Digital Commons Network^™

Assessing Organizational Policy: Preferred Practices For Regulating Vaping In The Work Environment, Ayesha T. Kirk

Theses and Dissertations

Employee vaping negatively affects organizations in terms of costs, productivity, employee health, and workplace safety. The purpose of this qualitative dissertation study was to assess organizational policies to determine preferred practices to regulate vaping in the work environment. Open-ended questionnaires with 18 human resources administrators, combined with a literature review, yielded data on best practices for organizational policies regulating vaping in the work environment.

The data collected in this qualitative dissertation study were extracted from a structured survey questionnaire comprising 16 questions about vaping and tobacco usage in the workplace. The findings demonstrated that vaping and the use of tobacco …

Perceptions Of Leadership Influence On Teacher Professional Development, Sandra Greatheart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Factors Affecting Technology Integration For Teachers At K-12, Adult Education, And Higher Education Institutions Since Virtual Learning Due To Covid-19, Christina Thompson, Stephanie Collins, Lisa Hollins

Dissertations

This quantitative study investigates instructors' perceptions of the factors influencing technology integration in their instruction, spanning the years 2019-2023, encompassing the transition from virtual to in-person learning after COVID-19. It examines technology integration barriers and supports experienced by instructors in the Midwestern United States, namely Missouri, during this period. Additionally, it explores how the virtual learning experience during the pandemic has influenced instructors' self-perceptions of their digital competence. The study encompasses three education sectors: K-12, adult education, and higher education, providing a unique multi-sector perspective. By delving into the post-COVID-19 educational environment, this research aims to offer valuable insights. The …

An Exploration Of Leadership And Management Challenges Among Center-Based Early Childhood Education Directors, Yeni Portillo-Lemus

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Managing early childhood education (ECE) programs is intricate, with directors facing challenges in organizational leadership, business management, and meeting pedagogical standards. Early childhood education directors are vital as they play a crucial role in ensuring quality education and care. Despite the importance, research on leadership and management, especially through a gender lens, is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to explore the leadership and management challenges Los Angeles County based, private-for-profit, single-center early childhood education directors experience in their leadership and management roles. Six participants who self-identified as ECE directors completed semi-structured interviews over Zoom. These …

Adaptive Leadership: A Phenomenological Study On The Strategies Used By Special Education Directors To Build Adaptive Capacity, Amber Gallagher

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory phenomenological study was to identify and describe the strategies used by special education directors to build an adaptive capacity based on the five key characteristics of adaptive leadership identified by Heifetz et al. (2009).

Methodology: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of special education directors serving in unified public school districts in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties in California. Purposeful, convenience sampling was used to identify the 10 participants who met the study’s criteria. The semistructured, open-ended interview protocol was developed by a thematic research team of nine peer researchers and …

"Operation Motivation" - Samuel Shepard Jr., Nicalee Stephens-Wilson

Dissertations

African-American students have often faced systemic oppression and racial inequities as learners in the United States. Public schools in their communities lacked the resources to offer full access to a fair and equitable education. For years, human rights activists fought for radical changes in public schools. Finally, in 1954, the U. S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education ruled segregation in public schools unconstitutional. The Brown decision did not have the power to eliminate the long-established segregation practices. Nor did it grant access to educational equity for children of color. Dr. Samuel Shepard Jr. began his work in …

A Phenomenological Study Exploring The Meaning Of First-Generation Students And Adjunct Faculty Relationships In Higher Education, Melissa Greenlee-Rasnake

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how the first-generation student describes the meaning of developing a relationship with adjunct instructors at a community college and how this relationship influences their academic development and institutional sense of belonging. For the purpose of this study, the first-generation student and adjunct faculty relationship was defined as the formal and informal contact between the student and the faculty member. The theory guiding this study was that of proximal process and campus ecology developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner (1979) as it explores the importance of how the student’s environment and relationships influence their …

Teacher Perceptions On The Sustainability Of Trauma-Informed Practices In A Delaware School, Joy Elaine Campbell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore teacher perceptions about the sustainability of trauma-informed practices implementation in a secondary, public comprehensive school. For the purpose of this study, the researcher examined perceptions of 10 staff members who have knowledge of and experience with implanting trauma-informed practices into their school routine. The findings from this study can be used by teachers, support staff, school leaders, and district leaders to help sustain an institutional application and implementation of trauma-informed care in schools. The implication from this study suggests resources for school staff to successfully sustain trauma-informed care.

