Digital Commons Network^™

Catholic Mass Music And Spiritual Growth, Stephenie Dinah Mokriakow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Participation in music among Catholic grade school students is insufficient, despite research suggesting the importance of music at Catholic Mass. Student perspectives provide researchers with an understanding of music's connection to students' spiritual development. This qualitative experimental case study investigates fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade student perspectives of their spiritual development through worship music participation during the Mass. This experimental case study identifies perspectives not yet explored and documented concerning this group of students. This study focuses on students' social, emotional, and physical well-being throughout the study regarding the connection of music to spiritual development. Approximately thirty students participated in pre- …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study: Exploring Experiences Of Secondary Teachers With Content- Only Training Instructing English Language Learners, Anita Ellis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the initial experiences of secondary content teachers from diverse backgrounds during their first five years in high schools with a substantial number of English Language Learners (above 50%) in north Georgia. The theory guiding this study is Schlossberg's transition theory as it helps to understand the psychological and emotional adaptations teachers undergo while instructing ELLs, highlighting changes in their self- perceptions, circumstances, and support networks. The central research question is: What challenges and strategies do secondary education teachers without ESOL training describe in their experiences teaching various subjects to classrooms with …

Exploring School-Based Early Intervention For Developmental Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study Of Parental Experiences, Brenda Nichol Webb

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today it is estimated that one in six children in the United States has one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays. There is a large body of evidence pointing to the necessity of early intervention to improve both short and long-term life outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities from both the medical and social sciences. Despite this fact, the identification process during early childhood from a parental perspective remains under- researched. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of parents of children with developmental disabilities during the evaluation process and receipt of services …

How Parents Experience Language During Iep Meetings: A Study Of Elementary School Parents' Perceptions Of Their Children, Michael Anthony Mooren

Dissertations (1934 -)

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how parents of elementary-age students receiving special education services experience the language used by educators during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, and how this language affects their perceptions of their children. The literature review focused on the explanation of four language assumptions that served as foundational components of the study. Seven parents participated through purposive sampling, completing surveys leading up to and semi-structured interviews immediately following their child's annual IEP meeting. The analysis involved coding and led to an interpretation of four key findings that focused on collaborative, emotional experiences; accessibility of clarified language …

Inclusion May Affect Marching Band Members Of Black Universities Differently Than Members Of White Universities: Narrative Inquiry: A Case Study, Derrick K. Yates

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There is a lack of research on the emotional connection and support students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities may seek through their band experience versus students of Predominantly White Institutions. Some studies demonstrate that those who participate in music ensembles express heightened self-esteem, a sense of connectedness, and a positive impact on their mental and psychological well-being. This narrative inquiry research study focuses on the unexplored perspectives of three band members from historically black and three predominantly white university marching bands, regarding their emotional connections to their programs and the emotional connections and support they receive from them. The …

Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Iready To Support Elementary Mathematics Instruction In Georgia, Cassandra Denise Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that a significant number of 3rd to 5th grade students score below grade level on the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment within a Georgia School District, despite the training and implementation of iReady. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore 3rd to 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggestions for implementing iReady in their mathematics instruction. The study was grounded in Chomsky’s concept of competency-based education, which asserts that as long as students can progress at their own pace, the majority of students will achieve competency …

The Lived Experiences Of African American First-Generation Higher Education Students In The Artificial Intelligence Chatbot College Admissions Process: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Felecia M. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of African American first-generation higher education students as they navigate the AI chatbot college admissions process at universities throughout the United States. The theory guiding this transcendental phenomenological study is Rawl’s theory of social justice, as it explained the equal distribution of social values such as wealth, income, opportunity, and liberty. Van Manen's thematic analysis is used to explore the lived experiences and perspectives of the participants. The central research question for this study was, “What are the lived experiences of African American first-generation students who use …

Exploring The Decision-Making And Implementation Process Of Culturally Responsive Leadership Practices In Predominantly Native American Schools: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Christine Fitzgerald

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the decision-making processes of principals when implementing culturally responsive leadership practices in schools with predominantly Native American populations. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study frames the influences on decision-making behaviors through a social systems framework. A decolonizing framework for Indigenous evaluation was employed, recognizing Indigenous ways of knowledge creation and understanding. This qualitative study answers the central research question: What are the decision-making experiences of K-12 principals when implementing culturally responsive leadership practices in schools with high Native American populations? Purposeful criterion sampling was used to select eight …

Emotional Intelligence Of Educators And School Climate Ratings In Title I K–8 Schools In The Southeast United States, Kristen A. Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study is to understand the impact emotional intelligence of teachers and administrators has on school climate for students in a Title I K–8th grade schools in the southeast region of the United States and to determine if years of teaching experience moderates this relationship. The theories guiding this study are Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Solovey and Meyer’s theory of emotional intelligence. Bandura’s social cognitive theory explains the relationship between people, their behavior, and the environment. The theory of emotional intelligence by Solovey and Meyer relates to social intelligence by being of the belief that emotional …

