Education Commons^™

A Survey Of Tennessee Extension Agents’ Perceptions Of The Tennessee Extension Agent Performance Appraisal System, Joseph Leonard Donaldson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study aimed to describe extension agent perceptions of the Tennessee Extension Agent Performance Appraisal System. A survey instrument was developed to address the research questions. The instrument had two sections: Satisfaction with the Current Appraisal System (14 items) and Satisfaction with Appraiser Performance (7 items). The instrument was reviewed by an expert panel and pilot tested with a group of 39 extension agents. The instrument was deployed online to the study population.

The population studied consisted of all extension agents employed by the University of Tennessee and Tennessee State University in January, 2010 (N=312). The total completed responses were …

Hiring And Recruitment As Rhetorical Strategies: An Analysis Of The Way Businesses Approach Graduating University Students And Influence Their Choices, Sean D. Gibson

Communication Studies

To answer the question, which rhetorical strategies are most persuasive to university graduates regarding hiring and recruitment, I surveyed three classrooms with a questionnaire that gauged university graduates attraction to three different types of rhetorical strategies. The rhetoric came from three major businesses that recruit university graduates: College Works Painting, Peace Corps, and Hewlett Packard.

Each one of these businesses uses a different type of strategy to recruit university graduates. College Works Painting uses an Experience Illusion strategy based on the premise that the company will help train university graduates to become managers and leaders in business. Peace Corps’ uses …

A Comparison Of Internet Marketing Methods Utilized By Higher Education Institutions, Joseph Clayton Mccoy

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Use of Internet marketing techniques in higher education to attract prospective students is relatively new. While the research is recent, there are several studies that identify what is most valuable to students seeking information on college web sites. Higher education is now facing increasing competition from for-profit schools and reduced funding from typical sources. This study examines how two different Carnegie classifications use Internet marketing techniques and identifies if there is a difference in how much they use these techniques. Content techniques and search engine optimization (SEO) techniques were examined for 56 higher education institutions in this study. Of the …

Incorporating Ethics Into Accounting Education: A Proposal For An Undergraduate Accounting Ethics Course For The University Of Tennessee, Knoxville, Courtney Michaluk

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

To Start A Hospitality Student Investment Club At Schenectady County Community College, Regina A. Mintzer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Statement of objective

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the needs for investment knowledge at an early age, understand the power of financial independence for a successful future, explore the employment opportunities associated with participation in a campus investment club, and implement an investment club on a college campus targeted to hospitality industry students.

Seeking Further Education: A Rubric For Evaluating Organizational Behavior Phd Programs, Douglas M. Quist

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Statement of Objective

The objective of this study is to first understand the origins and history of organizational behavior. In addition, this study will analyze five organizational behavior programs at the following schools: Harvard, Stanford, Purdue, Cornell, and University of Utah. These schools have highly publicized marketing programs and range in their business school rankings. The rubric will serve many functions but will primarily use as a guide for acquiring a greater understanding of said programs. There is a plethora of information available and this study will organize and simplify such information from five universities. Looking at programs side by …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Environmentally Sustainable Practices In Municipal Government: A Case Study Of The City Of Knoxville’S Department Of Parks And Recreation, Anthony Michael Brown

Masters Theses

Sustainability practices produce programs and services that meet current needs while preserving the environment and natural resources for the future. City parks and recreation departments are facing budget shortfalls and increasing expectations from customers. Governments are now embracing sustainability practices to create financial savings while also fostering relations with customers.

The purpose of this single case study was twofold: (1) to examine the effectiveness of one city department’s strategies in outsourcing its environmental sustainability program through a performance contract with Ameresco; and (2) to examine the perceptions of key department employees about the effectiveness of the sustainability initiative. A …

The Green Movement In Hotels: Are College Students On Board?, Amy Walker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to see if environmentally friendly practices are a factor for college students when selecting a hotel. Another purpose of this study is to see if students would be willing to spend more for hotels who offer these environmentally friendly practices.

