Education Commons^™

Evaluation Of An Orientation Program For Graduate Nurses Transitioning Into Professional Practice, Kristy Patrick-Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition from student nurse to practicing professional is extremely challenging. The local organization experienced increases in turnover among new graduate hires and determined that adjustments to their orientation program to better meet the needs of new graduates were warranted. The problem that this doctoral project addressed is the lack of evaluation of the effectiveness of the new orientation program. The practice-focused question examined the effectiveness of the new orientation program at reducing turnover and improving satisfaction with the quality of the orientation program among new graduate nurses. The framework used to guide this study was Patricia Benner’s novice to …

Administrators’ Perceptions Of Mindfulness Practices In Southeastern, Racially And Ethnically Diverse Urban Elementary Schools, Sakima Romero-Chandler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMindfulness practices are increasingly used in schools; however, there is a gap in practice when it comes to their use. The problem investigated through this basic qualitative study was the implementation of school mindfulness practice (SMP) of elementary school administrators in a large, urban area in the southeast United States. The purpose of this project study was to understand urban elementary school administrators’ perceptions of the implementation of SMP in predominantly racially and ethnically diverse, urban elementary schools. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership model of Murphey, Hallinger, Weil, and Mittman that emphasizes the importance of understanding administrative functions, …

Challenges Faced By Executive Leaders At Schools For The Deaf, Michelle Therese Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hiring and sustaining qualified executive leaders at schools and programs for the Deaf continue to be challenging for board members and communities. More information is needed to understand issues contributing to the retention and recruitment of these executive leaders. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand factors that contribute to retention and recruitment in these positions and to learn possible solutions for overcoming challenges. An economic labor market theory for superintendents informed the study. Data were collected via interviews with 11 executive leaders from public and private schools for the Deaf from different regions of the United …

Veteran Social Justice Teacher Challenges And Retention, I'Asha S. Warfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractTeacher attrition disproportionately affects schools that have high populations of students who are socio-economically disadvantaged and/or high populations of students of color. The retention of social justice teachers is specifically important at high-needs schools because these teachers help to address both educational and social inequality. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how experienced teachers who identify themselves as social justice educators describe why they stay in the classroom despite perceived emotional challenges and what supports they recommend to keep social justice teachers in the classroom. The concepts of purpose, identity, and power, culture, and context from Hargreaves’s …

Lived Experiences Of African American Middle School Males Taught By A Different Race, Pamela Lee Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWhile considerable research has explored the effect of teacher’s racial group on educating African American students from the teacher’s perspective, little is known about the students’ thoughts. The purpose of this study was to describe the feelings of African American middle school males who were taught by teachers of a different race. The bases for this qualitative study were critical race theory (CRT) and oppositional cultural theory (OCT). Purposive sampling strategy and snowball sampling were used to recruit seven African American middle school males for in depth semi structured interviews. The responses of the participants were coded, the analysis method …

Emotional Intelligence And Gender As Predictors Of Infidelity Among Heterosexual, Monogamous Couples, Dina R. Schulsinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of families being impacted by divorce is high. Studies show that infidelity remains the number one cause of divorce or the dissolution of relationships; however, couples with a higher level of emotional intelligence (EI) have demonstrated a higher rate of marital satisfaction.The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to determine if gender, EI, ethnicity, and age, individually or in combination, can adequately predict infidelity among persons in committed, heterosexual, monogamous relationships. EI theory served as the theoretical foundation for this study. Using an online survey methodology, each participant answered four qualifying questions and, when qualified, took the …

Oil Rig Trainees’ Perspectives On The Influence Of Drilling Simulation On Their Learning And Motivation, Adel Mohamed Hassanein Abdelaziz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low enrollment levels in vocational drilling training programs in the Arabian Gulf area have resulted in a talent gap, with little success in building and retaining national crews. With current simulation technology, it is believed that trainees' learning, motivation, and achievements will increase; however, further study is needed to determine if these conclusions hold. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how using simulation technologies influences trainees' learning, motivation, and perspectives about completing their education at an oil-field drilling rig’s vocational training facility. Davis’s technology acceptance model concerning user reception of information systems formed the conceptual framework. …

