Digital Commons Network^™

Closure Practices Of Higher Education Authorizers Regarding Great Lake States Charter Schools, Ebony H. Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite increasing enrollment rates among Great Lakes state charter schools, a growing body of research acknowledged the disproportionate number of charter school closures experienced by a marginalized student population. The purpose of this qualitative comparison case study was to examine whether inequities existed in the contract renewal process used by resident charter authorizers. Critical race theory (CRT) was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with nine participants (three interviewees per each higher education authorizer [HEA]) and HEA closure data and documents to address the use of processes and criteria to recommend contract renewal or …

Strategies For Securing Users’ Personal Data Against Security Threats In Mcc Networks, Ijeoma Kingsley Ofuokwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of security in Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) networks is likely to have negative consequences. Information security managers are concerned with the lack of security in MCC networks because it is the number one reason for the low implementation of MCC. Grounded in the integrated system theory of information systems, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to identify strategies necessary to secure users’ personal data against security threats in MCC networks. The participants comprised four information security managers from two financial technology organizations in Northeastern Massachusetts implementing various strategies to secure their user's data against security threats …

Teacher Educator And School Administrator Perceptions Of Teacher Preparedness To Implement Culturally Responsive Practice, Gail Olivia Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of students from ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds in K–12 public education settings has increased in the past two decades. However, 80% of teachers in public schools are White and middle-class, which does not mirror the student population. Even though higher education prepares teachers to be culturally sensitive to diverse cultures, more understanding is needed. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory single-embedded case study was to explore teacher educators’ and elementary (K–5) building administrators’ perceptions of preservice and early-career teachers’ preparedness from a university to implement culturally responsive practices for ethnically, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in …

Danish 0–9 School Leader Perceptions Of School Leadership During The Covid-19 Pandemic Shift To Online Learning As Guided By The Seven Fields Of School Leadership, Daniel Martin Palomares

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the gap in the literature pertaining to Danish 0–9 school leader perceptions, experiences, and efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions during the 2020–2021 shift to online learning, guided by the Danish Ministry of Children and Education’s seven fields of school leadership. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Danish 0–9 school leader perceptions and experiences of the role of school leadership during the shift from face-to-face to online learning during the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic as guided by the seven fields of school leadership. Edmondson’s psychological safety theory offered a framework …

Administrators’ Challenges To Provide Sustainable Instruction To Children Of Military Personnel, Pamela Yvette Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military-connected students (MCSs) face academic challenges because of frequent transitions. During military parents' permanent change in duty station (PCS), MCSs are absent for 15 days or more. PCS-related absenteeism has increased over the last decade, and academic achievement has decreased. This basic qualitative capstone project study examined the challenges of high school administrators from Southeast Asian Pacific Island district schools to provide teachers with systematic professional development that supports sustainable instruction for MCSs during PCS-related absences. The conceptual framework for the study was Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory (SLT). SLT suggests that administrators adopt leadership approaches to combat PCS-related …

Leadership Development Strategies For Enhanced Corporate Leadership Capability, Amanda J. Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business leaders lack leadership development strategies to enhance corporate capability. Without these strategies, business leaders may be over or underspending on leadership training without clear or relevant outcomes. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore leadership development strategies used by businesses to enhance corporate capability. Participants comprised six business leaders from the state of West Virginia who developed leadership strategies for enhanced corporate leadership capability. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews as well as a review of public websites and program documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. …

Teacher Perceptions Of Instructional Influence On Students’ 21st Century Soft Skills Retention And Transference, Zoraida Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many career and technical education (CTE) programs have moved from face-to-face to virtual internships (VIs) to train students who are expected to enter the job market. The problem was that many graduates of CTE VIs demonstrate 21st century soft skills during VIs, but upon entering the workplace, are unable to demonstrate the same soft skills. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore secondary CTE teachers’ perceptions of how their instruction during VIs influenced students’ 21st-century soft skills to make student skills retainable and transferable; the TPACK conceptual framework was used as a lens for analysis. Semi-structured open-ended …

Quality Measurement Of Blended Learning Model In Higher Education: Scale Development And Validation, Rajeshwari Panigrahi, Khaliq Lubza Nihar, Neha Singh

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a scale for measuring the quality of blended learning models in higher education.

Methods: This research adopts a sequential mixed-method approach to construct a new measurement scale. The first phase consisted of the inductive approach to identify the items, followed by exploratory factor analysis. The identified dimensions were tested for reliability and validity in the second phase.

