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Full-Text Articles in Education

Online Facilitation Of Early Childhood Education Preservice Teacher Field Experiences, Catherine Meier Meier Jan 2017

Online Facilitation Of Early Childhood Education Preservice Teacher Field Experiences, Catherine Meier Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have determined that field experience is crucial in education preparation programs, yet little information is available about field experience within online early childhood education (ECE) programs. Educators who work in online ECE programs need to understand how to facilitate field experience effectively. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to understand the processes, procedures, and experiences of instructors who facilitate preservice teachers' field experience in online ECE programs. A constructivist framework was used to examine facilitation practices. Nine instructors from online ECE programs in the United States participated in 2 semistructured interviews that lasted approximately 1 hour each. …


University Educators' Instructional Choices And Their Learning Styles Within A Lesson Framework, Lucille Mazo Jan 2017

University Educators' Instructional Choices And Their Learning Styles Within A Lesson Framework, Lucille Mazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on learning styles often focuses on the learning style of the student; however, the learning style of the educator may affect instructional choices and student learning. Few studies have addressed the lack of knowledge that exists in universities with respect to educators' learning styles and a lesson framework (development, delivery, and debriefing). This sequential mixed methods study explored university educators' conscious, reflective instructional choices as they related to learning styles application within a lesson. Two theoretical frameworks and one conceptual framework drew on Kolb's experiential learning theory; Bloom's, Reigeluth's, and Gagné's instructional design theories and models; and Fiddler and …


Pre-College Program Students' Academic Engagement And Persistence In Higher Education Studies, Deborah Ann Bers Jan 2017

Pre-College Program Students' Academic Engagement And Persistence In Higher Education Studies, Deborah Ann Bers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Caribbean University's Pre-College Program (PCP) served as the conduit for the nation's academically underprepared high school graduates to matriculate to university and earn a degree. The PCP student enrollment increased annually since 2010; however, less than 70% of the total PCP students matriculated to an associate degree. Without a formal program evaluation, the empirical evidence into the factors that influenced PCP students' progress remained unknown. The purpose of this participatory-summative logic outcomes program evaluation was to measure stakeholders' perspectives of the ways in which the PCP's purpose, structure, and outcomes were manifested in the practices at the Caribbean University. …


The Perceptions Of New Middle School Teachers Regarding Teacher Job Satisfaction, Paula Joan Evans Jan 2017

The Perceptions Of New Middle School Teachers Regarding Teacher Job Satisfaction, Paula Joan Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has been a problem for school systems for more than 30 years. Large numbers of new teachers leave the profession within their first 5 years of service, creating a significant cost associated with hiring and training of replacement teachers. Attrition is problematic for a middle school in the state of Georgia. New teachers at the school have disclosed that induction did not meet their needs. In addition, the district has experienced budget cutbacks and demographic shifts in the student population, increasing the rate new teachers have left the school. The purpose of this study was to explore and …


Perceptions Of Novice Elementary Teachers Regarding Retention, Nathaniel Morris Jan 2017

Perceptions Of Novice Elementary Teachers Regarding Retention, Nathaniel Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers at the local study site continue to leave the elementary school and profession at increasingly high rates creating a teacher shortage. The school staff consists of 33 teachers, with an average of 10 resigning each year. Because of the shortage, state and local school boards, school districts, and school-based administrators share the need to understand this phenomenon. Guided by Herzberg's 2-factor theory, which noted that people are motivated by attributes such as recognition and by Maslow's motivational theory, which refers to human needs and personal beliefs as motivational factors, this study investigated factors that contributed to teacher attrition and …


A Mixed-Methods Study Of Alternate-Route Teachers' Effect On Student Learning, Cassandra Faye Spearman Jan 2017

A Mixed-Methods Study Of Alternate-Route Teachers' Effect On Student Learning, Cassandra Faye Spearman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to teacher shortages at the study site, teaching positions in the state that is the focus of this study are filled by alternate route (AR) teachers, who earned bachelor degrees in the fields that were not related to education and received teacher certification through alternative teacher education programs. Because there is limited information about the preparation and performance of AR teachers at the site of this study, the purpose of this sequential mixed methods project study was to explore AR teachers' preparation and their effect on student learning as measured by Northwest Evaluation Association's Measures of Academic Progress/Discovery Education …