Civilian School Educators’ Perspectives Of Needed Supports For Military-Connected Early Childhood Students, Demetreia D Head Adderley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The support needed for military-connected children in civilian schools remains a largely unexplored subject. Military-connected children and their families face unique stressors due to the nature of military life and culture. The problem is that civilian educators are often unaware of the presence of military-connected students in their schools and of the academic and behavioral support these students require to be successful. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of educators concerning the support needed for military-connected early childhood students in civilian schools to be successful. The three research questions focused specifically on teachers’ perspectives on …

How College Faculty Adapted Instruction To Online Learning During The Covid-19, Rosie Ah Chee-Toeava

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the challenges of the transition of courses to online platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to collect and examine the experiences of XYZ (pseudonym) faculty who transitioned their courses to online learning platforms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Piaget’s constructivism was the conceptual framework of this project. The research questions examined the experiences of college faculty members about previous knowledge that contributed to the transition of courses using online platforms. Ten research participants were selected using purposeful sampling while conducting semistructured interviews. Content thematic analysis …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of Responsibilities During District-Mandated Changes To Curriculum, Hope Albritton-Terry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Systemic changes to curriculum are an inevitable part of education; however, understanding how teachers and administrators perceive their responsibilities in implementing district-mandated changes to curriculum is unclear. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions related to their responsibilities in effective implementation of district-mandated changes to curriculum. The conceptual framework for this study was change theory to explore how teachers and administrators process district-mandated changes to curriculum. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight teachers and seven administrators who have implemented district-mandated changes in a public school in the mid-Atlantic region of the …

Effect Of Covid-19 On Comprehensive Predictor Exam Scores And Nursing Program Scores And First Generation College Students, Heather Marie Austin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced nursing education programs to change traditional face-to-face teaching to virtual education and simulated experiences. Therefore, research is needed to determine how this change affected nursing students’ academic performance and their performance on standardized exams. The purpose of this three-part study, guided by Knowles’s adult learning theory, was to determine if there was a difference in Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students’ performance on: (a) Assessment Technology Institute (ATI) Comprehensive Predictor (CP) scores, (b) end of program scores, and for (c) CP scores for first generation students before the COVID-19 pandemic compared with nursing students’ scores …

Teacher Perceptions Of Disproportionate Suspensions Between Minority And White Students, Tanika Rachelle Barr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughout public schools in the United States, minority students continue to receive more disciplinary consequences compared to other groups of students. The problem addressed in this study was the persistence of discipline disproportionality between minority students and White students at a public U.S. middle school, even with recent efforts such as the implementation of the positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) framework. Guided by the theory of behaviorism, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions about the persistence of this discipline disproportionality between minority and White students and ways to improve the use of PBIS …

College Students’ Perceptions Of The Importance Of Student Engagement In Online Courses, Alicia Beasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified high dropout rates in online courses for the past several years with few strategies for improvement. The problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was that peer socialization and engagement are challenges in online courses. The purpose of this study was to understand how far utilizing social media improved student socialization and engagement in online courses thus resulting in increased student success. This study used the conceptual framework of engagement theory, which states that students must be meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and worthwhile tasks. The research questions addressed student perceptions about the …

Exploring Student Loan Borrower’S Financial Decisions After Florida Enacted Statute 1009.45, Vijantie Michelle Boodoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Florida implemented Statute 1009.45 as of July 1, 2017, to require colleges and universities to provide annual student loan debt notifications to students to inform them about their student loan obligations. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how college students in the State of Florida make financial decisions about their education, focusing on the influence of the notifications and what additional supports would help them improve their decision-making. There was a gap in the literature in identifying what information students were using from the notification. Rational choice and human capital theories were used for the conceptual …

Comparing The Assessment Knowledge And Self-Efficacy Of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Faculty With Faculty From Other Disciplines, Karen Elizabeth Braley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Based on reported success and retention rates, there is a need to improve education in 2-year colleges for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. Instructors’ assessment knowledge and self-efficacy have not been studied in 2-year or STEM higher education. The problem addressed in this study was that scholars do not know the extent of differences in assessment knowledge and assessment self-efficacy of STEM and non-STEM faculty that could be a contributing factor in student success rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the extent of differences in STEM and non-STEM instructor assessment knowledge and self-efficacy as …

Women Superintendents’ Mentoring Experiences And Attainment Of The Superintendency, Araceli Chavarín

