Education Commons^™

Teachers’ And Principals’ Perceptions Of The Influence Of Principal Behaviors On Middle School Culture, Heather Daniel

Ed.D. Dissertations

Before this study, the research was limited regarding teachers’ perceptions of their principals and the influence on school culture. Even less research was dedicated to self-perceptions of principals’ behaviors within a middle school setting. Due to the lack of research, further investigation was necessary to understand specific behaviors performed by middle school principals and their influence on school culture. In this study, and teachers from one Tennessee county responded to questionnaires to investigate the relationship between perceptions of teachers and principals on principal behaviors and the influence on school culture. Through this study, principals and teachers listed multiple principal behaviors …

Investigating Evidence-Based Practices And Interventions Using Multifaceted Learning Theory For Students In A Special Education Self-Contained Classroom, Adam Maitland

Ed.D. Dissertations

Teachers working in a special education self-contained classroom were required to implement evidence-based practices and interventions, rarely researched in a school setting, with fidelity to meet the needs of students with intellectual disabilities. Evidence-based practices and interventions for students with intellectual disabilities were researched in clinical settings with one to three student participants and without a common evaluation tool. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to use the Tennessee Educator Acceleration Model General Educator Rubric to investigate how experienced teachers used multifaceted learning theory when implementing evidence-based practices and interventions in a diverse special education self-contained classroom to …

Advocating For The Middle Man: An Explication Of Chair Perceptions On Overcoming Emotion At Work, Brittany Armstrong

Ed.D. Dissertations

The researcher’s study aimed to understand the perceptions of private university department chairs when engaging with emotional intelligence (EQ) at work. The qualitative approach provided the boundaries for the voice and the experience of the participants as the researcher collected interviews, department meeting minutes, and department program reviews from a sample of five department chairs across three, private universities. The following departments served as the study’s population: mathematics, family and consumer science, business, education, and modern languages. Findings revealed participants perceived job satisfaction through the mediator of emotion. Participants identified the emotional challenges of department chair and perceived emotion within …

Teacher Perceptions Of Student Learning Environments As A Result Of Virtual Learning In Tennessee Rural High Schools, Kimberly Mcintyre

Ed.D. Dissertations

After the COVID‑19 pandemic came to the United States in March 2020, teachers and educational leaders looked to virtual learning as a way for students to overcome learning challenges and improve educational experiences for students. Stakeholders were met with conflicting claims about virtual learning. Proponents of virtual learning claimed virtual teaching and learning platforms strengthened education because they provided additional tools when traditional classroom settings were impossible. Opponents claimed virtual learning resulted in learning loss, therefore failing to improve student learning. In this qualitative interpretive study of a rural school system in Tennessee, using instrumental, semi‑structured interviews, I uncovered the …

Experiencing Intellectually Stimulating K-12 Principal Actions: A Phenomenological Study, John Parham

Ed.D. Dissertations

K-12 principals are held increasingly accountable for school success, yet their direct impact on students is negligible. Principals must thus work to positively impact their teachers in order to indirectly impact student achievement. Transformational leaders are able to utilize intellectual stimulation in order to impact those who work under them. The data for this study was collected through qualitative means, with eight K-12 teachers, representing two school districts in East Tennessee, participating. The findings in this study indicated that principals were able to provide intellectually stimulating experiences for teachers without having to bring in outside resources or even add extra …

Teacher Perceptions Of Curriculum-Driven Technology After Working With Instructional Technology Coaches In Middle Schools In One Southeastern School District, Julie Pepperman

Ed.D. Dissertations

The use of curriculum-driven technology in K-12 public schools was mandated by federal law. School and district leaders were required to provide curriculum-driven technology professional development and support to teachers. The use of the curriculum-driven technology coach was an option some schools chose to meet the curriculum-driven technology professional development requirements and needs of their teachers. The purpose of this research was to explore one school district’s middle school teachers’ perceptions of the importance of curriculum-driven technology and their perceived self-efficacy in using curriculum-driven technology in instructional practice after collaborating with a curriculum-driven technology coach. This qualitative study was conducted …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Alternate Academic Standards And Alternate Testing In Northeast Tennessee, Jodie Bakely

Ed.D. Dissertations

In accordance with the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), Tennessee developed alternate academic standards and an alternate assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities. This study examined teacher perceptions of the alternate academic standards and alternate assessment in Northeast Tennessee. The researcher interviewed nine teachers of students with significant cognitive disabilities who had used the alternate academic standards and alternate assessment with their students in Northeast Tennessee. The study found that the teachers interviewed did not see the value in using the alternate state standards or alternate assessment with their students. The implications of this study included a need for …

