Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Impacts Of Genai On English And Applied Linguistics: Implications For A Future-Ready Journal, Jasper Roe

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This perspective paper discusses several key revelations relating to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its relevance to the fields of English and applied linguistics. The article proposes a number of research initiatives and areas for further study, while envisioning the future of the Journal of English and Applied Linguistics in the GenAI era.

Professional Learning Communities: Structures And Implementation For Small Middle Schools And Singleton Teachers, Gerrie Aulisa

Dissertations

Professional Learning Communities are essential to building interdependent collaborative teacher teams to elevate teaching and learning for students. One struggle with implementing PLCs comes about when you have singleton teachers who do not have a colleague who teaches the same grade and content as them. This study reviewed the research-based PLC implementation strategies used at one small middle school. The main research question was: How can PLCs work effectively for small middle schools and singleton teachers? Other related questions were:

● How can PLCs feel relevant to our elective area teachers?

● What determines a successful PLC?

● Should middle …

Undergraduate Student Sense Of Belonging And Edtech Tool Engagement: A Mixed Methods Exploration Of The Virtual Campus Experience, Veronica Wilson

Dissertations

The contemporary postsecondary learning experience is heavily mediated by educational technology (EdTech) tools and yet little is known about the ways in which these tools impact student engagement and sense of belonging, two indicators which are important to student persistence and graduation. Using Strayhorn’s (2023) critical socioecological sense of belonging framework, this convergent mixed methods study offers insights into these relationships by examining student engagement with EdTech and student sense of belonging and the impact of student traits on the relationship between EdTech and sense of belonging. This study was conducted at a private, broad access Hispanic-Serving Institution in the …

Why Not Community College As A Pathway To A Degree, Gretchen Jorndt Reyes

Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to understand if Gen X parents are motivating their Gen Z students' college choice not to attend community college. The few studies that focused on parent involvement in choosing a community college did not focus on the generational differences between parents and their children when it came to college choice, they also did not focus on whether parents influenced their children to attend community college or not (Bers, 2005; Bers & Galowich, 2002).

The study explored Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior and how his theory and the college choice process are intertwined during the college …

Nursing Students’ Attitudes Regarding Technical Standards For Entrance Into A Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Program, Jordyn Leigh Cook

Institute for Disability Studies

Admission into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program requires students to meet specific criteria including a non-negotiable set of technical standards. Technical standards encompass physical abilities including twisting, bending, and handling objects of varying weights (Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science, n.d.). While physical capabilities may hold significance in bedside nursing, the American Nurses Association does not establish specific physical qualifications (American Nurses Association, 2010). Due to admission criteria and technical standards, individuals with disabilities are rarely found among career nurses and nursing students (Leslie & Miller, 2020). This study aims to determine nursing students’ attitudes towards …

Teacher Salary Raises And Turnover: Evidence From The First Year Of The Arkansas Learns Act, Gema Zamarro, Andrew Camp, Josh Mcgee, Taylor Wilson, Miranda Vernon

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Attracting and retaining high-quality teachers is a pressing policy concern. Increasing teacher salaries and creating more attractive compensation packages are often proposed as a potential solution. Signed into law in March 2023, the LEARNS Act increased Arkansas's minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000, guaranteed all teachers a minimum raise of $2,000, and added flexibility allowing school districts to deviate from seniority-based traditional salary schedules. To study school districts’ adjustments to the new legislation, we collected information about districts' teacher compensation policies one year before and the first year of implementation. We also integrated this data with teachers' administrative records …

Factors Impacting Bsn Degrees In Community Colleges In Illinois And Exploring Community Colleges To Address Nursing Education Reform: A Mixed Methods Study, Lovelle Reynolds

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the implementation of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs in Illinois community colleges, focusing on Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) faculty perceptions. Utilizing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the study first conducted a survey among full-time ADN faculty across Illinois community colleges to assess their support for BSN program offerings. An overwhelming 85% of respondents supported or strongly supported this offering, recognizing the potential benefits for meeting the complex demands of modern healthcare roles. Following the survey, in-depth interviews with volunteered faculty members provided deeper insight into the implementation challenges. These challenges included the need for …

1 A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Hospital-Based Physical Therapy Department Leaders’ Most Successful Change Management Initiative, Joseph Patanella

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

ABSTRACT

A phenomenological study of the lived experiences of hospital-based physical therapy department leaders’ most successful change management initiative

Problem: Change management initiatives are consistently employed in healthcare to promote quality care. Of concern is that not all initiatives are successful. Individuals involved in successful change management can offer insight to those approaching initiatives.

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of hospital-based physical therapy department leaders’ most successful change management initiative.

