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Secondary Physical Education Teachers’ Perceptions Of Adolescent Females’ Cardiovascular Fitness, La Shundra T. Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular fitness levels in physical education have decreased for males and females in an inner-city high school, with female cardiovascular fitness decreasing the most. Cardiovascular fitness is important because participating in cardio exercises decreases health issues such as obesity and cardio problems. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the views of teachers regarding low cardiovascular fitness among adolescent females in physical education and how a professional development could help teachers to address the problem. Bandura’s social learning theory was used as the study’s conceptual framework. Semistructured and open-ended interview questions were used to collect data from …

Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee Turnover In Public Schools, Peggy Teresa Proctor-Matos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The oversight of systematic approaches to reducing voluntary employee turnover decreases educational institutions’ budgets and performance. In the United States, public schools spend over $2.22 billion annually in voluntary employee turnover costs. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies public school leaders use to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The population consisted of 3 leaders from 1 public school located in Georgia, with successful experience reducing voluntary employee turnover. The conceptual framework for this study was grounded in Vroom’s expectancy theory. The data collection process included semistructured interviews and organizational documents and artifacts. Data were analyzed …

Characteristics Of Successful Elementary Principals As Instructional Leaders, Phonecia Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of consistency of implementation of instructional leadership practices by elementary principals. Little research existed at the time of this study to inform current practitioners about specific instructional leadership practices that positively effect student growth based on the perceptions of successful practitioner. The purpose of this study was to describe specific instructional leadership behaviors perceived by elementary school principals to have a positive effect on student growth and to describe the contextual factors that affect the different levels of implementation of these behaviors. The conceptual framework for this study was instructional leadership. …

Staff Members' Perceptions Of General Education Development Programs In Virginia's Correctional System, Andrew Lee Beamon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Virginia Department of Corrections mandates that all offenders without a high

school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to be enrolled in

GED programs offered in the prison system. However, these programs have shown

varying rates of success. Supported by the constructivist theory, the purpose of this

qualitative case study was to identify how correctional education staff members

perceived the effectiveness of the GED programs. Data from surveys and interviews with

9 educational correctional staff members were collected and analyzed for themes.

Findings indicated that (a) participants use computer software for effective instruction,

(b) offenders who were …

The Role Of Animal-Assisted Interventions In Communication Skills Of Children With Autism, Jennifer Ann Friedrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with social communication and prosocial behaviors. Due to a lack of social communication and social interaction skills among children with ASD, special education teachers are tasked with providing meaningful social opportunities to them to facilitate their learning of these skills. Special education literature lacks research studies about how dog-based animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can improve social communication outcomes for children in a school setting. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study, guided by Bowlby's theory of attachment and the human-animal bond concept, was to explore, describe, and improve the understanding of …

Improving The General Education Development (Ged): Retention And Completion Rates Of Low Income Adults, Kimberly Mashaun Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining adult education students has been a growing concern. The new GED requirements have generated low completion rates for a free GED program in a 3-year period, in a non-profit agency in a Southeastern state. Instructors are concerned about this problem and need to understand the factors that are inhibiting adult learners from successfully attaining their GED. This qualitative research design was the most appropriate to answer the research questions to determine the experiences that caused the adult learners to not complete the program and identify potential educational strategies needed to improve retention. Sticht's functional context theory was the conceptual …

Mentor Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Mentoring Strategies, Paula Tomlinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators at a public high school in Southeastern United States depend on mentor teachers to minimize the attrition rate among beginning teachers, yet the strategies implemented by mentors lack definition and clarity. The purpose of this study was to explore mentor teachers' perceptions of effective mentoring strategies and their needs when mentoring new teachers. Maslow's humanistic learning theory guided this bounded basic qualitative study. The research questions focused on the mentoring strategies mentor teachers perceived as effective and the needs of the mentors. Ten high school mentor teachers, who currently mentor new teachers, were purposefully selected to participate in individual …

Kindergarten Reading Readiness And Developmental Indicators For The Assessment Of Learning, Terry Lynn Wood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The acquisition of early childhood literacy skills is a predictor of academic success in elementary education. In a local school district, 22% of children entering kindergarten were assessed as having a gap in their reading readiness skills (RRS) based on their pre-K scores on the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning (DIAL-4). The average kindergarten beginning-year difference on the Reading Baseline Inventory (RBI) between the students with a gap and students without a gap was 15 out of 100 points. The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the change between fall and spring RBI scores of kindergarten …

