Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Lived Experiences Of Undergraduate Transgender Students At Four Year Institutions In The South, Christy E. Heaton

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, narrative study examined the lived experiences of transgender students at four-year institutions in the South. The college transition process and academic and social integration for transgender students was explored through the frameworks of Transition Theory (Schlossberg, 1995), Minority Stress Theory (Meyer, 1995; Breslow, Brewster, Velez, Wong, Geiger, & Soderstrom, 2015), and Academic and Social Integration theories (Tinto, 1975; Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendon, 2004). College climates can be challenging for transgender students, especially when campus staff and faculty are not prepared and/or aware of transgender students’ needs (Pryor, 2015). How students perceive their academic and social integration as well …

Charismatic Leadership Perceptions From K-12 Administrators: Phenomena Of Follower And Leader Interdependency, Lucinda G. Martinez

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

A greater understanding of the nature of leadership can be gained by empirical analyses, such as this quantitative study, addressing the influence executive administrators have on their message recipients, their followers. This study sampled 64 non-teaching K-12 school, district, and state administrators and measured their perceptions of their immediate supervisors’ leadership behaviors by completing the ©Conger-Kanungo Charismatic Leadership Scale (Conger, Kanungo, Menon, & Mathur, 1997) and the ©Perceived Leadership Behavior Measures Inventory (Conger, Kanungo, & Menon, 2000). Analyses of variables measuring perceived leadership behaviors and those effects on the attitudes and perceptions of their followers may contribute to …

Exploring Science Identity: The Lived Experiences Of Underserved Students In A University Supplemental Science Program, Lynette D. Perrault

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Underserved students attending under-resourced schools experience limited opportunities to engage in advanced science. An exploration into the influence a supplemental science program has on underserved students’ acquisition of science knowledge and skills to increase their pursuit of science was conducted to help explain science identity formation in students. The proliferation of supplemental science programs have emerged as a result of limited exposure and resources in science for underserved students, thus prompting further investigation into the influence supplemental science programs have on underserved students interest and motivation in science, attainment of science knowledge and skills, and confidence in science to promote …

Empowering Refugees Through Self-Education, Ayanna Osborne

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project focuses on how to create easier access to education in refugee camps. This is discussed through the ideas of self-directed learning and cooperative learning. As well, the current need for education is explored. Several case studies are provided demonstrating that people without a formal education have successfully been able to seek information and teach themselves. As well, studies are discussed in which individuals have been shown to efficiently seek information and teach one another.

My website provided is still under construction as of 01/2018. It will be completed by the end of the year. Anyone is welcome to …

African-American Males, Part-Time Work, And Persistence, Ami M. Tripp

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The central research question for this study asked how do African-American males perceive working part-time, while enrolled full-time, to have an impact on their persistence? A secondary question asked, what factors influenced African-American male students to persist through graduation? The participants comprised of 35 African-American male college students who graduated Spring 2016. This study was focused on part-time employment and its support of persistence for African-American men. Hence, persistence theory was the most pertinent lens through which to view the literature and the data collected in this study. This study employed a case study research, as it is an empirical …

Best Practices Used By Assistant Superintendents Of Curriculum And Instruction: Improving Teacher Instruction In A High Accountability Environment, Julie Madden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative multi-case study investigated not only the role of assistant superintendents of curriculum and instruction, but the strategies and best practices used by four assistant superintendents of curriculum and instruction and a deputy superintendent of teaching and learning from East Texas in order to improve classroom instruction and support teachers in the high-stakes testing environment. The study sheds light on the role of central office leaders, their views related to the high-stakes testing environment and the impact they have on instruction for teachers and students. The responses given in this qualitative case study were carefully analyzed in order to …

Understanding Instructional Leadership: Perceptions Of Elementary Principals, Georgia M. Powell

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

With a proverbial finger pointing to principals as the school leaders responsible for overall student success, there is some increase in the accountability measures leadership provides. There is then more emphasis placed on principals’ capacity to take charge of the teaching and learning processes at the school level. The practices associated with the planning and guiding of the learning within schools is classified as instructional leadership. As part of their work. Principals are expected to be instructional leaders. This study explores how elementary principals in Ontario schools approach instructional leadership work especially since there is much ambiguity that exists about …

The Impact Of Student Leadership Engagement On Meaning In Life And Work During College, Heather Janel Strine-Patterson