Methods: The research design was a qualitative approach. A phenomenological research design was employed, using the voice of a group that has …

Prior Learning Assessment: Understanding The Implementation Of Policy, Joanna Leah Hunter

Doctoral Dissertations

In 2022, the Louisiana Board of Regents (LBOR) introduced a prior learning assessment (PLA) policy across public higher education institutions in Louisiana. This policy was motivated by two key factors: firstly, it aligned with national best practices to support students entering the workforce without traditional credentials, and secondly, it increased LBOR's degree attainment goal by 60% by 2030. This study aimed to explore how higher education leaders navigated the implementation of this PLA policy. Initial findings revealed that all institutions reviewed in the pilot study offered some form of standardized PLA, with only half providing both standardized and non-standardized options. …

How Do Demographic Characteristics Of Homeschooling Households Influence The Way Homeschooling Is Practiced?, Albert Cheng, Angela Watson

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

The legitimization of homeschooling during the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence of new schooling models (i.e., hybrid homeschooling) potentially change the composition of homeschooling families and the way homeschooling is practiced. This study establishes pre-pandemic trends of the demographic composition of U.S. households who homeschool their children. This study also articulates a theory that the way families practice homeschooling is based on practical constraints imposed by household demographic characteristics and, to a lesser extent ideological reasons. These theories are empirically tested using the 2012, 2016, and 2019 waves of the National Household Education Survey and a sample of 1,468 homeschooling …

Borderland Voices: Exploring The Educational Journey Of Transfronterizx Students, Families, And Educators For Enhanced Engagement And Empowerment, Sobeida Velazquez

Dissertations

Transfronterizx students and their families cross the U.S.–Mexico border for academic, economic, social, cultural, and linguistic reasons. Socioeconomic disparities, deportation, and work have propelled some families to live in Mexico and enroll their U.S.-born children in U.S. schools to provide more socioeconomic opportunities in the United States. Educators of transfronterizx students are uniquely tasked to work with these nontraditional students. Moreover, transfronterizx students and their families have distinct needs in U.S. schools; as such, there is a need for further research on the transfronterizx experience in the U.S. K–12 system. This qualitative narrative inquiry study aimed to understand the experiences …

The Exodus Of Filipino Teachers To Uzbekistan: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Frank Angelo Pacala

Makara Human Behavior Studies in Asia

Filipino teachers drawn to Uzbekistan were attracted by the prestige and mission of its government schools, bringing world-class teaching experience from numerous countries. This departure of Filipino teachers to Uzbekistan is the focus of a hermeneutic phenomenological study that discloses a valuable tapestry of themes that capture the intricate quality of the educators’ journey. The Filipino teachers who joined this study were employed for a minimum of two years. This study was performed through semi structured interviews, and the data went through structural, thematic analysis, exposing a narrative covering distinct themes. First, the resilience and adaptability of the international educators …

The Race For Increasing College Costs, Mark Jayson Farol

Undergraduate Economics Working Paper Series

As higher education continues to shift to be more progressive, providing access to more students of different backgrounds, it currently is facing an obstacle. The escalating cost of tuition is growing to be a significant concern for access to higher education. The government has prioritized increasing federal financial aid to improve accessibility. However, this intervention may paradoxically worsen the rise of the cost of college, as suggested by William Bennett's famous hypothesis. As the higher education landscape evolves, a nuanced examination of tuition rise drivers is essential. This study utilizes cross-sectional data from the National Center for Education Statistics to …

The Patterns And Structures Of Information Technology Departments In Higher Education, Curt Herridge

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the patterns and structures of the Information Technology (IT) department in US colleges and universities. It seeks to understand to whom the Chief Information Officer (CIO) reports, how the top level of the IT department is organized, and what functions the IT department offers. It then examines the university factors that are associated with variations. This quantitative case study uses primary data from the EDUCAUSE Core Data Survey (CDS) and IPEDS, combined with a novel dataset collected from university websites and AAU membership. The study employs Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) using IT variables to classify institutions into …

Examining How Artistic Expression In The Classroom Can Increase Students' Academic Performance And Understanding Of Course Material, Jake Taylor Marrazzo

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study examined how artistic expression in the classroom can increase students’ academic performance and understanding of course material. This study consisted of graduate students in the Masters of Arts in Higher Education program at Rowan University, during the Fall/Spring 2023-2024 semesters, enrolled in at least one of the following courses: Crisis Management, Higher Education in America, and The College Student. The study utilized an artistic expression activity, painting, in connection with participants' course material and readings to understand the benefits of artistic expression on student success in the classroom. Some findings of this study show that artistic …

An Evaluation Of A Cooperative Extension Internship Program, Lisa Ellis Mccormick, Karen A. Vines, Subrato Kumar Kuri

Journal of Extension

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Virginia Cooperative Extension internship program from the perspective of student participants and their supervisors. Three focus groups were conducted with internship supervisors from the summer of 2019. Student survey data was used to identify concerns from the student perspective to inform the supervisor focus group questions. In addition to the questions, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was also used to collect qualitative data within the supervisor focus groups. Findings suggest areas of strength that can be used in marketing as well as opportunities for program improvement.

