Digital Commons Network^™

Instructors’ Perceptions Of Differentiated Instruction At Four Universities In The United States, Brandy Waldron

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to a 2015-2016 fall term end-of-course survey at a university in the southern United States, differentiated instruction (DI) was minimal and student participants reported that they may have performed better on coursework if given a variety of learning options. The purpose of this study was to determine how instructors at 4 U.S. universities perceive use of DI and their ideas about the necessary tools and strategies to practice it. Research needed to be conducted so instructors could successfully meet the diverse needs of students by having the necessary tools to practice differentiation. Tomlinson’s theory that focuses on the need …

Perceptions Of African American Males On Teaching In Elementary Schools, Reggie Wicker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a shortage of African American males teaching in primarily minority student population elementary schools. Understanding why the current African American male teachers accepted positions in schools will provide insight into what attracted them to the school systems and the pros and cons for retention. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of African American male teachers on the challenges and benefits of teaching at a predominately minority elementary school, and to ascertain strategies for recruiting and retaining African American male teachers in the profession. These views and strategies can help gain perspectives on attracting more …

Principals Managing The Expectations Of Instructional Leadership, Shonda Ham Collins-Richey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have shown that principals are second only to teachers in their impact on student learning. The problem studied was principals’ abilities to balance their responsibilities as operational managers while placing primary focus on instructional leadership. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the processes established by school principals to balance the expectation of managing their buildings while being instructional leaders and how their sense of self-efficacy influenced their ability to establish and adhere to those processes and structures. The theories of complexity self-efficacy guided this study. Data were collected using structured and semistructured interviews with six elementary …

The Development Of A Principal's Conceptual Framework Within An Early College High School, Edmond Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Educational leadership literature and research are dominated by linear, evidence-based methodologies to describe and guide decisions made by the school principal. These methodologies and conclusions do not examine the conceptualizations made by the principal to form the professional knowledge that makes up the framework that the principal might use to define problems, understand the problem in context and create a response. How principals form these conceptualizations by using experiences, multiple perspectives, and theories might explain how principals understand the school to address needs that are specific to the nature of the campus.

An early college high school is the setting …

Secondary Student Perceptions Of School Climate Elements And Self-Reported Academic Self-Efficacy As Factors Of School Continuous Improvement, Marianne Arzadon Torales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

State and national agencies recognize the link between school quality and student academic and behavioral outcomes. Research has shown that a positive school climate and high academic self-efficacy are associated with positive academic and behavioral student outcomes. Determining the school climate factors that contribute to academic self-efficacy will add to the limited research on the relationship between these two constructs and provide information to prospective and current school leaders in cultivating an effective school.

A multiple regression was used to determine how student-perceived school climate factors predict self-reported student academic self-efficacy and of these factors, which one provided the strongest …

Faculty Attitudes And Perspectives About Community Engaged Scholarship At An Engaged Institution, Azuri Lizeth Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Community engaged scholarship has become a method for higher education institutions to respond to public and societal needs. Decades into the establishment of the "engaged institution," studies reveal that higher education presents challenges for faculty to effectively succeed in academia while pursuing a community engaged scholarship agenda. This study employs the use of a constructivist grounded theoretical approach to explore faculty attitudes and perspectives on community engaged scholarship and the role the engaged intuition may have in their views. This study found that faculty were introduced to the term by their institutions but their views and understanding of community engaged …

Caregiver Experiences With The Dyslexia Identification Process In A Borderland Community In Texas, Angela Victoria Enriqueta Owens

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This phenomenological study (Moustakas, 1994; Peoples, 2020) uses critical disability theory (Devlin & Pothier, 2006) and intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) as a lens for investigating the experiences of caregivers in a borderland community in Texas during their childâ??s dyslexia identification process. I used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) which has roots in hermeneutic phenomenology (Heidegger, 1971) as a research method to answer the research question, how do caregivers from minoritized backgrounds in a Texas Borderland community experience the Dyslexia identification process in public schools. The three caregivers in this study were able to participate through face-to-face and virtual formats, due to the …

Straight From The Source: Black College Presidents Tell Their Stories, Steven Purcell

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Students on college and university campuses across the United States are becoming more racially diverse. However, leadership on college campuses is not trending toward more diversity, particularly in higher administrative posts such as the presidency. To better understand this stagnate trend of college president diversity, this critical narrative study examined the lived experiences and insights of six current or former college presidents who identify as Black. The participants in this study are a unique cohort of individuals who have served as presidents/chancellors at institutions where Black students are not the majority ethnic/racial group on campus.