Dissertations, 2014-2019

The rising need, cost, and debt for postsecondary education has increased attention and scrutiny on its value, and colleges and universities must underscore outcomes beyond employment of graduates. Psychological well-being is a promising area to expand the value of postsecondary education. Using correlations, multiple regression, and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), this study seeks to contribute to an emergent body of empirical knowledge about the impact of postsecondary education on students’ well-being by specifically examining the relationship between participation in cocurricular and extracurricular experiences and students’ well-being defined by their sense of meaning in life and work. To this end, …

Undocumented Students’ Access To Higher Education In San Francisco, Bay Area, Sandra Miklosic

Master's Theses

This paper will explore the question: “in what ways does DACA status influence undocumented students’ ability to access higher education in San Francisco and Bay Area, California?” Even though DACA does not encompass any direct policies regarding access to education, there is a very strong correlation between having DACA status and accessing higher education for the undocumented students. In this research, I highlight the voices of undocumented students through the method of testimonio. Each participant reflects on their personal experiences with DACA while accessing postsecondary education. In this research, I explore how testimonio, as a methodology and a theoretical framework, …

The Relationship Between Student Participation In A 1:1 Laptop Initiative And Academic Achievement In A 9-12 Upper Middle Class Suburban New Jersey Public School District, Brian P. Gatens

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The use of laptop computers in 1:1 settings is becoming increasingly prevalent in America’s schools. As greater numbers of students are using this technology, establishing its benefits and costs is paramount, especially in light of so many demanding fiscal situations. This study used quantitative research and analysis to measure the benefits and costs of such an expansive distribution of technology. It seeks to answer the question of the worth of such a large-scale adoption.

This study explored the relationship between the use of a laptop computer on a 1:1 basis for the purpose of academic instruction and its connection …

Transfer Student Experiences At Stanford University And The University Of California, Berkeley, Rachael Madison

Master's Theses

Elite institutions have a long history of serving students from high socioeconomic status families. Transfer students who begin their college career at community colleges are typically from low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented minority status families. This population of students has historically been underrepresented at elite colleges. The purpose of this study was to examine the community college transfer student experience at two elite universities, one public and one private, and how institutional programs and structures affect the transfer student experience. The study gathered information from eight community college transfer students, four from each elite university, interviewed in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Four …

Teacher Perceptions Of Teacher Performance Pay And Performance Evaluation In Yunnan Province, China, Yi Hua

Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects

In China, teacher performance pay has been implemented for eight years, but teachers’ perceptions regarding its implementation have been examined seldomly. Exploring teachers’ perceptions is a path to hear teachers’ voices, inspect implementation practice, and evaluate impacts. This mixed-method study explored teachers’ perceptions toward performance pay in Panda School District of Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China through surveys, interviews, and artifacts. A total of 333 valid responses to the survey were collected and 14 teachers participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. The quantitative results indicate low to moderate teacher support for performance pay. The qualitative themes generated through content analysis present …

Supporting A Growth Mindset In High School Classroom Teachers, Peter Abboud

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the strategies that California public high school principals utilized to develop a growth mindset in classroom teachers.

Methodology. This qualitative case study used interviews from 12 high school principals to gain an understanding for how they supported a growth mindset in their classroom teachers. The population for the case study was northern California high school principals, and the sample included high school principals from Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Marin, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties. To participate in the study, principals needed to be serving in at …

How And Why Do Superintendents Build And Maintain Trust With School Principals: Exploring The Highly Complex Nature Of Relationships Between Leaders Within A School District, Celine Bourbonnais-Macdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

As society increases its expectations of education systems, school leaders are required to adapt their leadership practices to meet these demands. The province of Ontario has focused on establishing a framework for its educational leaders, The Ontario Leadership Framework (Institute for Education Leadership, 2013) to help communicate and support a coherent leadership structure in its public schools. For school leaders to be able to meet the provincial expectations, they need to be supported at the district level by superintendents who build and maintain strong relationships based on trust so that the school leaders can maximize change to educator practice, and …

How Decision Makers Learn To Choose Organizational Performance Measures, Annemarie N. Hooge

Theses & Dissertations

This study, framed by decision making, program theory, and performance measurement theory, explored the knowledge and experience that enable decision makers to identify organizational performance measures. It used a mixed method, exploratory sequential research design to discover the experience, knowledge, and skills (EKS) senior decision makers felt were important in learning to choose organizational performance measures. From the analyzed interviews, a survey was designed to measure the importance of the EKS characteristics. Qualitative analysis identified 55 life, work, or educational experience; knowledge; or skill characteristics and 23 effective measure characteristics. Regression analysis and PCA were used to extract 6 components. …

