Education Commons^™

Student Perception Data And Its Impact On Teachers, Erica R. Walker-Arnold

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

For as long as there have been teachers, there have been efforts to determine the most constructive way to evaluate teacher effectiveness. Research has shown that traditional administrator evaluations do little to improve struggling teachers and that most teachers nationwide are able to earn satisfactory ratings even when they are not performing in a satisfactory manner. This study aims to determine whether using student perception feedback as part of a comprehensive teacher evaluation process would lead to improved practice and targeted professional development. The following questions were investigated in this research: 1. Does student perception feedback drive teachers to reflect …

Financial Aid Director: Educator, Leader, Or Manager, Jessica Mohon Flogaites

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The landscape of higher education is ever-evolving, and the financial aid office, in particular, has experienced drastic changes throughout the years in order to become the massive and complex system that is known today. Considering that financial aid can directly influence major institutional benchmarks such as enrollment and graduation rates, and the fact the position of financial aid director is not standardized across institutions of higher education, a further look into the primary role of a financial aid director is important and necessary. This study will allow for a better understanding of what behavioral characteristics are most closely associated with …

The Impact Of Student Perception Data On Teachers: A Multisite Case Study At Midwestern K-12 Catholic Schools, Brandi Y. Bibins-Redburn

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

For as long as there have been teachers, there have been efforts to determine the most constructive way to evaluate teacher effectiveness. Research has shown that traditional administrator evaluations do little to improve struggling teachers and that most teachers nationwide are able to earn satisfactory ratings even when they are not performing in a satisfactory manner. This study aims to determine whether using student perception feedback as part of a comprehensive teacher evaluation process would lead to improved practice and targeted professional development. The following questions were investigated in this research: 1. Does student perception feedback drive teachers to reflect …

The Perceived Role Of Online Stem Dual Credit In Rural Nebraska High Schools, Trentee Bush

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This exploratory study was based on interviews with twelve participants, four community college dual credit coordinators and eight high school administrators (principals and guidance counselors). The purpose was to understand the role of dual credit STEM courses in rural Nebraska high schools and the impact these courses had on the institution. The interview process revealed the lack of uniformity in dual credit processes throughout the state.

The concept of dual credit is widely discussed. The potential benefits and challenges of these courses and programs are vast. Without national legislation, each state can make determinations and decisions about state-wide policies related …

Employer Reports Of Skills Gaps In The Workforce, Samantha K. Mosier, Samantha Kristine Kaiser

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Skills gaps in the workforce are a common conversation in the current value proposition of higher education. Colleges are expected to help students prepare for a world-class workforce while maintaining the integrity of the academic mission. Employers have similar but different opinions on the preparation of college graduates. This exploratory study took an in-depth look at the perceptions of sixteen employers in a region of the Midwest on questions about the perception of hiring managers about the skills gap in the workforce. Questions focused on work readiness, common challenges, and opportunities that exist to combat these hiring challenges. The themes …

Addressing The Needs Of High School English Learners Through Inclusion In General Education Classrooms: A Descriptive Case Study Of A Midwestern Metropolitan Public School District, Amanda Levos

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

English Learners (EL) and those students’ redesignated language proficient, or more accurately described as emergent bilingual or multilingual learners; make up a significant subset of the student population of high schools throughout the country. ELs may be vulnerable to academic failure in core academic subject areas due to limited language proficiency and potential gaps in formal education. Every school district creates a continuum of services to educate students at various levels of English language acquisition, which more than likely will include inclusion in the general education classroom. The challenge for districts is ensuring that general education teachers have the knowledge, …

Addressing The Needs Of Middle School English Learners Through Inclusion In General Education Classrooms: A Case Study Of A Midwestern Metropolitan Public School District, Mary Krista Schneider

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

A significant shift in student demographics in United States public schools has summoned the attention and action of public school educators to address the needs of English learners (ELs) who are required to meet the same academic standards as their English-speaking peers. Across the nation, school administrators, teachers, and other education specialists face challenges in fully meeting the academic demands of ELs, especially when including the students in general education classrooms. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine the implementation of inclusive practices, or specific instructional and academic supports that teachers provide to ELs, in middle …

Latinidad In The College Union: Perspectives Of Latinx Staff Members, Naomi Rodriguez