Results: The Blended Learning Quality Assessment (BLQA) contains 4 dimensions: Technology Integration, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Physical Infrastructure, and Educator Proficiency. The scale is comprised of 26 items assessing the quality of blended learning programs in …

Parental Expectations For Academic Achievement And Self-Critical Perfectionism In Black Women, Brandy Elizabeth Nichols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black women are diagnosed with depression at exponentially higher rates than their White counterparts, and maladaptive perfectionistic traits such as self-critical perfectionism may be a significant factor in this trend. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the potential moderating effect of education level on the relationship between parental expectations for academic achievement and self-critical perfectionism in Black women. A sample of 144 Black women aged 18–50 completed an anonymous survey. Out of the total responses, 96 completed the entire survey. SPSS (Version 28) excluded one case from the analysis, yielding 95 viable cases. Through bivariate and …

The Association Between Telemedicine And Patient Satisfaction Among Older Patients In Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas, Mimi Byrd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding effective provider communication may help improve shared decision-making and overall patient satisfaction using telemedicine among older patients. Using Donabedian’s lasting framework for healthcare quality as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between effective provider communication and shared decision-making and overall patient satisfaction with the healthcare system among older patients aged 65 years and older who were treated with telemedicine in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. Although researchers have studied patient satisfaction, the literature on the role of patient satisfaction in telemedicine is limited, and healthcare organizations have little evidence relating to how effective …

Perceptions Of Secondary School Educators About English Language Learners Underrepresented In Career And Technical Education Programs, Nancy King Wang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the rapid increase of English language learners (ELLs) in schools in the United States in recent years, they remain marginalized in various educational settings. The underrepresentation of ELLs in high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs is one of the inequitable applications in the schools of New York and many other states. The concept that supports this study is rooted in Ladson-Billings’s theory of culturally relevant teaching, which can also be found in the literature on the culturally responsive sustaining education (CRSE) framework published by the New York State Education Department. The key questions for this research study …

Lived Experiences Of Young Adults Exposed To Negligent And Permissive Parenting Styles, Jessica Hernandez Sanchez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of young adults of permissive and negligent parenting styles and their experiences of resilience and self-sufficiency. The theoretical frameworks were Lazarus and Folkman’s diathesis stress model and Baumrind’s theory of parenting styles. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals ages 18–25 who met the inclusion criteria and parenting style experiences for this study. Data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed and three themes and seven subthemes emerged. The interpretation of the findings led to five themes: (a) the impact of attachment and parenting styles on the …

Institutional Logics Influencing Human Services Nonprofit Board Members Adoption Or Nonadoption Of Good Ethical Governance, Cynthia Felici Jewell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Board members of human service nonprofit organizations (HSNPOs) perform within the self-governing nonprofit sector influenced by complex logics (reasoning) from institutions. Unknown are the origin, identity, role, or purpose of institutional logics or their influence on HSNPO board members to adopt or not adopt existing good ethical governance. This generic qualitative inquiry study explored HSNPO governance and ethics as experienced, described, and narrated by HSNPO board members. This study utilized the theoretical frameworks of institution theory, complexity theory, institutional complexity theory, and institutional logics metatheory. The concepts within these selected theories are interconnected in contextualizing institutional logics (reasoning of institutions) …

Young Adults’ Essential Food Skills And Cooking Perceptions: A Mixed Method Study, Marcy Gaston, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Nicole Wanago

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Our purpose in this research study was to examine perceptions of food and nutrition educators (FNEs, i.e., Registered Dietitians Nutritionists and Family and Consumer Science teachers) and young adults (ages 18–25) on the status of cooking and food skills among young adults. Using a cross-sectional survey design, FNEs (n = 93) and college-attending young adults (n = 270) in the United States completed electronic surveys. The qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed using a convergent mixed-methods approach. The qualitative data from open-ended survey responses collected from young adults and FNEs were analyzed using coding reliability thematic …

Understanding The Use Of Mobile E-Books Among Mathematics Postgraduates, Malathi Letchumanan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The main objective of this study is to understand the factors that encourage the use of mobile ebooks among mathematics postgraduate students.

Method: This study employed a qualitative case study approach. Eight mathematics postgraduate students from the algebra research group participated in the study. Data were collected via interview and analyzed by using constant comparative analysis.

Results: Utilitarian, cognitive, affective, social norm, and content qualities were the main factors influencing the use of mobile ebooks among the participants.