Instructional Strategies Of Effective Mathematics Teachers Of African American Upper Elementary Students, Susan Warthen Jan 2017

Instructional Strategies Of Effective Mathematics Teachers Of African American Upper Elementary Students, Susan Warthen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

National assessments have revealed that African American students do not demonstrate proficiency in mathematics to the same degree as their White counterparts; however, some teachers are able to guide their African American students to mathematics success. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine the instructional strategies of teachers who have been successful in promoting mathematics achievement in African American students. This study was guided by a single research question that focused on the instructional strategies used by teachers whose African American upper elementary students demonstrated proficiency in mathematics on a state standardized test. Feuerstein's mediated learning experience …


Kindergarten Literacy Readiness Before And After Highscope Implementation, Chandra Kathleen Youngblood Jan 2017

Kindergarten Literacy Readiness Before And After Highscope Implementation, Chandra Kathleen Youngblood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students who attended preschool in an urban Michigan district are not entering kindergarten with the necessary skills. The preschool implemented the HighScope curriculum and the effect of this curriculum on kindergarten readiness was unknown. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to investigate the difference in kindergarten readiness scores of students who attended a preschool before and after the High Scope curriculum was implemented. The pedagogical practices of preschool and the HighScope curriculum align with Dewey and Vygotsky's theories on experiential learning which were the foundation that guided this causal comparative study. The research questions examined preschool letter identification and …


Attack At Fort Hood: Experiences And Suggestions For Security, William P. Moravits Jan 2017

Attack At Fort Hood: Experiences And Suggestions For Security, William P. Moravits

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the past 8 years, at least 4 lone wolf terrorists have targeted military bases or recruiting centers in the United States and research suggests attack on the US military are increasing globally. The problem was that research had not addressed the lived experiences of survivors of lone wolf attacks or how they could inform procedures regarding a sense of security for military men and women. The purpose of this research was to establish a need to address threats to the security of the military from these attacks, to provide a rich description of survivors' experiences of the attack at …


Supplemental Instruction And The Promotion Of Construction Of Knowledge, Ruth C. Chambers-Turner Jan 2017

Supplemental Instruction And The Promotion Of Construction Of Knowledge, Ruth C. Chambers-Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supplemental instruction (SI), a peer assisted learning model, improves course performance, retention, and graduation rates of post-secondary education students. Researchers have questioned if the success of SI is due to students becoming more aware of assessment demands or if SI also promotes construction of new knowledge. The purposes of this case study were to describe techniques utilized by SI peer leaders, explore how sociocognitive learning techniques are implemented, and explore the perceptions of supplemental instruction program stakeholders regarding sociocognitive learning techniques. The research questions focused on what techniques peer leaders are trained to implement and what peer leaders' perceptions of …


Experiences And Barriers For Patient Safety Officers Conducting Root Cause Analysis, Cynthia Lightner Jan 2017

Experiences And Barriers For Patient Safety Officers Conducting Root Cause Analysis, Cynthia Lightner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that, when unintentional harm to patients in outpatient and hospital settings occurs, root cause analysis (RCA) investigations should be conducted to identify and implement corrective actions to prevent future patient harm. Executives at a small healthcare consulting company that employs patient safety officers (PSOs) responsible for conducting RCAs were concerned with the low quality of RCA outcomes, prompting this postinvestigation assessment of PSOs' RCA training and experiences. Guided by adult learning theory, the purpose of this study was to assess PSOs' RCA training and investigation experiences by examining self-reported benefits, attitudes, barriers, and time since training, and the …


Development Of A Guideline For Hospice Staff, Patients, And Families On Appropriate Opioid Use, Trenika Alexander-Goreá Jan 2017

Development Of A Guideline For Hospice Staff, Patients, And Families On Appropriate Opioid Use, Trenika Alexander-Goreá

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an identified problem with patients receiving suboptimal pain management at a hospice agency in the northwestern United States. At this agency, undertreatment of pain is prevalent. Evidence indicates that this may be a result of a lack of guidelines, education, and knowledge of appropriate prescribing. Known barriers to the correct prescription and administration of potent opioids in the hospice setting include prevailing beliefs, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, all of which can impact care negatively. Contextually, hospice principles mandate patient comfort and caregiver involvement in continuous quality improvement, which includes adequate and informed pain management. Moreover, hospice metrics demand …


