Education Commons^™

The Effect Of Asynchronous Versus Synchronous Online Course Delivery On Hesi Scores And Student Engagement For Rural Pre-Licensure Nursing Students, Susan Luke Belliston

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Since nurses are the primary providers of direct patient care in the United States, a shortage in any community can impact the quality of health care available. Rural areas were among the first to be affected by the current nursing shortage. Further challenges to the rural nurse supply include a lack of access to nursing education, particularly baccalaureate education.Both distance and online education options allow for the increased reach of higher education to rural areas. Existing nursing education literature focuses on graduate nurse education and baccalaureate completion education. The pre-licensure nursing student is mostly absent from the existing literature concerning …

Fluctuating Cohesion: A Grounded Theory Study Of Nursing Students Engaged In A Hybrid Debriefing Format, Carol Lynn Senette

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Debriefing is a key component of simulation that promotes development of students’ reflective processes. Instructor-led debriefing (ILD) is considered the gold standard; however, research conducted over the past decade demonstrates the negative effects of anxiety on student reflection during ILD. Nursing students’ experiences with ILDs have been substantially investigated; yet scant research explores students’ perceptions and experiences of more learner-centered debriefing formats that deemphasize the instructor role.

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions and experiences of a hybrid debriefing format consisting of peer-led debriefing followed immediately by ILD. Specifically, I aimed to …

Influence Of Curricular Organization On Cognitive Load And Student Performance In Online Learning Environments, Michael Wilder

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of curricular organization on student cognitive load and student performance in online learning environments. The findings of this study contribute to the development of usable instruction design principles for online education.

This research study used the lens of cognitive load theory to examine how online course organization affects student learning. A review of the literature included the elements of cognitive architecture that have been measured in prior studies, various methods in which cognitive load has been measured, and the basic requirements for measurement of cognitive load in instructional research.

A …

Understanding The Professional Experiences Of White Jewish Women In Higher Education: An Intrinsic Case Study Analysis, Janna M. Bernstein

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The exploration of female professionals’ experiences within the realm of higher education is steadily increasing, yet researchers have yet to analyze, much less include, Jewish women. Following a qualitative intrinsic case study approach, this study assesses the lived experiences of ten white Jewish women professionals to better understand how they engage in the world of higher education differently than their non-Jewish counterparts. Using racial formation theory and intersectional analysis as theoretical frameworks, the research examined the current and historical literature on Jewish identity, the role of Jews and Jewish women in higher education, and the relevant methodological research. The study …

Using The Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework To Teach Adult Basic Education Learners: A Transformative Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Study, Matthew D. Gromlich

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this study was to design and implement curricula in the Adult Basic Education classroom that aligned to the Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework. Specifically, this study assessed if ABE students’ mathematics anxiety and mathematics self-efficacy ware affected by curricula that aligns to the Critical Mathematics Pedagogical Framework. Using a transformative convergent parallel mixed methods study, this study showed that students taught using CMPF-based lessons specifically reflected on their own attitudes towards mathematics self-efficacy, mathematics anxiety, number positioning, and the need for societal change around mathematical concepts. Both quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to highlight student reflections and …

Addressing Disproportionality In School Discipline Through Alternatives To Exclusionary Discipline Practices, Kevin Matthew Higley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Tasked with ensuring that school environments are safe and orderly, school administrators spend an increasingly inordinate amount of time and energy on managing student discipline. Often, when students commit egregious behaviors or violate school policy, schools resort to out-of-school disciplinary consequences, i.e. suspension, expulsion, or alternative educational placements, in attempts to reduce problem behaviors from recurring. Historically though, these exclusionary discipline practices have led to the unfair treatment of some students, (e.g., Black/African American students, male students, and/or students with disabilities). This disproportionate practice is often cited as the genesis for the school-to prison pipeline phenomenon. From a behaviorist perspective, …

A Nomological Network Analysis Of Innovation In Hospitality Education And Industry, Robert H. Rippee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The development of a theory of innovation for hospitality innovation finds heightened importance due to the COVID-19 Pandemic that has unleashed a devastating and sustained disruption on global hospitality and tourism. The problem for research is that the industry lacks a taxonomy for research on innovation in hospitality. This study addresses the gap in understanding the nomological relationship between innovation constructs and the observable manifestations of innovation in the hospitality industry. This study used an emergent basic qualitative design of a phenomenon through data collected in three phases. Two large samples of literature and a series of focus groups comprised …

Thinking About Thinking: Children’S Awareness And Development Of Metacognitive Emotion Regulation, Reilly Rowland

