Digital Commons Network^™

Solutions To Project Managers’ Job Dissatisfaction., Patience O. Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a growing talent gap in the project management field, as project managers (PMs) are exiting the field due to job dissatisfaction. Though existing literature addresses employee job satisfaction, few studies have examined the specific needs of the PM. The purpose of this qualitative Modified four round Delphi study was to find futuristic, desirable, and feasible solutions to PMs’ job dissatisfaction in the United States. The research question was designed to identify solutions to PMs’ job dissatisfaction. This study was grounded in Hackman and Oldham’s job characteristics model, which says that skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and …

Preparing For The Future: A Collaborative Design For High-Quality Career And Technical Education Programming, Shannon Rodriguez

Education Theses and Dissertations

Educators in public education as faced with preparing students for college and career after high school graduation. The collaborative efforts of Career and Technical Education programming allows for the development of a high-quality program through exploring non-traditional teacher use goal setting and pedagogy provide a foundation of success for students.

Women Of Color In Higher Education Institutions: Strategies To Attain Administrative Leadership Positions, Oghenemano O. Evero

Theses and Dissertations

Race and gender continue to be contributing factors to the disparity and lack of representation that exists among higher-education leaders. This study examines the lived experience of women of color to identify the strategies they utilized to attain administrative leadership roles at a Higher Education Institution (HEI). Participants included women of color leaders with at least 5 years of experience in higher education and in a leadership role. Participants also had advanced degrees. Using a narrative inquiry design, the study involved semi structured interviews to gather data from the sample population. The seven (7) women of color HEIs administrative leaders …

Women Of Color In Higher Education Institutions: Strategies To Attain Administrative Leadership Positions, Oghenemano O. Evero

Theses and Dissertations

Race and gender continue to be contributing factors to the disparity and lack of representation that exists among higher-education leaders. This study examines the lived experience of women of color to identify the strategies they utilized to attain administrative leadership roles at a Higher Education Institution (HEI). Participants included women of color leaders with at least 5 years of experience in higher education and in a leadership role. Participants also had advanced degrees. Using a narrative inquiry design, the study involved semi structured interviews to gather data from the sample population. The seven (7) women of color HEIs administrative leaders …

Marketization Without Marginalization? Approaches To Integration In A Dual Enrollment Magnet School, Shannon Mumolo

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the well-documented benefits of integration and Southern California’s racial, socioeconomic, and linguistic diversity, California and U.S. efforts to promote integrated magnet schools have been minimal and primarily driven by local districts. Attempts to evaluate magnet programs primarily focus on student outcomes, yet surprisingly few studies examine approaches used by school leaders to establish and achieve program outcomes. This study contributes to the knowledge and practice of magnet implementation by exploring one California high school’s efforts to establish a dual enrollment magnet program. An explanatory mixed methods case study design was used to understand how school leaders promoted student integration …

Exploring The Role Of Family-School Partnerships In School Choice, Jason E. Saltmarsh

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Faculty Publications

Parental access to useful information about schools continues to be a structural barrier that limits the equity potential of school choice programs. While “information interventions” or simplified and readable knowledge resources show promise for counteracting information disparities between families, this line of research has provided limited insight on the particular preferences and needs of parents or the value of person-to-person interpretive assistance in school decisions. This exploratory study uses qualitative methods to investigate parent-school collaboration for the purpose of school selection in Washington, D.C. Drawing on a social capital framework, this study analyzes information transactions from parents’ perspectives to clarify …

A Qualitative Case Study On Perceived Readiness For The Diffusion Of Blended Learning In Tvet Institutions In Jamaica, Roxanne M. Hinds

Theses and Dissertations

Blended learning is seen as a promising innovative instructional approach for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to reduce costs, increase flexibility, and reach marginalized learners in developing countries. However, lack of understanding about how key stakeholders who are expected to adopt and implement the innovation perceive readiness for the innovation can make it difficult for institutions to maximize its benefits. This qualitative case study sought to understand the perceptions of students, instructors, and administrators about the readiness of the key stakeholder groups, institutions, and the organization for blended learning and the role of readiness in the diffusion process. …