The Computer Ate My Classroom: Assessing Student Interactions, Perceived Learning, And Satisfaction In Online Community College Career Technical Education Courses, Jessica Lindsey Miller Lewis

Dissertations

Workforce changes, globalization, and increasing use of technology create the need for an increased number of skilled workers. The community college system, through Career Technical Education (CTE), serves as a catalyst for skills training; however institutions must seek innovative ways in which to attract and retain students. Online learning offers flexibility in time and space, the ability to reach a larger student population, and to attract a new generation of digital learners. For these reasons, online learning enables institutions to develop a larger pool of skilled workers through online CTE courses.

Interaction is a key factor in the learning process …

Hurricane Katrina’S Impact On Louisiana’S Educational Systems, Emily Alice Larson

Honors Capstone Projects - All

This study examines how Hurricane Katrina affected educational statistics within Louisiana by comparing standardized test scores and school performance scores over time. To measure these educational factors, I focus on two levels of observation: district and individual. In particular, I focus on New Orleans schools before and after the hurricane and find that these educational factors increased, signaling a positive impact from Hurricane Katrina. However, on the district level there is a gap in available data due to the severity of damage to particular school systems, which led me to examine individual-level observations for more comparisons. At the individual level …

Positivity And Positive Reinforcement In Organizational Culture At Nazarene Higher Education Institutions, Brian W. Parker

Ed.D. Dissertations

Given the importance of employee motivation, satisfaction, productivity, and retention, as well as the support for positivity in the review of the literature, this study examined the effects of positivity and positive reinforcement in organizational culture, through the lens of admissions professionals, at the eight Nazarene Higher Education Institutions (NHEI) within the United States. The study also examined the effects of the perceived positivity of leaders in organizational culture, in the same context. The findings revealed some signs of positivity among NHEI admissions professionals, but no evidence was revealed regarding the consistent use of positive reinforcement in these settings. The …

Professional Preparation Of The Ncaa Division I Athletic Director: An Occupational Framework, Jeffrey Charles Spenard

Masters Theses

The study collected occupational data from the 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I membership institutions head athletic directors. The purpose of this study was to identify common professional preparation and occupational characteristics among NCAA Division I athletic directors. Through issuing an electronic survey, the current study identified common characteristics and themes among Division I athletic directors specifically within the socio-demographical background, educational background, professional experience and career progression, and career and job satisfaction. The study also provided demographic information about the participant’s institutional athletic department. The necessity of this study is not due directly to the current lack …

Explanatory Audiovisual About Cps Process, Ainhoa Otaegui Ainhoa

Creative Studies Graduate Student Master's Projects

Explanatory Audiovisual about CPS Process
With this Master’s Project, my aim is to create a medium to help raise awareness of "Creative Problem Solving". To this end, I believe that the creation of audiovisual material could provide an excellent medium to be used as a support for explanation sessions, and that it will facilitate understanding, specially for the Spanish and Basque Country’s market, where the CPS process is still very unknown.
The idea behind creating this material, or the necessity to do so, arose from several educational, facilitation and training sessions that I have run. When working with groups of …

The Application Of Creative Leadership Skills In The Education And Mentoring Of Social Entrepreneurs: A Graduate Level Course, Maria J. Rivera

Creative Studies Graduate Student Master's Projects

The purpose of this project is to fully comprehend the state of social entrepreneurship education through research, and consequently, to design a course on how to apply creative leadership skills to educate and mentor social entrepreneurs and to enhance their problem solving skills. The outcome of the project is a course proposal to build inter-disciplinary knowledge and skills.

Alumni Participation: An Investigation Using Relationship Marketing Principles, Lisa Ann Kelleher

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study investigated in what ways alumni relations officers use relationship marketing principles, concepts, and bonding levels to strengthen the ties between alumni and their alma maters. Alumni programs and services at select high intensive research institutions of higher education were explored and an explanation was offered for how using relationship marketing in alumni relations might be beneficial. A literature synthesis, drawn from an extensive examination, evaluation, and interpretation of alumni relations and relationship marketing literature, helped to inform this exploratory study. Using a qualitative method of study, data was gathered through interviews with senior alumni relations officers, by observing …