Conclusions: Mobile ebooks are easy to use and provide a meaningful platform to find information. In addition, the mobile ebook …

English Language Learning At Tertiary Level In A Central Mexican Public University: A Case Study, Irasema Mora-Pablo, Edgar Emmanuell Garcia-Ponce

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: Our objective was to examine the perceptions regarding the teaching and learning of English of students in 16 undergraduate programs at a state public university in Mexico.

Method: In our qualitative case study, participating students responded to queries about their experiences learning English at the university, as well as their educational aspirations upon completion of their university studies.

Results: Despite their relevance to language immersion and competency, students struggle to combine prior experiences with current learning. Given Mexico’s English education system and past national initiatives, most participants say they still speak basic English. It is also clear that the …

Higher Education Leaders’ Perceptions Of The Function And Purpose Of Faculty Academic Advising To Support Student Persistence And Retention, Kristin Domville

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty academic advising provides students with academic support to enhance academic persistence and retention. Prior research on faculty academic advising has not included higher education leaders’ (HELs’) perceptions of the function and purpose of faculty academic advising when creating policies and procedures that are intended to support student persistence and retention. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore HELs’ perceptions of the function and purpose of faculty academic advising when developing institutional policies and procedures that are intended to support student persistence and retention. The conceptual framework for this study was the appreciative inquiry (AI) model established …

Using Strategic Planning To Improve Volunteer Recruitment And Retention For Nonprofits In The Post-Pandemic Era, Antonio L. Mccormack

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

COVID-19 has changed U.S. culture and negatively affected society worldwide, especially nonprofit organizations that provide community service. Since the pandemic, nonprofit agencies encountered many hardships, especially with the loss of personnel, primarily volunteers. The present study focused on implementing ways to improve recruitment and retention of volunteers for nonprofit organizations in the post-pandemic era through strategic planning. A qualitative approach was deemed the most feasible to conduct this study. This study utilized a SWOT analysis approach, a method of strategic planning used to collect data. A total of 10 interviews were conducted to explore the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats …

Strategies For Leading Successful Virtual Teams, Amina Foley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some leaders lack strategies to successfully lead virtual teams to prevent employee attrition and decreased revenue. Organization leaders are concerned with retaining experienced employees to continue and grow profitability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, as well as the cognition-based trust and affect-based trust theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies leaders use to lead virtual teams successfully that improve trust and job performance, increase employee retention, and enhance organizational growth and profitability. The participants were seven virtual team leaders from the accounting and logistics industries who have experience with improving growth and increasing retention. …

Family Medicine’S Role In Addressing The Intersections Of Redlining And Climate Change, Daryl O. Traylor, Eboni E. Anderson, Brianna Clark, Alex M. Smith, Cooper K. Allenbrand

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Redlining, the practice of discriminating against specific neighborhoods based on race and socioeconomic status, leads to persistent environmental hazards and socioeconomic inequalities that have lasting adverse health effects on their populations. Health disparities are further exacerbated through the concentration of environmental hazards, as well as the escalating impact of climate change, which poses an increased risk of respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, mental health issues, heat-related illness, infectious diseases, food insecurity, and socioeconomic difficulties in redline neighborhoods.

This paper examines the interplay of redlining, climate change, and health disparities, with an emphasis on the enduring consequences for these marginalized communities. Through …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Their Input Into Important Campus Decision Making, Amy Jane Boughton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Panorama Teacher Survey (PTS) results from 2018 to 2021 indicated that school leadership has improved in one North Texas district. The problem investigated in this study was that despite favorable overall results on the Panorama Teacher Survey (PTS) in the local school district, the school leadership dimension of “teacher input into important campus decisions” was consistently ranked by teachers as needing improvement and was the lowest ranking amongst the other school leadership dimensions. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers’ perceptions about their role in providing input into important campus decisions and to gather their recommendations for …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Reading Comprehension Among Fifth-Grade Students With Exceptionalities As A Result Of The Pandemic, Paula Webb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is the low reading comprehension levels of fifth-grade students with exceptionalities (SwE) (e.g. dyslexia) in a local school district in Georgia. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions on their successes, challenges, and suggestions when teaching reading to SwE. The conceptual frameworks were the blended learning model and the constructivism model. The methodology of this research study was a basic qualitative design. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight fifth-grade teachers in a large school district in Georgia to investigate the reading foundational skills SwE are lacking that …

