Digital Commons Network^™

Rise Of The Administrator In Higher Education: Focus On Professionalization Of The Registrar At The University Of Kentucky From 1910 To 1937, Nancy D. Taylor

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

The decades following the Civil War saw a tremendous growth in the number of colleges and universities, both public and private, due in large part to funds provided by federal legislation under the Morrill Act of 1862 and a surge in philanthropy on the part of wealthy industrialists. In the early colleges and universities, administrations were typically run by the president alone. With increased enrollment and the demand for expanded services, one man could no longer handle all the administrative functions, and thus was born the administrative professional in higher education. Due to the increased demand for record-keeping, one of …

Gender Discrimination And Title Ix Implementation: Lessons From The Office For Civil Rights Resolution Letters 1997-2011, Laura S. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Gender discrimination, such as sexual harassment, sexual assault and inequitable treatment has long been considered a prominent issue on higher education campuses and is regulated under the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, commonly known as Title IX. Title IX is enforced by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) who responds to gender discrimination complaints on campus through investigations resulting in what are called OCR Resolution Letters. These letters define numerous policies and procedures Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) must put in place pertaining to the prevention of gender discrimination. This qualitative study looks specifically …

Black Caribbean American Parents' Home-Based Literacy Activities For K-2 Religious School Students, Maureen Hyacinth Moncrieffe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that parental involvement plays a crucial role in the academic achievement of students. A parent's involvement in a child's literacy development, especially in the Black Caribbean American community, is important because it helps the child become a life-long reader. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to investigate the at-home literacy involvement of Black Caribbean American parents with their K-2 children in a small private religious school. Based upon Epstein's work on parental involvement, as well as Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's role construction theory, the current study explored these parents' at-home literacy activities with their children, their …

Childhood Hearing Loss And Its Stress On Hearing Families, Julie Macker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood disability increases parental stress. Research on the laterality of childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) as it relates to stress in hearing parents was limited before this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify relationships between the independent variables of laterality (unilateral and bilateral) of a childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) and the dependent variable of stress in hearing parents. Family systems theory provided a framework for viewing each member of the family as a part of a whole, whose life events, feelings, and actions affect all of the …

The Impact Of Academic Optimism On Student Achievement In Five Middle Schools, Rita Hickey Teague

Wayne State University Dissertations

This study addressed the research question: To what extent do the measures of academic optimism predict academic achievement? The study was conducted in two suburban, adjacent school districts with 102 middle school teachers from five middle schools participating.

A non-experimental, multiple regression research design was used as no treatment or intervention was provided. Data collection tools were a revision of three surveys that purport to measure the three components of academic optimism, and school level outcomes from the Michigan Education Assessment Program and the Measures of Academic Progress. Using Google Forms, data were collected electronically at faculty meetings with submission …

The 21st Century University President: Building Blocks For Effective Rural Leadership, David Thomas Mcfaddin

Online Theses and Dissertations

This paper was written to examine the fundamental areas of influence that can help to shape effective leadership for the 21st century college or university president in a rural setting. In the last few years, centuries of long held traditions, behaviors and expectations inside and outside of the university community have quickly and radically changed. The new and evolving knowledge-based economy of America has created an exceedingly competitive marketplace for higher education that has forever changed the social and financial contract between higher education and the American public. This new world features extremely complex and competitive organizations that must exist …

Kentucky Principal Preparation Programs: A Contemporary History, Thomas Henry Hart

Online Theses and Dissertations

In this era of expectation that school principals will lead continuous improvement initiatives in their schools, this study investigates if principals receive instruction in continuous improvement concepts, methods, and tools through their formal principal certification program. This research evaluates the evolution of school principal preparation programs in Kentucky over the period from 1994 to 2014, a time of great change in academic expectations and accountability in American public schools. Using the report of a national study begun in 1975, Preparatory Programs for Educational Administrators in the United States (Silver and Spuck, 1978), as a baseline, accredited principal preparations programs in …

The Relationship Between Administrative Support And Burnout In Turnaround Schools, Kevin Scott Crosby

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study looked at the relationship between administrative support and teacher burnout in two federally funded turnaround middle schools. Teacher burnout indicators include signs of lacking accomplishment, mental and physical fatigue, and depersonalization. Administrative support factors include positive communication, vision, district support, and school support. The major findings of this study showed that school level support played a significant role in predicting teacher burnout. Professional development support played a significant role in predicting teacher burnout, but not to the same extent as school level support. Central office support was not a significant factor in predicting teacher burnout or any burnout …