Dismantling Education’S “Wicked” Problems, Amanda M. Castillo

CGU Theses & Dissertations

The following papers, presented as a three-paper series format, discuss the implications of targeting three key, foundational problems within K-12 education. Designing solutions for policy or systemic problems requires more than just creativity. Since public education faces a myriad of crises, it falls under the term “wicked problem” first coined by Horst W.J. Rittel and Melvin M. Webber, to identify challenges that not only seem immune to conventional solutions but are often exacerbated by standard techniques. These papers are in no order of importance, nor are they issues educators might consider highest priority. The presented papers, however, provide suggestions for …

A Struggle So Beautiful: The Roses That Rise From Concrete: Exploring Transformative Ruptures In The Higher Education Journeys Of Formerly Incarcerated Latinx/A/O Students Through Relationships With Institutional Agents, Joe Louis Hernandez

CGU Theses & Dissertations

Formerly incarcerated Latinx/a/o students (FILS) are an under researched student population who are often ignored when Latinx/a/o issues are brought up. This study seeks to highlight the experiences of FILS in the higher education pipeline and their experiences in engaging in relationship with institutional agents. Using a critical qualitative race methodology, the research presents the findings from thirty-five one-on-one interviews with twenty student participants and fifteen institutional agents identified by the students as having an impact on their educational journeys. This study employed the Concrete Rose Framework to highlight the experiences of the FILS as they engaged in relationship with …

Insider Tips For Applying To Graduate Programs, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

As I approach my 20th year as a school psychology faculty member (12 as a program coordinator), I have reviewed thousands of applications and interviewed hundreds of prospective students. It is truly a joy to meet people at interviews who will go on to excel as school psychologists. I also have met my fair share of applicants who were clearly unprepared. This piece provides some insider information on how prospective students can strengthen their applications and interviews.

Crisis Leadership: Voices From The Field, Corinne Brion

Educational Leadership Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Perspectives On Care Coordination For Youth With Tbi: Moving Forward To Provide Better Care, Jennifer P. Lundine, Erika Hagen, Susan C. Davies

Counselor Education and Human Services Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Care coordination aligns services and optimizes outcomes for children with traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet numerous obstacles can impede effective care coordination following a TBI.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this work is to identify barriers and facilitators to care coordination from the perspective of individuals who care for young people impacted by TBI.

METHODS: Twenty-one care providers participated in semi-structured interviews to gather their perspectives on systems of care coordination for youth with TBI and potential areas for improvement. Using reflexive thematic analysis, researchers identified key themes across interviews.

RESULTS: Three themes were identified: 1) gaps in knowledge; 2) …

"We Collect Tons Of Data... We Report What We Think Our Community Cares The Most About... We Learn So Much From It:" School Librarians' Evidence Collection And Sharing Practices, Jennifer Moore, Maria Cahill, Jeffrey Discala, Wanyi Wang

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Evidence-based practice (EBP) offers school librarians a systematic process for developing, assessing, and revising their school library programs. Two of the seven steps in this process involve collecting and sharing meaningful evidence with appropriate stakeholders, often for advocacy purposes, strategically selecting communication channels and methods aligned with target audiences. Through a survey collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, 161 school librarians in Kentucky, Virginia, and Texas shared their experiences with evidence-based practice. The study reported here focuses on school librarians’ evidence collection and sharing practices. Findings indicate school librarians collect easily obtainable data and share evidence of practice widely; however, …

Departmental Culture And Climate: Navigating The Academic Department, Nina Brown

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

[First paragraph] This second essay in the series of six on “Navigating the Academic Department” will focus on the culture and climate in an academic department. Many if not most faculty enter a department that has already established a culture and climate most of which is not openly acknowledged. Agazarian (1997) termed this as social convention for therapy groups that include social defenses, communication patterns and ingrained social norms that also seem to apply to an academic department.