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underrepresentation of women in the school superintendency in the United States may be attributed to a lack of role models, mentoring, and educational networking. The problem that this study addressed is the lack of insight into how mentoring influences women’s attainment of the superintendency. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the mentoring experiences women superintendents identified as important in their lives and work. The conceptual framework of this study was based on Higgins and Kram’s developmental network. The research questions in the study explored how women superintendents describe mentorship experiences in their careers and describe …

Teachers’ Experiences Using Phonics Instruction In Korean Elementary School Classrooms, Jung-Hye Choi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public elementary schools in the Republic of Korea (Korea) do not reliably include phonics in their third and fourth grade English language curriculum. Therefore, examining how teachers are currently including phonics instructions in the classroom could significantly impact the level of reading skills acquired in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes in Korea. This basic qualitative study addressed what teachers needed to reliably and competently teach phonics in Korean public elementary school districts, what difficulties they encountered, and what kind of support could effectively ameliorate said difficulties. The conceptual framework for this research was provided by Vygotsky's sociocultural theory …

Principals’ Leadership Role In Supporting Culturally Responsive English Language Learner Programs, Lawrence Cowger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English language learners face different challenges in accessing relevant curriculum content compared to native English speakers. There is limited research on effective strategies that teachers use to ensure learning outcomes among English language learners. The purpose of this case study was to explore the leadership strategies that principals implement to support teachers’ culturally responsive strategies when working with English language learning (ELL) students. Culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) was the basis of the conceptual framework, using research from Walker and five CRSL concepts. The research questions focused on school leadership and how administrators support teachers of ELL programs using CRSL. …

Assessment Literacy Of Middle School Music Educators, William Gordon Daines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a school district in the Southwestern region of the United States, middle school music educators did not participate in district-wide initiatives to improve teacher assessment literacy, which encompasses the assessment knowledge and practices of teachers in support of student learning. The educators varied widely in their grading and assessment knowledge and practices. The purpose of this qualitative explanatory case study was to explore the middle school music educators’ perspectives of their assessment knowledge and practices in the classroom and how they used assessments to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills in music. Xu and Brown’s teacher assessment literacy in practice …

Accelerated Courses And Barriers To Persistence For Traditional-Age College Students, Clarissa Davis-Ragland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOffering 8-week courses in a traditional 16-week semester schedule supports degree completion; however, traditional-age students, who belonged to Generation Z, at a Southwest community college indicated a preference for 16-week courses. The problem investigated in this study was that traditional-age college students experienced barriers to completing accelerated 8-week courses at this institution. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the in-class and out-of-class barriers these college students experienced that impacted their motivation to persist in accelerated 8-week courses. The conceptual framework was Rendón’s validation theory, which described students’ intentional, proactive affirmation by in- and out-of-class college agents. …

Emergency Department Operational Strategies, Joyce W. Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEmergency Department Operational Strategies by Joyce W. Davis MBA/MHA, Pfeiffer University, 2011 BS, North Carolina A&T State University, 1980

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration

Walden University December 2022

Educators' Perspectives On Coordination Of Transition Programming For Early Childhood Students With Asd In Inclusive Settings, Lashundra Dees

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coordination of special education prekindergarten (PK) to kindergarten (K) transition programming for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents significant changes for students within inclusive school environments. The problem addressed by this basic qualitative study involved barriers, challenges, supports, and successes in the coordination of transition programming from PK to K for students with ASD. This study addressed a gap in the literature on educators' perspectives on the coordination of transition programming. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory framed this study that explored the perspectives of 11 educators. Data were collected from semistructured digitally audio recorded interviews conducted with six PK and …

Compassion Fatigue And Resilience In Long-Term Care Nurses, Dierdre C. De Gravina

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between CF and resilience in LTC nurses. Watson’s caring theory was the theoretical foundation for the study. A survey containing demographic questions and items from the Professional Quality of Life Measure and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale survey was administered online to 111 LTC nurses from 10 states across the Eastern Seaboard. A simple linear regression analysis was performed to identify if there was an association between CF and resilience. The results indicated that the model was significant (p<.001). Results revealed an inverse relationship that with higher resilience scores, CF scores were lower and when CF was high, resilience was lower. The study may promote positive social change by highlighting the need for LTC facility managers to identify strategies that foster increased LTC nurse resilience such as improving work environments and developing programs that promote mental and emotional health of LTC nurses. Implementation of these strategies may reduce CF and promote nurse job retention and ultimately improve patient care. Recommendations for future research include quantitative studies to consider the effect of age, length of time in practice, and education level on resiliency and CF and qualitative studies on strategies for increasing resiliency among nurses in LTC facilities.