Perceptions, Lived-Experiences, And Environmental Factors Impacting The Crime-Reporting Practices Of Private College Students, Kelly Lynn Arney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was assessing the perceptions of student's on how the campus climate impacts their likelihood of reporting crime. Victimization studies have been conducted at large universities and community colleges; however, there remains a lack of research regarding private colleges. This study was designed to examine the reasoning behind students' crime-reporting behaviors and the influencers that impact their decisions. Cohen and Felson's routine activity theory along with the collective-efficacy theory were used as frameworks to analyze the crimes that occur to college students as well as to explore the reasons for not reporting some crimes to law …

The Collaboration Experiences Of Elementary School Intervention Specialists In Inclusive Classroom Settings, Donisha Noel Bailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Collaboration is one of the most significant components of inclusive education, according to professional literature. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of intervention specialists in terms of collaboration with general education teachers in elementary school inclusive classrooms and administrative support of collaboration. The collaboration and the community of practice theories were used for the conceptual framework in this study to understand how collaboration is an ongoing interaction between people to achieve a common goal. Research questions were designed to understand the perceptions of intervention specialists who work in inclusive classrooms regarding collaboration and administrative support by …

Factors Contributing To Military-Veteran Student Success, Charlene Sutton Cofield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The enrollment of military/veteran students at U.S. colleges and universities is growing steadily; however, factors affecting their academic success need further investigation. Guided by Tinto's student integration model and Bean and Metzner's model of nontraditional student attrition, the relationships between student characteristics and academic success for military/veteran, and civilian students were investigated. For this nonexperimental study, preentry characteristics (military/civilian status, race/ethnicity, age, gender, transfer credits) as well as 1st-year academic performance (total terms attended and grade point average [GPA]) archived in 393 students' records were examined to determine whether these variables predicted 4 student success measures: retention after 1 year, …

Qsen Competency Confidence Levels In Two Groups Of New Registered Nurses, Yvonne A. Davila

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare agencies and stakeholders expect registered nurses to be competent at all times. When nurses are not confident in competencies, negative patient outcomes can occur. The purpose of this quantitative quasiexperimental with posttest only study was to investigate Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competency confidence levels of 2 groups of new nurses who had 5-6 months of clinical experience. Framed by the Duchscher theory and the QSEN framework, the research question was developed to examine the differences between QSEN competency confidence levels of new nurses who participated in a prelicensure program plus a residency program and nurses who …

The Effects Of Common Core State Standards In Mathematics On Inclusive Environments, Byron S. Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) require students with learning disabilities in mathematics to use a range of cognitive, skills, and foundational numerical competencies to learn and understand complex standards. Students with learning disabilities in mathematics experience deficits in cognitive processes skills and foundational numerical competencies which have emerged as underlying barriers associated with mastering CCSSM. Examining the impact of high-stakes assessments on readiness for college and careers and student achievement may provide evidence that deficits in cognitive processing skills and numerical competencies can impact achievement levels. Using the cognitive theoretical frameworks of Bandura and Gagné, along with …

Teachers' And Principals' Perceptions Regarding The Implementation Of Project Based Learning, Kenneth Ray Moore Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of teachers in a medium-sized, rural, low socioeconomic high school in the U.S. state of Arkansas were not implementing mandated project-based learning (PjBL) or were not implementing the method with fidelity, which was problematic because students may not have been reaping benefits associated with the method. The reasons underlying those conditions were not well understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study, which was reflected in the study's 2 main research questions, was to better understand why teachers at the focus school were not implementing PjBL or were not implementing PjBL with fidelity and to generate potential solutions for …

Psychological And Contextual Antecedents To Student Engagement Profiles Of Ninth Grade Students, Wendy Ann Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student engagement is a determinant for students' academic success, readiness for higher education, and social agency. The purpose of this qualitative, case study was to explore ninth grade students' perceptions of the contextual and psychological factors that influence the development of student engagement profiles. The ecological systems theory was used as the framework for the study. Through purposive sampling, 15 participants were selected, and 5 groups of 3 were formed based on participants' engagement profiles as identified by cooperating teachers' categorization and the results of the Student Engagement Instrument. Using semi structured interviews, data were gathered for the 4 research …

