2026-01-29 Fep Recommendations (Pac-35), Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Recommendation for FEPs presented to the Faculty Senate on January 29, 2026.

2026-01-29 Faculty Senate Newsletter, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate.

Faculty Senate Records

Faculty Senate newsletter from January 29, 2026.

The Hidden Opportunities Within The Stem Workforce Pipeline, Brad Schenker

STEM for Success Showcase

_{Five Connections in STEM Education That Can Harmonize America's Workforce Pipeline}

The recent changes to our education system have created a state of uncertainty and instability, which presents a unique moment in time to change systemic design failures that can be accomplished within existing budget, people and resource constraints.

This analysis of research, mostly from 2015-2025, identifies five opportunities in the STEM workforce pipeline to create “Moments of Impact” that can change the direction of a student's STEM education pathway.

Executive Leadership Education For Every Emergency Medical Services Professional : A Qualitative Study, Joseph D. Danao Ii

Student Dissertations

The Emergency Medical Services (EMS) profession faces numerous challenges in maintaining sufficient capacity to provide frontline medical care amid increasing demand for its services from government officials and the public. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the experiences of EMS professionals on how the lack of executive leadership education impacts their careers and the viability of their organizations. The problem is that EMS professionals widely lack the executive-level leadership education needed to thrive in their professional careers and ensure the viability of their EMS organizations (Basnawi, 2023; Naidoo et al., 2015). The research questions are developed …

Dual Credit Enrollment And First-Year Undergraduate Experience In Texas: Insights From A Mixed Methods Study, Summer Pannell, Jennifer D. Goddard

School Leadership Review

There has been considerable expansion in the availability of dual credit coursework, however, there is still a lack of understanding regarding how effective these programs are in equipping students for success in post-secondary education (Struhl & Vargas, 2012). This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore the relationships between various components of dual credit programs and the experiences of first-time undergraduate students. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression indicated a statistically significant relationship between the modality of dual credit coursework and students’ first-year undergraduate GPAs but not between the setting of the two factors. Further, the results did not …

The Educational Leadership Trajectories Of Black Gay Males: A Narrative Inquiry, Abidemi Omowale Kayode

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the educational leadership trajectories of Black gay men (BGM) working in K-12 public schools. These BGM navigate identity-centered marginalization from school systems. Their leadership development is shaped by structural barriers, exclusive frameworks, and cultural expectations whether visible or invisible. This study addresses the scant literature in educational leadership around intersecting racial and sexual identities, and how this omission contributes to exclusionary and discriminatory trauma for BGM. These inequities are supported by heteronormative adult cultures, interpersonal dynamics, and policy. The consequences of these inequities are both political and professional as well as psychologically harmful and deeply personal. …

Teacher Retention In West Tennessee: An Analytical Cross-Sectional Study, Valeria Louise Walters

Student Theses and Dissertations

Teacher attrition is a problem that results in inequities for students in urban contexts. This study investigated factors associated with teacher retention and compared these relationships between urban and suburban school districts using Mason and Matas’s Four Capital Theoretical Model of Teacher Retention. Using a cross-sectional, quantitative research design, data was collected through a survey distributed to 124 teachers in urban and suburban school districts in West Tennessee. Descriptive, correlational, comparative, and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between retention outcomes, teacher mindset, and four subdomains of school climate: collegial leadership, achievement press, institutional vulnerability, and professional …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Motivational And Influential Strategies Of Their Principals, And That Effect On Teacher Retention, Carl Henry Semler

Student Theses and Dissertations

Teacher Perceptions of the Motivational and Influential Strategies of Their Principals, and that Effect on Teacher Retention This study explored the connections between perceived principal motivational and influential leadership strategies and their impact on teacher retention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 highly-qualified grades 9-12 teachers to gain insight through their perspectives of the experiences of principal leadership and how it influenced job satisfaction and teacher retention in culturally-diverse schools. Transformational Leadership Theory and Critical Race Theory were selected as the guiding framework for this study, which was best applied to comprehend the nature of the alignment between perceived principal …