The Relationship Between The Supportive Principal Behavior Dimension And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy In Rural Schools, Elizabeth Lackey

Ed.D. Dissertations

Abstract

The researcher focused on the principal behavior dimensions that principals exhibited in interactions with staff members and the relationship those behaviors had on teachers’ sense of self-efficacy in rural schools. In this study, the researcher surveyed 96 rural elementary school teachers in a southeastern state to examine the relationship between the principal behavior dimensions using the Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire-Revised for Elementary Schools and teachers’ sense of self-efficacy using the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale. The researcher used a Pearson r to analyze the results of three research questions related to the relationship between the supportive principal behavior dimensions …

Boredom Proneness And Character Strengths Related To Academic Achievement In Adolescence, Bonnie Iannaccone

Ed.D. Dissertations

Abstract

Susceptibility to boredom can interfere with students’ ability to achieve their academic potential, with enduring negative consequences. In the present study, the researcher investigated differences in boredom proneness and character strengths in adolescent high school students and the ability of boredom proneness scores and character strengths to predict academic achievement. Results indicated that 9 of 10 students were moderately or highly prone to boredom. Students’ whose top character strength was humility were more highly prone to boredom than students’ whose top-ranked character strengths were bravery, prudence, or curiosity. From boredom proneness and character strengths data the researcher concluded that …

The Effect Of Advanced Stem Certification On Elementary Achievement, Christopher Stotts

Ed.D. Dissertations

STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education has become a panacea for many woes in our country’s educational and economic systems. Each year schools struggle with judiciously allocating their limited funds to various STEM programs in hopes that they may reap academic returns. This study examined the effect of a STEM certification from the AdvancED educational accreditation organization on elementary student achievement. The researcher analyzed extant student achievement data from twenty Georgia elementary schools that earned the AdvancED STEM certification to investigate any statistically significant difference between pre-certification and post-certification scores. The researcher analyzed scores from four content areas: English …

The Relational Effect University Momentum Has On Philanthropic Support, John D. North

Ed.D. Dissertations

Higher Education in the United States is a complex industry with fierce competition. A university’s success and momentum are impacted by numerous internal and external factors. The level of an institution’s philanthropic support often mirrors the level of its overall success. Concerns exist over the continued financial affordability of Christian higher education for students. Prior research has identified a correlation between various institutional characteristics and the generation of philanthropic support. Based on the literature review, the following characteristics were studied to determine their ability to predict alumni giving: enrollment, endowment balance, financial responsibility score, graduation rate, institutional age, presidential tenure, …

Teaching And Non-Teaching Staff Job Satisfaction, Jason Curl

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study focuses on the problem of attrition of teacher in the modern educational system, and the effect job satisfaction has on teacher attrition. Job satisfaction was examined for teaching and non-teaching staff in a high school setting to determine is difference between the employees using the Minnesota Satisfaction Survey Short Form. Analytical methodology was implemented utilizing a MANOVA to examine difference between teaching and non-teaching groups. Results indicated that there was a significant higher level for teaching staff for overall and intrinsic job satisfaction. Extrinsic job satisfaction yielded no significant difference between the groups. Furthermore, Dimensional statistics were employed …

The Utility Of Local Norms In The Identification Of Students With Learning Disabilities In Reading, Brian C. Malliett

Ed.D. Dissertations

Third grade students were administered two universal screening reading measures at the beginning and end of the school year. In an effort to limit the misidentification of reading disabilities (RD) in lower socioeconomic community populations of the school district, local norms were established. The local and national norms were compared using the 10th percentile, or -1.27 Z-score, to identify discrepant scores. A diminished classification of RD was evidenced when local norms were utilized in contrast to the use of national norms. Locally-normed slope scores in conjunction with the benchmark testing scores showed a moderate level of correlation than when …

The Effects Of Laity Ministry Involvement On Transformational Discipleship, Emmanuel Reinbold

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study sought to determine the impacts of The Place Assessment process within four congregations that are a part of The Church of the Nazarene in central and Eastern Iowa. The Place Assessment process included structured teaching, completing a comprehensive assessment online, and structured coaching. The results of this process showed measurable increases in the areas of discipleship engagement and discipleship transformation.