Cherokee College Students' Experiences With Cultural Incongruence On Primarily Whitestreamed Campuses, Matthew Rom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The persistence rates of Native American students in higher education are lower than other underrepresented groups. Research suggests that the discrepancy could result from factors outside of students' academic knowledge. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how Cherokee students perceive their tribal culture affects their ability to persist at institutions of higher education with a primarily Whitestreamed campus culture. Tharp's cultural compatibility theory and Astin's student involvement theory guided the development of the research questions. The research questions explored potential differences between Cherokee students' tribal culture and the culture these students percieve exists on their college …

Language Teachers' Perceptions Of Barriers To New Language Acquisition For English Language Learners, Maryse Lorie Austin-Archil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Education

This is to certify that the doctoral study by

Maryse Lorie Austin-Archil

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Peter Kiriakidis, Committee Chairperson, Education Faculty

Dr. Nori Mora, Committee Member, Education Faculty

Dr. Glenn Penny, University Reviewer, Education Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and Provost

Sue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University

2019

The research site was an urban public high school. The study problem was that language teachers reported to school administrators challenges they had when …

A Comparison Of Two Language-Supported Instruction Programs For English Language Learners, Maria De Los Angeles Barreto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite language differences, English Language Learners (ELLs) in U.S. public schools are assessed by the same standardized tests of English Language Arts (ELA) skills as are their English-speaking peers. ELLs have routinely performed poorly on the New York State ELA standardized assessment. ELLs are a significant portion of the population in New York City public schools; therefore, their continued poor performance puts some of these schools at risk for closure. Guided by Thomas's and Collier's framework for understanding Dual Language Immersion programs, the purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental, archival study was to determine if significant differences in ELA standardized assessment …

Addressing The Completion Agenda By Improving A Community College's Student Retention Rates, Emily Jo Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A local community college is experiencing low level student retention. . The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of administrators, faculty and students regarding the low student retention rate. The participants for this qualitative case study included 6 former students who withdrew from the local community college before completing their degrees, 2 faculty members, and 2 administrators. The conceptual framework was constructivism. Research questions were designed to elicit perceptions of understanding retention issues in terms of adult learning and documenting the problem of retention. Data were collected in the form of semi-structured interviews and document review to …

Strategies For Managing Employee Self-Expression In The Workplace, Heather A. Cavise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that 50% to 70% of higher education employees in the United States are disengaged in the workplace. Some higher education institutions are negatively affected by imposing strict guidelines restricting employees' freedom of self-expression in the workplace. Using Herzberg's 2-factor theory of motivation as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by higher education institution leaders to manage workplace self-expression without negatively affecting motivation and work productivity. The population was 9 leaders from 3 higher education institutions in central and northern New Jersey. Data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews and …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Reflective Practices Within An International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, Gail C. Hardwick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The International Baccalaureate (IB) standards recognize reflection as an integral part of the framework and the fabric of the Primary Years Programme school, as it is embedded in the foundational standards and practices of the inquiry-based IB teaching model. However, teachers in an IB Primary Years Programme school located in the southeast United States struggled with being reflective practitioners. Guided by John Dewey's reflective thought, the purpose of this bounded qualitative exploratory case study was to examine teacher perceptions of reflection practices in an IB Primary Years Programme school. Research questions were drafted to ask about teachers' perceptions of their …

Evaluation Of The Excel And Impact! Programs For Gifted Students, Jeffrey Christo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed a gap in local practice where the IMPACT! and EXCEL programs for gifted students only received anecdotal evaluation. Despite the existence of established standards, programming for gifted students rarely undergoes rigorous evaluation at the local, state, or national levels. The research project consisted of a summative goal-based evaluation that reported the degree to which the school district's programming met national standards and to identify strengths and weaknesses. The researcher conducted qualitative inquiry of an intrinsic case study to evaluate the programming at a single school district under the theoretical frameworks of pragmatism, differentiated instruction, and self-efficacy. Educators …

