lead to criminal behavior in some. Specifically, this study sought to learn whether criminal offenders were aware of their Criminal Thinking patterns and if that awareness impacted their criminal behavior. This qualitative phenomenological study …

Special Education Teachers' Experiences Integrating Mobile Devices In Their Classroom, Regina Malz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem for this study is the increasing number of students identified as special need learners in U.S. schools and the critical need to prepare them for success in the 21st century workplace. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of special education teachers while they integrate mobile tablets into the classroom. The conceptual framework was based on constructivism, andragogy, experiential learning models and Roger’s diffusion of innovation. The research questions focused on understanding the experiences of special education teachers during their implementation of mobile tablets. This study was a qualitative multiple case study involving the interview …

Perceptions Of African American Faculty Retention Practices In Community College, Kyle Huntington Bright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The retention of African American faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWI) has long been a point of concern in higher education. Midwest Community College (MCC), a PWI, 2-year public institution, has a problem of retaining African American faculty employed by the college. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of African American faculty retention practices at MCC since little is known about the African American faculty experience at PWIs. Delagado and Stefancic's critical race theory conceptual framework of counter storytelling, Whiteness as property, interest conversion, and critique of liberalism guided this study. A qualitative case study research …

Meeting The Needs Of College Students With Learning Disabilities, Rita Garrett Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although more students with learning disabilities (LDs) are attending postsecondary institutions, faculty lacks the necessary training to educate students with LDs. A need exists to ensure that their college experiences include resources or support services to help students meet their academic requirements. Without support services, students may encounter poor outcomes in postsecondary education. This bounded, qualitative case study was designed to explore perspectives and experiences of students with LDs related to student services and accommodations at a postsecondary institution. Knowles's theory of andragogy formed the study's conceptual framework. A purposeful sample of 6 students, who were medically diagnosed as having …

Developing Teacher Leaders Through Professional Development Offered In A District Teacher Forum, Suzanne T. Koty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition is an ongoing problem in education, and the lack of leadership opportunities contribute to that problem. Teachers who serve in leadership roles are more likely to remain in the profession and positively impact students and the profession as a whole. However, there is little qualitative research to address how teachers develop the needed leadership skills to take on additional leadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the experiences of participants in a District Teacher Forum. The District Teacher Forum is a cohort of teachers identified as Campus Teachers of the Year led by the …

Effect Of Chemoscan Creation On High School Students' Attitudes Toward Science, Deborah Mcpherson Ezell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Whether the activity of creating digital art influences high school students' attitudes toward science is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if the creation of artistic digital chemoscans by high school students influences their attitudes toward science. In this study, ninth grade high school students' attitudes toward science were examined after participating in the creation of chemoscans in their science classroom. The theory of affective domain helped explain the process that leads to a person's behavior toward a certain phenomenon in the educational setting. The research questions concerned the use of chemoscan creation in the physical science …