Digital Commons Network^™

Swosu Fact Book Summer 2024, Joel Harrel Kendall, Diane Fitzsimmons, Kelsi Burghardt

Fact Books

Starting in 2024SU, Southwestern Oklahoma State University will produce a Summer Fact Book, which will provide information on enrollment, student demographics, and academic programs for the summer semester. The report is designed to help faculty, staff, administrators, and external stakeholders better understand the student body and university trends. The data analyzed for this report was collected on the 5^th day of each summer semester 2015 through 2024.

Analysis Of Policy Implementation: Improving Reading Proficiency Outcomes For All Students, Mariela Magro-Malo

Education Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the implementation and impact of reading improvement initiatives mandated by Texas House Bill 3 (2019) within a Texas school district. By applying improvement science principles, the study employs a mixed-methods embedded research design to evaluate the alignment of district practices with the Science of Reading and assess the effectiveness of systemic approaches in enhancing student reading outcomes. The research identifies statistically significant improvements in reading achievement, particularly in kindergarten, following the adoption of a phonics curriculum and mandated reading assessment tools. However, the findings also reveal challenges, notably the disconnect between policy understanding and practical implementation among …

Self-Efficacy, Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization, Personal Accomplishment, And Spiritual Well-Being Among Christian School Administrators, Marisa A. Bundy

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Christian school administrators are faced with daily decision-making responsibilities regarding several aspects of a school. Before this research study, there was little research in the field of education with Christian school administrators as the sample population. The aim of this correlational study was to examine Florida Christian school administrators’ levels of personal accomplishment, depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and their relationship to self-efficacy and spiritual well-being. The study measured burnout among participants with the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey , self-efficacy with the General Self-Efficacy Scale, and selected items from the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. Christian school administrators (N = 53) provided response to …

Cte Can Be For Me: Middle School Counselors’ Perception Of Their Knowledge And Abilities To Guide Students In Career And Technical Education In The State Of Texas, Justin W. Hooten, Ronald S. Rhone, Lesley F. Leach, Juanita M. Reyes

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

A renewed emphasis on career and technical education has guided the transformation of high school education to support alternatives to college achievement. Research shows that career identity development begins in middle school or earlier, though the literature is scarce when discussing career guidance at the middle school level. Through phenomenological interviews, this research attempted to understand the processes and perceptions of middle school counselors when discussing career and technology education with their students. This study revealed recommendations for district officials and those in academia to assist in creating more robust career development programs at the middle school level.

Leading With Hope: A Grounded Theory Exploration Of Trauma Informed Leadership For School Principals, Christopher Bottoms, Robert J. Lynch, Shawn Ricks, Julie Hasson

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

Before the age of 18, 60% of U.S. youth are estimated to have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), with 1 in 6 experiencing four or more ACEs. This study sought to uncover the ways in which school principals understand and enacted ways to support students that have experienced trauma. Using grounded theory methods (n=15), we explored how school principals utilize trauma-informed leadership as a means to support students. The impact of this study may help in the revision of how school principals are evaluated, professional development for school principals, and the academic preparation for school administration candidates.

Unveiling The Socioeconomic Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Academic Staff: A Qualitative Analysis Of Financial Perspectives And Job Satisfaction, Saheed Oluwaseun Lawal, Habibat Bolanle Abdulkareem, Omoniyi Adeyemi Rasaq, Tajudeen Ade Jamiu

Journal of Educational Leadership in Action

The study investigated how the Covid-19 pandemic affected lecturers' views on income and satisfaction in private Nigerian universities in Kwara State. It aimed to understand this impact as an opportunity for growth and resilience in the education system. Researchers asked four main questions and involved faculty members from various universities using purposive and convenient sampling methods. Results showed lecturers were generally satisfied with consistent salary payments and associated benefits, but the pandemic had diverse impacts on private universities: decreased spending, staff layoffs, reduced fee payments, and lower student enrollment. To enhance lecturer satisfaction, the study recommended exploring alternative income sources, …

Transforming School Leadership: An Examination Of The Impetus And Evolution Of An Internal District Principal Preparation Program, Whitney Szoke

