Digital Commons Network^™

Thriving In Students Of Color At A Predominantly White Institution, Travis J. Trotman

Master of Arts in Higher Education (MAHE) Theses

Every year, students of color across the United States diversify their university campuses; in return, many of them fail to engage with their peers or succeed in their class work due to feelings of neglect or fear that contribute to a lack of engagement and success. To begin to explore the challenges students of color face when enrolled at a predominantly white institution, one must look into how their experiences help or hinder their thriving.

Beyond surviving in a college environment, thriving conveys a student’s full engagement in his or her intellectual, social, and emotional experiences. A sense of psychological …

Increasing The Sustainability Of Action Learning In The Beta Corporation, Sheila Person-Scott

Education Dissertations and Projects

The Talent Development and Organization Effectiveness group of the Beta Corporation, (pseudonym), introduced action learning (AL) as an enterprise solution in 2014. The group envisioned AL would become a key leadership development lever and assumed the business leaders would embrace the opportunities associated with AL; however, it was discovered that organic embracing of AL did not happen. A few of the reasons interfering with wider adoption were

a) Clarification of AL was difficult

b) Lack of understanding between key stakeholders

c) Undefined outcomes and measures

d) Delivered solely to an exclusive audience of senior leaders

e) Shortage of AL coaches …

Implementing An Injury Prevention Program And Its Impact On Warehouse Operations, Michael E. Chapman

Education Dissertations and Projects

The implementation of an injury prevention program in the industrial and supply chain setting provides a great challenge within the emerging world of ergonomics and human factors engineering with limited peer-reviewed resources to guide organizational leadership. Building a program that focuses on education, individualistic behavior, and ergonomic engineering has the implications for reducing reported work-related injuries and work-related workers compensation cases and increasing overall workplace production. As provided in the case for ACME (pseudonym), work-related injuries and work-related musculoskeletal disorders were focused on to improve the overall health and well-being of warehouse workers. Concentrating on education and process improvement, with …

News From The Graduate School - Masters Of Business Administration, Otterbein Office Of Graduate Programs

Graduate School

Newsletter that provides updates from the Graduate School and the MBA Graduate Program.

Alliances And Accomplices Rise: A Critical Look At A Partnership With A School Serving An Indigenous Community, Alicia Brianna Saxe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conventional research in the social sciences roots itself in the colonial surmise behind the supremacist ideologies of Western and White knowledge, ways of living, people, and institutions. The well-established hegemony of the Western positivist research paradigm encourages a paternalistic and asymmetrical researcher-researched relationship, which reserves “legitimate” knowledge creation for an elite few. In this way, research traditions have largely functioned to uphold the status quo, especially when conducted with Indigenous peoples. Community-based research challenges the positivist empire by emphasizing community knowledge in researcher-community collaborations for the sake of taking action on community-identified issues. Mutually-beneficial researcher-community partnerships are especially relevant to …

Ua3/8/4 President's Office-Meredith Board Of Regents, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Board of Regents records created by and for the Thomas Meredith administration. Consists of sub-subseries:

1. Committees
2. Correspondence
3. Meetings
4. Subjects

Primary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Principal’S Role In Leading Successful School Reform, Ugochukwu Valerie Aimakhu

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored the relationship between transformative school principal leadership and teacher commitment from the perspectives of teachers in the ongoing process of educational reform and the extent to which principals’ transformational leadership practices motivated teachers’ commitment to change. The population of this study consisted of 10 primary schools with Grades ranging from kindergarten through Grade five. These schools are within the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah UAE. Two instruments, the Survey of Transformational Leadership (Edwards, Knight, Broome, & Flynn, 2010) and Organizational Commitment of Teacher six-item scale developed by Jo (2014) were used to gather information and quantitative …

Leading A National School Of Character Through The Lens Of Organizational Change, Mark R. Chapin

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of the principal and the role of the change recipient in the organizational change process specific to the implementation of effective character education. The study utilized a constructivist grounded theory approach in conducting research and formulating a conclusion. Respondents included eight middle school principals from across the United States who led a National School of Character in the past three years. Transferability and credibility were enhanced through the participation of the researcher in a bracketing interview to identify potential biases, double coding by an outside analyst of the regular interviews, …