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Latinx students represent a consistently growing and significant population of college going students, though rates for successful graduation vary greatly (Nichols, 2017). Theories of student persistence indicate that student who are actively involved in their college campuses and develop a sense of sense of belonging are likelier to persist to graduation (Hurtado & Carter, 1997; Tinto, 1975). While research seeks to understand how Latinx navigate and succeed in post-secondary environments, barriers continue to pervade in their cumulative environments (Franklin, 2016; Friesen, 2018; Gloria, Delgado-Guerrero, Salazar, Nieves, Mejia & Martinez, 2016). College unions, as a functional part of the college environment, …

Experiences Of Women Department Chairs In Engineering: A Narrative Study, Kayla Person

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Within higher education, STEM based disciplines need strong and balanced leadership. Leadership which demonstrates equity and diversity because all perspectives are needed to solve complex issues that face our world today. In 2016, women earned 23.2% of engineering Ph.D.’s awarded, which contributes to the low number of women faculty in engineering (Yoder, 2016). Those women who enter the professoriate increasingly need to navigate the labyrinth within their faculty positions and leadership roles within higher education. A key leadership role, department chair, has numerous responsibilities as both a faculty member and an administrator. Little research has been conducted to showcase the …

Responding To The College Completion Crisis In New Mexico: A Case Study Of The University Of New Mexico, Kalith Smith

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

New Mexico’s funding of higher education has facilitated student access to college and helped the state rank fourth nationally in college attendance rates. However, the state ranks 47^th in the country in college completion rates. A majority of students who enter college in New Mexico do not complete their degrees, a situation which deprives the state of the highly skilled workforce that is necessary to attract and retain business and industry. While low-cost or free college has increased attendance rates, the low college completion rate has incited an economic crisis for the state. The state’s flagship institution, the University …

Building A Positive School Climate: What Principals Have Done To Effect Change, An Ethnographic Case Study, Suzanne C. Showers

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The importance of school climate has been known for over 100 years. School climate sets the tone for the teaching and learning interactions that take place within the school setting. “School climate refers to the quality and character of school life. School climate is based on patterns of students', parents' and school personnel's experience of school life and reflects norms, goals, values, interpersonal relationships, teaching and learning practices, and organizational structures” (National School Climate Center, 2015). Research indicates that positive school climates increase teacher retention, lower dropout rates, decrease school violence, and increase student achievement (Cohen, McCabe, Michelli, & Pickeral, …

Exemplar Advisors Fostering A Sense Of Mattering Within Undergraduate Students In The College Of Agricultural Sciences And Natural Resources, Nicole Michelle Smith

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this study was to identify what CASNR professional advisors are and could be doing to foster a sense of mattering within the undergraduate student population, which ultimately could impact retention and graduation rates. There was a need to understand the variance of advising experiences of undergraduate students and how exemplar professional advisors foster a sense of mattering in undergraduate students of CASNR. The focus of this research was to decipher if and how professional advisors foster a sense of mattering with undergraduate advisees. The problem of practice was that advising can impact retention and graduation rates through …

Perspectives Of Campus Safety: Viewpoints Of Community College Faculty And Staff Members, David E. Dibelka Jr.

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There is research available on campus safety perspectives and issues, but these studies are primarily from the student perspective. Of the few studies that show campus safety perspectives from the faculty and staff viewpoint, fewer of these studies reflect these perspectives as they occur on community college campuses. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of faculty and staff members on campus safety. For the study, twenty faculty and staff members were interviewed about their perceptions of campus safety.

The results of the study were that although the participants generally felt safe on their campuses, they were …

Intercultural Leadership Development Of Undergraduate Students Using The Transformative Intercultural Learning Model, Mac Benavides

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This instrumental case study was conducted in order to understand how undergraduate students develop intercultural leadership and what they learn in an intercultural leadership program grounded in the transformative intercultural learning model. As a result of this study, three themes emerged regarding students’ learning experiences: Changes in Intercultural Development Inventory Assessment Results Indicated Positive Growth in Intercultural Competence, Intercultural Leadership Development Broadened Students’ Understanding of Culture and Leadership and Intercultural Leadership Development Requires Intentional Opportunities to Make Meaning. The corresponding subthemes helped clarify the learning experience of the participants, which aligned with the transformative intercultural learning model. In addition …