Creating Effective Leadership Development Programs: A Descriptive Quantitative Case Study, Spencer Holt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An organization's long term success is strongly correlated with its ability to build effective and dynamic leaders. Many senior executives acknowledge that there is a lack of formal processes for developing new and current leaders who possess the appropriate skills, aptitudes, and perspectives needed to assume positions of leadership (Cadrain, 2005; Collins & Holton, 2004; Taylor, 2004). Organizations must be able to provide an environment in which future and current leaders learn how to effectively lead and carry out the missions of their companies. This study uses a descriptive quantitative case study method to explore what skills, behaviors, and practices …

Explaining The Alumni Relationship And Giving Tendencies Of Multigeneration Alumni Legacy Families At Marquette University, Lauren Edmonson

Professional Projects

This research examines the donative relationship legacy alumni of Marquette University have with their alma mater. As universities are relying more heavily on donations to finance portions of their budgets, university administration has invested heavily in fundraising offices to identify alumni with strong giving potential. Legacy alumni are a deeply emotionally vested group, with a high giving potential. Previous research has focused on the different determinants of alumni giving; this research focuses specifically on the different generations of legacy families at Marquette (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th) and how their donative nature differs from non‐legacy constituents and from each other. Also …

The Interface Of Technology In Culinary Arts Education, Robert C. Cawley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction:

A culinary educator must make many decisions that affect the day-to-day activities in both the classroom and the lab. One of the more important decisions is how to select the most appropriate technology to implement for use in teaching and administrative activities. The research presented here is intended to help the educator identify specific needs, decide where the use of technology is desirable, and offer information designed to help the educator make an informed decision about using technology as a teaching tool.

Purpose Statement:

The purpose of this paper is to inform the culinary educator about the technology available …

Who Calls The Shots In Dining Customer Service, Kendi Root

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction:

Americans have become impatient with poor dining service standards. Some believe a depressed economy, lack of skilled labor, and even bad customers have contributed to a new epidemic (Kim & Chen, 2010). Bottom line, most paying customers probably prefer a pleasant service staff to an unpleasant one. Service staff with pleasant personalities and positive attitudes impact the customer experience and overall satisfaction (Ryan & Ployhart, 2003; Barrash, & Costen, 2008). Grandey in 2003 coined this “QSD” or quality service delivery.

Case Synopsis:

The case study depicts a critical service incident with a dining service encounter in an upscale, full …

A Conceptual Model For Employer Training To Manage Employee Counter-Productive Behaviors, Naomi Spickard Rock

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a model for employer training to manage employees who possess counter-productive behaviors. With the increasing encouragement for employers to hire without discriminating, the number of individuals with disabilities in the workforce will rise. There is limited training in universities and businesses to teach how to deal with difficult individuals.

Qualitative research in the form of focus groups was conducted. The following research objectives were developed: 1) Identify components of counter-productive behaviors that need to be managed in the workplace. 2) Develop behavioral management strategies that need be learned by employers. 3) Integrate …

Exploring A Paperless Business Administrative System (Bas) Implementation In A K-12 School, Marwan M. Issa

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate how a paperless BAS can affect the overall performance of a school’s administrative activities. The research included direct observation, survey questionnaires, document review, and both structured and unstructured interviews.

The selected school, a K-12 charter school, was an ideal candidate for this study as it allowed unrestricted access. The effects of the move to a paperless BAS were overwhelmingly positive. These effects included enabling employees to complete their resource requests more speedily and accurately. The implementation also incorporated “smart” forms that did not allow users to submit incomplete forms. Employees …

The Synergies Between Tourism Expansion And Development An Analysis Of Economic Growth, Poverty And Human Development In Ecuador, Manuel Antonio Rivera

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation attempts to answer the question of what has been the effect of tourism expansion and development in Ecuador. We attempt to analyze, both theoretically and empirically, the relationship between tourism and development. There have been an enormous number of studies explaining how tourism can affect the various dimensions of development. However, no research has been undertaken to simultaneously empirically examine the impact that changes in tourism expansion has on poverty, human development, and economic growth. To this end, we propose a cointergation methodology with an error correction model to estimate the impact of tourism expansion on poverty, human …

Leadership Styles And Faculty Satisfaction In The State University System Of Florida, Justin Ted Bateh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Universities must retain satisfied employees to enhance productivity and reduce turnover. Leadership represents one of the fundamental factors in job satisfaction. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived academic administrator leadership styles and the satisfaction of faculty members. The independent variables were the transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant leadership styles of academic administrators as evaluated by faculty members. The dependent variable was job satisfaction of full-time faculty members. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to identify the leadership style of an administrator as perceived by faculty members. Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey was used to assess …