Relationship Quality Associations Family Values For Online Graduate Students With Intimate Partners, Tracy J. Jones-Garcia Jan 2017

Relationship Quality Associations Family Values For Online Graduate Students With Intimate Partners, Tracy J. Jones-Garcia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research found that relationship quality (RQ) for intimate couples may be adversely effected in times of stress, potentially decreasing marital satisfaction up to 36% during a four-year period for high stress couples. Previous research indicated family values (FV) may mediate RQ in stressful times; however, no research has examined this relationship for online/blended program graduate students. Students in these programs experience unique stress, change, and at times, physical distance from an intimate partner. Coombs's theory on values consensus postulated that the more alike family values are in a relationship, the better the RQ will be. The purpose of this …


Assessing Teachers' Confidence In Implementing Food Allergy Emergency Plans, Keturah Elizabeth Hawkins Jan 2017

Assessing Teachers' Confidence In Implementing Food Allergy Emergency Plans, Keturah Elizabeth Hawkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Food allergies are an increasing health concern in the United States, affecting nearly 6 million children under the age of 18 years. Research has suggested that 18% of school-age children will have their first allergic reactions at school. Life-threatening allergic reactions experienced by children in the school setting are on the rise; however, little is known about how schools implement policies and practices in response to this issue. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to narrow the knowledge gap by examining teachers' knowledge, ability, and confidence level caring for students with food allergies. Bandura's social cognitive theory, which …


Impact Of Childcare Center Programs On Reading Achievement Of English Language Learner Students, Valerie Keil Jan 2017

Impact Of Childcare Center Programs On Reading Achievement Of English Language Learner Students, Valerie Keil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some children struggle to learn the academic skill of reading. Providing effective assistance to struggling students, especially to English Language Learners (ELLs), can be a challenge for teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of childcare programs on the reading achievement of ELLs in kindergarten and first grade. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory along with developmentally appropriate practices constituted the theoretical framework. The overarching research question examined differences in overall reading achievement of ELLs based on the completion of formal childcare programs. A causal-comparative design was used with a cluster sample drawn from a United States federal database …


Teachers' Understanding Of Culturally And Linguistically Differentiated Instruction For English Language Learners, Poorandai Itwaru Jan 2017

Teachers' Understanding Of Culturally And Linguistically Differentiated Instruction For English Language Learners, Poorandai Itwaru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A large school district in the northeastern United States struggled with teaching middle school English Language Learners (ELLs) to succeed in reading and writing. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate teachers' perceptions regarding what they could do to increase academic achievement for ELLs. The conceptual framework emerged from Weimer's learning-centered teaching, which aligns with Dewey's social constructivism. Ten purposefully sampled teachers agreed to be interviewed in the attempt to answer the research questions about instructional strategies teachers believed were best to deliver culturally and linguistically appropriate instruction for ELLs and what teachers believed could be done to …


Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy When Using A Scripted Reading, Misty Leigh Mukherjee Jan 2017

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Self-Efficacy When Using A Scripted Reading, Misty Leigh Mukherjee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers report that implementation of scripted reading programs has been inconsistent. Although administrators need to understand teachers' experiences with scripted reading instruction to make decisions about best practices for implementation of those programs, little research on those experiences exists. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe teachers' lived experiences and self-efficacy when using a scripted reading program. Bruner's constructivist theory, the concept of pedagogical content knowledge, and self-efficacy theory were used to frame the study. Eight elementary teachers in Grades K-3 from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States each completed 4 individual interviews. Template-based iterative …


Examining The Barriers To The Continuing Education Of Early Childhood Teacher Assistants, Colleen Louise Wright Jan 2017

Examining The Barriers To The Continuing Education Of Early Childhood Teacher Assistants, Colleen Louise Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 required teacher assistants (TAs) to obtain their child development associate (CDA) credential by September of 2015. TAs who had not obtained their CDA within the required timeframe were either demoted or terminated from their positions. However, with the increase of working parents, the need for quality early childhood education has risen. In this project study, the barriers TAs confront in regards to their decision to continue their schooling to obtain a CDA credential were examined, as were the factors that deterred or prevented them from enrolling in or completing a …


Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives On Instructional Practices, Cindy Ziegler Jan 2017