Transitioning From Early Childhood Intervention To Early Childhood Special Education: A Phenomenological Study, Brenda E. Arzu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to document and analyze the experiences of Texas parents as their children transition from an early childhood intervention (ECI) program to an early childhood special education (ECSE) setting from parents’ perspectives in hopes of learning what practices made the transition process more meaningful. The specific problem addressed in this study was that parents do not always have insights into the process that their children undergo during the transition from ECI to ECSE. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Schlossberg’s transition theory, which incorporates applications to guide adults with life …

An Empowerment Evaluation Of Colorado Mountain College’S Mountain Scholars Program Via Latino Alumni Aspirational Goals And Outcomes, Laura Anne Bruch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative inquiry evaluated Colorado Mountain College’s (CMC) in-house Mountain Scholars Program (MSP) via semi-structured interviews with five of its Latino alumni. This study’s assets-based social justice/transformative philosophical framework included David Fetterman’s methodological empowerment evaluation and Tara Yosso’s conceptual community cultural wealth (CCW) theory. This dissertation in practice examined the gap in literature with regards to an in-house student support services program evaluation that partners with the community and focuses on Latinos’ aspirations and aspirational outcomes. I wanted to be a worthy witness to the student demographic group at CMC, as well as at most American postsecondary institutions, considered the …

The Power Of Spiritual Leadership In The Rite Of Christian Initiation Of Adults, Stefanie Mingari

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Faith and spirituality are becoming increasingly sought-after anchors in mounting challenges in the contemporary world. The need for effective leadership, spiritual guidance, and mentorship have become more pivotal. Evidence also suggests that spiritual leadership values and practices are related to leadership effectiveness and encompass the behaviors needed to motivate oneself, satisfy spiritual well-being, and positively influence others within that organization. However, more research has yet to explore how spirituality affects leadership behavior and action in faith -based programs such as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

This study explored the lived experiences of RCIA leaders and participants to …

Expanding Use Of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor (Sglt2i) In Managing Patients With Diabetes And Chronic Kidney Disease In Primary Care, Stephanie Wu

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: In 2022, the addendum of standards of medical care in diabetes management was annotated to recommend the broader use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) to treat patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic nephropathy. Despite the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) efforts to include SLGT2i as a formulary, non-restrictive prescription in the primary care ordering menu, the overall utilization rates of SGLT2i remained relatively low in primary care.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In patients with DM and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (P), how does an evidence-based guideline algorithm bundle (I) …

Developing Research Culture Among Staff Under Conditions Of Organizational Change, Mariia Perelygina, Denise O'Leary

Conference papers

This paper focuses on encouraging the growth of a research culture within a school of hospitality and tourism in one third-level institution in Ireland. The aim of the initiative is to increase engagement of staff members in impactful research, leading to benefits for individual staff members and a greater research profile for the school. Taking an action research approach, a plan of initiatives was designed and implemented to develop research culture. The paper examines the phenomenon of changing the organizational culture at the department level in a higher education institution undergoing a large amount of organisational change. The initiative is …

"I Just Feel Worn Out”: Constraints To Teacher Agency Throughout Covid-19, Andrew Kipp, Spencer Clark, Carl Fahrenwald, Gustavo Perez

School Leadership Review

COVID-19 created serious and long-lasting difficulties within educational systems resulting in higher rates of teacher attrition in the U.S. Teacher agency, which is the teacher’s capacity to act professionally, is a predictor of teacher attrition. The school environment, through policies and practices, can inhibit teacher agency, and the constraint of agency promotes teacher attrition. As school structures shift to address new post-pandemic needs, there is an increased need to understand how school structures throughout the pandemic inhibited teacher agency and drove teacher attrition. We examine how school systems constrained the agency of three veteran high school teachers from March 2020 …

Trauma-Informed Educational Leadership: A Case Study, Robyn Scott

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This research study offers an exploratory examination into the lived experiences of educational leaders managing the implementation and facilitation of Trauma-Skilled Schools (TSS) in the post-COVID-19 pandemic context. This study details the unique challenges and opportunities experienced while planning and executing TSS, aiming to equip school staff to better address trauma-affected behaviors. Utilizing case study methods, including in-depth interviews and document analysis, this research uncovers practices, strategies, and challenges, offering an insider's perspective on leading TSS initiatives. Findings indicate a necessity for comprehensive, job-embedded professional learning, continuous support from educational leadership, and organizational change in school policy, practice, and mindset, …

2023 October 09 - University Council Agenda And Minutes, University Council, East Tennessee State University

University Council Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

How Exemplary Female Executive Leaders In Higher Education Use Five Principles Of Grit—Courage, Conscientiousness, Long-Term Goals, Resilience, And Excellence Versus Perfection—To Accomplish Extraordinary Results In Their Organizations, Julie Pettitt

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary female leaders who hold executive roles in higher education use five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations. It challenges the notion that academic credentials and intelligence alone drive leadership success, emphasizing the role of grit in extraordinary leadership. This study delves into the barriers women encounter in reaching executive roles, their strategies for overcoming challenges, and how they leverage gritty qualities to facilitate and sustain transformative change. Methodology: A phenomenological design was …

