Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program,
2015
Walden University
Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tracey Jane Siegel
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Nursing programs have traditionally used teacher-developed multiple-choice (MCQ) examinations to prepare students for licensure. Researchers have determined that poorly constructed MCQ tests used as formative and summative evaluations may penalize nursing students and impact progression and retention in nursing programs. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine issues related to the use of teacher-developed MCQ examinations as the only method of student assessment in the theory component of nursing courses. The National League for Nursing Core Competencies for Nurse Educators and the revised Bloom's Taxonomy were used as the conceptual frameworks for this study. The Director of …
Progression Of Elementary Teachers In Implementing Language Arts Common Core State Standards,
2015
Walden University
Progression Of Elementary Teachers In Implementing Language Arts Common Core State Standards, Holly Franks Boffy
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The challenges of implementing the Common Core State Standards at the classroom level resulted in political pushback to the reform initiative after the local media covered poor implementation decisions. This study explored how elementary school teachers and instructional leaders described teachers' progress along the implementation continuum for the standards. The concerns-based adoption model served as the conceptual framework for this study. This multicase study design consisted of 16 interviews of teachers and instructional leaders from 4 schools. Data were analyzed through a process that began with open coding followed by axial coding to identify themes. Teacher collaboration driving implementation progress …
Content Analysis Of Archetypal Portrayal Of Females In Picture Books Read In Preschool Classrooms,
2015
Walden University
Content Analysis Of Archetypal Portrayal Of Females In Picture Books Read In Preschool Classrooms, Karen Lynn Ellefsen
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Literature that depicts females in restrictive roles may limit girls' aspirations and success. Previous studies of award-winning books for young children have found gender-stereotypical role portrayal to be common. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to identify the archetypal roles assigned to female characters in picture books read aloud by teachers in the preschool classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was derived from feminist theory and Jungian archetypes. Data were collected in the form of teachers' logs of books they read aloud over a 2-week period. Data were analyzed by employing the 3-read method developed by Madsen, …
Instructional Practices Of English As Second Language Teachers,
2015
Walden University
Instructional Practices Of English As Second Language Teachers, Karen Ann Wallis
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The past decade has seen a significant increase in the emergence of English Language Learners (ELLs) in the United States. Nationally, a disparity in achievement exists between ELLs and non-ELLs. Relatedly, this problem was evident in a northeastern school district, where ELLs had not made Adequate Yearly Progress 2 years in a row. The purpose of this study was to examine how much time English as Second Language (ESL) teachers spend on a variety of best instructional practices. Constructivism, Vygotsky's zone of proximal development, and Tomilinson's differentiated instruction were the frameworks used to guide this research. A within-group design was …
Instructional Approaches That Increase Reading Achievement For Boys, Grades 3-6,
2015
Walden University
Instructional Approaches That Increase Reading Achievement For Boys, Grades 3-6, Tiffany M. Rudek
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
An achievement gap persists in many educational settings with females outperforming males in reading. In a Southern California school district, reading scores for boys average 10 percentile points below those of girls. A qualitative case study was conducted to explore which instructional approaches can help close this gender gap. The conceptual framework for this study was based on engagement theory, which proposes that students who are engaged in learning tasks achieve at higher levels. The guiding question asked how reading achievement for boys in Grades 3-6 could be improved in the district under study. Semistructured individual interviews were conducted with …
Nursing Students' And Novice Clinical Instructors' Experiences With Clinical Instruction And Assessment,
2015
Walden University
Nursing Students' And Novice Clinical Instructors' Experiences With Clinical Instruction And Assessment, Bridgett Alveta Jackson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Adjunct faculty members make up a growing proportion of nursing school clinical faculty in the United States due to a nurse educator shortage in higher education. Many of the nurses hired as clinical faculty members have years of experience providing patient care, but they lack experience in clinical instruction and assessment. At a state community college in the southeastern United States, nursing students have expressed dissatisfaction in their course evaluations with inexperienced faculty in clinical programs. The experiences of both nursing students under the guidance of novice clinical instructors and clinical faculty were examined in this case study. The National …
K-5 Elementary Balanced Literacy Reading Program Implementation Evaluation,
2015
Walden University
K-5 Elementary Balanced Literacy Reading Program Implementation Evaluation, Suzanne Marie Anderson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Students who struggle with reading in their elementary years are likely to make poor academic progress, leave school before graduation, and struggle in the workplace. The district leaders at 24 K-5 elementary schools in a large Midwestern district were interested in a formative reading program evaluation to determine reading program effectiveness. This mixed methods study, approached from a cognitive and social theoretical framework, was a formative evaluation of the Balanced Literacy Reading Program implementation at these elementary schools. The purpose of this study was to capture the K-5 classroom teachers' (n = 113), instructional coaches' (n = 18), and principals' …