Analysis Of Financial Assistance On Graduation Rates And Grade Point Averages, John L. Perry

Ed.D. Dissertations

This investigation examined the different types of federal, state, institutional, employment, and loan programs available to students at an Illinois community college in order to determine the impact of these programs on student graduation rates and grade point averages. The method selected for this analysis was a quasi-experimental design because it allowed the researcher to determine the relationships between multiple preassigned groups. Data was collected from first-time students from multiple academic years and separated into groups based on the type of financial aid received including grants, loans, grants and loans, institutional scholarship, Federal Work Study, and no financial assistance. The …

Nazarene Universities: Effective Boards And The Church-School Relationship, Daniel D. Rexroth

Ed.D. Dissertations

While the world of higher education is rapidly changing, the trustee selection process and resultant board composition in Nazarene liberal arts schools has remained largely the same for the past 60 years. Trustee selection has been primarily a function of the church, disconnected often times from the needs of the schools. This study examined trustee effectiveness in Nazarene liberal arts higher education, as well as the church-school relationship. Trustees at three schools and top administrators at all eight Nazarene institutions were surveyed to identify gaps in trustee competency and also to assess the church-school relationship. Of the 139 trustees in …

Increasing Enrollment: Evaluating College-Choice Factors At A Midwest Christian University, Jeremy J. Hayes

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study evaluated the college-choice factors of 628 freshman students from a Midwest Christian University to determine which variables had the greatest impact on their decision to attend a particular university. Surveys were distributed to freshman students at the new-student orientation during the fall of 2012. The results indicated that institutional factors have the most influence on freshman students’ college-choice decision. In addition, marketing factors are slightly more influential than non-marketing factors. The campus visit is the most influential factor effecting the college-choice decision. The findings also revealed that marketers can be just as influential, if not more, than parents …

The Role Of Social Capital And Internal Locus Of Control In The Academic Achievement Of Traditionally Disadvantaged Students, Randy Couwenhoven

Ed.D. Dissertations

The academic achievement gap between minority and low socioeconomic status children and their more advantaged counterparts is a well-documented phenomenon. Many factors have contributed to this gap. The current quantitative, non-experimental, fixed-research design study has examined the potential of three social capital variables and locus of control to predict academic achievement. From a sample of 98 high school seniors, the results indicated that none of the independent variables studied were significant predictors of academic achievement for disadvantaged students. However, feelings of parental rejection were found to be a statistically significant negative predictor of grade point average (GPA) for the No …

Stop The Madness! College Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Classroom Incivility, Christina M. Nutt

Ed.D. Dissertations

Classroom incivility is causing major concern, nation-wide, to college administrators, faculty, and students. The damage caused by student incivility has been associated with a decrease in student learning, the deterioration of the classroom learning environment, lower faculty morale, and reduced student retention rates. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental fixed research design was to explore and compare college faculty and student perceptions of type and frequency of classroom incivilities at a private college in order to provide a foundation for the development of strategies to reduce uncivil behaviors and increase student success. Study results demonstrated that faculty members and students, …

By The Book: Spiritual Formation And Conduct Codes At Selected Christian Universities, Gerald A. Longjohn Jr.

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigated the integration of spiritually formative goals with student conduct codes at selected Christian universities. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study incorporated content analysis of university documents and focus group interviews with campus stakeholders to assess the formulation, revision, communication and enforcement of the campus policies. Qualitative data analysis software, NVivo, was used as a means of coding and tracking themes from a wide range of data sources. Campus results from the Student Satisfaction Inventory were incorporated as a means of triangulating the data. This study concluded that the participating universities were extensively integrating previously researched spiritually …

Perceptions Of Full-Time Faculty Members Within A Community College Regarding Conditions That Impact Levels Of Engagement, Edward Matthew Foley

Ed.D. Dissertations

Community Colleges fulfill a vital role in society and in higher education, while constraints are expanding. Understanding and increasing the engagement of full-time faculty members could be critical to community colleges in meeting their challenges and advancing their mission. This quantitative study, with focus group follow-up, was conducted within the largest and oldest community college in Ohio. First, findings established an existing level of full-time faculty member engagement and perceptions. Next, the study examined variations of perceptions relative to engagement based on tenure status, academic discipline, length of service, and campus location. Lastly, the study examined the relationship between community …

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 …

Investigation Of Comprehension Monitoring Skills Of First-Year Students Of College Reading Courses, Barbara Revor

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigates the comprehension monitoring skills of first-year readers at both a two-year institution and a four-year institution in the Midwest. The Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) was used to assess skills. The MARSI, developed by Mokhtari and Reichard (2002), assesses reading strategies in the areas of problem-solving, support reading, and global reading. Simple t-tests were used to compare the items on the survey relating to understanding and comprehension monitoring. Results reveal no statistical difference between the students at the two institutions; however, the MARSI was able to show where instructors need to begin instruction to …