Administrators’ Views Of Teacher Salary Changes Under The Arkansas Learns Act, Gema Zamarro, Andrew Camp, Josh Mcgee, Miranda Vernon

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

• We surveyed superintendents and principals statewide to understand their perspectives on the salary changes they implemented in response to the LEARNS Act and their future plans related to teacher compensation.
• Administrators reported that the teacher compensation changes required by the LEARNS Act are likely to help them better recruit and retain teachers.
• The primary goals administrators reported they have when designing teacher compensation include: being competitive with nearby districts, retaining existing teachers, and rewarding effective teachers.
• Administrators anticipate offering across-the-board pay increases but also appear open to implementing bonuses for effective teachers in their district.
• Most administrators, 69% of principals …

Representation Matters: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Media Texts About Eight Black Women College Presidents At 4-Year Institutions, Laura Hazel Jack

Dissertations - ALL

Research has found that diversity has a positive impact on innovation, but the profile of higher education leaders has not become drastically more diverse. Although there have been modest changes, they have not been consistent with the changing demographics of college students. The few high-profile presidential appointments of Black women that have received media attention have been the exception rather than the norm. This dissertation used critical discourse analysis and content analysis to examine how eight Black women college presidents were written about in the media. The research questions explored the discourse about Black women college presidents and their leadership …

Women Doctoral Students In Computer Science: Nevertheless, They Persist, Shannon L. Mccoy-Hayes Edd

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Throughout millennia systemic restrictions have prevented women from full participation in science. Even now, with science ubiquitous to life as we know it, double standards impact women’s access and equal participation in STEM. Computer science (CS) is one STEM field where women remain significantly underrepresented in both academia and the workforce, yet despite decades worth of semi-annual reporting, there is still no consensus as to why. A survey was deployed to twenty-nine institutions inviting women doctoral students in CS to participate in personal interviews. Six women from different institutions at different stages of their programs responded. Qualitative interviews using phenomenological …

Indigenous Land Acknowledgement, Learning Spaces, And Sacred Places As Factors For Native American First-Year Students In Higher Education, Danielle E. Yepa Gunderson

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Native American undergraduate students have the lowest college degree completion rates, between 0.7% and 1%, of those earning an undergraduate degree (National Center for Education Statistics, 2017). The purpose of this study was to contribute to the research literature to improve college success by answering this research question: What are the experiences of first-year Native American college students when Indigenous land acknowledgement, dedicated learning spaces, and sacred spaces are present on their campus? This research was a baseline exploratory study that utilized a quantitative approach to survey first year, Native American students at nine public higher education institutions in the …

Co-Teaching In The Classroom: Students’, The Clinical Teacher’S, And The Classroom Teacher’S Perceptions, Allison Nicole Dale

Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning

Co-teaching, where the clinical teacher and classroom teacher teach using different models, has become widely used in clinical teaching placements. This action research study, conducted in a second-grade classroom, had two purposes: to learn teachers’ and students’ perceptions towards co-teaching, and how different co-teaching models were used in different content areas. Through collecting surveys, interviewing students and the classroom teacher, and composing journal entries, qualitative data was analyzed to find common themes that emerged, while quantitative data from the surveys was calculated to find the mean and mode. The study found that co-teaching enriched the learning experience and provided more …

Offering Collegiate Livestock Judging As A Student Organization, Maryfrances Miller, Don W. Edgar, Lyle Logemann

Journal of Extension

Resource constraints have lowered the number of collegiate livestock judging teams, dropping the number of opportunities for collegiate judging, even though interest among students remains high. These opportunities can be provided for less expense through student-led extracurricular organizations. This approach increases the student initiative required, but also provides an increased opportunity for developing and demonstrating leadership skills.

Female Medical Students’ Lived Experiences Of Financial Stress And Coping, Untara Shaikh, Dr. Kimberlee Bonura

Georgia Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Conference

Financial stress is a pervasive concern among medical students, with documented associations with adverse physical health, psychological morbidity, and ineffective coping. This study focuses on understanding the financial stressors female medical students face and the coping strategies they employ. While financial stress and coping mechanisms have been explored in the literature, a notable gap exists in understanding these dynamics among female students.