Improving The Academic Success Of Technical College Students With Disabilities: A Multisite Descriptive Case Study, Andrea Colwell Ingram

Theses and Dissertations

Students with disabilities in higher education have lower retention and graduation rates than students without disabilities. While postsecondary administrators are attempting to meet the needs of students by implementing necessary reforms, barriers remain like issues with disclosure, transition planning, and faculty knowledge. This present qualitative descriptive case study sought to explore the instructional practices that were implemented by technical college educators to accommodate students with learning challenges, including students with disabilities, utilizing the Universal Design for Learning framework to determine which current technical college faculty instructional accommodations practices intersect with or diverge from Universal Design for Learning principles. The participants …

Gamification: Game-Based Learning / Serious Games And 21st Century Soft Skill Development In Nursing Education, Stephanie Marie Adams

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the development of 21st century skills through gamification, game-based learning (GBL), and serious games in nursing education in institutions of higher education in the United States. This paper reviews the history of gamification in nursing pedagogy through three domains of research. It includes an overview of research related to the development and implementation of gamification, GBL, and serious games in nursing education as well as the impact on the development of 21st century skills in digital natives. The focus was on the historical literature related to gamification, GBL, and serious games at institutions of higher education in …

How Scotus's Recent Decision On The Cheerleader Case Impacts Public School Students' Due Process Rights For Their Off-Campus Conduct, Abby Efron

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Impact On College Students Of Service-Learning In After-School Programs, Ashley Light, Amelia-Marie Altstadt, Olatz Sanchez-Txabarri, Stuart P. Bernstein, Patrice Mcmahon

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

In the United States, the dearth of quality expanded learning opportunities (ELO), such as afterschool and summer programs, has long been recognized as a national concern (DeKanter et al., 2000). The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this problem, as expanded learning opportunities of all kinds became increasingly limited in spring 2020 (Carver & Doohen, 2021). This research evaluated a new service-learning project, Honors Afterschool Clubs, which allows college students to fill ELO needs by creating and leading afterschool clubs for high-needs, low-income youth. By analyzing college student pre- and postexperience surveys, semistructured interviews, and focus groups, the authors evaluated the perceived impacts …

Future Directions Of Space Education, Kimberly T. Luthi Dr., Andy Aldrin, Keith Wilson, Jim P. Solti

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The future of space operations graduate education is reliant on industry leaders’ contributions to help forecast the needs of the industry. The aim of the current study is to build consensus on the future direction of the space industry and generate new knowledge on what the industry expects to occur in the future of space studies education. This study documents the responses of 14 industry experts who currently or previously held highly visible senior leadership positions in a company or organization within the government or the commercial space industry and have extensive experience in a variety of management and leadership …

A Generic Qualitative Study Of District, School, And Teacher Leader Experiences With Increasing Reading And Writing Achievement, Jennifer Fowler

Theses and Dissertations

English Language Arts (ELA) test scores have declined since the 2020 COVID-19 virus caused schools and districts in the United States and around the world to shut down for substantial periods of time. School and district leaders and teachers across the country are working to increase ELA achievement.

In this generic qualitative research study, local district, school, and teacher leaders were interviewed and asked questions about their experiences with increasing reading and writing achievement using semi-structured interview protocols.

