Transitions From Military Duty To College For United States Military Veterans,
2016
Walden University
Transitions From Military Duty To College For United States Military Veterans, Velma Layne
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Some veterans transitioning from military duty to the classroom are not obtaining college degrees. The purpose of this study was to investigate student veterans’ perceptions of the transition services and support systems at their college that might impact the challenges they face while pursuing a college degree. The theoretical framework for this study was Schlossberg’s Theory of Transition. The guiding research question asked how military veterans perceived the transition services and support systems at their university in the context of their decision to obtain their degrees. A purposeful sampling approach was used for selecting student veteran participants who had returned …
Impact Of Orientation Programs On Nontraditional Students' Perceived Academic Success In Adult Education Programs,
2016
Walden University
Impact Of Orientation Programs On Nontraditional Students' Perceived Academic Success In Adult Education Programs, Marsha Ann Webster
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Many administrators and faculty within higher education institutions have grappled with identifying and employing effective strategies to facilitate student success and persistence. The current study focuses on assessing nontraditional students' self-efficacy beliefs and their perception of the orientation program at a 2-year continuing education program in a Caribbean nation. The study is important as the findings have the potential to increase nontraditional students' persistence and learning. Bandura's social cognitive theory and the theory of self-efficacy served as the theoretical frameworks of this sequential mixed-methods design study. The quantitative research questions examined the reported self-efficacy levels of 77 participants and nonparticipants …
Experiences Of Black Msm At An Hbcu Regarding Stigma And Hiv Risk Behavior,
2016
Walden University
Experiences Of Black Msm At An Hbcu Regarding Stigma And Hiv Risk Behavior, Natasha Harden Jeter
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Black men who have sex with men (MSM) on Historically Black College/University (HBCU) campuses face a unique set of challenges. In addition to being disproportionately affected by HIV, Black MSM are impacted by risk behavior, stigma, and environmental policies and practices that adversely influence their experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black MSM at a HBCU and how stigma, culture, social practices and the collegiate environment impact HIV risk-taking behavior. Utilizing the ecological framework and qualitative analysis, the behaviors of 13 Black MSM on a HBCU campus were examined. Personal interviews and risk assessment …
Understanding Attrition Among English As A Foreign Language Teachers In Online Training,
2016
Walden University
Understanding Attrition Among English As A Foreign Language Teachers In Online Training, Joseline Castaños
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Attrition among students in online courses worldwide is well-documented at the undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate levels. However, little is yet known about the reason for attrition among in-service teachers in online training. Online education aims to provide access to education for the masses, but with higher attrition rates, it may be viewed as less effective than traditional education. This study explored factors that influenced attrition and persistence among teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in an online teacher training environment. Tinto's Community of Inquiry framework and Short, Williams, and Christie's Social Presence Model provided the conceptual framework for …
The Effect Of Simulation Training On Nursing Students' Content Exam Scores,
2016
Walden University
The Effect Of Simulation Training On Nursing Students' Content Exam Scores, Lori Ann Podlinski
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Simulation training has been implemented at a small nursing school in the eastern United States to improve the currently low content exam scores in nursing courses. With the guidance of Kolb's experiential learning theory, differences in 8 course content exam scores were investigated for students who received simulation training in the content area before the exam and students who received simulation training after the exam, using a quasi-experimental, comparative design. Archival exam scores from 424 content exams, 212 completed by students who received simulation training before the exam and 212 completed by students who received simulation training after the exam, …
A Delphi Study Of Effective Practices For Developing Competency-Based Learning Models In Higher Education,
2016
Walden University
A Delphi Study Of Effective Practices For Developing Competency-Based Learning Models In Higher Education, Lisa Monica Mcintyre-Hite
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Currently, there is an increase in competency-based education programs in higher education institutions in response to student and employer needs. However, research is lacking on effective practices for developing competencies, assessments, and learning resources for these programs. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to gather expert opinions about effective practices for developing competencies, assessments, and learning resources in competency-based programs in higher education. The conceptual framework was based on principles of andragogy, critical subjectivity, and social constructivism. Ten long-term specialists in developing competency-based programs in higher education served as participants. Data from 3 rounds of interviews were coded …
Marketing Strategies For Increasing Latino Enrollment In Higher Education,
2016
Walden University
Marketing Strategies For Increasing Latino Enrollment In Higher Education, Melissa Rocio Gomez De La Fuente