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Metacognitive emotion regulation is a complex system of our underlying thinking that contributes to the emotions that we endure. By gaining an understanding of this concept, young children can learn various strategies, e.g. cognitive reappraisal, problem solving, and delayed gratification, to help alter their thoughts and/or goals to alleviate negative emotion. Thus, they are able to increase their confidence in their own metacognitive emotion regulation abilities and awareness. This study explored the awareness of young children and their metacognitive emotion regulation abilities, the strategies that young children take part in to try and control negative emotion, and the learning strategies …

A Combined Approach To Evaluating Student Engagement In A Virtual Laboratory Environment, Aster Sigel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study measured student engagement with galvanic skin response (GSR) using a one group randomized pretest–posttest design in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning environment to develop effective intervention strategies for engaging students in STEM learning experiences. Student engagement is a multi-dimensional interrelated construct, consisting of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive components, and varies in different subjects and learning environments. Student engagement in higher education is associated with academic achievement, retention, and graduation. In this study, the emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement data of 30 college students were obtained using self-report surveys, observation and physiological data, which was recorded …

An Exploration Of The Numeracy Skills Required For Safe, Quality Nursing Practice, Anna Wendel

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study was to explore the numeracy skills required for safe, quality nursing practice. Using a descriptive mixed methods design, this study answered two research questions: 1) What numeracy skills do nurses perceive as important for providing safe, quality nursing care in the first three years of practice? 2) How do nurses incorporate numeracy skills into daily patient care during the first three years of practice? Early career nurses from a not-for-profit health care organization in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States (n=109) responded to an online survey tool developed by the student investigator that ranked …

Training Design Enhancement Through Training Evaluation: Effects On Training Transfer, Elham Arabi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With recurring changes in the society, in terms of economy and technology, companies need to ensure that their human capital is aligned with these transformations in order to sustain in a competitive industry. To date, organizations view training as a requirement to increase their employees’ efficiencies and productivity, and reduce their attrition rates. Despite investment in employee training, research shows a lack of transfer of learning to job and as a result minimal return on investment. This issue is due to many barriers, but can be addressed by learning professionals. Poor learning design and training evaluation practices have been identified …

An Examination Of The History And Evolution Of Senior Adult Theatre Accomplishments That Impact Intergenerational Theatre Of The 21st Century, William Français Charette

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis explores senior adult theatre recorded interviews, several text book, internet, and published articles that report on findings conducted by educational scholars regarding senior adults in theatre 60 and older. Subsequent background research reflects on multigenerational accomplishments within historical American Theatre and The American Theatre Association discoveries regarding senior adult theatre. Further inquiries include reflections on The American Theatre Association of Senior Adult Theatre, Liz Lerman’s Dance Exchange of Maryland, Ohio State University Senior Adult Theatre programs, University of North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, Montgomery County Maryland Senior Theatre program, University of Oregon, Art Age, the history of …

Identifying School Climate Predictors Of School Absenteeism, Victoria Bacon

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Attendance is a crucial component of the education system and may be addressed utilizing Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) models. To effectively utilize such models, clear demarcations between tiers must exist to classify students appropriately. Additionally, relevant risk and protective factors must be identified as targets for intervention and prevention efforts at each tier. Little research exists that identifies school climate factors, and other student-based contextual factors such as academic mindset and social emotional learning, that impact absenteeism. The present study aimed to identify suitable tier demarcations as well as school climate and student-based contextual factors relevant at each tier. …

Effects Of Embedded Tacting Trials And Systematic Prompting On Intraverbal Skill Acquisition, Sarah Ilana Katz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

For all students, the ability to communicate is the most fundamental educational outcome leading to academic success (Kearns et al., 2011). Students with autism (ASD), however, demonstrate particular difficulty with spontaneous communication and use of functional language throughout a variety of settings (CDC, 2018), including academic contexts. The framework of verbal behavior and training of tacting and intraverbal responses has been widely used to increase the language for students with autism (Sundberg & Michael, 2001), but these skills do not begin in or generalize to academic contexts, particularly during reading instruction. Embedded instruction (Jimenez & Kamei, 2015) and systematic prompting …

School Gardens As A Tool To Improve Student Health Outcomes And Increase Parent Engagement In The Clark County School District, Sabina Malik

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Background-School Gardens (SG) have been used in student programming to help achieve many goals that include increasing academic achievement, improving nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, increasing physical activity rates, instilling eco-consciousness, and increasing student and community engagement. To date, garden programs have predominantly been evaluated by case control studies examining pilot or informal short term implementation without consideration of garden program longevity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of SGs on student knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to nutrition and physical activity, examine student connection to the garden, and to identify stakeholder perceptions of best practices …

Losing Our Faculties: Academic Labor In The Corporate Academy, Mark L. Spinrad

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In three studies, I examine corporatization and faculty labor in higher education. The first study is a critical review of the intersecting bodies of corporatization and faculty labor literature. I reviewed literature that describes how higher education institutions have been reshaped into organizations that more closely resemble for-profit corporations, then connected that to literature describing how labor policies that has altered the professoriate. The second and third papers, therefore, explored how corporatized faculty shapes student outcomes and faculty productivity.