Implementing And Sustaining Trauma-Informed Care: An Exploration Of Staff Attitudes, Beliefs, And Experiences, Aaron Muttillo

ETD Archive

There is optimism that the effects of childhood adversity can be mitigated through trauma-informed care (TIC) practices in school settings. This study investigated a nonprofit child-serving organization’s experience with implementing and sustaining TIC. At both the organizational and individual level, factors exist that complicate the application ofTIC principles. This case study utilized a mixed methods approach to better understand staff’s conceptualization of TIC, their attitudes concerning TIC, and their experiences using TIC practices. After nearly a decade since TIC was first implemented, the study found that staff continue to maintain favorable attitudes toward TIC while their articulation ofTIC practices varied. …

2018-2019 Financial Summary, Morehead State University. Budget & Financial Planning Office.

Morehead State University Financial Summaries Archive

2018-2019 Financial Summary of Morehead State University.

The Impact Of Socioeconomic Status On College Students’ Experiences, Shaafi A. Farooqi

Pitzer Senior Theses

This qualitative research project examines the role of socioeconomic status in shaping the experiences of students attending Pearson College, an elite liberal arts college in Southern California. One hour-long, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students in order to better understand APIDA student experiences and their views on the college’s efforts to support class-based diversity and inclusion. Findings include insights into challenges faced by college students, how they understand privilege and identity, and where college students find support. These results have implications for Pearson College, and similar liberal arts colleges, to implement changes to …

A Self Study Of My Leadership As Principal To Improve Student Achievement In Literacy In The Middle Grades, Latrese Tonya Mathis

Dissertations

This self-study examined my leadership practices as a principal and researcher. Herr and Anderson (2005) define self-study as "a focus on one's own personal and professional self." Through reflective analysis of my leadership practices, the Instructional Leadership and Grade Level Teams were supported with protocols and leadership methods to improve literacy instruction at middle grades. Upon reflection, concerns existed regarding inadequate and inconsistent student growth through the lens of school wide assessments. The examination of student data, root cause identification, and the development and monitoring of action items assisted to investigate my analysis of this concern. The significance of this …

The Sotl Scaffold: Supporting Evidence-Based Teaching Practice In Educational Development, Laura Cruz, Kathryn Cunningham, Brian Smentkowski, Hillary Steiner

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

This article presents a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) scaffold, a conceptual model designed for educational developers (and others) who support the values, practices, and production of the SoTL, both on their campuses and beyond. The SoTL scaffold explicates distinct support levels, ranging from spark to lead, each of which call for differentiated strategies and programs to be used by Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) and similar units.

Complexity Leadership: The Role Of Teaching And Learning Center Leaders In Online Learning At Small, Private Colleges, Tyler D. Watts

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

As online learning continues to grow and became an integral component of many higher education institutions (Allen & Seaman, 2017), the role of leadership in guiding those online learning initiatives differs from institution to institution. At small, private colleges and universities, where online learning is seeing greater enrollment and growth (Clinefelter & Magda, 2013), teaching and learning centers (TLC) often have involvement in guiding and shaping online learning initiatives. This study investigated the role of TLC leaders in leading online learning initiatives. The value of this study is an examination of leadership during a period of transformation and change that …

Superintendents And The Micropolitics Of Innovation In Rural School Districts, Catherine Nunn Lawless

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Research shows that public school districts that follow traditional means of instruction and assessment are insufficiently preparing students for success in the today’s global world. As a result, students are entering into higher education institutions and the workforce without the necessary skills to succeed in these 21^st century environments. Extant literature suggest that there is a broad consensus on this perspective in public and private sectors nationally and globally. Evidence shows that some school district superintendents and their respective school boards continue to focus on improving the current practices and student academic performance and assessment. Other instructional leaders recognize …

Teachers' And Administrators' Perceptions Of Departmentalization In Elementary Schools, Mary Day

Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine administrator and teacher perceptions of the two primary classroom organizational structures in kindergarten through second grade within a rural East Tennessee school district: 1) departmentalized and 2) self-contained. Data were collected from seven elementary schools. The number of survey respondents were: 25 kindergarten through second grade teachers and eight administrators represented a 63% return rate for teachers and an 80% return rate for administrators. This researcher determined three primary categories among the administrator and teacher responses from both organizational structures: 1) student and teacher relationships, 2) classroom transition, and 3) academic …