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

School districts, faced with increasing shortages in the education profession, are leveraging internal district strategies to recruit and grow their educators. In addition to preparing and credentialing new educators, districts are turning inward to cultivate their leadership pipeline. This case study explores a post-credential inner-district principal preparation program in a large school district in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participants were central office leaders involved in creating and developing the program. This study's findings reveal insights into the creation and development of an inner-district principal preparation program and how initiatives are shaped and influenced during the development phase. Central office leaders were …

What's The Cost?: A Phenomenological Study Of Black Male Teachers' Persistence, Kendra Yvonne Hall

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Black male teachers comprise 2% of the teacher population in the United States. In light of this disparity, there is a need to diversify the teacher workforce by recruiting and retaining Black male teachers. Black teachers are influential in students’ academic performance and personal growth. Without their presence, we are missing a key demographic and a key part of a student's educational experience. While Black male teachers’ experiences have been studied, we are less clear on the motivational processes behind their decision to teach. Therefore, this qualitative study takes a phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of Black male …

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

Community College Student Affairs Professionals’ Perceptions Of Their Supervisor’S Authentic Leadership: The Influence On Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment, Brent Lamar Via

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Employee retention is an ongoing challenge for higher education student affairs professionals, who account for the largest employee group across the higher education workforce. Job satisfaction and organizational commitment have previously been identified as correlated with college and university employees’ decision to stay or vacate their position. Authentic leadership, an evolving theory, has been associated with greater levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment in a variety of settings. However, there is a gap in the literature about the status of this relationship within community college student affairs work environments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship …

Decriminalizing Academia: Black First-Generation Community College Students In Unsatisfactory Academic Standing, Gerome Maurice Bell, Jr.

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Community colleges serve as critical access points to higher education for Black students. However, current outcomes suggest that Black students are not being properly served in America’s community colleges. Although well-meaning institutional leaders often create policies and programs aimed at improving success rates for students from marginalized backgrounds, too often, the voices of those directly impacted by the policy are not considered. Consequently, little is known about the lived experiences of Black first-generation community college students, especially those in unsatisfactory academic standing. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of Black first-generation students on …

Wmu Board Of Trustees Formal Session ,June 27, 2024, Wmu Board Of Trustees

WMU Board of Trustees Meetings

• Acceptance of the Agenda
• Approval of the Minutes (April 25, 2024 Meeting)
• Remarks by the Chair of the Board
• Remarks by the President
• Updates by the Faculty Senate President
• Updates by the Western Student Association President
• Western Michigan University Employee Graduates
• WMU’s Investment in the Future – Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Public Comments Regarding Action Items

Action Items

• Resolution: Trustee Dr. William F. Pickard’s Leadership Legacy
• Academic Tenure and Promotion
• Student Room, Board, and Apartment Rates 2024-2025
• Tuition and Required Fee Rates Fall 2024
• General Fund Budget, Fiscal Year 2024-2025
• Five Year Capital Outlay Master Plan
• Lease Agreement with Formosa …

Beyond Credit: The Philosophy And Practice Behind A College Freshman Literacy Intervention Course, Jeremy Logsdon, Daniel Super

Teacher-Scholar: The Journal of the State Comprehensive University

READ 101 is a college freshman literacy intervention course at a southeastern U.S. regional university created to increase student retention and persistence and to serve as an alternative to the traditional developmental reading model. READ 101 was created within a dedicated university infrastructure and is a credit-bearing course that counts toward student GPA and graduation requirements and is taught by full-time credentialed faculty. It utilizes a philosophy of intervention instead of remediation, requiring that instruction be based upon where students need to be rather than the level at which they currently read. READ 101 is structured around research-based literacy practices. …

Transfer Students Matter: A Case Study On The Student Experience Of First-Generation Transfer Students At A Four-Year Public University In A Bridge Program, Quishaundra R. Harris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aims to establish a knowledge base and learn about the experience of first-generation transfer students who have completed their Associate in Art (AA) degree from a community college and have transitioned to a four-year public university. The study aims to examine first-generation transfer students' sense of belonging and transition at a four-year public university. A qualitative case study was conducted to learn about the experiences of first-generation transfer students who transferred from state community colleges and are currently enrolled at a four-year university in a bridge program. This study was driven by two theoretical frameworks: Schlossberg's transition …