Preparation Of Novice Teachers In Special Education, Shayna Miles

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the perceptions of ten novice special education teachers regarding their preparation for teaching in public school classrooms. Using Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) theory as a lens, the research reveals a mixed sense of preparedness among participants, who generally felt knowledgeable about core subject areas yet struggled to apply this knowledge effectively in practice. Key gaps were identified in their training, particularly concerning technical skills related to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and communication and collaboration with other educational stakeholders. Participants expressed challenges in accessing practical assessments and highlighted the need for further training in managing classroom …

Perceptions Of Mentoring Relationships And Novice Teacher Self-Efficacy And Attrition, Renee Dunwoody

Student Theses and Dissertations

A study of over 400 new Level 1 licensed teachers in New Mexico found that mentorship relationships directly correlate to a teacher's self-efficacy and their likelihood of leaving the profession. The study surveyed traditionally trained and alternative licensure teachers employed in New Mexico and in their first 3 years of teaching. The results revealed that teachers who had high-quality relationships with their mentors, as scored on the Leader- Member Exchange 7 Questionnaire, had a stronger belief in their own self-efficacy and were less likely to consider leaving the teaching profession. In contrast, teachers who rated their mentors highly on the …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Factors Influencing The Academic Experiences Of African American Division I Collegiate Athletes In Mississippi, Deshannon Smith

Student Theses and Dissertations

African American collegiate athletes make up a large percentage of Division I athletic programs in Mississippi, particularly in high-revenue sports such as football and basketball. Despite access to strong coaching, facilities, and support services, African American collegiate athletes graduate at lower rates than their peers. The problem addressed in this study was the consistently low academic achievement among African American collegiate athletes in Division I athletic programs in Mississippi. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate the lived experiences that contributed to the academic achievement of African American collegiate athletes in Division I athletic programs in …

Relationship Between High School Science Olympiad Participation And Declaration Of A College Stem Major, Gregory Lee Spiegel

Student Theses and Dissertations

Science Olympiad is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition open to middle school and high school students across the United States. Students that participate in Science Olympiad have the opportunity to explore and learn about cutting edge STEM topics in an atmosphere that promotes teamwork and opportunities to challenge themselves as they compete against other schools. This quantitative correlational study examined the relationship between participation in the Science Olympiad program and the decision to pursue a STEM-related major in college. Prior Science Olympiad participants were asked about their participation in Science Olympiad in secondary school and their current …

The Influx Of Public-School Students In Private Schools And The Effects On The Classroom Management Strategies Used By Private School Teachers, James Moore

Student Theses and Dissertations

In the current climate of expanding school choice, epitomized by Arkansas’s LEARNS Act, a significant number of students are transitioning from public to private schools. With policy debates centering on access and funding streams, the impact of this demographic shift remains critically underexplored by researchers. This interpretive phenomenological study addresses the significant gap that exists in examining the classroom management strategies and lived experiences of 12 private school teachers in Central Arkansas. The common misconception is that behavior may be the biggest challenge for teachers; however, findings indicate that the most significant challenge for students transitioning is the academic rigor. …

Examining The Influence Of Principals’ Perceived Authentic Leadership And Teachers’ Psychological Capital On Teachers’ Burnout Syndrome And Turnover Intentions In Catalan Schools, Eduardo Torrecillas Sanchez

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study was performed in the Spanish region of Catalonia. The purposes of the current study were fourfold: Firstly, the study explored whether authentic leadership, psychological capital, or burnout syndrome differed between teachers' genders or experiences. Secondly, the current study investigated whether aggregate measures and/or the dimensions of authentic leadership and psychological capital were associated with burnout syndrome. Third, this study examined whether burnout syndrome predicted turnover intentions. Lastly, this study examined whether authentic leadership moderates the relationship between psychological capital and burnout syndrome, as well as turnover intentions. The multidimensional Maslach’s theory of burnout was selected as the guiding …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Principal Experiences And Persistence In Title I Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade Central Texas Schools, Lisa Islas Walls