Teachers' Formative Assessment Use To Check For Understanding And To Adjust Instruction, Bobbi Jo Kenyon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders at an urban high school in the U.S. Midwest encouraged teachers to use formative assessment to help students meet learning goals; however, several years later, they found inconsistent implementation. Without a clear understanding of teachers' formative assessment practices, leaders could not establish needed supports for its consistent use in the classrooms. The purpose of this bounded qualitative case study was to examine teachers' formative assessment use to check for student understanding and to adjust instruction. Black and Wiliam's formative assessment theory formed the foundation of this study. Research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of formative assessment and usage …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Adoption Of New Pedagogies In Kazakhstan, Phillipa Schulleri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kazakhstan has used the Soviet system of education since its independence in 1990. Researchers have noted shortfalls in education reform efforts and documented factors of teachers' resistance to new pedagogies. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore local teachers' perceptions of the new pedagogies in the context of understanding the local-international teacher program in Agrenov international schools (AIS). Three research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of factors for adoption of new pedagogies in an educationally transforming school using the motivational and systems approaches and emotional intelligence conceptual frameworks. A conceptual framework constructed from three theories of motivation, …

Promoting Infant Safe Sleep Through Staff Education, Maryann Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sudden unexplained infant death (SUID) is a sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age that cannot be explained after an investigation or an autopsy. SUID is the leading cause of infant deaths in the United States; SUID is considered a sentinel event to the birth hospital. Birth hospitals are held accountable for education, training, and role modeling of infant safe sleep practices (SSP) to reduce infant sleep-related deaths up to 1 year of age. This educational project was designed to answer the project-focused question of whether the implementation of an evidence-based, safe sleep training program for nurses …

Lebanese Elementary Teachers' Perceptions About Metacognitive Skills For Students With Learning Disabilities, Tassoula Semaan Bassous

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in Lebanese schools are still using outdated traditional strategies for instructing students with learning disabilities (LD). The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to understand Lebanese elementary teachers' perceived barriers to providing effective metacognition skills instruction and increase the understanding of how teachers are supporting students with LD to use metacognitive strategies to enhance their own learning. The conceptual framework used to ground the study was Flavell's metacognitive theory. The purposeful sample included 12 elementary special and regular education teachers selected from 6 different Lebanese schools in 5 areas in Lebanon. Each teacher participated in a semistructed …

Teachers' Perceptions About Instructing Underachieving K-5 Students On Mathematical Word Problem-Solving, Crystal Yvette Baldwindouglas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The state of Maryland has implemented the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) operations & algebraic thinking and number & operations-fractions with emphasis on students in Grades K-5 acquiring the ability to solve word problems for state and curriculum math assessments. However, since the implementation of CCSSM, 30% of elementary students in a Maryland school district have demonstrated underachievement (basic or below basic level) on problem-solving sections of the state and school standardized tests. This qualitative case study, guided by Polya's model of the four phases of mathematical problem-solving, was conducted to address this problem. The research questions addressed …

Understanding Of Self-Confidence In High School Students, George Ballane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students at a private high school in New Jersey exhibited low academic self-confidence as compared to other indicators on the ACT Engage exam. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an understanding of academic self-confidence, academic performance, and learning within a sample of students. This research explored students' and teachers' perceptions of self-confidence and their impact on academic performance. The research was guided by Weiner's attribution and Bandura's self-efficacy theories. The research questions focused on 3 areas: students' and teachers' perceptions of academic self-confidence as factors impacting students' academic performance; and the perceived relationship between academic self-confidence, …

Impact Of Charter School Legislation On Public K-12 Education In Pennsylvania, Stuart Whiteleather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Charter and cyber charter schools were legislatively permitted to operate as publicly funded educational institutions in Pennsylvania with the passage of Act 22 of 1997. Examining the tuition payments from traditional school districts funding charter schools and resulting economic, operational, and programmatic impacts on traditional K-12 education was the purpose of this study. Conflict theory provided the theoretical framework which proposes that inequity and competition for limited resources is the result of powerful groups exerting their influence on the greater society. This study's research questions focused on determining the impact tuition payments to charter schools had on public K-12 student …

Instructional Reading Practices For Third Grade African American Males, Kimberly Dawn Whaley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males often struggle to read on grade level. However, 3 East Texas Title I schools demonstrated exceptionally high levels of reading proficiency with this population. This study addressed the knowledge gap of understanding the instructional practices linked to high reading achievement of third grade African American males in Title I schools in East Texas. Guided by Ladson-Billings's theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, which builds upon academic success, cultural competence, and development of critical consciousness, and supported by Vygotsky's theory of social and cognitive constructivism, the reading instructional practices of the 3 schools were investigated. Research questions focused on …