The Impact Of Texas High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Culture On Their Intent To Stay Or Leave From Their Position, Abigail Crawford, Lesley F. Leach, Ron Rhone, Juanita Reyes

School Leadership Review

ABSTRACT

Teacher attrition has been an issue in education for decades, however, post-pandemic, the problem has grown exponentially. Teachers at the high school campus are often particularly difficult to replace because of their specialized areas. Yearly faculty surveys often ask teachers to share their perceptions of their campus, including but not limited to, faculty relationships, administrative decisions, student discipline, and learning and assessment. While teachers’ perceptions of these areas of campus life might be positive or negative, do any of these areas motivate a teacher to leave or to stay? The purpose of this research is to investigate high school …

A Writing Retreat For Extension Professional Development Capacity Building: A Case Study Of Arizona Cooperative Extension’S 4-H Youth Development Program, Jeremy Elliott-Engel

Journal of Extension

Extension Professionals have varying expectations of academic publication depending on tenure and promotion. And, the field of Extension needs the contributions of professionals across the system to support the translation and dissemination of the impacts of and findings from their Extension programming for academic and practitioner audiences. A writing retreat was held to support 4-H Youth Development professionals in academic writing. Because of this writing retreat five teams started working on an academic writing project which resulted in three journal articles being published. Teams also published conference presentations and Extension publications as a result of the initial academic writing project. …

Food Insecurity Amongst Urban College Students, Gerron Scott

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

Food insecurity is a growing concern among college students. With the rising food and housing costs, more students are going hungry. This narrative inquiry provides a greater understanding of food insecurity's impact on the college-going experience for urban students. Interviews were conducted with five college students who attend a large public urban university in the mid-Atlantic and use the on-campus food pantry. As a result of the narrative inquiry, six themes emerged. They are peer relationships, government assistance, cost of living, access to healthy food, institutional help, and navigating college. As a result of the study, there are several actionable …

The Future Of Nursing Leadership: Incorporating E-Learned Artificial Intelligence (Ai) Pathways With A Precautionary Focus On Patient-Centered-Care, Jamie Anne Marcus Dr., Bonnette Villalba Webb

FDLA Journal

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a data-driven mathematical process that incorporates machine-based-logic, usually in the form of algorithms. Education, training, and competencies are now conducted through virtual reality, robotics, simulation, and technology learning-based-platforms by healthcare organizations. This represents a significant change in the future of nursing practice. The adaptability of technology-based-learning platforms can impact the quality and efficiency of learning for some of the workforce population. Nurses' perception of technology and AI-driven nursing practice may vary based on generational orientation and can be a potential barrier to learning, practicing, and adaptability of this framework. The forging of well-trained resilient nurse leaders …

Exploring School Leadership Styles Used To Improve Instruction And Learning In Schools, Nana Yaw Agyeman Mr, Venessa Aphane Ms

Journal of Research Initiatives

Schools are under intense pressure to improve quality and achieve long-term educational outcomes. To improve education, schools' teaching and learning environments must be improved. This research evaluated the various leadership philosophies used in South African schools to improve teaching and learning. The study's qualitative methodology included in-depth interviews with open-ended questions. A purposeful technique was used to select 16 participants from four different schools. The participants included four principals, four school management team members, four department heads, and four teachers. Themes guided the data analysis, focusing on patterns and resemblances while maintaining data quality. The study's findings revealed that school …

2024-06-14 Agenda Book, Morehead State University. Board Of Regents.

Morehead State Board of Regents Agenda Books and Meeting Minutes

Agenda booklet for the Board of Regents meeting of June14, 2024, which includes the Board and Audit Committee meeting minutes for March 29, 2024.