The second paper is an embedded case study of corporatization based on the perspectives of contingent faculty. Findings revealed contingent faculty …

Supporting The Visible Minority: Factors That Impact Part-Time Faculty Intent To Leave, Michelle Marie Dominguez Chavez

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Hiring part-time faculty in higher education is beneficial for both institutions and the part-time faculty member. Particularly during times of budget cuts, institutions turn to part-time faculty. However, it is important for institutions to create a positive working environment for part-time faculty in order to ensure that the use of part-time faculty does not create adverse effects on student learning and institutions can retain their faculty as either part-time or assist in their transition into full-time teaching positions. Using the conceptual frameworks of role conflict and ambiguity, working conditions, morale, job satisfaction, and intent to leave, this study aimed to …

A Chc Theoretical Approach To Examining Cognitive And Academic Deficits Among Students With Adhd Using A Three-Battery Approach, Jacqueline Scott Hart

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Current research into ADHD and Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) factor scores has been examined (Rowland, 2013; Sjöwall, Roth, Lindqvist, & Thorell, 2013), but few studies have evaluated the discrepancies in CHC factor scores of students diagnosed with ADHD compared to healthy controls using the updated Woodcock-Johnson ® IV (WJ IV™) three-battery configuration. With little research on the WJ-IV three-battery configuration, this study expands on the limited research into the discrepancies among students with ADHD compared to healthy controls using CHC factor scores.

Subjects for this study were obtained from 12 schools in a large urban district in northwestern Arizona and standardization data …

Awareness Of Apprenticeships Among College Students At A Research University In The Western United States: A Fixed-Convergent Mixed Methods Study, Kendra Vanessa O'Connell

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Apprenticeships offer a practical solution to a growing skills gap, youth unemployment and rising school debt in the United States by delivering a low cost, high-skilled, educated, competitive labor force. Government, industry, and educational institutions have increased focus on expanding apprenticeships. However, enrollment and participation in apprenticeships in the United States remains low. Why?

Legislators, educators, and business leaders agree two primary factors contribute to low apprenticeship participation in the United States: lack of awareness and negative perception of apprenticeships. This fixed-convergent mixed-methods study explored only the first factor, awareness of apprenticeships among college students in Nevada.

An original researcher-designed …

Resilience And The Mental Health Of Bullying Victims: The Role Of Peer Relationships On The Relation Between Bullying Victimization And Social Anxiety, Michelle Catherine Zochowski

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Bullying is a pervasive issue in today’s schools that has a significant impact on the mental health of students. Resilience has a positive impact on the outcomes related to facing adversity including bullying. The following dissertation study asks whether the relation between bullying victimization and social anxiety differs as a function of resilience and gender. It was hypothesized that bullying victims with increased resilience would show lower levels of social anxiety, as would students that report their gender as female. Chapter one discusses the significance of the problem, defines relevant constructs, and introduces the problem statement. Chapter two outlines the …

Epistemic Aspects Of Engineering For K-12 Education, Ezgi Yesilyurt

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The recent science education standards placed a special emphasis on engineering design to build a foundation of students’ learning in engineering and enhance their scientific understanding by using engineering as a real-world context. However, the standards documents put a strong focus on engineering design without providing a comprehensive outlook on the features of the engineering discipline. Such an approach could deprive students of the chance to develop disciplinary knowledge and understand the connections between engineering, science, technology, and society. In this respect, the aim of this study was to illuminate the epistemic aspects of engineering for K-12 science and engineering …

Toward Developing A Valid And Reliable Assessment Of Learners’ Nature Of Engineering Views, Erdogan Kaya

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nature of Engineering (NOE) refers to the epistemological beliefs pertaining to engineering (Antink-Meyer & Brown, 2019; Deniz et al., 2019; Hartman & Bell, 2018; Kaya et al., 2017; Pleasants & Olson, 2019). Given that a person’s engineering values and beliefs can affect how that individual perceives not only certain tasks, but also his/her ability to accomplish them, it is important to support pre-college teachers and students in improving their NOE understanding. This continues to be one of the main goals of pre-college Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education, and has become particularly relevant since the release of the Next …

Increasing Nurses' Knowledge Of Advance Care Planning, Jocelyn K. Allen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Advance care planning (ACP) is a process that seeks to ensure patients receive medical care that is consistent with their values and preferences. The process has proven benefits for patients and their loved ones but is under-utilized in clinical practice. Nurses are capable of successfully supporting patients through ACP; however, they encounter barriers that prevent their engagement in the process. These barriers include a lack of knowledge regarding ACP, poor understanding of their role in the process, and a lack of confidence to embrace the practice.