علاقة أنماط القيادة التربوية بالقدرة على حل المشكلات المدرسية في المدارس الحكومية في لواء دير علا من وجهة نظر المعلمين والمشرفين التربويين, Linda Ahamad H. Alkhanatleh

Journal of the Association of Arab Universities for Research in Higher Education مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للبحوث في التعليم العالي

هدفت المقال التعرف إلى علاقة أنماط القيادة التربوية، بالقدرة على حل المشكلات المدرسية، في المدارس الحكومية في لواء دير علا، من وجهة نظر المعلمين والمشرفين التربويين؛ حيث تبنت الدراسة المنهج الوصفي التحليلي. تم استخدام أداة الاستبانة ووزعت على عينة من (100) معلم ومعلمة، و (100) مشرفة ومشرف تربوي، في المدارس الحكومية في لواء دير علا. خلُصَت النتائج إلى أن النمط التحويلي حصل على أعلى درجة، ثم أوصت الدراسة على ضرورة العمل على تعزيز أنماط القيادة الحديثة، التي تعمل على رفع الروح المعنوية للمعلمين، والعاملين بالمؤسسات التربوية؛ مما يساعد على حل المشكلات المدرسية.

The article aimed to identify the relationship between …

The Integration Of Simulation-Enhanced Interprofessional Education Into Undergraduate Clinical Laboratory Science Curriculum, Dana Powell Baker

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study aimed to integrate simulation-enhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) into the undergraduate clinical laboratory science (CLS) program curriculum. The undergraduate CLS curriculum was comprised of didactic coursework and hands-on learning experiences in the student laboratory. This traditional CLS curriculum model was uniprofessional in its design and educated students in silos rather than on interprofessional teams with other health professions students. Lack of collaboration on healthcare teams has led to increased medical errors and decreased patient safety in clinical settings. Recent studies have indicated that effective communication and teamwork among healthcare professionals has led to improved patient outcomes and …

Using Critical Reflection To Mitigate Racial Implicit Bias And Enhance Cultural Humility: A Nursing Faculty Action Research Study, Teresa Stafford Cronell

Theses and Dissertations

Formal American nursing education has existed since the late 19th century, but its historically deep-seated white framing continues to influence how current nurses are educated, enculturated, and professionalized. Insufficient inclusivity and diversity deficit have endured despite decades-long demands to do otherwise. To most nursing educators, the white frame is invisible. This unseen framing allows ongoing harmful implicit biases and microaggressions towards underrepresented nursing students and colleagues to persist. Nursing students are taught to provide culturally humble, unbiased patient care. Should not nursing faculty likewise demonstrate the same unbiased attitudes and humility towards their students? Faculty risk perpetuating the white frame …

Public School Superintendents In Virginia: Innovating In The Educational Context, Daniel Firing Keever

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This research study, using institutional theory as a framework, examines the role of superintendents in promoting and impacting innovation in Virginia's public schools. The study engaged fourteen current Virginia superintendents in semi-structured interviews, exploring their perspectives on fostering an innovative culture within their school districts. Three primary themes emerged from the research: defining innovation, the role of superintendents in leading innovation, and the challenges and barriers to innovation. Generally, the findings highlight that innovation fundamentally involves thinking differently, finding creative solutions, and bringing about meaningful organizational improvements. The study emphasizes that innovation is essential for adapting to the evolving needs …

Emotional Intelligence In Difficult Decision-Making: A Multiple-Case Study Of Community College Academic Deans, Ekaterina Kalinina Brooks

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The decisions made by leaders noticeably impact employee morale and influence the fulfillment of the organizational mission. However, making decisions can be challenging when options are complex and involve multiple risks and benefits. Navigating such decisions in an era of technology when decisions are more transparent than ever before can be particularly difficult for academic deans in community colleges. These mid-level administrators often face internal conflicts stemming from the nature of their positions, campus politics, and the challenge of working between the competing interests of faculty and senior leaders.