Novice Middle School Music Teachers’ Perspectives On Preservice Preparation In Title I Schools: A Case Study, Christopher M. Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although considerable research addresses the unique needs of middle school learners and teaching music in low-income schools, there are insufficient studies that provide insight and strategies for teaching music in high-needs settings. Likewise, music teacher preparation programs leave gaps in preparation for prospective music educators, unaware of the challenges of teaching middle school music in a high-needs community. Novice music educators experience challenges that are often unaddressed in undergraduate programs. Experienced music educators with advanced degrees can also feel underprepared to teach in low-income schools. Music educator programs lack content that helps prospective music educators become change agents who can …

Performance-Based Assessment In Refugee Esol Programs: Fostering Real-World Readiness Through Discussions And Presentations, Abdul Mutashobya, Elise Holcomb

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

A Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) framework designed to enhance the communicative competence and real-world readiness of adult refugee learners in an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program is described. Grounded in sociocultural and communicative language teaching theories, this approach intentionally blurs the lines between instruction and assessment, using authentic tasks like collaborative discussions and presentations to foster practical skills. The theoretical rationale for PBA is followed by a description of the instructional context and the specific techniques used, including scaffolding strategies, self-assessment and rubric development. Reflecting on the implementation, we share the successes, such as increased learner confidence and …

Asset And Deficit Thinking: Ed.D. Students’ Perceptions And Preferences Around Their Instructors’ Feedback, Rebecca R. Simataa, Jordan O'Connell, Kateri Johnson, Christopher Dufault

Essays in Education

This study investigated cohort-based Ed.D. students’ perceptions and preferences related to deficit and asset-based instructor feedback. The researchers collected data from 28 current Ed.D. students through a survey based on Henderson et al.'s (2016) Feedback for Learning questions. While students generally perceived feedback as asset-focused, they expressed a need for more growth-oriented, individualized responses. Additionally, male participants significantly perceived more asset-based feedback than females, suggesting that demographic alignment between instructors and students may influence perceptions around feedback. Implications suggest that Ed. D. faculty can enhance feedback practices by choosing transactional or transformative approaches based on students' needs and preferences, offering …

Pre-Service Teachers’ Development Of Four C Skills In Early Field Experiences Through Reflective Writing, Weihsuan Lo, Deborah Romero

Journal of Educational Research and Innovation

This longitudinal trend research study (Creswell & Guetterman, 2019) investigates how pre-service teachers (PSTs) in a K-12 licensure program that includes a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) added endorsement develop the 4Cs (creative thinking, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration) through reflective writing during early field experiences. The study involved five PSTs who submitted three reflective journals during the 2020-2021 school year and nine PSTs who participated in an online virtual focus group. Compared to the 2019-2020 school year, where PSTs observed in-person classes, the shift to online learning in 2020-2021 resulted in maintained Analytic skills (M = 39.40) and increased …

Understanding Hispanic Cultural Strengths Through Parents’ Voices: Insights For Interdisciplinary School Personnel, David Moran, Johana Rocha, Kristy Carlisle

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Examining the strengths of Hispanic cultural values among K-12 school students is a generally understudied concept, and from their parents’ perspective specifically. This study sought to take a qualitative approach toward the exploration of Hispanic parents’ perspectives on how their cultural values promote strengths within their school-aged children. Hispanic parents (N = 8) participated in bilingual (i.e., Spanish and English) focus groups, with the results providing content that can inform culturally responsive prevention and intervention strategies to support the roles of interdisciplinary school personnel who regularly interact with the children. Findings pointed to (a) interaction with peers and school …

Understanding And Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Interviewing Parents Of Chronically Absent Students, Patrick Stickley

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Understanding and Addressing Chronic Absenteeism: Interviewing Parents of Chronically Absent Students The more any child is chronically absent from school, opportunities dwindle for growth academically, intellectually, and socially (Gottfried, 2014). The problem is finding long term solutions to chronic absenteeism. A large percentage of chronically absent students are from the marginalized Black and Latinx student groups, creating a dire social justice situation for those students and their communities (Allison et al., 2019). This purpose of this qualitative study was to find reasons for and suggestions to address the wicked problem of chronic absenteeism by interviewing parents of chronically absent students. …

Reimagining Read-Alouds: Fostering Critical Consciousness And Social Justice Through Children's Literature, Kylie Brigham

Masters Projects

During this era of heightened political and social divides, it is more important than ever to provide elementary students with inclusive and socially conscious literacy instruction. While classroom read-alouds have been long valued for their impact on literacy development, they are often underutilized as tools for fostering student identity, empathy, and social justice. This project, grounded in the frameworks of critical literacy, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Frierian theory, positions the read-aloud as a powerful entry point for critical and age-appropriate conversations about social issues, representation, and power.