Rethinking Teacher Retention In Hard-To-Staff Schools, Barbara Holmes, Dejuanna Parker, Jamel Gibson

Education Doctorate Faculty Works

National, state, and local educational agencies identify teacher retention as an issue of continuous importance and concern. This report addresses the issue of teacher retention through the lens of administrative effectiveness and involvement, as well as teachers’ intrinsic motivations. Relevant findings include structural framing of the educational environment, student behaviors, school district demands for improvement, and teacher perspectives on administrative support. The report iterates that teacher retention does not have a one-size-fits-all solution, and that each school division and individual school must work purposefully to devise plans to retain its most effective teachers.

Students’ Relationships With First-Year Advisors And The Transition To Faculty Advisors: A Qualitative Study Of Appreciative Advising And Its Effects On College Students., Robert Mclean

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study investigated questions that were created to (a) help improve the quality of academic advising within professional advising and faculty advising at a public university in the Midwest as well as (b) provide additional support to the importance of Appreciative Advising in the advising role and in student services. The theoretical framework for this thesis was Appreciative Education also known as Appreciative Inquiry and Appreciative Advising (Bloom, Hutson, He & Konkle, 2013). Student testimonials were gauged through face-to-face, one-on-one interviews to analyze students’ interactions with their professional and faculty academic advisors and to determine which connections with their …

A Grounded Theory Study: How A Virtual Organizational Leadership Program Impacts Employee Leadership Development, Charlene Banta

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Leadership development programs prepare candidates for roles, equipping them with the skills and competencies to lead in organizations. In this study, I explored the effectiveness of a virtual organizational leadership development program. A grounded theory research design was chosen as a method of analysis to systematically obtain and analyze data for research and generate theory from the data. The servant leadership model served as the framework for the research. The purpose of this study was to explain how a virtual leadership development program impacted employee leadership efficacy. The research questions addressed how the program affected participant promotions, how the program …

Faculty Adaptation To Emerging Instructional Technologies In Higher Education, Marilyn Murrillo

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how and why faculty adopt podcasting as an instructional technology tool in their teaching. Podcasting is an instructional technology tool being used for teaching and learning in higher education. Faculty may record lectures with audio, video, and/or PowerPoint slides to instruct students on class material. Students may access podcasts at their convenience through various devices, including mobile devices and computers. Research has shown that students who use podcasts to study for tests tend to perform more successfully on tests. This study was a qualitative multiple case study of seven California community college faculty using podcasting as an …

A Qualitative Study Of Doctoral Students Who Are Mothers In Counselor Education: The Impact Of Mentoring, Wellness, And Self-Efficacy On Persistence And Retention, Angela C. Spiers, Charles E. Myers, Michelle Mitcham

Journal of Excellence in College Teaching and Learning

This research set out to review the perceptions of a small sample of doctoral students (n = 6) who are mothers in a blended for profit university. Researcher used qualitative interviewing with a phenomenological approach to explore the effect of wellness, self-efficacy, and persistence on retention and attrition of students. Themes emerged on specific issues that were germane to doctoral students who are mothers. Respondents provided qualitative data suggestions and personal experience of being a mother in a counseling doctoral program. Findings included an understanding of the different types of mentoring, identification of stressors experienced by students, and suggestions on …

Civility Promotion Actions And Decisions Of Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nurse Faculty, Brooke Stelle Russo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Acts of incivility in nursing education and practice settings are a growing concern. Previous research has indicated that uncivil behaviors, especially among nurses in the healthcare workplace, create toxic work environments and pose risks to patient safety. Uncivil behaviors among nurse educators and students were found to erode the learning environment and lead to poor program outcomes. Researchers provided evidence to show varied levels of incivility in academic and workplace environments and recommended solutions to improve civility, yet little evidence exists to show how nurse faculty approach civility promotion in their practices. This qualitative, descriptive study was designed to explore …

Factors Influencing Whether Firms Engage In Apprenticeship, Christopher L. Harrington

