Education Commons^™

The Experience Of Teaching Disengaged Students In Stem: Examined Through The Lens Of The Abc Engagement Framework, William Randall Hjorth

Theses and Dissertations

Young people today are increasingly disengaged from their education. Studies indicate that of all school subjects, American students struggle to engage in STEM subjects more than others. For decades, we have known that student engagement/disengagement impacts teachers. Researchers have also claimed that engagement/disengagement can be described as a construct made up of affective, behavioral, and cognitive dimensions (ABC). However, we do not understand how teachers experience student disengagement in these three areas. At a crucial time in education, investigation into the experiences of teachers with disengaged students is needed to uncover insights which may help us understand how teachers interpret …

Open Educational Resources And Equity: Lived Experiences Of Minoritized Educators, Jacob Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Open educational resources (OER) have been heralded for their ability to provide educational equality amongst learners worldwide. While this possibility offers to transform the availability of educational materials with only very specific limitations (devices, bandwidth, and ability to engage), it is seriously noted that the production of OER is typically sourced from the same homogenous sources as traditionally published texts (e.g., white males at elite universities in the U.S.). Additionally, while there are emboldened strides towards equality (equal access to materials), there remains an educational gap providing educational equity (equal opportunity to succeed) in the design as well as the …

Navigating The Unfamiliar: The Lived Experience Of Elementary School Teachers As They Navigate The Use Of New Literacies During A Global Pandemic, Sydney Boyer

Theses and Dissertations

New literacies within schools is supported by both education policy and research; despite this, new literacies have yet to enter and transform the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic offered an unprecedented opportunity to study teachers' experiences as they are required to navigate new literacies while teaching online. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of three upper elementary school teachers as they navigated the use of new literacies in a Title I school during a global pandemic. Data sources included three in-depth interviews and were analyzed through a thematic approach. Data analysis resulted in identifying …

Cultural Diversity In Education: Examining The Challenges And Issues Of Lgbtq Students Enrolled In A Tertiary Education Institution In The Bahamas, Terry Laverne Rolle

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the challenges and issues faced by LGBTQ students attending a tertiary education institution in The Bahamas. Utilizing a phenomenological analytical process, seven individuals gave information regarding their lived experiences in a tertiary institution in The Bahamas. Data for this research study were collected through two 60-minute in-depth interview sessions. This qualitative study was guided by the theoretical frameworks of the planned approach to change and the theory of resilience, both of which were used to inform the elements of the research. Many research studies have been conducted in regard to the experiences faced by LGBTQ students …

The Underrepresentation Of Black Males In Advanced Courses, Jacquelyn Ortner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to examine the forces that impact Black male enrollment in advanced courses at an urban public high school in the southeast. In two rounds of one-on-one interviews and two focus group sessions, qualitative data was collected from students who were currently enrolled in advanced courses as well as from students who had been identified as gifted but were not currently enrolled in advanced courses. Data was coded inductively using constant comparative analysis. Emergent themes included problems with the marketing and incentivizing of advanced coursework; irregularities in the notification and advisement process; participants’ …

How Do Adults Who Are Blind Desribe Their Quality Of Life?, Loreta Dylgjeri

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study aimed to understand the Quality of Life (QOL) of six adults who are blind in the communities where they live or work. QOL is a construct that attempts to define what it means to “live the good life” (Schalock & Verdugo, 2002). To understand how individuals who are blind describe their QOL, we need a thorough understanding of how they describe their QOL based on their own lived experiences, beliefs, understandings, and attitudes towards the QOL. This study used a phenomenology method and was theoretically based on the QOL theory and its core domains and indicators, as …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Instructional Designers' Transition From Preparation To Practice, Bryan B. Tanner

Theses and Dissertations

Much of the recent instructional design (ID) practice research can be parsed into three key categories: ID professionals, ID preparation, and the isolated differences between novice and expert designers (Sugar, 2014). However, not one of these three categories examines the transition experience of ID practitioners from their preparation to practice in the world of business. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain further understanding of the practical lived experiences of five instructional designers in their first years in the business world as they negotiated different sets of expectations placed upon them. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to …

Is Special Education A Life Sentence? Examining Disproportionality In The Declassification Rates Of Students Of Color In An Urban School District, Rasheed Bility

Theses and Dissertations

Federal law states that any student suspected of having a disability must meet initial eligibility requirements to qualify for special education services. Furthermore, an individual education program (IEP) team is required by federal law to re-evaluate each student with a qualified disability tri-annually to assess his or her ongoing need for such services. The pathway toward initial eligibility is explicitly outlined within federal legislation; however, the law does not explicate an avenue for declassification or exiting from special education. As a result, many students may remain in special education and are labeled as students with a disability when they may …

