Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Special Educators' Perceptions On Effective Preparation And Practice For Student Success, Anne Brackney Liese

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alternative school settings are success prospects for students at risk of school failure. However, research on the daily experiences of the special educators in alternate school settings tasked with educating the at-risk population, is limited. The purpose of this phenomenological study was (a) to recognize the perceptions of special educators concerning their preparation to advance the success of SEN students who are at risk of school failure; (b) to determine how to improve special educator preparation programs in alternative school settings. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, focused on student success provided the study's framework. Twelve semistructured interviews were conducted to …

Relationship Between Teachers' Concerns Toward Data Meetings And Student Achievement, Nelson Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Schools that employ data-driven instructional techniques and policies also tend to employ data meetings, in which teachers and other stakeholders exchange ideas, form agendas, and otherwise, apply data-derived insights that result in pedagogical action. The problem investigated in this study was that the local district has not yet measured the effectiveness of these data meetings. The purpose of this correlational study was to measure the relationship between teachers' concerns about data meetings and students' performance in math as measured by the change scores on the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) test in a North Alabama school. The …

Challenges To Student Success In An Introductory Music Theory I Course, Megan Darby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A state college in the mid-Atlantic United States requires a music theory course for 4 of its undergraduate music programs. In the 6 years prior to this study, students had difficulty with the course, with many failing or withdrawing. Tinto's theory of student retention served as the foundation of the conceptual framework for this study, the purpose of which was to identify challenges to successfully completing the course. This purpose was reflected in the study's driving research question focused on students' experiences regarding challenges to success. In this instrumental case study, 12 students and 2 instructors participated in individual interviews, …

A Diabetic Child's Impact On An African American Family, Silvanus Okeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes, a chronic disease with devastating but preventable consequences, is common in the United States, especially within African American communities. Earlier research has indicated that 21.7% of African American parents have children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the Mississippi Delta Region. Researchers have examined coping, stress, and behaviors of African American parents of children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes; however, there is a gap in literature regarding how African American parents can cope with stress and how changes in health behavior due to Type 1 diabetes impact African American families. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to …

Academic Challenges And Success Strategies Of Students With Dyslexia Seeking A Two-Year College Degree, Mary Joyce Taylor-Talley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dyslexia is a learning disability that hinders a person's ability to process elements of reading and writing. Although younger students with dyslexia often receive remedial education and accommodations, dyslexic college students may not receive assistance targeted to their individual needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to ascertain the challenges that might impede the academic success of college students with dyslexia and identify strategies used by academically successful dyslexic students at a 2-year college. Knowles's theory of informal adult education and self-direction provided the conceptual framework for the study. Using a case study design, 10 current college students …

Stakeholders' Perceptions On Mandated Student Retention In Early Childhood, Jennifer Kate Mankins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading is one of the primary goals of the early elementary grades. When students start to struggle with this complex skill, educators and parents search for solutions to rectify quickly mounting gaps before a child falls too far behind. In the State of Oklahoma, lawmakers have passed a law requiring mandatory 3rd grade retention for students who do not pass the state reading test. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the perceptions of stakeholders who had experienced implementation of mandated student retention in early childhood. The study is informed by Bourdieu's cultural capital theory of social …

Increasing The Career Longevity Of Teachers Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders, Leroy V. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers of students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have among the highest attrition rates of any teaching discipline in the United States. High attrition rates affect EBD teachers, school districts, and students with EBD. Through the theoretical lenses of Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory and Eisenberger's organizational support theory (OST), this study sought to determine if there was a difference in college preparation, job support, and job benefit/amenity factors identified by EBD teachers who intended to leave the discipline (n = 6) and those who intended to stay (n = 9). This quantitative, survey-based study yielded data from 15 …