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Many leaders of higher education institutions in the United States face changes in student demographics, tightened regulatory environments, and reduced state funding. University leaders have an opportunity to leverage targeted marketing strategies in order to increase their institutions' market share in the Latino student segment. The purpose of this study was to explore the strategies that some university leaders use to increase Latino student enrollment in higher education programs. The marketing mix and the Ps of marketing theory comprised the study's conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 3 marketing experts from the higher education sector, who were selected by …
Health Science Adminstrators' Perception Of Remediation With Students In The Professional Track Programs,
2016
Walden University
Health Science Adminstrators' Perception Of Remediation With Students In The Professional Track Programs, Yvonne Jackson Jackson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Remediation to improve student retention is rapidly becoming an important part of health science programs in higher education. A career college located in the midwestern United States implemented remediation for students to address declining enrollment health science professional-track programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how remediation was carried out by college instructors and their perceptions of instructional best practices for students in health science programs in the context of current research. The conceptual framework that guided this study was based on constructivism and adult learning theory. Research questions focused on how instructors were carrying out …
Exploring College Instructors' Integration Of Technology Into Their Curriculum,
2016
Walden University
Exploring College Instructors' Integration Of Technology Into Their Curriculum, Junior George Martin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Technology integration in the curriculum remains a challenge at different levels in the education system. In one Caribbean 4-year college, faculty are expected to prepare preservice teachers to integrate technology in classroom instruction. When preservice teachers are not prepared for technology integration, interventions are necessary to address this challenge of technology integration. The purpose of this qualitative bounded intrinsic case study was to gain an understanding of the process of technology integration by instructors at the research site. Davies' theory for understanding technological literacy and the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge model conceptually framed this study. A purposeful sample of …
Writing Center Editor Strategies For Addressing Student Academic Entitlement In Intervention Editing,
2016
Walden University
Writing Center Editor Strategies For Addressing Student Academic Entitlement In Intervention Editing, Sarah Ann Matthey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Not all students who enroll in postsecondary institutions have the skills needed to be successful in higher education in reading and writing. At a for-profit, online university in Minnesota, many students were not completing 4 weeks of a remedial writing program, Intervention Editing (IE). According to internal surveys and personal communications, students' struggles to complete IE were partly due to academic entitlement (AE). AE is defined as students placing the responsibility for their academic success on third parties rather than on themselves. Using the theory of self-efficacy as a framework, the purpose of this intrinsic case study was to determine …
Patterns Of One-Course Cohort Participation In Online Teacher Education Programs,
2016
Walden University
Patterns Of One-Course Cohort Participation In Online Teacher Education Programs, Janeal Crane Smith
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Online higher education is a field that can benefit significantly from further research on innovative pedagogical methods designed to support students and decrease attrition rates. One method shown to improve engagement and retention of students in online environments is to include interactive engagement. This case study explored the patterns of students' interactions and assessment performance in an introductory teacher education one-course cohort. The study used a conceptual framework incorporating Bandura's social learning theory and Siemens' theory of connectivism. The study assessed archival data, from Adobe Connect recordings and records of competency pass rates, on the interactions and patterns of behavior …
Scholarly Writing Among Graduate Students: A Qualitative Project Study,
2016
Walden University
Scholarly Writing Among Graduate Students: A Qualitative Project Study, Marsha Armstrong Harwell
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This project study focused on scholarly writing skills of adult students enrolled in a private graduate institution in the West Indies. The institution provided writing instruction, but scholarly writing skills remained inadequate for some students when they began their final projects. The project study provided insight into the most pervasive writing skill deficits and the positive and negative influences on writing skill development among graduate students. The research design was an applied qualitative case study using data collected from a purposeful sample of convenience within a bounded system of current students, faculty members, and administrators in one institution. Open-ended questionnaires …
Adult Learning-Focused Professional Development For Dental Hygiene Clinical Instructors,
2016
Walden University
Adult Learning-Focused Professional Development For Dental Hygiene Clinical Instructors, Meghan Ann Mcguinness
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
At a dental hygiene program within a community college in New York State, clinical instructors are hired based on their expertise as practitioners. Most clinical instructors lack a background in adult learning theory and practice, which is an issue because their students are adult learners whose average age is 26. The instructors' lack of knowledge in this area challenges their effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore dental hygiene instructors' views about what kind of professional development offerings related to adult learning might help improve their teaching effectiveness. The conceptual framework for this project study was …
Identifying Barriers To Graduation For Nontraditional Students,
2016
Walden University
Identifying Barriers To Graduation For Nontraditional Students, Abena Salvant