Creating A Culture Of Belonging: The Significance Of Student Belonging And The Ethical Frameworks That Influence High School Leaders As They Sustain And Enhance Cultures Of Belonging, Patrick James Sassen

Dissertations

Given the increased focus on high-stakes testing and district accountability measures evident in the world of public education today, it is understandable that school leaders would be influenced by the pressures associated with public expectations and dwindling fiscal resources. This study explored what public high school leaders do to evaluate and change programming in their schools through the lens of the Ethics of Care, Profession, Critique, and Justice. Following a sequential explanatory mixed method design, participant selection was conducted using the High School Survey of Student Engagement (HSSSE) as the means for establishing schools that, according to the HSSSE, had …

Self-Perceived Stress Of Undergraduate Students Before And After Participation In A Breathing Meditation Intervention: A Mixed Methods Study, Cindy Oneida Sloan

Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined the effects of an eight-week breathing meditation intervention on the self-perceived stress of undergraduate students. Previous research suggests meditation is an effective strategy to alleviate stress and stress-related symptomatology (Baer, 2003; Conley, Travers, & Bryant, 2013; Shapiro, Brown & Astin, 2011). Forty-one undergraduate student volunteers participated in the study and were randomized into either an intervention group or control group. The intervention group met once per week for eight weeks and participated in a nine minute guided breathing meditation. At the conclusion of eight weeks participants, when compared with the control group, reported significantly lower …

Falling Short On The Promise To English Learners: A Report On Year One Lcaps, Elvira G. Armas Ed.D, Magaly Lavadenz Ph.D., Laurie Olsen Ph.D.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula was signed into law in California in 2013 and allowed districts the flexibility to meet their student needs in locally appropriate manners. One year after its implementation, a panel of 26 reviewers, including educators, English Learner (EL) advocates, and legal services staff reviewed the Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to understand how districts employ this flexibility to address the needs of ELs. The report uses the English Learner Research-Aligned LCAP Rubrics with 10 focus areas, and reviews sample LCAPs from 29 districts, including districts with the highest numbers/percentages of English Learners in the state, …

Reflective Judgment: Can Problem-Based Learning Approach Make A Difference?, Nicole Marie Cavanagh

Theses and Dissertations

For counselors to be successful in current and future practice, they must be proficient reflective thinkers and be able to use reflective judgment skills to manage the daily complex problems presented by complex clients. Reflective thinking and reflective judgment are not elements of counseling curricula unless faculty explicitly design learning activities to develop these skills.

This study examined the relationship between reflective judgment and problembased learning (PBL) by comparing pretest and posttest scores on the Reasoning about Current Issues test. Data was collected from a convenience sample of graduate level Counselor Education Ed.S students at the University of South Carolina …

Principals’ Preparedness For, And Experiences Of, Crisis Events At School, Patricia Daughtry

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, principals in the low country region of South Carolina were surveyed to assess their perceived preparedness for, and experiences of, crisis events in their schools. This study replicated a study, conducted by Adamson and Peacock (2007), which was presented in an article entitled Crisis Response in the Public Schools: A Survey of School Psychologists’ Experiences and Perceptions. Although their research was important, the population was limited to school psychologists. A literature review revealed no research on lessons learned from school principals. Since principals are responsible for managing the school from the moments following a crisis through the …

The Influence Of Academic And Social Self-Concept On College Student Withdrawal, Elizabeth Orehovec

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study explored students’ self-reported, pre-college academic self-concept and students’ self-reported, pre-college social self-concept and the likelihood of student withdrawal prior to their second year. Additionally, the interaction between academic self-concept and social self-concept and first-year academic performance were examined. Using data from the University of South Carolina, three binary logistic regression models were run to determine whether academic self-concept and social self-concept were significant predictors of student withdrawal and/or whether or not the self-concept variables moderated the relationship between students’ first-year academic performance and student withdrawal. Additional academic, financial, and demographic pre-college attributes were selected as control variables …

Academic/Success Coaching: A Description Of An Emerging Field In Higher Education, Claire E. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

Designed as exploratory and descriptive research, this study aims to understand the purpose, content, and the perceived effectiveness of academic/success coaching programs in higher education. The research provides a quantitative analysis of 160 coaching programs from 39 states designed to assist undergraduate students in their academic and collegiate success. Because “academic coaching” or “success coaching” is a relatively new concept on college campuses, little empirical evidence exists to support this role and differentiate it from other campus services such as academic advising, counseling, mentoring, and tutoring. In order to capture the current roles and responsibilities of coaches, a survey was …