Contrastive Analysis Of English And Pashto Adjectives, Abdul Raziq Safi

Journal of Research Initiatives

Language is a systematic means of communication that employs sound or conventional symbols. Using a foreign language can be problematic when attempting to communicate or translate written or spoken language from one's native language due to structural differences between languages. Among the most widely spoken languages in the world, English is understood by approximately half of the global population. However, it is neither an official nor a second language in our country. Nonetheless, due to its significance, it is often taught as a foreign language at schools, institutes, and universities. As previously mentioned, Pashto, our language, shares structural similarities and …

"It Hurts Me To Say": Preservice Teachers' Use And Disapproval Of Deficit Discourse In Urban Schools, Sherridon Sweeney, Brian Flores

Journal of Research Initiatives

Extensive research examines the development and impact of deficit discourse in schools. However, more research needs to be needed to explore how preservice teachers use this language during their preparation. Therefore, our qualitative study explored how deficit discourse became part of five preservice teachers' vernacular when speaking about children and teaching. Findings suggest participants (a) Relied on reductive labels to describe children, (b) attributed their use of these labels to their exposure to them during their practicum, and (c) demonstrated both cognitive dissonance and silent resistance toward deficit language. Implications are for teacher educators and school leaders.

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of The Use Of Serious Games For Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Latoyia R. Stewart

Journal of Research Initiatives

Attention deficient hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common childhood neurodevelopment disorder, and severe digital game use has recently shown significant promise in this psychotherapeutic area. Digital serious games have also been used as an innovative teaching and learning approach. This study aimed to explore middle school teachers' perceptions of the use of digital severe games for students with ADHD. The conceptual framework for this study was Sherry's model of game engagement. The two research questions for this basic qualitative study focused on middle school teacher perceptions regarding the benefits and challenges related to the use of digital serious games …

The Minutes Of The Marshall University Board Of Governors Meeting, June 12, 2024, Marshall University Board Of Governors

Board of Governors Minutes

No abstract provided.

Embodying Whole Community Preparedness: A Case Study Of Student-Facing Preparedness Initiatives At Institutions Of Higher Education In The State Of Oregon, Francis Pastorelle

Dissertations and Theses

Over the last two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in natural and manmade disasters. While no community is immune to the risks posed by these large-scale emergencies, colleges, and universities, which are home to numerous vulnerable populations, could be counted among those most at risk. In their current state of overall community preparedness, campuses are not equipped to weather impending dangers; consequently, the impact on students could be disastrous. This study examined preparedness practices at Oregon colleges and universities to better understand how institutions of higher education in the state prepare their students for large-scale emergencies, what challenges …

What Exactly Does Identity Have To Do With Teaching? Exploring The Connection Between A Teacher's Racialized Identity And Their Teacher Identity, Lizette Aguilar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study explores the relationship between race and teacher identity, specifically understanding how the two concepts intersect and (re)present themselves within the classroom environment. This study analyzes six teachers’ narratives of identity, race, and teaching to explore themes of race and identity as they traverse from their earliest experiences with race into their experiences as teachers. Findings conclude that, first, teachers’ narrative identities are a composite of key narratives—important moments of deep impact in the process of identity building—that accumulate over time to form what Dan McAdams (1993) calls personal myths. Since key narratives are continually shaping one’s personal myth, …

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 …

The Fourth Wall Of Dialogue: A Co-Constructive Collaboration On Bipoc Student Sense Of Belonging In Higher Education, Valarie Lindsey

Dissertations

Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students’ sense of belonging (SOB) at higher education institutions has decreased over the last 30 years despite numerous initiatives aimed at increasing a sense of belonging for this group of students and addressing the challenges they face from various intersectionalities including cultural biases, gender marginalization, and racial subjectivities. Sense of belonging is often subjective in nature because it refers to an individual's lived experience, it is important for higher education institutions to tailor their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive (DEI) initiatives to meet the needs of the students on their campus. This initiative should include …

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 …

Who’S Next: Elementary Principals’ Process For Identifying Future School Leaders In Washtenaw County, Michigan, Jennifer Bookout

All NMU Master's Theses

This qualitative study investigated how six experienced elementary school principals in Washtenaw County identify internal candidates for future principal positions, aiming to enhance understanding of educational leadership and succession planning. The research addresses two primary questions: (1) How do principals identify prospective internal candidates for school leadership? and (2) What competencies or characteristics do principals use to determine candidates' suitability for school leadership? Three themes emerged for the first question: informal recognition of leadership potential through daily interactions; providing leadership opportunities such as leading committees or mentoring teachers; and engaging in direct conversations about career goals. For the second question, …