Dissertations

This study is focused on current and future workforce needs and the use of apprenticeship to bridge those needs from the perspective of business leaders. The author seeks to expand research, looking at the factors influencing whether business leaders engage in apprenticeship or not. Top leaders and influencers of businesses with and without apprenticeship programs from 19 industry sectors throughout North Carolina completed an online cross-sectional survey. The results support that there is an association between worker availability, approach to skill mastery, perception of apprenticeship, and connection with the workforce development ecosystem and having or not having an apprenticeship program. …

Cross-Community Collaboration Among Knowledge Building Communities, Guangji Yuan

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Cross-community collaboration which expands community members’ interaction to a larger social scale plays a crucial role in increasing information exchange and extending inquiry learning. This dissertation uses a design-based research approach which aims at testing a multi-level emergence design in multiple learning communities. This design serves the urgent need to enable students’ idea sharing and build-on with members from other communities who have similar interests for mutual learning and collective knowledge advances.

The Impact Of Principal Leadership On Teacher Perception Of The Annual Professional Performance Review (Appr), Barry Alexander Finsel

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Teacher quality is the most important school-based factor affecting student learning and achievement. In 2009, the Race to the Top (RttT) federal education initiative provided an opportunity for states to compete for federal grant resources to reform their public education systems, which included revamping teacher evaluation systems to improve teacher (and principal) effectiveness. Consequently, New York State was awarded almost $700 million in 2010 during the second phase of RttT for its Regents Education Reform Plan, which established a new teacher and principal evaluation plan known as the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR). Under its first version (§3012-c), APPR used …

Addressing The Disparaity Of Outcomes For Economically Disadvantaged Students At Central Intermediate School: An Applied Research Study Related To The Implementation Of Avid Process, Steven Jarvis Hurdle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied action research study was to close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged (ED) students and their non-disadvantaged peers (non-Ed) through the implementation of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) system of processes. This study utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data to answer four core research questions. While the initial implementation of the plan failed to attain the targeted goal of closing the achievement, there were positive indicators for future success. ED students did appear to be effectively engaged with the AVID implementation. This engagement was validated through data about student participation in key AVID strategies, …

Strerss On Educators At A Discipline Alternative Education Program, Anthony G. Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interaction with their students during classroom instruction is often a source of stress among many teachers. The academic setting of Disciplinary Alternative Educational Programs (DAEP) poses a risk factor for teachers to experience stress, given that student disruptive behavior has been associated with higher stress levels among teachers. The problem underlying this study was that most studies on DAEP have focused on the experiences of students, with limited information available about the experiences of teachers in this type of academic setting. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the role of job-related stress and coping on the …

Employee Retention Strategies For Executive Operation Leaders In An Academic Nursing Environment, Polly Castro Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee attrition affects organizations in the form of lower productivity, decreased profitability, and reduced sustainability. In 2014, business owners lost over $11 billion in tangible and intangible assets due to the inability to retain employees. Using the social exchange theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective employee retention strategies used by business leaders in an academic nursing environment. The study encompassed participants from 3 of the United States: Texas, Kentucky, and Florida. Participants were purposefully selected because of their experience in implementing effective employee retention strategies. Data were collected via semistructured …

Telecommunication Organization Employee Development Program's Role In Employee Engagement, Cynthia Jenkins Shuler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The risk of losing the most talented workers due to limited career opportunities had become an issue for telecommunication organizations. Talented workers became disengaged when there were limited opportunities for growth and development. To address this issue, human resource practitioners created employee development programs aimed at increasing employee engagement to help retain talented workers. However, data to determine the link between employee development programs, engagement, and retention were limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore managers' and employees' perceptions of how a telecommunication organization's employee development program contributes to employee engagement and to explore employees' experiences resulting …

Telecommunication Organization Employee Development Program's Role In Employee Engagement, Cynthia Jenkins Shuler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The risk of losing the most talented workers due to limited career opportunities had become an issue for telecommunication organizations. Talented workers became disengaged when there were limited opportunities for growth and development. To address this issue, human resource practitioners created employee development programs aimed at increasing employee engagement to help retain talented workers. However, data to determine the link between employee development programs, engagement, and retention were limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore managers' and employees' perceptions of how a telecommunication organization's employee development program contributes to employee engagement and to explore employees' experiences resulting …