Teachers' Perspectives Of Low Student Achievement Within Social Promotion Practices, Denise Monifa Connor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have reported the positive and negative effects of social promotion and retention. The problem at a large elementary school in the southeastern United States was inadequate achievement scores of 70% of socially promoted students in grades 3 through 5 on mandated state tests. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perspectives of teachers on social promotion, grade retention, and how to improve achievement in grades 3 through 5. Tomlinson's differentiated instruction was used as the conceptual framework. Twelve teachers from Grades 3 through 5, who had been at the school at least 1 year and represented …

Content Area Teacher Practices For Middle School English Language Learners, Damian Jina' Elder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of English Language Learners (ELLs) entering content area general education classes is on the rise and there is a lack of understanding concerning what content area teachers are doing to provide instruction to ELLs. ELLs throughout a southeastern state are making very little progress despite the resources put in place by the district. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the instructional practices and perceptions of 5 middle school content area teachers, who educate ELLs in general education classes. Differentiation, as defined by Tomlinson and the World-class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA,) frameworks were combined …

8870: Program Administrators' Perceived Challenges Associated With Developing Preceptors, J. L. Rager, J. M. Cavallario, D. A. Hankemeier, C. E. Welch Bacon, S. E. Walker

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: While research has revealed the characteristics, behaviors, and skills that help improve preceptors' success in meeting the objectives of clinical education, a gap in the literature exists as to how preceptors are being developed to ensure they exhibit such characteristics, behaviors, and skills. Understanding potential barriers that prevent program administrators from providing high-quality preceptor development opportunities will help develop future strategies and initiatives that enhance the development of preceptors. Objective: To explore the challenges program administrators (ie, program directors, clinical education coordinators) encounter when developing preceptors for graduate professional athletic training programs. Design: A consensual qualitative research approach guided …

Not Just The Playground: Adult Bullying In The K-12 Workplace, Cynthia J. Kleinheksel

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This non-experimental, explanatory, quantitative research study surveyed K-12 educators and other K-12 school employees to gather data about negative school workplace climate using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R). Through the NAQ-R and other demographic survey questions, the researcher studied the prevalence and characteristics of adult-on-adult bullying in the K-12 workplace. Categories of Emotional Intimidation, Workplace Intimidation, and Physical Intimidation were identified and regressions were completed to analyze results against a study by Einarsen, Hoel, and Notelaers (2009). Using R. J. Bies's four categories of interactional justice, the characteristics of adult bullying in the K-12 workplace were identified and analyzed to …

Education Models For Teaching Adults About Modifying Dietary Carbohydrate And Controlling Weight, Vincient Cleamons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of diabetes and other pathophysiological conditions has been correlated with the incidence of obesity. A large portion of an adult community in the northwestern United States suffers from excessive weight that has been linked to premature mortality rates and certain forms of diabetes. Excess calories from carbohydrate have been shown to increase weight. Therefore, diets that are modified in carbohydrate and calories may help mitigate weight and obesity comorbidities. This qualitative, single case study's purpose was to explore the methods health care professionals use for teaching adults about controlling weight. Altheide and Johnson's analytic realism theory, in which …

Schools Uniting Neighborhoods: Sustainability And Racial Equity In A Community Schools Initiative, Rachel Geller

Scripps Senior Theses

Schools Uniting Neighborhoods (SUN), a collaborative initiative in Multnomah County, Oregon, combines the increasingly popular community school model with an innovative organizational structure to further two key goals: sustainability as an initiative and furthering racial equity. This thesis situates SUN within the context of American public education reform and existing literature on the positive outcomes, organizational structures, and leadership components of community schools. Building on past reviews of SUN and its outcomes, I use results from qualitative interviews with key stakeholders to provide insight into how its organizational structure contributes to the goals of sustainability and racial equity. I discuss …

Improving Attendance In An Undergraduate Business Program At A For-Profit College, Erica Schacht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a small for-profit college located outside of New York City, declining classroom attendance over the last few years has become a serious concern in the business program. Poor attendance is one of the major causes for enrollment dropping and poor student retention. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify factors that influence student attendance. The study was based on Tinto's (1975) model of student integration and Nora and Cabrera's (1996) student adjustment model, which relates environmental influences on student retention. The research questions were used to investigate why students attend or do not attend classes, and …