The Effects Of A Varied Method Of Instruction On Student Achievement, Transfer, Situational Interest, And Course Retention Rates In Community College Developmental Mathematics, Kevin L. Mccandless

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the effects of a varied method of instruction on student achievement, knowledge transfer, situational interest, and course retention rates, relative to a non-varied method of instruction, in community college developmental mathematics. The varied method of instruction consisted of active learning teaching practices with foundations in social constructivism, whereas the non-varied method of instruction was founded in Cognitive Load Theory and consisted primarily of explicit instruction and individual practice.

An initial sample of 139 students who enrolled in six sections of Beginning Algebra at an urban community college in Northern California participated …

The Essence Of Alternative Education: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of At-Risk Secondary Alternative School Students, Latunya Glenn Means

Theses and Dissertations

What do the lived experiences of at-risk high school students reveal about the essence of alternative education? This phenomenological study sought to reflectively examine the experiences of at-risk students who are being educated in a large, Type II, alternative school in South Carolina. The research participants are high school students-- grades 9-12--who have spent at least one year in a traditional high school setting and at least one year in the County Alternative Program (CAP). The literature review highlighted the historical role of high schools in the United States, the role of high schools, high school redesign and the evolving …

Teachers' Perceptions Of An Integrated Third Grade Curriculum's Effects On Students' Reading Achievement, Charlene Lane Bazemore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders in a Virginia urban school district designed and implemented a reading-infused integrated curriculum to address Grade 3 students' struggles to read and comprehend grade-level text. Informed via a constructivist approach, the curriculum integrated the core subjects, reading, and service learning for developing competent readers, thinkers, and problem solvers. This instrumental case study focused on 13 Grade 3 teachers' perceptions of the integrated curriculum in regards to their students' reading achievement. Qualitative data were collected from face-to-face interviews, students' progress of work documents, and the district's integrated curriculum unit. Open coding was employed to analyze the data. Inductively, triangulated …

Contextual Conditions Related To The Undergraduate Experience And The Nature Of Alumni Involvement: A Qualitative Study, Kasey G. Evans

Masters Theses

The researcher used qualitative methodology to analyze the perspectives of 5 alumni of a mid-sized Midwestern institution regarding their experiences as an undergraduate at the institution and the context of their current relationship with their alma mater. Overall, participants placed a value on giving back to the organizations and groups that they were most involved with as an undergraduate. The participants do not currently give to the institution financially but would like to in the future. The study suggests that undergraduate context is vital to future involvement with the institution.

An Exploration Of College Student Experiences Regarding Healthy Eating At A Midsized Midwestern University: A Qualitative Approach, E. Jordan Stayer

Masters Theses

This study was an exploration of the experiences college students have while eating in on-campus dining centers at a midsized, Midwest, public university. The present study examined college students' (n = 7) experiences of eating in the dining centers with a campus meal plan. Participants were asked a series of questions regarding their individual beliefs, their surrounding environment, and their physical behaviors while dining.

The study concluded that dining habits are very personal to each and every human being in the world. At the higher education level, because each student brings with them a completely different taste, desire, and …

Factors Associated With Graduation Among Latino Male High School Students, Judyann Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High dropout rates for minority students require additional educational research to understand and implement changes that will increase graduation rates. The purpose of this nonexperimental study was to examine factors that may be associated with graduation for Latino male students. Guided by Tinto's work, which holds that students remain in school when they feel academically or socially connected to an institution, this study addressed the impact of social factors, academic factors, and small learning communities (SLCs) on graduation rates. The research study used archival data and bivariate logistic regression to analyze the data for Latino male participants (n = 208) …

Learning Disability Status And Gender As Predictors Of Self-Efficacy., Irene Ekohamen Aikhomu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the school district under study, students with learning disabilities were

underperforming when compared to students without disabilities. Research has indicated that improved self-efficacy can promote improved student outcomes and that self- efficacy can be taught. Despite this known association, the school district under study has not provided students with such support. The current study addressed ways in which that gap may be attenuated. Guided by the framework of Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and social cognitive theory, the purpose of this study was to explore (a) whether students' perceptions of self-efficacy differed depending on whether or not they had diagnosed …