A Mediated Model Of Trust And Its Antecedents In The Client-Consultant Relationship, William L. Solomonson

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study seeks to improve the contributions of performance consultants, instructional design consultants, and training consultants by explaining the effect that several variables have on trust as a mediator to relationship commitment within the context of the client-consultant relationship. The participants were 521 college students from two 4-year universities. Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight scenario-based questionnaires which measured the effect of three manipulated variables - perceived level of expertise, shared values, and sharing of meaningful information - on trust as a mediator to relationship commitment. The ability to trust, the comparison level of the alternative, and dependence …

Learning Without Onboarding: How Assessing And Evaluating Learning Benefits New Information Technology Hires, Dory L. Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Onboarding ensures learning success through sharing and acquiring knowledge to remain competitive. However, little is known about new Information Technology (IT) hires' learning needs in the absence of onboarding; therefore, the purpose of this case study was to examine, increase, and retain their technical knowledge at the Unified Communications Company (UCC). Following the theoretical model of knowledge management, which holds that knowledge is the key to confirm learning and knowledge sharing, the research questions were used to examine how the company assessed and increased their technical knowledge and how they taught their culture in the absence of onboarding. A qualitative …

Background And Leadership Traits To Effectively Lead Faculty Senates In California Community Colleges, Julie Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the major responsibility for community college governance falls to presidents and administrators, researchers have recognized the integral role of faculty in governing higher education institutions. Few studies, however, have explored the effectiveness of contributions of faculty elected to community college academic senates. The purpose of this research was to investigate the background traits and leadership skills of elected academic senate presidents in order to identify both their perceptions of themselves as leaders and the perceptions of other faculty senate members. This study was based in the theory of transformational leadership in organizations and its impact on the effectiveness of …

Effect Of Political Skill On Perception Of Organizational Politics And Work Withdrawal Among Community College Employees, David John Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college student support services are an important aspect of success among community college students. Theoretical and empirical models of organizational politics and withdrawal guided the expectation that community college employees who perceive their organizations as political may withdrawal from their organization, diminishing the services delivered to students at the institution. A multisite cross-sectional survey design was utilized to gather quantitative data via Survey Monkey from national professional organizations. Two-hundred seventeen usable surveys from community college administrators (executive, mid-level managers, and administrators) were gathered. Data were analyzed via correlation and regression models to examine if political skill reduced or moderated …

Leadership Styles And Nursing Satisfaction Rates, Wilma Lee Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to translate evidence-based literature into policy and practice guidelines in order to improve leadership standards and skills among nurse managers and improve patient outcomes and the quality of care. Guided by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Model and Lewin's change theory, which sets the framework for creating exceptional nursing leaders, a literature search was conducted from studies ranging from 2010 to 2012 from several databases. Inclusion criteria were based on the presence of one or more leadership styles discussed in the articles and the impact of leadership style on nursing satisfaction. A total …

Improving Community College Faculty Effectiveness Through Technology-Based Learning Communities, David Mark Peter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College faculty members are often inadequately prepared to use technology in their classrooms. They often learn technology without institutional support, and without understanding technology's impact on student learning. As a result of these shortcomings, the use of technology in the college classroom is often not systematic or focused on improving learning. This study used a conceptual framework based on Wenger's learning community or community of practice idea. This study examined a Midwestern university where faculty made only limited use of classroom technology and did not demonstrate contemporary approaches to student learning. The study set out to determine the impact of …

In The Midst Of Organizational Change: A Survey Of Employee Perceptions Toward Separate Accreditation For Regional Campuses At The University Of South Florida, Rhonda S. Moraca

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify how employees in the University of South Florida System (USF System) perceived changes in their organizations and the system as a result of having separate accreditation for each campus in the USF System. This survey research provided a "snapshot" of employee perceptions at a particular point in time. The study was unique because it provided a picture of the perceptions of employees while each campus was at a different point in the organizational change process. The theoretical concept from Bolman and Deal's (2003) four frame theory was used to develop the dependent …