Lifting The Veil: A Critical Post-Intentional Phenomenological Action Research Study Of How African American Students Experience Science, Gina Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Research asserts the assimilationist nature of traditional science classroom practices undermines African American students’ intersectional race and science identity. Driven by a problem of practice embedded in the racialized system of science education, this study integrated action research with an innovative critical paradigm to explore how phenomenological data can transform practice. This post-intentional approach relies on experiential, phenomenological data of how African American students experience science to provide a critical analysis of instruction that leads to a change in science pedagogy. Qualitative interviews documented African American students’ experiences with science and an observation journal documented the resulting intervention. A post-reflexive …

The Influence Of Mindfulness On Teacher-Student Relationships, Classroom Climate, And School Culture: Secondary Educators’ Perspectives, Margaret Lane Dunne

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the relationships students share with teachers have the power to enhance or hinder students’ learning and overall well-being. Thus, there is a critical need for educational leaders to implement systems that develop teachers’ abilities to connect with and positively support students. The focus of this phenomenological study was to explore a purposefully selected group of participants’ perceptions of how their mindfulness practices influence their work as secondary educators. Participants of the study included secondary educators from varied academic departments, varied years of teaching experience, and varied years engaged in mindfulness practice. Participants were drawn from two suburban, …

Establishing Teaching Presence In Higher Education Online Mathematics Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Deltrye Eagle Holt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe, based on the teaching presence component of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework, the lived experiences of mathematics instructors while establishing teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses. Teaching presence, which is one of the three core elements of the community of inquiry (CoI) framework, is necessary for achieving learning outcomes and student satisfaction. The three main research questions were: 1. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses? 2. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in face-to-face higher education mathematics courses? 3. …

Understanding Byod Implementation Experiences Of School Teachers And Administrators: A Phenomenological Perspective, Sophia Lafayette-Lause

Theses and Dissertations

The use of technology to enhance instruction and learning is a daily expectation in public school classrooms throughout the State of Michigan and the United States. Schools are implementing bring your own device/bring your own technology (BYOD/BYOT) programs to meet the demand of providing students access to technology. As a result, students are bringing personal communication devices (cell phones, smartphones, tablets) to school in ever-increasing numbers. Students are using these devices in the classroom for a variety of purposes including the use of social media applications. However, school district policies have not been thoroughly updated to address the implementation of …

Dark On Campus: A Phenomenological Study Of Being A Dark-Skinned Black College Student, Kiara Lee

Theses and Dissertations

As recent research finally starts to recognize colorism, a form of discrimination where light skin is valued over dark skin within an ethnic group, as a legitimate form of discrimination in the Black community, research on colorism in higher education still wanes. A limited amount of scholarship focuses on the manifestation of colorism in education and even less research examines the implications of complexion on Black college students and their intersectional identities. As empirical studies describe how complexion often denotes institutional degradation for dark-skinned Black students in K-12 and beyond -- from teacher perceptions, to the school-to-prison pipeline, to social …

A Teacher’S Adoption Of Maker-Centered Learning: A Phenomenological Case Study, Michael L. Schad

Theses and Dissertations

The maker movement is a social movement which espouses the importance of artifact creation through physical and digital tools. As the maker movement moves into educational spaces, researchers and educators are exploring ways to integrate it alongside current classroom practices. A prevalent framework for maker integration is the maker-centered learning framework, which was used as part of the conceptual framework. Currently, more research is needed which justifies and analyzes maker-centered learning in an educational environment. This study aimed to use phenomenological methods to capture the lived experience of chemistry teacher as she integrated the maker-centered learning framework into her chemistry …

Faculty Members' Lived Experiences With Open Educational Resources, M. Troy Martin

Theses and Dissertations

The cost of textbooks has continued to increase, and the financial effect on students in higher education is significant. Numerous studies have been done to learn more about student and faculty perceptions toward Open Educational Resources (OER) use. Recent studies confirm that most instructors would use OER in order to alleviate the financial burden placed on students; however, OER adoption rates do not reflect this belief. In my study I sought to better understand what instructors experience when they search for OER. In this phenomenological study, I interviewed faculty who expressed a desire to use OER and to capture their …

Building Bridges Over Troubled Waters: A Phenomenological Study Of Post-9/11 Guard And Reserve Military Veterans Transitioning To The Civilian Workplace, Jean Marie Pyzyk

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

BUILDING BRIDGES OVER TROUBLED WATERS:

A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF

POST-9/11 NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVE MILITARY VETERANS

TRANSITIONING TO THE CIVILIAN WORKPLACE

by

Jean Marie Pyzyk

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2017

Under the Supervision of Professor Barbara Bales, Ph.D.