General And Special Education Teacher Experiences And Support Strategies For Adolescent Students Experiencing Chronic Health Conditions, Kimberly Diane Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with chronic health conditions are living longer lives, thanks to medical advances. This group of students spend more time in classrooms, and teachers have become tasked with meeting the needs of this growing population. Teachers require supports on best practices for educating students with chronic health conditions who are in their classrooms. The knowledge of teachers supporting this population of students can be insubstantial, but the experiences of teachers can begin to add insight to how to meet the needs of the teachers educating this group of students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the teaching …

The Experience Of Self-Regulation Among Obese Adults During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Nicholas Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is considered a disease, an epidemic, and is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, poor mental health, and low quality of life. It is also a leading cause of mortality. While it is difficult for obese adults to combat their condition, it was much more challenging during unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Annesi’s self-regulation conceptual framework was used as a basis to ground this study. Research explains the importance of practicing self-regulation to increase physical activity. However, there is little research on the practice of self-regulation to increase physical activity and weight …

Implementation Of Developmental Feedback As A Performance Strategy In Small Businesses, Angela Lynette Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some small business leaders (SBL) lack developmental feedback strategies to improve employee performance, impacting job satisfaction, engagement, and motivation, and impairing business sustainability. Grounded in the Herzberg two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies SBLs used to enhance employee performance. Participants comprised five SBLs in Arkansas who implemented strategies to improve employee performance. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and reviews of publicly available organizational documents. Braun and Clark’s approach and Yin’s five-step process were used to conduct thematic analysis. Eight themes emerged: growth opportunities and staff potential; challenges, limitations, and mitigation; workplace culture, …

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives On Fidelity Implementation Of Read 180, Tommye Lorenda Easterly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

READ 180 was adopted by a school district in Southern Alabama (SDSA) in response to students’ low state reading and comprehension scores statewide. However, after years of implementation, it is unclear whether the READ 180 curriculum and the instructional practices characteristics of the READ 180 have been implemented with fidelity across district schools, specifically at middle schools. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore fidelity of implementation of READ 180 instructional practices used by middle school teachers in SDSA. The conceptual framework guiding the study is Carrol et al.’s implementation fidelity theory, which focused on the degree …

Strategies For Coping With Racial Microaggressions Among African American Medical Social Workers, Robert Ebot Tambe Ebot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial microaggressions are prevalent in the field of social work. Social workers have reported experiencing racial microaggressions from coworkers, patients, and patients’ families. However, little is known about coping strategies that African American medical social workers use to mitigate the effects of racial microaggressions in the workplace. Therefore, the purpose of this generic qualitative study was to increase understanding of how African American medical social workers perceive and cope with racial microaggressions in the workplace. A generic qualitative approach was used to explore this topic, as well as how these social workers subsequently cope with perceived racial microaggressions. Twelve African …

Relationship Between Hospital Staff Communication And Hospital Consumer Assessment Of Healthcare Providers And Systems Score, Jesmean Lyons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) require all hospitals in the United States to utilize the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient satisfaction survey. The survey stands to impact reimbursement received because it scores the operational and clinical outcomes of a health services provider. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine whether there is a significant difference between the 2019 and 2021 (i.e., before and during the COVID-19 pandemic) performance rates for communication with nurses, the responsiveness of hospital staff, and care transition for hospitals in the state of California. The …

The Lived Experiences Of African Immigrants Accessing Healthcare In The United States, Rachel Yendaogo Kamasse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic and racial disparities in accessing primary healthcare persist for African immigrants in the United States, placing them at a greater risk for adverse health outcomes. This social problem has become more significant since African-born individuals are the fastest-growing immigrant population in America, and many of them experience health threats before their arrival in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how African immigrants describe their lived experiences with accessing primary healthcare in the United States. The study was guided by ecological systems theory. Data were collected using in-depth, semistructured interviews lasting approximately 60-90 …

Aging And Depression: Identifying Strategies To Prevent Suicide And Restore Integrity, Nekka A. Herbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have documented a projected increase in the older adult population and a foreseeable increase in older adult suicides associated with shortcomings in the mental health field related to providing adequate mental health treatment to individuals 65 and older. Researchers have concluded that these shortcomings are due to ageism, lack of awareness, lack of knowledge in gerontology, and inadequate training for professionals entering the field. Studies have highlighted the growing number of older adult suicides but have lacked effective treatment strategies to reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts/behaviors, specifically in the older adult male population, which has the highest number …