More specifically, this study sought …

Picture The Magic: Exploring Black Girl Identity Using Photovoice, Leha Anaya Hawkins

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Using a youth-led participatory action inquiry and photovoice methodology, this study investigated the self-perceptions of Black girls in a suburban area of Northern California. The objective of the project was to explore the perspectives and lives of Black girls. It is through gained insight from their lived experiences that we can come to understand their needs and develop approaches to advance their own holistic empowerment. By gathering self-perceptions of Black girls using photovoice, the project aimed to inform youth workers, educators, and youth-serving organizations such as Magic Black Girls Leadership Institute (MBG) on how to meet the needs and cultivate …

An Exploration Of Barriers And Supports Of High School Equivalency Diploma (Hsed) Graduates Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Chanell Butler Morello

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the perceived barriers and supports of High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) graduates upon their consideration of attaining a higher education degree at a community college in North Carolina. Other areas explored in this qualitative study included the way completing the HSED program changes a student’s perception of learning and/or increases his or her motivation to continue their studies.

A primary objective of the Basic Skills programs, also known as College and Career Readiness programs, is to transition as many students as possible to postsecondary education and employment. In spite of such goals, North …

Understanding The Experiences Of Underemployed First-Generation Hmong Graduates, Mong Vang

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Underemployment has a rich and lengthy body of literature spanning across multiple disciplines, such as economics, business, psychology, and sociology. Past scholars studying the phenomenon have provided a framework for understanding underemployment and have identified the harm it has on organizations and individuals. Although underemployment is not a new phenomenon, gaps are present in understanding how it affects first-generation, Hmong graduates. This study provides a framework for bridging this gap. As such, this study answered three questions related to how underemployed, first-generation, Hmong college graduates describe their experience finding adequate employment after graduation, perceive the relationship between their personal upbringing …

Factors Influencing Alumni Giving Of First-Generation Hispanic Women, R. Scott Biedermann

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Alumni giving has become a vital revenue source for colleges and universities in the United States. For private universities, alumni support is integral to the institution’s growth and sustainability. As a result, there is a growing body of research on the factors that influence alumni giving in order for fundraising professionals to identify potential donors. This study aimed to enhance this body of research by examining first-generation, low-income, alumni giving from Hispanic women from a California Private University’s (CPU) Neighborhood Engagement Program (NEP). NEP is a need-based scholarship program for underserved students from CPU’s host city. The purpose of the …

Higher Education Organizational Structure, Quality Assurance Practice, And Teaching And Learning In Arts Disciplines, David M. Chase

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of higher education organizational structure and institutional quality assurance practices to and the culture of teaching and learning in artistic disciplines from the perspectives of three artist-educators. The research questions addressed by this study are as follows:

1. How do participants view the relationship of the organizational structure of their institution to the provision of quality assurance practices in their disciplines?

2. What barriers, if any, do participants perceive about the implementation of effective quality assurance practice and policy, and if barriers are perceived, why do they occur?