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Increased enrollments of nontraditional students in U.S. higher education institutions have prompted many college and university administrators to consider student service programs. These programs ensure that support services are available to nontraditional students to cultivate healthy graduation rates among that student population. The purpose of this study was to discover factors that influence nontraditional students to become disengaged or be retained. The study was a qualitative case study with data collected from individual interviews with 10 nontraditional students participating in online and traditional onsite delivery systems at a private, nontraditional higher education institution in the western United States. The theoretical …
Community College Basic Skills Math Instructors" Experiences With Universal Design For Learning,
2016
Walden University
Community College Basic Skills Math Instructors" Experiences With Universal Design For Learning, Sunny Greene
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Multiple approaches have been used in U.S. community colleges to address the learning needs of postsecondary students who are underprepared in basic skills math. The purpose of this exploratory interview study was to gain a deeper understanding of community college basic skills math learning through instructors' lived experiences using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach and its technology tool, a computerized pen. The conceptual framework for this study used Knowles's adult learning and Kolb's experiential learning theories with UDL principles. The central research questions investigated the professional development and teaching experiences of community college basic skills math instructors in …
Preparing Faculty To Teach Online: Promoting Success In The Online Classroom,
2016
Walden University
Preparing Faculty To Teach Online: Promoting Success In The Online Classroom, Julia Babcock Hamilton
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Distance learning students at a community college in the southeast United States were not completing their coursework as well as were students enrolled in traditional courses. This disparity was negatively affecting the institution's state performance measures, putting at risk the institution's state-based funding under the state's performance model. The purpose of this qualitative, bounded case study was to explore faculty experiences with online course professional development and faculty's teaching practices related to successful student online course completion. Chickering and Gamson's 'Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education' served as the study's conceptual foundation. Distance learning faculty (n = 10), …
Nurses' Perceptions Of Supports And Barriers In Transitioning To The Nurse Faculty Role,
2016
Walden University
Nurses' Perceptions Of Supports And Barriers In Transitioning To The Nurse Faculty Role, Kelly Flanigan
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This project study addressed nurses' perceptions of supports and barriers in transitioning from a clinician to a faculty role in a 3-year diploma nursing program located in Eastern Pennsylvania. This problem is significant at both the local and national level due to the shortage of qualified nursing faculty members. A qualitative case study design using in-depth interviews was used. The framework to guide the study was Schoening's Nurse Educator Transition (NET) Model. The guiding question addressed perceptions of new nursing faculty members regarding supports and barriers of transitioning to the faculty role. Interview questions focused on participants' identification of their …
Academic Outcomes Of A Precollege Intervention Program,
2016
Walden University
Academic Outcomes Of A Precollege Intervention Program, John Tri Phung
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 demanded that public schools demonstrate adequate yearly progress by increasing student educational achievements. In 2014, the local high school at this study enrolled 62.7% socioeconomically disadvantaged students and implemented a precollege intervention program; however, little is known about its efficacy due to a lack of a formal evaluation, prohibiting an informed approach to continual improvement. The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine if program participation resulted in the higher academic outcomes. Guided by the theory of change, the program evaluation was used to assess the efficacy of the local high …
A Qualitative Case Study Of Strategies For Choosing And Evaluating Alternative Assessments In Online Higher Education,
2016
Walden University
A Qualitative Case Study Of Strategies For Choosing And Evaluating Alternative Assessments In Online Higher Education, Robert James Streff
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Studies have shown that not all students are assessed effectively using standard testing formats. However, it is unclear what alternative methodology would be useful to determine whether students have acquired the skills necessary for today's global market. This research study's purpose was to understand the processes instructors use when choosing and designing alternative assessments in higher education online courses to measure student performance. Using Gagné's conditions of learning and Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework to understand these processes, this qualitative case study examined 8 participants teaching online at Midwestern public universities. Interview data and course artifacts, including syllabi, rubrics, assessments, …
Parent Support And Retention Of Rural First-Generation College Students,
2016
Walden University
Parent Support And Retention Of Rural First-Generation College Students, Edna E. Mcculloh
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
A small, private university was the focus of this study, where rural first-generation college (FGC) students withdraw at higher rates than their continuing-generation counterparts. An objective of the university leadership is to increase student retention to foster a greater likelihood of degree completion. The research problem was the inability to retain rural FGC students. The purpose of the study was to explore parental support that promoted rural FGC student retention. The research questions addressed the students' perceptions about parental support and their decisions to remain enrolled. The research methodology was a qualitative case study design. Data were collected through semi …