Four research questions were addressed. They concerned the challenges, successes, supports, guidance, mandates, and advice offered by district, school, and teacher leaders …

Test Optional Admissions: Pre And Post Enrollment, Mackenzie M. Turner

Honors Theses

This phenomenological qualitative study explores students’ experiences navigating test-optional admissions when applying to post-secondary education. This thesis examines how test-optional admissions influence students' admissions decisions. The recent policy changes in college admissions practices raise questions about student experiences when making decisions when regarding test-optional admissions. First, this study explores the factors that go into a student’s decision on whether to submit test scores in their college application. Second, this thesis investigates college admission administrators’ perspectives on test-optional policies at their respective universities. Third, this study analyzes where the views of college admissions and student applicants are dissimilar. One important insight …

The Protection Of Student Data Privacy In Wisconsin School Board Policies, Curtis Clyde Rees

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

American schools have increasingly adopted technology resources to fulfill their educational obligations. These tools are for instruction, communication, and storing and analyzing student information. Student data can be directory information, enrollment records, achievement data, and student-created products. This increased utilization began with the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2001, and the COVID-19 pandemic led to more educational technology use of student data. Districts turned to third-party vendors for assistance with data systems and virtual learning resources. Before, during, and after the pandemic, stakeholders were concerned about information security and the students' privacy. School leaders looked to federal regulations …

นวัตกรรมการบริหารวิชาการโรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามตามแนวคิดคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต, มูฮำหมัด อัซซอมาดีย์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การวิจัยครั้งนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อ 1) ศึกษากรอบแนวคิดการบริหารวิชาการโรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามและคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต 2) ศึกษาความต้องการจำเป็นของการพัฒนาการบริหารวิชาการของโรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามตามแนวคิดคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต 3) พัฒนานวัตกรรมการบริหารวิชาการของโรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามตามแนวคิดคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต โดยใช้การวิจัยแบบผสมวิธีพหุระยะ แบ่งเป็น 3 ระยะ ประชากร คือ โรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามควบคู่วิชาสามัญในสามจังหวัดชายแดนภาคใต้ คือ ปัตตานี ยะลา และนราธิวาส จํานวนทั้งสิ้น 154 โรงเรียน กลุ่มตัวอย่างได้แก่ โรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามใน 3 จังหวัดชายแดนภาคใต้ จํานวน 111 โรงเรียน ได้จากการสุ่มแบบแบ่งชั้นและการสุ่มอย่างง่าย ผู้ให้ข้อมูลประกอบด้วย ผู้อำนวยการโรงเรียนหรือรักษาการผู้อำนวยการ 111 คน รองผู้อำนวยการฝ่ายวิชาการหรือครูหัวหน้าฝ่ายวิชาการ 111 คน ครูกลุ่มสาระการเรียนรู้รายวิชาสามัญ 111 คน และครูกลุ่มสาระการเรียนรู้รายวิชาศาสนา 111 คน รวมทั้งหมด 444 คน เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัยคือ แบบประเมิน แบบสอบถาม และแบบสัมภาษณ์ วิเคราะห์ข้อมูลโดยการคำนวณความถี่ ค่าเฉลี่ย ส่วนเบี่ยงเบนมาตรฐาน ความต้องการจำเป็น การวิเคราะห์องค์ประกอบเชิงยืนยันและการวิเคราะห์เนื้อหา ผลการวิจัยพบว่า 1) กรอบแนวคิดการบริหารวิชาการ ประกอบด้วย (1) ด้านการพัฒนาหลักสูตร (2) ด้านการจัดการเรียนการสอน และ (3) ด้านการวัดประเมินผล 2) องค์ประกอบกรอบคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต มี 6 องค์ประกอบหลัก ประกอบด้วย (1) คุณลักษณะด้านหลักศรัทธาอิสลามและการปฏิบัติ (2) คุณลักษณะด้านความคิด (3) คุณลักษณะด้านการเรียนรู้ (4) คุณลักษณะด้านวุฒิภาวะ (5) คุณลักษณะด้านการปรับตัว และ (6) คุณลักษณะด้านสิ่งแวดล้อม 2) ผลการจัดลำดับความต้องการจำเป็นในการพัฒนาการบริหารวิชาการของโรงเรียนเอกชนสอนศาสนาอิสลามตามแนวคิดคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต พบว่า การวัดและประเมินผล มีลำดับความต้องการจำเป็นสูงที่สุด รองลงมาคือ การจัดการเรียนการสอน และการพัฒนาหลักสูตร 3) แนวปฏิบัติที่ดีในการบริหารวิชาการประกอบด้วย 53 แนวทาง 4) นวัตกรรมการบริหารวิชาการ คือ นวัตกรรมการบริหารวิชาการเพื่อเสริมสร้างคุณลักษณะเยาวชนมุสลิมสำหรับสังคมโลกอนาคต …