Middle School Mathematics Teachers' Perspectives On Instructional Practices, Cindy Ziegler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a local middle school, students were not meeting standards on the state mathematics tests. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore mathematics teachers' perspectives on effective mathematics instruction vis-Ã -vis the principles of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Within this framework, the 6 principles in the creation of quality mathematics programs included equity, curriculum, teaching, learning, assessment, and technology. Seven teachers from around the country participated; all met the criteria of a graduate degree in education, at least 5 years of experience teaching adolescent learners, and at least 3 years teaching mathematics. Participants were …


Teachers' Stage Of Concern And Self-Efficacy Regarding Teaching Students In An Inclusive Classroom, Sonya Yvette Avery Jan 2017

Teachers' Stage Of Concern And Self-Efficacy Regarding Teaching Students In An Inclusive Classroom, Sonya Yvette Avery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal legislation mandates inclusion of students with special needs in general classrooms. Teachers in the Shelco school system implemented this mandate to teach in an inclusive classroom given limited professional development, and a desire for more. To determine their preparedness to teach with inclusion, 44 general education teachers participated in this correlational study. Two surveys were administered: Teachers' Self-Efficacy Survey and Stages of Concern Questionnaire. Scores were combined to identify and recommend groups of teachers for differentiated professional development. Social constructivism, which focuses on how learning is affected by social concepts such as self-efficacy and concerns, was the theoretical framework. …


Perceptions Of Administrators, Teachers, And Coaches On Instructional Coaching: Implications For Instructional Practices, Tosha Latrece Quattlebaum Jan 2017

Perceptions Of Administrators, Teachers, And Coaches On Instructional Coaching: Implications For Instructional Practices, Tosha Latrece Quattlebaum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching is designed to positively impact instructional practices, yet not enough is known about whether administrators, teachers, and instructional coaches have similar perceptions about this approach. The purpose of the case study was to examine the perceptions of administrators, teachers, and instructional coaches concerning instructional coaching, the impact instructional coaches have on instructional practices, and barriers encountered by instructional coaches. Guided by Knowles' theory of andragogy, the research questions were designed to explore the relationship between collective and individual actions of adult learners when acquiring information and learning new concepts. The case study involved a purposeful sample consisting of …


A Comparative Study Of Elementary Mathematics Specialists And Mathematics Coaches On Fourth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement, Tiffany D. Tynes Curry Jan 2017

A Comparative Study Of Elementary Mathematics Specialists And Mathematics Coaches On Fourth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement, Tiffany D. Tynes Curry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal dollars are utilized to develop instructional programs for students not demonstrating mathematical proficiency on state standardized mathematics assessments, but there is a lack of empirical data on the effectiveness of two different approaches that were used in the local context. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, casual-comparative study was to determine if state achievement test scores of students in fourth grade who received instruction from a Mathematics Specialist (MS) during the 2007-2009 academic years demonstrated a statistically significant difference from the mathematics state achievement test scores of fourth grade students who received instruction from Grades 1-8 credentialed teachers supported …


Faculty Self-Efficacy Instructing In A Hybrid Learning Environment At A Career College, Donna Gosselin Gosselin Jan 2017

Faculty Self-Efficacy Instructing In A Hybrid Learning Environment At A Career College, Donna Gosselin Gosselin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the inception of the hybrid instruction model at a career college in the western United States, there has not been an exploration of faculty members' understanding of hybrid instruction. Therefore, campus administrators do not have a clear understanding of the faculty perception of teaching in a hybrid learning environment. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory, this qualitative narrative inquiry study was conducted to explore faculty self-efficacy instructing in a hybrid learning environment at the career college. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 9 faculty who have taught less than 2 hybrid learning courses and attended the college professional …


Faculty Perceptions Of Instructional Strategies That Foster Student Engagement In Online Courses, Sharon M. Hope Jan 2017

Faculty Perceptions Of Instructional Strategies That Foster Student Engagement In Online Courses, Sharon M. Hope

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Developing online instructional strategies for increasing student engagement and success is significant locally and nationally due to growth in the online field, advances in technology, and the need for colleges to maximize student success. This study stemmed from the desire of administrators at an upstate New York private college to discover additional ways to design and deliver effective online instruction. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to discover faculty perceptions of and experiences with instructional strategies that they used to foster student engagement in online learning. Kearsley and Shneiderman's engagement theory formed the study's conceptual framework. Ten …