Identifying Emotional Intelligence And Metacognition In Medical Education, Robert Weigand

All Theses And Dissertations

An extensive literature review identified emotional intelligence and metacognition had not been examined in medical education as integrated concepts in the reflective practice of medical residents. Continued research into the independent application of these concepts in medical education maintains a perspective that has permeated medical literature for 20 years. Research into emotional intelligence and metacognitive functioning and its’ influence on reflective practice in medical education acknowledges the need for more taxonomies of knowledge and skills. A quantitative correlational study was conducted utilizing Family Practice residents. Three valid and reliable assessment tools identified as the MSCEIT, MAI and Groningen were used …

The Impact Of Integrative Programs And Services On International Students’ Transitions At Three Regional State Colleges, Patriece Campbell

All Theses And Dissertations

Over one million international students study at colleges and universities across the U.S. each year. Yet, some international students struggle academically, not because they do not have the cognitive intelligence to excel but they find it difficult to adapt into the American academic culture that is oftentimes significantly different from their own. The study sought to understand the use of integrative programs and services at three select Pennsylvania state institutions and their impact on international students’ successful transition as a part of their campus community. The intent of this study was to understand the complexities that international students face as …

Strategic Restructuring In Higher Education: A Case Study Of A Consolidation Of Two Institutions, Claudia D. Lyerly

Theses and Dissertations

This in-depth single case study examined the implementation process utilized for the consolidation of two public institutions and the participants’ perceptions five years post-consolidation of the extent to which the original expected outcomes of the consolidation have been achieved. The names of the institutions and participants involved in this case study have been replaced with pseudonyms. The case study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research methods, with the qualitative method having more dominance throughout the study. Three primary sources of data were used: semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field notes. The data collected from all three sources were coded, analyzed …

Standards-Based Grading Within A School District Using Personalized Learning, Dywayne Hinds

Dissertations

This policy advocacy document, as part of my study, focused on my desire to implement a new grading practice within the district. This change will result in moving to a standards-based grading system from a traditional grading system. Although this would be a new practice within the district, many districts throughout the nation are making similar changes. The reason for my policy is associated with the need to measure more accurately student performance and to determine if students have mastered content specific standards within a course of study. Educators must place emphasis on the mastery of content specific standards that …

Preparing Education Leaders To Meet Diverse School Needs: A Cross-Case Analysis Of Principal Preparation Programs, Angela W. Cox

All Dissertations

As schools become increasingly culturally diverse, school leaders require the preparation to assist them with the challenges they may face. Educational leaders have a responsibility to guarantee that all students are receiving an equitable and fair education. School leaders have a duty to promote teaching and learning for all students. Principal preparation program should prepare today's school leaders with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be culturally aware and hold high expectation for all students and create inclusive school environments. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and determine if principal preparation programs in South Carolina are preparing school …

Efficacy Of North Haven’S Response To Intervention In Reducing Over-Identification Of Specific Learning Disabilities, Karyn B. Gallagher

EDL Sixth Year Theses

In 2006, a reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act led to changes in how the state of Connecticut determined special education eligibility for a student with a specific learning disability. The Response to Intervention (RTI) approach replaced of the discrepancy model in making this determination. This retrospective case study looked at the perceptions of North Haven Staff on the efficacy of the RTI process in reducing the over-identification of students with specific learning disabilities. A mixed-methods survey was administered to 337 professionals in North Haven, CT. Of the 86 responses received, 73 were determined to be useful …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Chinese Immersion Programs In Minnesota, Xinming Ren

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of the study was to gain information from parents who had enrolled their child/children in selected Chinese language immersion programs during 2016-2017 school year in Minnesota. The study aimed to explore parents’ motivations and perceptions of Chinese immersion programs in Minnesota. By exploring parents’ perceptions, the Chinese immersion programs’ strengths and potential improvements were identified. The findings of the study were shared with Chinese immersion programs’ administrators, teachers, and parents to improve their awareness about Chinese immersion programs in Minnesota. The findings of the study were used to supplement the gap in the literature related to parents’ perceptions …

At The Intersection Of Politics And Higher Education: Policy, Power, And Governing Boards In Oklahoma, Kirk Rodden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the perceptions of members of Oklahoma public higher education governing boards and legislators concerning higher education governance. The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding among the participants as to the role governing boards should play in the system. The population for the study comprised 142 members of the Oklahoma Legislature and 107 members of 15 Oklahoma public higher education governing boards. The principal investigator used a web-based survey development company to design, collect, and store survey responses.