An Examination Of The Insights And Support Of Self-Advocacy By Academic Advisors When Working With Students With Disabilities In Higher Education, Jennifer Farran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-advocacy for students with disabilities was noted throughout the literature as a necessary element for student success (Brinckerhoff, 1996; Daly-Cano, Vaccaro, & Newman, 2015; Gould, 1986; Williams & Shoultz, 1982). The literature also found that self-advocacy was particular crucial as students entered higher education (English, 1997; Stodden, Conway, and Chang, 2003; Vaccaro, Daly-Cano & Newman, 2015). In regard to student persistence, academic advising was the most cited student service (Hossler & Bean, 1990). Academic advisors assist students through their academic journeys and are tasked with assisting students to navigate college life (Kuh, 2008). However, there was a lack of research …

Supportive Residency Instructors: University Of South Dakota’S Teacher Residency Program, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle

School of Education Research Center

USD’s yearlong Teacher Residency Program involves teacher candidates in a full year of teaching experience incorporated into their four-year program. Residency instructors serve as coaches and mediators when issues arise, but they also provide timely instruction on such topics as classroom management, educational assessment, and others. Students in the residency program strongly agree that USD’s residency instructors support their instructional growth, assist them in overcoming challenging situations, and provide support and feedback to succeed.

Alcohol Policy Initiatives Of Post-Secondary Institutions In The State Of Kentucky: An Evaluation Of Best Practice Strategies To Reduce Binge Drinking, Deniece Bell

Online Theses and Dissertations

Binge drinking has become a matter of public health. The legal drinking age is 21 in the United States; however, binge drinking by underage college students is prevalent, alarming, and consequential (Malloy & Goldman, 2002). This polarizing topic has caused great concern among policy makers, legal experts, constituents and organizations alike, and as a result they have acted with a sense of urgency to implement policies and evidence-based recommendations for prevention and treatment (U. S. Department of Health and Human Services Alcohol and Health, 1990).

The purpose of this study was to examine the current alcohol policy initiatives among four …

The Relationship Between Teacher Attitudes Regarding Performance-Related Pay And Teacher Working Conditions, Audrey Nichols

Online Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the relationship between teacher working conditions and teacher attitudes toward performance pay in two turnaround schools. In the context of this study, teacher working conditions are defined as professional development, school leadership, and teacher collaboration. Teacher survey results are used as a means of data collection in this study to determine if any relationship exists between the defined teacher working conditions and teacher attitudes toward performance pay.

Supportive Measures: A Grounded Theory Analysis Of The Needs And Aspirations Of First-Generation College Students Enrolled In The Federally-Funded Trio Student Support Services (Sss) Program At A Community College In Rural Kentucky, Michelle R. Carter

Online Theses and Dissertations

For more than forty-nine years (since 1968) the federally-funded TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs have served disadvantaged students across the United States of America by providing wrap-around services to further the progress of their enrollment in postsecondary educational opportunities. The SSS program aims to assist students with disabilities, and who identify as low-income and first-generation (LIFG) college students, towards the successful completion of certification in a technical program and an undergraduate level degree from either a two or four-year college or university.

This study evaluated the needs and aspirations of [ten] first-generation college students at the point-of-entry of enrollment …

Impact Of Retention Initiatives On The Levels Of Self-Efficacy And Hope In African American Students On A Historically Black College And University Campus In Kentucky, George Maurice White

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the levels of self-efficacy and hope of the students at-risk that participated in a college program with multiple retention initiatives. The students selected were identified as students at-risk due to their high school GPAs and standardized test scores. The initiative focused on enhancing their self-efficacy and hope through additional resources that assisted with a student's academic and social life. The development of self-efficacy has been proven important to a student's academic, cognitive, and personal development. Hope has been proven to be important in finding different routes to success and the motivation a person has to take those …