Over the last three decades, research has pointed out that strong …

School Superintendents’ Perspectives Regarding Subordinates Developing, Utilizing, And Implementing Gifted Identification Equity, Vincent T. Landrum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study’s focus was the lived experiences of school superintendents about inconsistencies in gifted and talented education policy and ensuring the superintendents’ direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices, specifically for culturally, linguistically, and economically disadvantaged (CLED) students. Specifically, the researcher investigated the following: (a) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students; (b) the superintendents’ involvement in ensuring their direct subordinates develop, utilize, and implement equitable gifted identification policies and practices for CLED students through professional development for those subordinates; and (c) …

Implementation Of Spiritual Values In Human Resources Management At The Rscj Congregation For Nuns, Henni Sidabungke, Dedy Achmad Kurniady, Aan Komariah

Jurnal Pendidikan: Teori, Penelitian, dan Pengembangan

This research investigates the integration of spiritual values into human resource management (HRM) practices within the RSCJ Congregation for Nuns. The study aims to explore how these values influence the well-being and professional development of nuns. Employing a qualitative approach, the research utilizes a systematic literature review method to analyze secondary data from reputable national and international academic articles. Data collection involved a systematic process, including defining the research question, establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria, searching relevant databases, screening articles, and extracting data. The literature included in the review was selected based on relevance to the research objectives and its …

Advancing Community-Engaged Research Via The Food Justice Research And Action Cluster: A Transdisciplinary Ecosystem Model, Elaine Ward, Eleanor Tate Shonkoff, Cynthia H. Carlson, Christopher S. Stuetzle

Education Faculty Publications

Merrimack College is a Catholic Augustinian College. This single institutional case study shares the work of faculty and the College to institutionalize community engaged research through the development of a Community Engaged Action & Research Cluster (CERC). Through the case study, we elucidate the sphere of influence of faculty with regard to community engagement and the ways in which that sphere of influence can add value to individual careers and the institution as a whole. This case study also demonstrates the impact of institutional engagement initiatives on faculty research and civic engagement in food justice.

Principal Perspectives Of Professional Development On Their Growth And Self-Efficacy: A Phenomenological Study, Melinda J. Stewart

Student Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated the perspective of principals related to the influence of professional development on their self-efficacy and professional growth. A qualitative, phenomenological study was conducted involving 14 school administrators from 10 different states with vary experience from 2 years to 17 years in an administrative position. The study utilized semi-structured interviews, field notes, and reflexive journals to gather data. Collected data were analyzed through coding and thematic analysis. Principals shared that the top professional development that supports their own professional growth centers around three themes. The themes were collaboration, supports for teachers, and personal investigation. The participants were …

Biology Teachers’ Perspective On Change Of Curriculum Policy: A Case For Implementation Of “Independent” Curriculum, Kintan Limiansi, Suranto Aw, Paidi Paidi, Caly Setiawan

The Qualitative Report

Curriculum change is one way of adapting education in the face of various scientific and technological developments. These changes lead to different views from numerous educational actors, one of which is teachers. This study aims to explore biology teachers' perspectives on curriculum change in Indonesia. A qualitative phenomenological study with semi-structured interviews explored the biology teachers' perspectives. The interview results were analyzed using the thematic analysis method with ATLAS.ti 22 software to determine themes. The results showed four themes from biology teachers' perspectives on curriculum change, which are (1) the factors affecting independent curriculum implementation; (2) the teachers' concerns; (3) …

The Unique Challenges And Best Practices For Rural School Principals: Attracting And Retaining Skilled Teachers In Small Communities, Ray Barbosa Jr., Betty Coneway

School Leadership Review

The study aimed to address rural school principals with unique challenges and responsibilities who have the critical task of attracting and retaining skilled teachers. These schools often face challenges in hiring and keeping quality teachers due to their remote locations, low salaries, and additional workloads. The research focused on identifying effective leadership practice strategies that can significantly impact teacher recruitment, hiring, and retention in such schools. Given the growing shortage of teachers across the state and country, there is an urgent need to find systemic solutions for rural school leaders. The study's objective was to identify innovative practices in attracting …

Systems Thinking Applied To Higher Education Curricula Development, Reza Rahdar, Mark London, Yuetong Lin, Hong Jiang

Publications

Systems Thinking (ST) is a general and yet nebulous term that describes an approach to understanding and working with complexity in the real world. ST seeks to evaluate different behaviors of individual system elements when they operate in isolation as opposed to when they are integrated as part of a larger system and placed within a particular operating environment. The education environment consists of multiple systems with different digital content, learning goals/outcomes that serve different stakeholders including teachers, learners, and administrators. The inherent complexity and interaction among these various educational system elements and functions make this environment a worthy candidate …

Equity Among Equity Workers: Public Service Motivation In An Educational Nonprofit Organization, Russell C. West Jr

Theses and Dissertations

What opportunities and challenges arise when an equity-focused educational organization aims to support employee’s individual equity practices while simultaneously developing the organization’s equity practice? In this study, employees of a non-profit educational organization were asked what rationales and expectations played a role in their decision to volunteer in an equity working group. Their responses were used to understand whether Perry’s (2000) process theory of Public Service Motivation helped describe their decision. In a second round of interviews, employees were asked what outcomes they perceived came from their participation. These responses were used to understand whether the outcomes aligned with those …