Results from the study were examined using independent samples t tests and one-way ANOVAs. From …

One Size Doesn't Fit All: Implementation Of Differentiated Instruction, Janet D. Butler

Dissertations

SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL: IMPLEMENTATION OF DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION-A CHANGE LEADERSHIP PLAN

Differentiated instruction is an approach to teaching in which educators actively plan for students' differences so that all students’ academic needs are met. It is also a process of ensuring that what a student learns, how he or she learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he or she has learned is a match for that student's readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning (Tomlinson, 2008). In a differentiated classroom, teachers divide their time, resources, and efforts to effectively teach students who have various backgrounds, readiness and …

A View From Within: A School Founder's View Of Educating Children From The Inside Out, Allison B. Slade

Dissertations

The media and political affiliations often color the view of charter schools within different sectors of the community. However, there is no argument that there is much to be done improve achievement in our public school systems across the country, especially those who educate high numbers of often marginalized populations. This study looks at one charter school in Chicago, Illinois, which has a focused mission and vision to “Educate Children from the Inside Out.” It examines the school through the social science portraiture method. Data collection includes interviews with current and former staff and students, observations, review of school documents, …

Exploring Teacher Effectiveness As Measured By The Danielson Framework For Teaching And Student Achievement Outcomes: Pursuing An Understanding Of Leading Students To Excellence-Pulse Study, Caletha White

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The idea of teacher excellence is the guiding principal of exploring the teacher evaluation ratings of effective teachers. Using the Danielson Framework for Teaching as a tool for measuring teacher effectiveness through common goals, language and practices is the core of this study. Adding value to the teacher evaluation process through measures of student achievement supports the ideals around effective teaching and learning and teacher evaluation. As an educator and researcher, the goal is to understand what combination of teacher behavior, student learning and academic outcomes contribute to overall success for our students. Analyzing data in the school district …

Teachers' Perceptions On Professional Learning: A Mixed Method Program Evaluation In A Middle School Setting, Emily Crement

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was evaluate the program of teacher professional learning at Hamlin Middle School to guide formative improvement, therefore maximizing the potential of increasing teacher effectiveness and results. By facilitating evaluative thinking among teachers on the topic of teacher professional learning, the goal was to change how teachers conceptualize teacher professional learning. The discussion of professional learning was based on the Modes of Learning Framework (HarvardX, 2014), which organizes learning along two continua: hierarchical-distributed and individual-collective. Methodology included a survey on teachers’ perceptions on the modes of learning, and focus group discussions in which participants interpreted survey …

Faculty Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Impact Of Professional Development For Teaching, Research, And Service, Claudia Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Participants in this research consisted of tenured 56.9% (n = 95) and tenure-track 41.1% (n = 69) faculty members who taught in different departments in the colleges of Health Affairs, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Education and P-16 Integration. The …

College Readiness Indicators Of First-Generation Hispanic High School Students In South Texas, William Morley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between first generation Hispanic student participation in an AVID program and college readiness. The dependent variable, college readiness, was measured by passing the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Reading, Writing, and Math assessment. Predictor variables included Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) elective course participation, Advanced Placement courses taken, Advanced Placement Exams taken, Advanced Placement Exams passed, Dual Enrollment Courses Passed, and ACT Composite score. A factor analysis was performed on the predictor variables, resulting in three independent variables for the study: AVID elective course participation, Average of T-scores for …

A Study Of Perceived Leadership Styles As It Affects The Decision-Making Process Employed By Eleven Catholic School Principals In South Texas, Mary Olivia Agbakoba

Theses and Dissertations

Catholic School principals play an important role in the development of students' spiritual, social, and academic wellbeing. Consequently, in order to improve students' spiritual, social, and academic skill, it is vital to study the perceived leadership styles and decision-making of Catholic School Principals. Research questions include: "Is there a relationship between Catholic School Principals and teachers' perceptions on principals' leadership styles?", and "Is there an association between decision type and decision-making style used?" 11 Catholic School Principals and 179 Catholic School Teachers completed a paper and pencil survey that assessed the perceived leadership styles of principals. Data was analyzed using …