The study employed a phenomenological research approach to obtain data from the respondents, where data collection involved face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The Adaptation Model of Nursing, complemented by Lazarus and Folkman's Coping Theory, was a comprehensive framework for analyzing …

Two Districts, Five Miles Apart: A Comparative Analysis Of The Lauderdale County And The Meridian Public School Districts, Daneel Konnar

Honors Theses

K-12 public education in Mississippi has sparked much conversation and debate regarding the factors and forces that influence school performance on test scores, teacher pay and salaries, infrastructure, and student performance. Mississippi’s children deserve the best quality education and opportunities to grow into the best version of themselves. However, school districts across Mississippi within the same county are facing many disparities. The purpose of this study is to examine the disparities between the Meridian Public School District and Lauderdale County School District in Meridian. I interviewed seven school officials to gain perspective on the differences between the two school districts. …

Why Not The School-To-Scholar Pipeline? Changing The Narrative Through School Leadership, Marne Renee Foster

Dissertations

The overrepresentation of Black students in exclusionary practices in public K–12 education, such as detention, suspension, expulsion, and misplacement into special education, contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline (STPP). This phenomenon leads to truancy, academic failure, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. In contrast, the school-to-scholar pipeline (STSP) has an inverse relationship with the STPP and views students as scholars in training, ultimately linking them to careers or college. Research has indicated that school administrators’ mindsets, along with teacher bias, play a significant role in perpetuating exclusionary practices and racial disparities (Gullo & Beechum, 2020; Skiba, Chung et al., 2014). …

Shaping Tomorrow’S Ethical Leaders, Christina M. Secrist

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This qualitative research study sought to explore the essences of ethical leadership by reviewing existing theories and frameworks, the characteristics and behaviors of ethical leaders, the leadership styles that portray an ethical component, the motivations of ethical leaders, and the self-efficacy of emerging leaders when faced with challenging decisions of an ethical nature. A thorough literature review was completed in an effort to gain a better understanding of how research studies have defined ethical leadership over the last couple of decades. Transcendental phenomenological interviews were conducted with four self-identified ethical leaders across the industries of agricultural manufacturing, a global non-profit …

“It’S Not You, It’S Me”: Understanding The Relationship Between Students Academic Advising, Xavier Grier

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Understanding what students need should be at the forefront of every higher education institution’s design or plan for impact. From an academic advising standpoint, listening to the voices of students should be of utmost importance when determining how advisors can effectively influence student success. The purpose of higher education is to promote the success of students. Providing assistance towards individual, professional, and career development is the main focus of educational institutions when regarding their ability to help their respective students succeed. One avenue of this assistance is through their academic advising departments. Academic advising is a vital part of how …

Ua12/2/1 College Heights Herald: Ways Of The Future, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

Magazine edition of the College Heights Herald for the period April 8 - May 5, 2024.

• Anderson, Alexandria. Letter from the Editor – Science, Technology & Business
• Anderson, Alexandria. Women in STEM Make Advances
• Novoselia, Mariia. Turnover on Fountain Square: Local Businesses Share Concerns & Success Stories
• SOKY Rentals Offers New Apartments
• Walk2Campus: Where Home Meets Community
• Bush, Camden. Can a Baseball Team Reduce Their Goals to a Math Problem?
• Hawkins, Kaylee. Student Business Owners Share Experiences – Gatara Townsend, Andrew Garrett, Brittiny Sadler
• Ivory, Larkin. Bikewalk BG, WKU CHHS Offer Chances for Healthy Lifestyle – Health & Human Services

The Matthew Effect Within South Side Chicago Public Schools, Jazmin S. Hollingsworth

Honors Capstones

The Matthew Effect was first developed by sociologist Robert Merton (1968) to describe a phenomenon they observed whereby wealth and credit is distributed to individuals based on the wealth or credit they already possess. Keith Stanovich further developed this theory around poverty and effects on students, their learning, and in particular reading (1986). The name Matthew Effect comes from the Bible book of Matthew chapter 25: verse 29. "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." The dynamics of poverty …

A Systematic Review Of Practices Utilized By Administrators To Support Teachers With Classroom Management, Ciara Waggoner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An administrator’s role in supporting teachers has been a topic often discussed in literature. A less mentioned administrative function is their role in supporting teachers in classroom management strategies related to teaching and setting expectations. Problem behaviors in the classroom have a negative impact on student outcomes. Administrators can help address problem behaviors through the use of four effective administrator practices areas identified by Grissom et. al. (2021): (a) instructionally focused interactions (b) building a productive school climate (b) facilitating collaboration, and (c) managing personnel and resources. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify: (1) Which of the …