Research has shown that many educators lack the training, tools, and confidence to …

Explicit Instruction’S Role In Phonemic Awareness And Phonics In Early Childhood Education, Sydney J. Fisher

Masters Projects

Research consistently demonstrated the impact that explicit instruction has on young children’s acquisition of phonemic awareness and phonics skills, critical foundations for later reading success. These skills are linked to achievement in reading in the upper elementary grades and beyond. Children reading below often face challenges across subject areas, and low literacy levels can limit meaningful participation in the community. This project examines research on developing phonemic awareness and phonics skills. With proper training and knowledge, teachers can improve student outcomes in these areas. However, teacher preparation programs and professional development does not adequately address these skills and how to …

Curriculum Accommodations, Modifications, And Differentiation Strategies: Equipping Teachers In Adapting Curriculum To Meet The Diverse Needs Of All Learners, Rachael Van Huis

Masters Projects

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) supports a free and appropriate public education for all students, yet many students with disabilities are not properly served in the K-12 public school setting. Teachers remain largely unequipped in providing appropriate educational experiences for students with complex learning needs, including the provision of academic accommodations and modifications. As a result, students with disabilities continue to be placed in segregated, alternative learning settings that hinder their academic progress, social connectedness, and ability to learn within their least restrictive environment alongside typically developing peers. This project aims to support both general and special education …

The Need For Updated Curriculum, Krahseeva N. Hugmeyer-Walsh

Masters Projects

The modern world requires a workforce equipped with diverse, adaptable skills, yet many students remain unprepared due to outdated curriculum models that no longer align with current societal and professional demands. This project explores the growing disconnect between traditional educational systems and the skills needed in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world. Current curricula often emphasize theoretical knowledge over practical application, leaving students ill-equipped to navigate real-world challenges. This project also proposes the development of a modernized secondary-level curriculum unit that prioritizes critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, ethics, and technological literacy. The proposed unit is designed to reflect student interests, promote engagement, and …

Educational Leaders’ Perceptions Of Disproportionality In The Identification Of Elementary Gifted Students, Vincent Corrigan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite years of research on best practices in gifted program identification, racially diverse, linguistically diverse, and socioeconomically disadvantaged student populations continue to be underrepresented in elementary gifted programs. Guided by Renzulli’s three-ring conception of giftedness and practical system for identifying gifted and talented students, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore local educational leaders’ perceptions of disproportionality in the identification of students for elementary gifted programs in a large public school system in the Eastern United States. For this basic qualitative design, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 18 educational leaders from the local elementary principal population. …

Fostering Academic, Social-Emotional, And Civic Growth Through Discussion-Based Pedagogy In Secondary Classrooms, Ethan O'Brien

Masters Projects

Discussion-based pedagogy provides students with opportunities to practice collaborative and critical thinking skills that have proven impactful on reading and writing scores, interpersonal communication skills, and civic engagement. However, inexperienced discussion facilitators—as well as instructors who may not have clear purposes or objectives for discussion in their classrooms—may not be familiar with best practices and strategies for structuring rigorous, equitable, and engaging student talk. This project begins by investigating potential factors contributing to students' lack of interpersonal skills in the classroom, and ultimately identifies discussion-based pedagogy as a key solution. A theoretical basis for the merits of discursive learning is …

An Application Of Vocal Pedagogy For Thai Singers, Phitchaya Klimov

Dissertations

Vocal pedagogy incorporates diverse techniques and methodologies that aim to maintain longevity of the voice and to improve vocal performance, range, and tone. While vocal pedagogy has been extensively studied in Western music traditions, its application in the context of Thai singers remains unfamiliar. This dissertation will investigate the application of vocal pedagogy for Thai singers, with a focus on understanding the unique challenges faced by them. It will outline pedagogical approaches to address these challenges and will therefore lead to more authentic performances. “Complete mastery of the voice as an instrument is an idea toward which every singer must …

“We Are Not Robots”: Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Focus Group Talk About Problems Of Practice Around Literacy Instruction, Jacquelynn S. Popp, Carin Appleget, Tori Golden Hughes, Crystal Dail Rose, Christine Leighton, Kierstin M. Giunco, Poonam Arya, Xiufang Chen