Factors That Influence Empowerment In Adjunct Faculty Members,
2015
Walden University
Factors That Influence Empowerment In Adjunct Faculty Members, Lisa Murthy
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
To offset the cost and meet the demand for high quality nursing graduates, adjunct faculty members are hired to educate students in the practice settings. Adjunct faculty may not have access to the resources allocated to full-time faculty and may not feel empowered to provide the most effective educational experiences for the students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure factors that influence empowerment in adjunct faculty members teaching in an associate degree nursing program at a community college located in the Midwestern United States. The study also examined whether there is a difference in the empowerment of …
Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement,
2015
Walden University
Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement, Charlene Lane Bazemore
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students' struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers' perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students' reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students' progress of work documents, and the district's integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated …
Elementary School Teachers' Levels Of Concern With Disruptive Student Behaviors In The Classroom,
2015
Walden University
Elementary School Teachers' Levels Of Concern With Disruptive Student Behaviors In The Classroom, Jacquline Mccaskey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Educators are concerned over disruptive student behavior that diverts teacher attention from instruction to student's negative behavior. The disruptive student is frequently removed from the classroom, decreasing negative behavior but resulting in shorter instructional time for the disruptive student. The purpose of this correlational survey study was to identify teachers' (a) levels of concern for specific disruptive behaviors, (b) methods most frequently used for disruptive behavior, and (c) professional needs related to general classroom and behavior management. The study examined the relationship between teachers' levels of concern regarding specific behaviors and the degree of support needed to manage those behaviors. …
Relationships Among Adult Student Performance And Satisfaction Variables For One Campus Of A Career University's Mba Programs,
2015
Walden University
Relationships Among Adult Student Performance And Satisfaction Variables For One Campus Of A Career University's Mba Programs, Curtis G. Smith
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The number of adult learners has grown significantly since World War II, and workplace environments have expanded to embrace many new areas of expertise and knowledge. The expectations of these learners in terms of the courses offered by career universities have become increasingly diverse. University personnel need to find ways that optimize and align courses offered with those expectations. The purpose of this correlational study was to understand the relationships between outcome variables in adult education programs and students' perceptions of the quality of their educational programs. Five historically tracked variables were examined: program GPA, job placement rate, program completion …
White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students,
2015
Walden University
White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students, Karen Marie Spader
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
At a Midwestern university, White novice teachers struggled to be prepared to implement culturally responsive pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore White novice teachers' perceptions about how their higher education classroom experiences had equipped them for teaching a culturally diverse population of students. The theoretical/conceptual frameworks of this study were White identity development theory, a multicultural education framework, culturally relevant pedagogy, and the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching. Data were collected by interviewing 8 White novice teachers to convey their perceptions of teaching culturally diverse classrooms and how these perceptions influenced their behaviors. Data were …
Student Perceptions Of Effective Learning Strategies For National Council Licensure Examination Preparation,
2015
Walden University
Student Perceptions Of Effective Learning Strategies For National Council Licensure Examination Preparation, Lori Jean Johnson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
The purpose of this study was to examine efficacious instructional strategies that the New England Community College (NECC) nursing program could implement in the curricula to improve National Council Licensure Examination Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) first-time pass rates. Effective strategies from students and nursing program faculty had used were investigated. Such strategies support student nurses in their efforts to succeed on the first administration of the exit examination. The rationale for this study and resulting project was that they could improve NCLEX-RN first-time pass rates and positively impact the local hiring of qualified nurses. Guided by Knowles's adult learning theory, key …
The Effects Of Public Prekindergarten Participation On Kindergarteners' Early Literacy And Reading Skills,
2015
Walden University
The Effects Of Public Prekindergarten Participation On Kindergarteners' Early Literacy And Reading Skills, Brenda Coley
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