This qualitative, phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 25 National Guard members and reservists representing the United States Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps returning to civilian careers following a post-9/11 deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan. The research question asked: What are the lived experiences of post-9/11National Guard and Reserve military veterans as they transition back to the civilian …

From The Middle East To The Midwest: The Transition Experiences Of Saudi Female International Students At A Midwest University Campus, Alia K. Arafeh

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the essence of the transition experiences of 10 female international students when they made the decision to study and live in the U.S. through their third semester in college. The main research question that framed this study was: How do Saudi female international students navigate their transitional experiences to study and live during their first two academic years in an urban Midwest university?

Most research about international students does not account for their national, religious, cultural, and linguistic differences. Much of this previous research focuses on the students’ academic challenges and language barriers and non-academic challenges such …

The Impact Of Graphic Organizer Use On The Metacognitive Skills Of Ten Senior High School Students In An English Iv British Literature Class At Seaside High School, Josie P. White

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of graphic organizer use on the metacognitive skills of 10 senior high school students in English IV British Literature at Seaside High School.

This study took place over the course of five weeks in Spring 2017 and involved one section of the teacher-researcher’s English IV British Literature class at Seaside High School. Through student surveys, a pre-study interview with each student-participant, a learning styles inventory, students’ use of graphic organizers, the teacher-researcher’s observations and field notes, two writing assignments, and a post-study interview with each student-participant, extensive data was collected …

Students' Lived Experiences Of The Realization Of Academic Wrongness (Raw), Dana Carol Kemery

Theses and Dissertations

Being wrong is a common phenomenon for students in academic environments; however this phenomenon has yet to be described from the student perspective. The purpose of this phenomenologic inquiry is to describe the realization of academic wrongness (RAW) as experienced by senior level nursing students during a high stakes testing period. Observations, class documents, communications, and semi-structured interviews were collected to gain a full description for the realization of academic wrongness within context and as this phenomenon unfolded for the students. The data were analyzed using Moustakas (1994) 7 step phenomenological process. Fourteen invariant constituents emerged during data analysis which …

A Phenomenological Study: Foster Care Youth Aging Out Of The System, Guy Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of teens aging out of foster care, in an effort to better understand their needs. While the child welfare system is geared towards family preservation, reunification, and adoption, most young adults transitioning from the foster care system are not reunited with family members or are only reunited as a last resort. Unfortunately, every year, thousands are leaving the support of the foster care system, unprepared. Youth departing the child welfare system are not gradually transitioned into becoming self-sufficient. They do not have an effective support system available if …

A Hidden Culture Of Carelessness: A Comparative Qualitative Study Of Gender Inequality And Its Implications For African American And South African Black Women Higher Education Administrators, Dawn S. Singleton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and compare the lived and career experiences of Black women higher education administrators in the United States and South Africa. This comparative study elucidated the women’s experiences while giving voice to Black women, whose experiences and status are often further marginalized under new managerial practices. This research used the theoretical lenses of intersectionality and carelessness, a new managerial practice within higher education, to uncover the challenges, opportunities, and contexts experienced by these women within gendered, racialized organizational structures and practices. A major finding of the research is that Black women shared …

Essentially Point-Less: The Influence Of Alternative, Non Points-Based Grading On Teachers' Instructional Practices, Jay C. Percell

Theses and Dissertations

Grading is often a time-consuming, laborious task for teachers continuously required to document student performance. Simultaneously, among students there is intense competition for grades, which determine class ranks, college entrances, scholarship opportunities, as well as satisfy parental and societal expectations (Campbell, 2012; Wood, 1994). Due to the importance of grades, some educators have sought to determine whether or not traditional grading systems are truly indicative of students' abilities (Brookhart, 1991, 1993; Guskey, Swan & Jung, 2011).

This study investigated alternative grading systems, especially those that were non points-based, and the influence alternative grading had upon teachers' instructional practices. This study …

Experiences Of Beginning Teachers In A Resident Teacher Program: A Phenomenological Study, Emmanuel Adjei-Boateng

Theses and Dissertations

There has been considerable attention and focus, in the field of education, on development support for beginning teachers. Beginning teachers are very important to the success and future of education. Their success in the classroom is very critical. The Resident Teacher Program or a teacher residency is a comprehensive means of providing beginning teachers with developmental support. This initiative is usually organized through the concerted efforts of a college of education and school district. Within this dissertation, attention is given to the potential or real benefits and to the successes and challenges of an existing Resident Teacher Program. In a …

Understanding Teachers' Change Towards A Reform-Oriented Mathematics Classroom, Linnae Denise Williams

Theses and Dissertations

Within the current mathematics teacher population there are teachers that want to change from traditional teaching styles to become more reform-oriented (i.e. focusing on student understanding rather than procedures). Many of these teachers do not know how to begin this change. This research looks into the tools that are most valuable for teachers as they change from traditional teaching practices to include more reform-oriented teaching practices. Through this phenomenological study, six successful reform-oriented teachers were interviewed to understand what tools they found to be most valuable in their process of change. The interviews uncovered a common guiding principle that facilitates …