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The purpose of this study was to examine the nature of elementary preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) problems of practice around literacy instruction and to explore how the PSTs framed/talked about such problems. The study comprised qualitative analysis of data collected from focus group interviews with 21 PSTs from five teacher education institutions across the United States. Analysis of the PSTs’ talk about problems of practice in the focus groups yielded three themes about the nature of their problems and how they defined and discussed strategies or solutions to problems. PSTs expressed concerns about (1) meeting the needs of students below expected …

Bootmaking Before Bootstrapping: Patterns Of Grit And Slack In Multicultural Nonfiction Picture Books, Kristine Mensonides Gritter, Wing Shuen (Alice) Lau, Yaru (Sarah) Zhou, Jiang Pu, Munyi Shea

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This investigation reports the findings of a critical multicultural content analysis of recent-award winning Orbis Pictus (non-fiction) picture books. The analysis examines patterns of grit and slack strategies across race and gender for historical characters of color as they overcame boundaries and accomplished long-term goals. Findings suggest that the concept of “grit” is not merely a universal construct of an outstanding individual who lifts themself up by their own bootstraps but that systems are important in allowing an individual to succeed to overcome boundaries. The bootstrap myth can be contested by critical readers, even young readers of picture books, as …

“I Didn’T Understand How Powerful This Could Be”: The Synergy Of Arts-Enhanced Literacy Instruction And Multicultural Literature In A Rural Classroom, Shuling Yang, Natalia A. Ward

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Guided by culturally sustaining pedagogy, this study examined how an elementary language arts teacher engaged with a yearlong project that focused on enhancing literacy instruction through the synergetic power of using multicultural children’s literature combined with arts. The case study conducted in a context with strict policy guidelines on literacy instruction demonstrated the teacher’s growing understanding of how to integrate multicultural children’s literature and arts in her instruction and powerful shifts in her view of students’ potential for empathy and engagement with complex social issues. The discussions of the books and creative artwork made by her students reshaped the teacher’s …

Distal Impact Of Learning Trajectories On Motivational Factors In Second Language Acquisition Of Adult English Learners, Feng Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Learning a foreign language is a long-term process sustained by learners’ motivation, self-efficacy, and self-regulation. While prior research has established that past performance influences these motivational factors, overlooking the impact of past performance on current motivational constructs. This dissertation explores how past learning performance impact current motivational factors. Using a person-centered approach, three subgroups were identified as latent learning profiles within the sample population based on their performance features: the high-performing early peak profile, the stable profile, and the rising profile. Regression models were conducted to evaluate the extent to which latent learning profiles predicted motivational variables. The results showed …

Is There Something Schools Can Learn From Black Churches?, Samantha Marie Smith

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and gain meaning of the experiences of families with school aged children and why they trust and value Black churches versus the school education system and if there is anything that schools can learn from roles that Black churches play in families’ lives. The research was guided by the following questions: (1) How do Black churches build relationships with families, consistently and effectively engage children, and teach children? (2) How do schools build relationships with families, consistently and effectively engage children, and teach children? (3) Is there anything that schools can …

Teachers' Perceptions Of High-Quality Instructional Materials In Tennessee Urban Elementary Schools, Christa D. Stewart

Ed.D. Dissertations

Urban schools faced challenges that included limited resources, diverse student populations, and varying levels of student preparedness. I designed this study to better understand the perceptions of urban elementary teachers regarding their perceptions related to the implementation of high-quality instructional materials. For this study, I used a qualitative, interpretive method and collected data through questionnaires and interviews from urban elementary teachers in Tennessee. 24 participants provided data for this research. Due to a gap in existing research related to high-quality instructional materials implementation and support, especially at the foundational elementary level, the purpose of this qualitative, interpretive study was to …

Layered Redactions: An Arts Based Research And Self Study Handbook For Art Teachers Navigating Professional Learning Communities, Audrea M. Danenhauer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This self-study contributes to the field of art education by examining the tensions and possibilities within Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) through an arts-based lens. Framed as both a love letter and a palimpsestic work, this thesis reimagines professional development as a layered, living practice, rooted in collective care and criticality. Using collage as both method and metaphor, the study interweaves Freire’s dialogic praxis, bell hooks’ radical tenderness, and the marginalia of a weathered PLC handbook—redacted, annotated, and reassembled with lived experience. Through deliberate redaction and reassembly, the research intentionally disrupts the normative invisibility of whiteness in educational structures, making visible …

A Study Of Urban High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Multicultural Education, Clifford D. Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigated urban high school teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education and how those perceptions related to instructional practices. Guided by culturally responsive pedagogy, the study addressed the persistent achievement gap among minority students and the limited integration of multicultural education in U.S. public schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate teachers’ perceptions of multicultural education and examine their connection to teaching practices and cultural background. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was employed with a sample of 331 urban high school teachers. Findings indicated that the majority of participants held positive views toward multicultural education, recognizing its role …