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Liberty University

Educational Psychology

Education, Educational Psychology

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Factors That Contribute To Burnout Among Elementary School Counselors, Yesenia Lopez Jul 2013

Factors That Contribute To Burnout Among Elementary School Counselors, Yesenia Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the relationship between elementary school counselors' self-efficacy, counselor-to-student ratio, and employment in a Title I school and burnout on the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. This study also investigated which factor(s) (i.e., self-efficacy, counselor-to-student ratio, or employment in a Title I school) predicts burnout on the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment among elementary school counselors. Data collected from 84 elementary school counselors were used to test four hypotheses. A significant positive relation was found between elementary school counselors' self-efficacy and personal accomplishment. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were not related to elementary …


The Lived Experiences Of Native Louisiana French Speakers Entering English-Only Elementary Schools In Lower Bayou Lafourche, Jolynda H. Strandberg Jul 2013

The Lived Experiences Of Native Louisiana French Speakers Entering English-Only Elementary Schools In Lower Bayou Lafourche, Jolynda H. Strandberg

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of native Louisiana French speakers entering English-only elementary schools in lower Bayou Lafourche, Louisiana. Native Louisiana French speakers entering English-only elementary school was defined as those whose home language was Louisiana French prior to entering elementary school. While language attrition for non-English speakers and Louisiana French culture had been explored, the in depth, lived experiences of native Louisiana French speakers entering English elementary schools were unexplored (Blyth, 1997; Ryon, 2002; Sexton, 2000). Understanding how entering English-only schools affects student perceptions and identity was important in determining school …


Former Students' Perceptions Of How Theatre Impacted Life Skills And Psychological Needs, Tia Cowart Jun 2013

Former Students' Perceptions Of How Theatre Impacted Life Skills And Psychological Needs, Tia Cowart

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate former high school theatre students' perceptions of how theatre education addressed their psychological needs and impacted life skills. Participants were graduates of a large metropolitan high school, located near Atlanta, GA. A focus group, individual semi-structured interviews and collection of artifacts were the data collection procedures utilized to discover students' perceptions. Pseudonyms were used to protect the identities of the participants. The data analysis process included initial coding, axial coding and memo writing. Based on the information from the interviews, this case study showed the benefits of offering youth opportunities …


Bullying Prevalence In Mississippi: A Comparison Of Urban And Rural Schools, Valarie Mccaskill Jun 2013

Bullying Prevalence In Mississippi: A Comparison Of Urban And Rural Schools, Valarie Mccaskill

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examines the prevalence of bullying in urban and rural schools in Mississippi. Students at eight middle schools completed the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire to identify bullies and bully victims. The results of the study showed that approximately 50% of students in both urban and rural schools were identified as being bullied once or more during the current school term. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of bullying at urban and rural schools based on students who attended the eight middle schools who participated in the study. However, there was a significant difference in the prevalence of bullying …


A Grounded Theory Study Investigating How Parents' Adolescent Experiences Influence Their Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Their Children's Middle School Education, Brenda Williams May 2013

A Grounded Theory Study Investigating How Parents' Adolescent Experiences Influence Their Attitudes And Behaviors Toward Their Children's Middle School Education, Brenda Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative grounded theory study was to explore ways in which parents' past school experiences as adolescents influence their attitudes and behaviors toward their children's education. Three research questions related to parents' past experiences, current attitudes, and participation guided the study. Hope County School system (pseudonym), a suburban school system in the southeastern United States, was the setting for the study. Participants included 12 middle school parents. Three instruments were used for data collection: interviews, surveys, and reflective booklets. Data analysis was conducted using the grounded theory process of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. From …


Voices Of Young Adults With Autism And Their Perspective On Life Choices After Secondary Education, Susan Galler May 2013

Voices Of Young Adults With Autism And Their Perspective On Life Choices After Secondary Education, Susan Galler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to explore how young adults who have an autism spectrum disorder perceive their life choices after secondary education. The focus participants in the sample were young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). For the purpose of this research, ASD includes autism and Asperger's Disorder. Participants between the ages of 18 and 33 were located through purposive sampling in the states of Minnesota and Tennessee, as the author has previously worked in these states. Participants were asked five open ended focus questions during the span of two face to face interviews. Questions …


Factors Influencing The Completion Of The Ged In A Federal Correctional Setting: A Multiple Regression Correlation-Predictive Study, Kimberly Akers Apr 2013

Factors Influencing The Completion Of The Ged In A Federal Correctional Setting: A Multiple Regression Correlation-Predictive Study, Kimberly Akers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Correctional education's primary goal is to reduce recidivism and increase employment among ex-offenders. The Bureau of Prison's practical goal in its mandatory GED program is to maximize the number of inmates obtaining the GED in a given time period. The purpose of this research is to model the number of instructional hours an inmate requires to obtain the GED as a regression on socio-demographic and Bureau of Prison policy variables related to inmate conduct in education programs. This quantitative research uses multiple regression to produce and analyze the model. An archival random sample of GED graduates in a large federal …


Bridging The Divide: A Case Study Investigating Digitally-Wise Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Cyberbullying, Tiffany Graves Apr 2013

Bridging The Divide: A Case Study Investigating Digitally-Wise Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Cyberbullying, Tiffany Graves