3. What …

Impact Of A Student-Athlete Career Preparation Program On Athlete Alumni Affinity, Heather L. Hunter

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has indicated the majority of athlete alumni do not give charitable donations to their alma mater or athletics department. With over 4 million former National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes, these athlete alumni should have an inherent affinity for their athletics department. The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationship between a student-athlete career preparation program (“Career Program”) and athlete alumni affinity for the athletics department. This study uses the theoretical framework of Social Exchange Theory to examine if an athlete alumni’s affinity for their athletics department increases when they receive support for their career launch. …

The Evaluation Of Positive Intervention Strategies On Chronic Absenteeism At The High School Level, Marla Clayton Johnson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

There is an abundance of research on chronic absenteeism as well as the multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) approach, specifically the element of positive behavior intervention strategies (PBIS), at the elementary school level. A clear understanding of MTSS and PBIS at the high school level and how those approaches may impact chronic absenteeism of high school students is lacking in the recent research. The literature review provided the reader with an overview on PBIS and chronic absenteeism through the theoretical lens of Cooper’s (1982) Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) theory and explained the influence that PBIS has on chronic absenteeism at …

Expectations And Incentives: Parental Financial Support For College During The Transition To Young Adulthood, Allyson Flaster

Journal of Student Financial Aid

This study provides new insight into enrollment disparities by examining how the financial support adolescents expect to receive from parents as they transition to young adulthood differs by parent and family characteristics and whether they attend college. I do this by estimating expectations of cash and in-kind co-residency support in the year after high school completion using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. The results indicate that children whose parents are highly educated, who have high solidarity with their parents, and whose parents hold norms of adolescent financial dependency have particularly large financial incentives to attend college—particularly a …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2019/2020, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Degrees Granted 2019/20
--- Degree Summary 2019/20
--- Program Certificates 2019/20
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Communication Administration As A Tri-Voiced Sustainable Community, Ronald C. Arnett

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Books and authors have challenged the focus on “me” alone, rejecting “individualism” that seeks to stand above social context and constraints (Tocqueville, 1955; Arnett, 2019; Arnett, 2020), “narcissism” that falls in love with one’s own image (Lasch, 1985), and “emotivism” that limits decision making to personal preferences (MacIntyre, 1984). Contrary to a focus on an individual abstracted from a social context, one finds an emphasis on community (Arnett, 1986). When, however, a conception of community embraces only those empirically present, it becomes an abstraction oblivious of the phenomenological considerations of persons before and after the present moment. This essay textures …

A Social Media Strategy For An Academic Department, Stephanie Buermann, Heidi Everett, R. Jeffrey Ringer, Traci Anderson, Alex Davenport, Eddah Mutua

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This essay describes the process one communication studies department used to develop a social media strategy. That process involved identifying the audiences to be reached, establishing goals and objectives, conducting an audit to identify possible message posts, and selecting posts to reach our goals and objectives. The resulting strategy involves posting messages two to three times per week targeted toward specific audiences and reflecting twelve objectives. A calendar was created to guide the posts. Future research will assess the effectiveness of the strategy.

Complete Issue, Volume 39, Issue 2

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the complete issue for Volume 39, Issue 2 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

Canadian Postsecondary Leaders’ Understanding And Promotion Of Social Justice And Educational Equity, Pamela Jacqueline Cawley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian universities are educating an increasingly diverse student body and have a role in rectifying inequities and educating students to contribute to a democratic and inclusive society, but little is known about how mainstream leaders understand such leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine how mainstream Canadian postsecondary leaders in Canada describe and understand their leadership related to social justice and educational equity. Critical social theory and applied critical leadership theory guided this study. This basic qualitative study using semistructured interviews explored how 11 mainstream postsecondary leaders have understood and promoted social justice and educational equity. Data analysis …

A Formative Evaluation Of An After-School Program For English Ii Students, Kandice Katrice Jernigan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a high school in a Southern U.S. state, district officials implemented an after-school program in 2018 to assist students with English language skills. However, the effectiveness of the program had not been evaluated. The study purpose was conducting of an evaluation of this program with the conceptual framework of utilization-focused evaluation theory, which involves rigorous data collection with participation by the intended users and for their practical use. The research questions addressed whether the after-school program helped English II students’ learning; whether administrators, parents, and students believed the program contributed to student success; and what strategies could be used …