Student Theses and Dissertations

The role of the school principal is among the most challenging and influential positions in education. Research demonstrates that principals are the second most significant in-school factor affecting student achievement, after classroom instruction, and that stable, effective leadership is crucial for fostering a positive school culture, promoting teacher retention, and improving student outcomes. Yet, principal turnover remains high, particularly in Title I schools serving low-income and minority populations, where unfavorable working conditions and limited systemic support exacerbate instability. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the perspectives of individual principals on their lived experiences within Title I K-8 public school districts located …

The Adverse Mental Health Effects Caused By Acculturative Stress And Its Influence On First- And Second-Year Immigrant Students In The United States, Sara Sparks

Student Theses and Dissertations

Relevant literature points out the adverse effects of acculturative stress, particularly on the mental health of immigrants. Recent studies also emphasize that immigrant students are academically behind their U.S.-born, native English-speaking peers. However, few studies explore how the adverse mental health effects of acculturative stress influence immigrants’ academic performance. This gap in literature is significant given the academic disparities. Applying Berry et al.’s (1987) acculturative stress conceptual framework, as well as Sirin et al.’s (2019) framework on the mental health outcomes caused by acculturative stress, research was conducted focusing on factors that cause acculturative stress, its mental health implications, and …

Vertically Aligned Curriculum In The Rural Education Setting And Its Effect On Student Achievement, Jordan Palmer

Student Theses and Dissertations

This study examined vertical curriculum alignment in rural education settings and its impact on student achievement. Rural school districts in Missouri often lack cohesive curricula, leading to students’ lower performance on standardized tests compared to suburban areas. This situation hinders students' postsecondary readiness and sustains achievement gaps, especially affecting underserved rural populations. The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to determine whether a relationship exists between vertically aligned math curricula and student achievement in rural public schools. The study was guided by vertical curriculum alignment theory, which stresses a systematic content progression across grades, and critical theory, which highlights …

Online Student Perspectives Of Impactful Feedback, Kathleen Mcnichols Irvin

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how online graduate students perceived and experienced instructor feedback, focusing on its role in learning, the challenges of applying it, and preferences for formative, summative, or blended approaches. Fifteen students participated in semi-structured interviews, and four joined a follow-up focus group. Findings revealed that students viewed feedback as fundamental to understanding course expectations, improving academic work, and fostering motivation. However, vague or delayed feedback was seen as unhelpful and discouraging, often limiting opportunities for improvement. Three central themes emerged: the value of feedback as a learning tool, barriers to engaging with feedback effectively, and preferences for …

Mississippi Teachers' Perspective Of Professional Learning Supports And Their Effects On Student Learning Outcomes When Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials, Mandy Michael Johnson

Student Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the perspectives of Mississippi teachers on the professional learning support and outcomes associated with implementing high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in their classrooms. Grounded in Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of cognitive development, this study surveyed eleven elementary teachers from a Mississippi school district to determine their perspectives on the professional learning support provided for an HQIM, based on their experiences, and its effects on student learning outcomes. After analyzing the data using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis method, it was concluded that teachers rely heavily on state-level literacy coaches for …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Into Kindergarten Teacher Perceptions Of Literacy Skills, Angela Shelton

Student Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored kindergarten teachers’ perceptions of the literacy skills of students from households with limited financial resources, compared to students who attended the universal preschool program located in District A with those who did not. The study addressed three research questions: 1. How do teachers perceive the literacy skills of these students? 2. How do teachers describe their experiences teaching literacy to these students? and 3. What resources or professional development do teachers identify as helpful in supporting literacy instruction? Semi-structured interviews with kindergarten teachers were conducted and analyzed to identify common themes. Participants reported that children …