Elementary General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Math Instruction For Students With Disabilities, Donna Denk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Barriers to implementing effective math instruction have been a focus of scholars because they are a problem in

supporting students with disabilities. Researchers have demonstrated that general education teachers often have little

knowledge about effective interventions for students with disabilities and the barriers to achieving such instruction. The

purpose of this study was to investigate and understand general education teachers’ perceptions of effective math

instruction, and barriers to it, for fourth and fifth grade students with disabilities. The conceptual framework was based on

Baroody’s stages of math fact acquisition, which predicates that three developmental stages should be the basis …

Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Implementing Student-Centered Instructional Practices In Reading Comprehension, Gloria Nnenna Edeh-Okwuosah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that the English as foreign language teachers in five government elementary schools were not consistently instructing in a manner that contributed to a student-centered learning environment when teaching reading comprehension. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of English as foreign language teachers in the five government elementary schools regarding implementing student-centered instructional strategies when teaching reading comprehension. Weimer’s learner-centered teaching served as the conceptual framework. The research questions focused on English as foreign language teachers’ perceptions regarding implementing student-centered practices when teaching reading comprehension. Data were collected …

Undergraduate Nontraditional Adult Students’ And University Administrator Perceptions Of Supports For Program Completion, Sarah Franchesca Ellison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated by this study is the low completion rates of nontraditional undergraduate adult students attending a 4-year university located in the West coast region of the United States. In 2020, the program completion rate was less than 44% at the study site and 45.8% for nontraditional undergraduate adult students nationally. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore undergraduate nontraditional adult students’ and university administrators’ perceptions and experiences of supports needed for success as it relates to retention, persistence, and program completion. Using Knowles’s andragogy and Tinto’s persistence theories as the conceptual framework, research questions …

Prekindergarten Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Kindergarten Readiness And Challenges To Readiness Achievement, Felicia Nicole Chapman Farr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem that was the focus of this study is that only half of the students entering kindergarten in the United States are considered kindergarten ready. This problem is important because children who are successful in kindergarten are more likely to continue to be successful in elementary school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of prekindergarten teachers regarding lack of kindergarten readiness in students who completed a district-approved prekindergarten program and the challenges the teachers believe affected the level of kindergarten readiness. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the need for …

Barriers To Completing Bachelor’S Degrees For Nontraditional Nebraska Students, Melba Dinorah Fix-Padilla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNontraditional students in Nebraska colleges have lower graduation rates than traditional students. Approximately 40% of nontraditional students at a private college withdraw before completing a degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover barriers preventing nontraditional students from completing a degree. The conceptual frameworks were Tinto’s student integration model and Bean’s student attrition model, which involve financial, social, and academic completion resources. Research questions involve financial, social, and academic challenges preventing nontraditional students from completing a degree. The sample consisted of eight nontraditional undergraduate students between the ages of 25 to 65, an undergraduate administrator, and a focus …

Disciplinary Practices Among High School Administrators, Stephanie Ganaway-Pasley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators are responsible for the safety and physical well-being of the students. Although school disciplinary policies are in place, there is a problem with school administrators' practices and decisions when administering discipline for students' inappropriate behavior. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to explore the disciplinary processes used by school administrators when administering student discipline to determine the relationship between levels of offenses and the gender and race of students. Guided by the theory of justice, this study investigated the relationship between the level of offenses and disciplinary processes that reflect the level of offenses, as described in …

Fully Automated Life Support Training Effects On Inpatient, Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates, Adessa D. Goss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, more than 200,000 adult patients die annually from inpatient cardiac arrest with survival rates stagnated at 22%–25% nationally. Recently, the adoption of fully automated life support training modalities by health care organizations has become widespread with limited literature available showing the effects on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the effects of fully automated life support training on inpatient, cardiac arrest survival. Applying Bloom’s mastery learning theory, the impact of the Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) quarterly training and hospital unit compliance on inpatient cardiac arrest return of spontaneous circulation …