The Effectiveness Of Course-Based Health Education Interventions Towards Increased Physical Activity Among College Students, Jay Morris Martin Jan 2017

The Effectiveness Of Course-Based Health Education Interventions Towards Increased Physical Activity Among College Students, Jay Morris Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the many health benefits, physical activity participation among those between 18 to 24 years is in significant decline during the college-age years. Postsecondary education has been identified as an ideal environment where young adults should be targeted for physical activity participation. However, a limited number of studies have assessed the effectiveness of college-level health education and physical education program interventions to increase physical activity levels among college students. The purpose of this study was to examine current physical activity levels of college age students who have completed a college-level health education course and laboratory to gain a better understanding …


Oversight And Quality Assurance Of Academic Programs Under F-1 Visas, Faye Janine Pleso Jan 2017

Oversight And Quality Assurance Of Academic Programs Under F-1 Visas, Faye Janine Pleso

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An F-1 academic visa is required for foreign students studying at academic institutions in the United States. While requirements for acquiring the F-1 visa are a matter of federal policy, some of the principles regulating orientations, host families, and home-stays do not align with best practices found at the university level, which include quality student orientations and thorough trainings with a vetting process for host families and home-stays. This lack of regulation may place visiting students at risk in terms of personal safety and wellbeing and have negative impacts for program credibility and lost revenue. Using Stone's regime theory as …


Tier 2 Interventions For Students In Grades 1-3 Identified As At-Risk In Reading, Jennifer S. Ray Jan 2017

Tier 2 Interventions For Students In Grades 1-3 Identified As At-Risk In Reading, Jennifer S. Ray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of Grade 4 students in the United States do not read at the proficient level. In response to this problem, which has persisted for decades, the United States Congress in 2004 mandated response to intervention as a multitiered classroom support system designed to improve reading skills for students in K-12 public schools. However, little research has been conducted about how classroom teachers use diagnostic assessments, provide small group instruction, and monitor progress in reading interventions. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how teachers used assessments and instruction in reading interventions for students in Grades 1-3 …


Content Area Teacher Perspectives On Integrating Literacy Strategies, Lynette Smith Smith Jan 2017

Content Area Teacher Perspectives On Integrating Literacy Strategies, Lynette Smith Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Common Core State Standards recommend that all educators prepare students with the literacy skills needed for college and careers. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine 7th and 8th grade content area teachers' perspectives towards teaching literacy. The research questions addressed teachers' capabilities in the role of literacy instructor as well as the actual application of literacy. The conceptual framework included Bruner's constructivist, Bandura's self-efficacy, and Knowles's andragogy theories. These theories informed the investigation of adult learners' perspectives regarding the way they learn and gain confidence to provide literacy instruction. Eleven English, math, science, and social …


Relationship Between Student Characteristics And Attrition Among Associate Degree Nursing Students, Wendy Elizabeth Watson Jan 2017

Relationship Between Student Characteristics And Attrition Among Associate Degree Nursing Students, Wendy Elizabeth Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High nursing student attrition has been a pervasive problem in the nursing program at the research site of this study. The purpose of this project study was to investigate the relationship between attrition and nursing student characteristics, including age, gender, ethnicity, English as Second Language (ESL) background, licensed practical nurse (LPN) licensure, grade point average (GPA), the number of preadmission college credits, and the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) scores. This correlational study of archival data was guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model and included a convenience sample of 240 students admitted to the program between …


Relationships Between Early Academic Indicators And Accelerated-Baccalaureate Student Nurse Success, Bonnie J. White Jan 2017

Relationships Between Early Academic Indicators And Accelerated-Baccalaureate Student Nurse Success, Bonnie J. White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2013, the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses' (NCLEX-RN) passing standard was increased, leading to a decrease in NCLEX-RN pass rates. The passing standard increase was prompted by an advisory panel's determination that a gap in safe, competent practice existed among new graduate nurses. New graduates' success on NCLEX-RN is critical to meet workplace demand for new nurses. The purpose of this study was to examine whether cumulative grade point average at completion of 200-level nursing courses and scores on the standardized final exam in the 200-level fundamentals course were related to on-time nursing program completion and a …