Leaders And At-Risk Students' Perceptions Of Online Credit Recovery Opportunities And The Role Of Efficacy, Angelo Mitsuo Barcinas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although online credit recovery opportunities are available to high school students enrolled in a United States of America territory credit recovery school, the inability of students to access these courses outside of the school is difficult because students do not have online access. This study examines the role self-efficacy plays on students successfully completing high school through taking advantage of online credit recovery opportunities. The purpose of this general qualitative interview study was to examine at-risk students’ perceptions of online credit recovery opportunities and the role of efficacy for students enrolled in online credit recovery school. Using the social cognitive …

Principal Leadership For The Establishment Of Family-School Partnership, Mickelli Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The area of family engagement and its benefits to the academic outcomes of students has been well researched. Educators, including practitioners and those who prepare them, and community members need to understand more about the leadership actions of principals, especially in urban, low-income predominantly African American schools, that lead to effective communication and learning at home partnerships. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership actions of principals that support teachers establishing productive communication and learning at-home family engagement practices. Epstein’s school, family, and community partnership model was the framework that guided this research. Research questions …

Adult Learners' And Instructors' Perceptions Of The Andragogical Instructional Method Used At A Northern Mississippi Community College, Renee Lajune Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to understand adult learners’ and instructors’ perceptions of the andragogical instructional method used at a Northern Mississippi Community College. In addition, this study explored how well the andragogical instructional method worked as a way to educate adult learners. A qualitative phenomenological design was used to examine the perceptions of six returning full-time adult learners and six full-time instructors regarding the use and impact of the andragogical instructional method via purposeful sampling. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews. Through the participants’ shared experiences and reviewing the interview transcripts, several themes emerged regarding their perceptions of …

Using Community Cultural Wealth Narratives Of Low-Income High School Students In A Rural Northern California Community, Rene Rodriguez Malamed

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the experiences of white, low-income high school students completing their senior year in a rural community and earning their diplomas. The purpose of the study was to examine participants’ stories during high school using a community cultural wealth framework and narrative methodological approach. Results showed that students utilized capitals such as social, moral, familial and resistant in their small communities. Multiple capitals interacted and influenced each other as rural youth draw on these for support.

Editor’S Note, Janie Harden Fritz

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

This is the Editor’s Note to Volume 39, Issue 1 of the Journal of the Association for Communication Administration.

Mentoring Faculty And Bolstering Students’ Emotional And Cognitive Interest: The Impact Of Perceived Homophily In The College Classroom, Robert J. Sidelinger, Leeanne M. Bell Mcmanus

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

For this study, expectancy violations theory was used to explore the associations among instructors’ inappropriate conversations, perceived homophily (similarity), and college students’ emotional and cognitive interest. Results found that students’ perceptions of instructor perceived homophily moderated the relationships between students’ reports of instructors’ enactment of inappropriate conversations and students’ emotional and cognitive interest. These results offer further understanding of the ways in which inappropriate conversations and perceived homophily affect perceptual outcomes in the college classroom, which can inform college faculty, administrators, and mentors. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Listening Leadership: An Academic Perspective, Annie Rappeport, Andrew Wolvin

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

Much of the literature on leadership continues to focus on the leader who has the ability to shape a vision and articulate that vision, a vision that resonates with the mission, values, personnel and technology that make up the organization. To shape and articulate a resonant vision, the effective leader must be willing and able to listen. Only through listening to the stakeholders can a leader know how that vision should best be framed and implemented. One significant way that leadership listening can be implemented is through listening sessions. This study provides a detailed example of the effective use of …

Speech Communication At Iowa State University: A Departmental History And Aftermath, Luke Lefebvre

Journal of the Association for Communication Administration

In 1903 at Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, a Public Speaking department emerged. This transition occurred over a decade prior to public speaking teachers seceding from English. Members of the department played foundational roles in establishing the national association and moving the discipline toward research-driven initiatives in order to secure legitimacy across academic landscapes. Surviving two World Wars, the Great Depression and title merger with English, the department again emerged as an independent academic unit prior to the 1970s. The department included faculty from areas of speech, drama, telecommunicative arts, and speech disorders, which progressed until its …