Perceptions Of Mode Selection Of Textbook Delivery Across Course Subjects, Gail M. Spencer-Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Universities are exploring the use of e-books in order to mitigate the high cost of textbooks. The study university was providing both delivery modes to students but was considering adapting to using e-books exclusively. An investigation of users' perceptions on textbook delivery modes had not been conducted at the local site. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of students about using e-books and the experiences of textbook directors in the decision-making processes regarding the use of e-books versus textbooks. The Davis' Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) served as the conceptual framework for the study and …

Evaluating Retention Strategies For At-Risk Undergraduate Nursing Students, Joanna L. Ramsden-Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As there continues to be a nursing shortage and a lack of diversity in the nursing profession, it is important to retain at-risk students who have been admitted to nursing programs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to compare at-risk students who had not received retention services to at-risk students who had received retention services at a Midwestern college. A formative evaluation was conducted using information from three sources: the college, the students, and the community. Guided by a constructivist theory defined by Ponticell, this study examined the effectiveness of the retention program in terms of its impact on …

Perceptions Of Live Experiences Of Clinical Pastoral Education Students, Brenda Perry Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study addressed the problem at a West Indies theological college that lacked the ability to provide courses for spiritual care training by using the teaching methodology of clinical pastoral education (CPE). CPE is an experiential process using a clinical method of learning to interpret human conditions. Spiritual care training through CPE teaches clerics how to help persons find meaning in life's situations and make connections with their God. Guided by the frameworks of transformative learning and critical theological reflection, this study explored the lived experiences of 5 purposefully selected CPE students who participated in 1 unit of …

College Mission Change And Neoliberalism In A Community And Technical College, Christine Mollenkopf-Pigsley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrators of 2-year colleges are working in an environment where they seek to balance the social development of the student and the community's demand for a trained workforce to achieve economic development. This balance has resulted in ambiguity about the mission and purpose of 2-year colleges. The purpose of this case study was to explore a community college's experiences with mission change by exploring the interaction between a neoliberal public policy environment and the traditional social democratic mission of academia. Harvey's conceptualization of neoliberalism was used as the theoretical framework. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured interviews with members of …

Acculturation In Marital Satisfaction Among Mixed Caucasian And Asian American Heterosexual Couples, Lotes Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing population of the United States is linked to the increasing migration of individuals from other countries. With migration comes the development of cross-cultural and interracial romantic relationships, many leading to marriages. This qualitative grounded theory study sought to understand how a migrant partner's adjustment process, acculturation, contributes to cross-cultural marriages. The main research question and purpose of this study was to investigate the role of acculturation in marital satisfaction among mixed Caucasian and Asian American heterosexual couples. This study utilized multiple data sources and a purposive sampling of 11 mixed Asian and Caucasian heterosexual married couples, with one …

A Comparison Of Preservice Teachers' Responses To Bullying Scenarios, Cynthia Louise Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This nonexperimental study was conducted to determine differences that exist between PreK to 4th grade preservice teachers' beliefs about the severity of bullying, their empathy with victims of bullying, beliefs about their ability to cope with bullying in the classroom, and their ability to intervene in bullying issues. Bandura's self-efficacy theory and Ajzen's theory of planned behavior provided the study's theoretical base and demonstrated a connection between participants perceived ability to cope with bullying behavior and willingness to intervene. The participants (N = 112) were students in a 2-year community college PreK to 4th grade education transfer degree program. Data …

Stress Levels Of Parents Of Homeschooled Versus Public-Schooled Special Needs Children, Lorrance Ann Wehrmann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although all families in the United States experience stress, families of children with special needs frequently experience prolonged periods of stress. Prolonged exposure to stressful circumstances increases their vulnerability to financial, physical, and social strain. With the continuing increase in the prevalence of children who have special needs, it is vital to examine the efficacy of different educational approaches on parental stress. It is unclear whether there are differences in stress levels for families of homeschooled versus public-schooled children with special needs. Using the family adjustment and adaptation response model, the purpose of this quantitative, ex post facto study was …

Work-Life Balance: A Phenomenological Study On How Female Principals Balance Their Professional And Personal Lives, Blanca Estela Garcia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore lived experiences of female principals and to examine how female principals balance professional and personal lives. A qualitative methodology provided a detailed and rich understanding of the experiences of women in the principalship from women's perspectives. Five female principals were the focus of the study.

The findings revealed that female principals experience work-life conflict because they are expected to fulfill family and work responsibilities. The research resulted in identifying the challenges, the support systems, and strategies utilized by female principals as a means of realizing work-life balance. A conclusion to …