Motivation To Pursue Higher Education, David W. Knutsen

Ed.D. Dissertations

Non-traditional college students now comprise an ever increasing portion of the overall number of college students but little is known about the factors that motivate one to pursue higher education. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivating factors, both extrinsic and intrinsic, that lead U.S. workers to pursue higher education. This research was conducted using 200 students of Robert Morris University and the data were collected using a survey instrument that measures the extent to which various factors influenced one’s motivation to pursue higher education. Analysis of the data revealed that overall the most important extrinsic factor …

An Investigation Of Random Drug Testing As A Preventative Measure To Inhibit Drug Use In College Students, Drew Ludtke

Ed.D. Dissertations

The problem of drug use exists at most life stages. In particular, the problem of drug use exists in school settings. In a collegiate setting, students are independent from guardians for the first time and subjected to random drug testing (RDT). The difficulty in testing in a collegiate setting is finding ways to test the effectiveness of RDT. This study examined the effectiveness of an RDT program at a small Midwest university. Reports of drug use and attitudes were recorded before a RDT program was initiated and two years after. The results showed the RDT program was ineffective at preventing …

An Axiological Analysis Of Shared Purpose And Academic Excellence, Robert Baranoski

Ed.D. Dissertations

In this dissertation, I inquired into the relationship of shared purpose and academic excellence. Beginning with an understanding and investigation into the axiology of shared purpose and academic performance, the research reviewed and synthesized scholarly literature for contextual facts. Following analyses, a quantitative explanatory method was undertaken to measure correlation of the variables. An examination of the findings supports a relationship between shared purpose and academic excellence. More importantly, it yields further investigation into purpose as a linchpin to performance in public education.

Writing Curriculum And The Adolescent: Addressing Skill Variance In The Classroom, Zakieh A. Mohammed

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study addressed a means of responding to the varying writing skill levels found in the standard high school classroom. A structured writing curriculum was examined through a state, national and marketed rubric, focusing upon a high-risk high school population in Chicago, IL. The research centered around cognitive learning theory, specifically, Vygotsky‘s zone of proximal development. Additionally, to account for the variance in skill level, a new measurement tool was created to quantify rigor in relation to increasingly difficult writing assessments. The longitudinal study determined that, with extended exposure, the proposed structured writing curriculum did enable students to meet state, …

Marketing Nazarene Higher Education: A Study Of Nazarene High School Senior College Choice, Timothy W. Eades

Ed.D. Dissertations

This was a quantitative study of college choice factors as related to Nazarene high school seniors. A purposeful sample comprised of 6,918 students was utilized leading to 343 valid survey respondents. Valid respondents were specifically high-school seniors, over the age of 18, which attended a Nazarene church and signified the intention of attending a college or university in the fall of 2010. Nine very important or extremely important college choice factors were derived from the findings of this study. Differentiations were established with students choosing to attend a Nazarene college or university and those that chose not to do so. …

The Impact Of Career, Psychosocial, And Spiritual Functions Of Mentoring On Undergraduate Students, Tom Middendorf

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigated the perceived utilization and importance of career, psychosocial, and spiritual mentoring functions in the mentoring relationships with university personnel at select Nazarene Higher Educational Institutions (NHEI). Quantitative methodology utilizing survey research was used to collect data. A total of 366 traditional undergraduate students were surveyed from the Behavioral Sciences Division at four select NHEIs. Data analysis indicated statistically significant differences on students‟ ethnicity and the mentoring function of protection, denomination and the function of exposure and visibility, college or university and the function of spiritual accountability, major and the functions of exposure and visibility and challenging assignments, …

College Athletes' Perceptions Of Effective Coaching Behaviors And How Perceptions Influence Individual Performance And Team Satisfaction, David Brent Holstein

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study collected data both quantitatively and qualitatively on athletes’ perceptions of their current coaches and whether these perceptions influenced individual performance and team satisfaction as perceived by the athlete. Athletes at two community colleges participated (n=145) in the quantitative portion, the Athletes’ Perceptions of Effective Coaching Traits Questionnaire (APECT-Q), along with five being interviewed. Overall, on the APECT-Q it was found that athletes at the two schools felt their coach’s behaviors/traits did moderately to strongly influence their performance and team satisfaction. Conclusions and implications from both a theoretical and empirical perspective were discussed in an effort to continue to …