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of middle school, technologically proficient, or digitally-wise teachers, regarding how they defined, prevented, recognized, and handled incidences of cyberbullying in four middle schools located in Southern Virginia. Data was collected using an open-ended questionnaire, archival data, including school public records and lesson plans, and interviews. Data for this study were triangulated and synthesized following Stake's data analysis procedures to create naturalistic generalizations for the readers. All data was coded and 10 emergent themes developed. Digitally-wise middle school teachers voiced confidence about their ability to define cyberbullying; they shared …


Examining Coping Strategies Of Young Girls Victimized By Relational Aggression: A Phenomenological Study, Dana Simmons Mar 2013

Examining Coping Strategies Of Young Girls Victimized By Relational Aggression: A Phenomenological Study, Dana Simmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the coping strategies developed by young girls victimized by the phenomenon of relational aggression.This study examined the experiences and coping strategies developed by kindergarten, first, and second grade girls who attend a rural Georgia primary school. The co-researchers were selected from a pool of 294 female students who were identified by teachers as having experienced relational aggression. I used semi-structured interviews with co-researchers, document analysis, and art activities to gather data. I collected, analyzed, and interpreted data conforming to Moustakas' (1994) transcendental model. Roth and Cohen's (1986) theory on stress and …


University Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study Of Challenges And Successes, Vickie Johnston Jan 2013

University Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study Of Challenges And Successes, Vickie Johnston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This hermeneutic phenomenological study inquired about the challenges and successes of eight university students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at a university in the southeastern United States. The data collection methods involved documentation, questionnaires, focus groups, and individual interviews. The analysis of data involved open coding and in vivo coding; conversational interview methods through member checks were employed at the end of each interview. Several themes emerged from the data regarding the factors in academic success and challenges, the environments and learning styles most conducive to learning, individual factors that contributed to academic success, and the reading and study …


Identifying Causes Of Student End Of Year Transfers As Experienced At Private All-Male Military Boarding Schools: A Multiple Case Study, Frank Martin Dec 2012

Identifying Causes Of Student End Of Year Transfers As Experienced At Private All-Male Military Boarding Schools: A Multiple Case Study, Frank Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined and helped identify causes for end-of-year transfers from private all-male military boarding schools to a non-military school. The purposes of this study were twofold. The first purpose was to identify the reasons why parents chose to transfer their sons from the all-male military private boarding school of their choice to another school from the 2009-2010 school year to the 2010-2011 school year. A secondary purpose was to identify any commonalities amongst the military schools involved in the study regarding why students returned to either their previous school or chose another school, whether public or private. The researcher …


A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Origination And Manifestation Of The Cyberbully/Cyberbullying Victim Relationship From The Perspective Of Cyberbullying Victims, Michael Boyd Jul 2012

A Phenomenological Investigation Of The Origination And Manifestation Of The Cyberbully/Cyberbullying Victim Relationship From The Perspective Of Cyberbullying Victims, Michael Boyd

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cyberbullying has gained a considerable amount of media attention in recent years (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatston, 2008). However, little is known about the details of cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationships within the lived experience of victims. This phenomenological study investigated the origination and manifestation of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship. The study is phenomenological in order to examine the origination of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship and how the relationship is manifested in the lived experience of participants who were cyberbullying victims. The study examines the impact of the cyberbully/cyberbullying victim relationship from the theoretical perspective of Vygotsky's (1986) sociocultural learning theory and Maslow's …


Adult Perceptions Of The Experience Of Being Identified "Talented And Gifted" As Children: A Phenomenological Study, Bradford Summers May 2012

Adult Perceptions Of The Experience Of Being Identified "Talented And Gifted" As Children: A Phenomenological Study, Bradford Summers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This is a phenomenological study of adult perceptions of the experience of being identified "talented and gifted" as children. Data were gathered by transcribing the video recordings of adults who were students of the Talented and Gifted (TAG) education program in Fairfield, Ohio during 1978-1983. The phenomenological method was used to discover perceptions of a unique population of adults who shared life experiences during elementary and middle school. Analysis of the data resulted in the identification of four main themes: Growth, Interpersonal, Future, and Thankfulness. Three facilitating and three challenging subthemes were identified under each main theme. These were: Internal …


Examining Factors That Predict School Psychologists' Perceptions Of The Response To Intervention Process, Terry Bullock Apr 2012

Examining Factors That Predict School Psychologists' Perceptions Of The Response To Intervention Process, Terry Bullock

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With increasing emphasis on accountability measures and widespread focus on implementation of Response to Intervention (RtI) procedures in schools, it is critical to examine the impact these changes have on the role of practitioners involved in the process. This correlational study examined the factors of school psychologists' involvement in RtI, degree level, and years of experience to determine which of these best predict school psychologists' perceptions of the RtI process. Using information from the literature regarding RtI, the researcher's experience working as a school psychologist and with RtI, and review of a previous survey that examined RtI, an instrument was …


The Long-Term Social & Emotional Outcomes Of Subject-Area Acceleration On Gifted Learners, Dana King Apr 2012

The Long-Term Social & Emotional Outcomes Of Subject-Area Acceleration On Gifted Learners, Dana King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study utilizing transcendental phenomenology methods sought to understand the long-term social and emotional outcomes associated with subject-area acceleration. The participants were high school gifted juniors and seniors from one rural high school the southeastern United States. Data was collected through surveys, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. The rich details produced by this study enabled the researcher to construct a voice for this population by analyzing overarching themes emerging from surveys and interviews. The results of this study indicated that participants experienced primarily positive social and emotional outcomes of subject-area acceleration. The study will help guide teachers, …