Faculty-Student And Student-Student Connections Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic, Fatma Ouled Salem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic expedited the shift toward distance education by forcing institutions to adapt to the limitations of social distancing mandates. This resulted in a general sense of disconnection and isolation, compounding the other adverse effects of the pandemic. Since faculty-student and student-student connections are consistently identified as best practices in distance counselor education, the aim of this descriptive phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of counselor educators during the COVID-19 pandemic relating to faculty-student and student-student connections. A phenomenological framework was used to suspend presuppositions of the phenomenon and to describe the lived experiences of participants. In-depth …

Administrators’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Administrators’ Instructional Leadership In The Inclusive Classroom, Tenesia Crook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of students with disabilities educated in the general education classroom has increased over time. As a result, administrators in inclusive settings have more expectations and responsibilities as an instructional leader. Therefore, the research problem addressed is that administrators are struggling to provide instructional leadership for teachers in the inclusive classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore administrators’ and teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding administrators’ instructional leadership for teachers in the inclusive classroom. The conceptual framework was based on Waters’ theory of balanced leadership. There were two research questions that guided this study. The first …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Performance On The Advanced Placement English Language And Composition Exam In Department Of Defense Schools, Tracee Nichole Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that guided this study was the low proportion of students scoring 3 or more on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition (APELC) exam at one Department of Defense (DoD) school. Moreover, the qualifying ratios were lower than students attending all DoD and U.S. schools. The need for teachers to examine the performance of military-connected students has become a critical element of high-stakes accountability in all schools, most importantly at military-connected schools. The aim of this research was to explore DoD teachers’ insights into the factors influencing military-connected students’ low scores on the APELC exam and the instructional …

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …

Perspectives On Instructional Barriers To Inclusion At Primary Schools In Jamaica, Marcia Hillary Peak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInclusive education, which is a global practice in schools, recognizes the rights of all children to equal educational opportunities, including those with special needs or disabilities; however, educators in low-income countries like Jamaica struggle with its implementation. This basic qualitative study explored teachers’ and principals’ perceptions toward instructional and curricular barriers to inclusion in primary level schools. The theory supporting this study is Bronfenbrenner’s development ecology model. Research questions focused on educators’ perspectives of instructional barriers to inclusion. Twelve participants from seven mainstream schools in a single region were interviewed. Data were analyzed using open coding to determine patterns, and …

Elementary Teacher Perspectives Of Training, Support, And Resources For Implementing Culturally Responsive Strategies, Amber Nicole Block

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that elementary teachers in a culturally and racially diverse school district in the Midwest did not have adequate training, support, and resources to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perspectives on their current needs for training, support, and resources to effectively implement culturally responsive teaching strategies. This study was grounded in the conceptual framework of culturally responsive teaching. Data were collected from a purposeful sample of 11 elementary teachers in the study district through semistructured interviews. The thematic analysis of the data revealed that …

Exploring School Leadership To Improve Graduation Rates For High School Ell Students In A Northeastern State, Scott Matthew Jaquith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English languages learners (ELLs) are the fastest-growing student population in the United States. Federal mandates, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, provide guidance and resources to states and local school districts to remove barriers for ELL students. Despite guidelines from one northeastern state to increase professional development, improve metrics to assess proficiency growth, and provide family outreach to support ELLs, school leaders have not achieved this goal of raising graduation rates for ELLs so they are comparable with their non-ELL peers. This project study uses a transformational leadership framework to explore perceptions of principals, assistant principals, and …