High quality prekindergarten programs that provide students with core academic skills have been found to increase subsequent student reading achievement. However, students across the United States continue to show deficiencies in reading skills, a problem which may stem from a lack of participation in early childhood education. The study district offered a prekindergarten program, but the impact on later reading achievement was unknown. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of a prekindergarten program on the subsequent reading skills of kindergarten students. The constructivist learning theories of Whitehurst, Lonigan, Piaget, and Vygotsky provided foundation. Research questions …
Exploring The Experiences And Relationships Of First-Year Teachers And Mentors,
2015
Walden University
Exploring The Experiences And Relationships Of First-Year Teachers And Mentors, Melanie Jane Strey
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Educators have a moral imperative and job-embedded expectation to effectively teach all students, which requires a commitment to continued personal growth. The purpose of this instrumental project study was to explore the lived experiences of first-year teachers and their mentors who teach in a culturally-diverse school district. The conceptual framework was based on supporting adult learning methods through the theories of critical thinking, constructivist perspective, the theory of mentoring, and culturally-instructional teaching. The guiding research questions addressed the perceptions of 5 first-year teachers and 5 mentors regarding individual and shared learning as a result of mentor-mentee relationship. A constant comparison …
Preparation And Support Of Female Head Athletic Trainers In Collegiate Sport,
2015
Walden University
Preparation And Support Of Female Head Athletic Trainers In Collegiate Sport, Bekki Turner
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972 has significantly improved women's access to previously male-dominated areas of education in the United States, but few of these studies have focused on the experiences of women currently in the higher education field. This study explored female head athletic trainers' perceptions of the role of U.S. higher education institutions in preparing and supporting their achievement of leadership positions in U.S. collegiate sports: it also explored their views on potential changes in current higher education curricula and certification processes. This phenomenological study used Ridgeway's status construction theory as its theoretical lens for …
Exploring The Efficacy Of School-Based Professional Development,
2015
Walden University
Exploring The Efficacy Of School-Based Professional Development, Michele Theresa Glynne
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
No method exists for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development (PD) for teachers in Boston Public Schools. Often PD does not contribute to teacher quality, which can hinder student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of PD among K-8 teachers and to examine the alignment of PD in the schools with the 4 prerequisites of professional learning outlined by Learning Forward. These 4 prerequisites served as the conceptual framework. Of the research questions, 4 reflected the topics of the 4 prerequisites: commitment to students, readiness to learn, collaboration, and learning styles. The …
Formative Program Evaluation Of A Professional Learning Community In An Urban Elementary School,
2015
Walden University
Formative Program Evaluation Of A Professional Learning Community In An Urban Elementary School, Cherie Laverne Ameyaw
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In a professional learning community (PLC), school personnel participate in focused collaboration to improve adult learning and facilitate student achievement. Implementation of a PLC is often haphazard and not evaluated for effectiveness, resulting in poor implementation. This study, a PLC-specific qualitative formative program evaluation, addressed a lack of documented PLC effectiveness at a local urban elementary school in the southern United States. The purpose of this project was to determine how teachers described the functioning of their PLC. The conceptual framework for the study was Hord and Tobia's 6 characteristics of a PLC. The research questions focused on how teachers …
Teacher Certification In Technology Education: Differences In Testing Scores Of Alternative And Traditional Certified Teachers,
2015
Walden University
Teacher Certification In Technology Education: Differences In Testing Scores Of Alternative And Traditional Certified Teachers, Kenya S. Avant
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
New Jersey has utilized alternative certification to combat the shortage caused by technology education (TE) teacher attrition. Research has examined the effectiveness of alternative certification preparation programs for the core academic programs; however, very little research has been performed in the area of TE. The purpose of this study was to (a) evaluate the Praxis scores of teacher candidates in New Jersey seeking licensure in technology education, and (b) determine if there were differences between the TE among teachers completing different preparation programs. The theoretical framework that guided this quantitative study was rooted in Knowles' theory of andragogy, which supported …
Improving High School Service-Learning To Increase Long-Term Impact On Volunteerism,
2015
Walden University
Improving High School Service-Learning To Increase Long-Term Impact On Volunteerism, Tracey Boldemann Tatkin
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Passage of the Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009 led to wide support for service-learning programs in high schools. The effectiveness of these programs on future volunteerism in college, however, has not been established. In the absence of research clarifying the variables that might influence programming effectiveness, it is difficult to design and adapt such programs to increase their impact. This study explored how high school service-learning programs could be improved to encourage greater student participation and to motivate continued volunteerism in college. A multiple case study methodology was used that included face-to-face interviews with 7 teachers and service-learning coordinators …