The purpose of this DNP Project was to create an evidence-based educational intervention to …

Examining Grit With Middle Schoolers In Diverse General Education Classrooms – Validating The Grit Scale, Cristina Liliana Reding

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Educators and researchers are still attempting to narrow the achievement gap for students in diverse needs general education classrooms. In this quest, non-cognitive skills are being researched for their potential to influence behavioral changes and to increase the academic success of diverse needs students. Grit, a newly defined non-cognitive skill, is defined as perseverance and passion for long term goals. This construct has been explored in a variety of settings but not in diverse general education classrooms, with participants from culturally, linguistically and ability diverse groups. The validity of instruments is paramount for successful studies, and current scales measuring non-cognitive …

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Revolution: A Case Study Of Public Policy In The Nevada Legislature, Caitlin J. Saladino

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to explain the dynamics of metropolitan policymaking in Las Vegas, Nevada. This study utilizes advocacy coalition framework to show how underlying beliefs among policy actors, and within the coalitions they form, impact decisions made at the level of the Nevada Legislature. As the newest metropolitan region to emerge among the top 30 metros in the United States, a case study exploring Las Vegas offers a unique contribution to existing literature in public policy and urban affairs. In the wake of economic downturn in the Great Recession and the adoption of a new …

Beginning The Baroque Bassoon: A Contemporary Approach, Elizabeth Ellen Valvano

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

“Beginning the Baroque Bassoon: A Contemporary Approach” is an introductory method for bassoonists who are interested in learning how to play the baroque bassoon or transitioning from the modern bassoon to its baroque counterpart. This method begins with a history of the development of the bassoon before delving into specific performance techniques. This approach includes bassoon history, information on reed making, instructional examples, fingering charts, solo suggestions and playing examples, and resources for further study. While emphasizing beginning the baroque bassoon, this method also includes resources for the more advanced bassoonist. The goal of this text is to widen the …

Exploring The Attitudes Of Students Enrolled In A Teacher Certification Program Through A Disability Awareness Documentary Film Intervention, Eunhye Choi

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Negative attitudes towards individuals with disabilities can lead to a lack of opportunities in society as well as educational settings. Therefore, it is essential to promote positive attitudes to provide equal opportunities and rights to individuals with disabilities. However, there have been insufficient attempts to explore the attitudes of students enrolled in teacher certification programs. Diverse disability awareness programs have been utilized to enhance positive attitudes, and documentary films are frequently used to deliver such interventions. The current study implemented a series of documentary films as an intervention tool and examined the effects of the disability awareness documentary film intervention …

Motivational Predictors Of Academic Risk-Taking, Danette Dee Barber

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Students benefit when they are willing to engage in optimal challenges (Clifford, 1991). Engagement in challenges, however, comes with academic risks, as failure may be a result. This study investigated motivational factors, including expectancy, subjective task value, mastery goal orientation, and performance avoidance goal orientation as predictors of achievement-related outcomes, including course grade and academic risk-taking. Data were collected from 317 university students enrolled in education classes. Students were given a reading passage and asked to choose questions to answer based on the passage. Students who chose harder questions were categorized as taking more risk. Students also answered questions about …

The Relationship Between Teacher Identity And Teacher Retention In Title 1 Schools: A Multiple Case Study, Michelle A. Arroyo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Teacher turnover is a significant phenomenon and a dominant factor driving demand for new teachers and, in turn, creating school staffing problems. Retaining teachers in the classroom is critical to properly serve a growing and diverse student population. The purpose of this case study was to investigate critical components that cause teachers to remain teaching in Title 1, hard to staff schools and how their professional identities contribute to that decision. A qualitative research design was used by conducting one interview with seven teachers employed at a Title 1 elementary school in the Southwest portion of the United States.

The …

Change Of Venue: An Exploratory, Multistage Evaluation That Examines The Impact Of Change Based On The Shared Experiences Of The Toe Tag Monologues, Lisa Ann Baaske

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study determined how Vision Theatrical Foundation addresses the needs of troubled and traumatized local youth. I wanted to see if their services and interventions had an impact and if that impact resulted in a change and/or an improved quality of their lives. In addition, I wanted to see if the impact improved mental health literacy. This is a mixed-method, convergent, multistage, process and impact evaluation. An exploratory process evaluation was conducted on the organization utilizing SAMHSA’s Process Evaluation to Monitor Program Implementation (SAMHSA, 2018), which assesses five key questions about the program. The strengths and weaknesses of the organization …