Digital Commons Network^™

Kindergarten Through Third-Grade Teachers’ Perceptions Of Implementing The Science Of Teaching Reading Practices, Shari Yvonne Ehly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2019, declines in reading achievement across Texas motivated changes for teacher recertification, which required 60-hour professional development in the science of teaching reading (STR). The problem this study addressed was the challenges K-Grade 3 reading teachers encountered when implementing the recently adopted Reading Academy content at a large urban school in Texas. The purpose of this basic qualitative project study was to explore the challenges K through Grade 3 reading teachers encountered when implementing the recently adopted Reading Academy content at a large urban school in Texas. The implementation science conceptual framework guided this study on the fidelity of …

How Sarcoidosis Mental Health Stories Could Affect Legislation, Dorothy Michelle Kemp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem this general qualitative study with narrative techniques addressed was the lack of empirical research about sarcoidosis mental health based on depression, anxiousness, and feeling lonely. Sarcoidosis legislation was also compared to current mental health legislation, which proposed mental health measures. This study aimed to gather secondary data of firsthand descriptions based on the impacts of sarcoidosis mental health aspects and review sarcoidosis legislation. Accumulated secondary data for this study were a collection of stories from doctors, diagnosed patients, and caregivers based on their narrative of the disease from a mental health perspective. In utilizing the advocacy coalition framework, …

The Experiences Of Icu Nurses Caring For Covid-19 Patients In Zambia, Mable Kasonde Mwila

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of ICU nurses caring for COVID-19 patients in Zambia. The problem was lack of knowledge on what intensive care unit nurses experienced while caring for COVID patients then to investigate the experiences of ICU nurses taking care of COVID patients in Lusaka, Zambia. Using Sister Callista Roy’s nursing adaptation model as a conceptual framework, the qualitative interpretative phenomenology approach was used to interview 14 participants in two hospitals in Zambia. MAXQDA software was used to organize data to develop codes and derive six themes, which were education, emotional and psychological …

East African Refugee Women Seeking Health Care After Government Assistance Ends, Sylivia Chelimo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

East African refugee women arrive as a vulnerable population in their host country. Before coming to the United States, refugee women may have experienced varying levels of trauma due to civil wars, genocide, sexual assault, deaths of loved ones, terrorist attacks, being taken hostage, and torture in their home country. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of refugee women from East African countries seeking health care in the Central United States when government assistance ends. The framework of the behavioral model of health was the guide for examining the experiences of the participant refugee …

Fourth Grade Teachers’ Experiences Addressing Low Reading Achievement, Sametria S. Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem addressed in this study was the low reading achievement scores of fourth grade students and fourth grade reading teachers’ struggles raising reading achievement. The purpose of the study was to explore fourth grade reading teachers’ experiences of finding strategies and interventions to improve reading achievement. The theoretical frameworks were Gough and Tunmer’s simple view of reading and Chall’s stages of reading development. The research questions addressed fourth grade reading teachers’ use of strategies and approaches and fourth grade reading teachers’ beliefs about school support. The study used a basic qualitative approach with semistructured interviews from 10 U.S. …

Language Equity In The Undergraduate Classroom: Fostering Language Diversity In The World Of Standard Academic English., Gabriela Johnson

Higher Learning Research Communications

In this essay, I explore the complex intersection of language, identity, and education with a particular focus on the importance of fostering linguistic equity in higher education settings. It is imperative for higher education institutions to reevaluate language-related practices and foster linguistic diversity and equity. Drawing upon linguistic theories and real-world examples, I highlight how language is deeply intertwined with personal identity, culture, and heritage. Various English dialects, such as African American Vernacular English, Chicano English, and others, are highlighted as valid linguistic expressions rather than deviations from a supposed standard. The role of standard academic English (SAE) in academia …

Attitudes Of Algerian Emi And Non-Emi Lecturers And Students Toward English, Sana Touahmia, Farhana Bakar

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the attitudes of English medium instruction (EMI) lecturers and students and non-EMI lecturers and students toward English in Algeria. The Algerian government plans to implement English as a medium of instruction in higher education.

Methods: The research was carried out at an Algerian university where French is the primary language of instruction, but English is used as the medium of instruction for certain courses in the engineering department. Data were gathered through a questionnaire, which was distributed to a group comprised of 52 EMI lecturers, 226 EMI students, 70 …

Fourth Grade Teachers’ Experiences Addressing Low Reading Achievement, Sametria S. Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem addressed in this study was the low reading achievement scores of fourth grade students and fourth grade reading teachers’ struggles raising reading achievement. The purpose of the study was to explore fourth grade reading teachers’ experiences of finding strategies and interventions to improve reading achievement. The theoretical frameworks were Gough and Tunmer’s simple view of reading and Chall’s stages of reading development. The research questions addressed fourth grade reading teachers’ use of strategies and approaches and fourth grade reading teachers’ beliefs about school support. The study used a basic qualitative approach with semistructured interviews from 10 U.S. …

Employee Retention Strategies Of The U.S. Power Industry, Michael Robert Schulz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover in the U.S. power industry continues to be a challenging issue. Leaders of U.S. power organizations tend to be concerned about employee turnover, which has a negative impact on productivity and profitability. Grounded in Herzberg’s hygiene-motivator theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore successful strategies that some U.S. power company leaders use to improve employee retention. The participants were seven business leaders from seven power companies across the Midwestern United States who successfully implemented strategies to improve employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company website information. Through thematic analysis, …

Employee Retention Strategies Of The U.S. Power Industry, Michael Robert Schulz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover in the U.S. power industry continues to be a challenging issue. Leaders of U.S. power organizations tend to be concerned about employee turnover, which has a negative impact on productivity and profitability. Grounded in Herzberg’s hygiene-motivator theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore successful strategies that some U.S. power company leaders use to improve employee retention. The participants were seven business leaders from seven power companies across the Midwestern United States who successfully implemented strategies to improve employee retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company website information. Through thematic analysis, …

The Influence Of A Caregiver Support Program On Consumer Well-Being, Wallace Thomas Peake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caregiving has been shown to be a potential burden for the well-being of caregivers. The focus of this study was a caregiver support program whose managers lacked an understanding of the efficacy of the program in enhancing the well-being of the consumers of the program. The purpose of this quantitative study was to develop and administer a consumer satisfaction survey that evaluated the efficacy of caregiver support program services from the consumer perspective. This study was grounded by the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment model, which informed the development of the survey that was administered to the participants …

The Influence Of A Caregiver Support Program On Consumer Well-Being, Wallace Thomas Peake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Caregiving has been shown to be a potential burden for the well-being of caregivers. The focus of this study was a caregiver support program whose managers lacked an understanding of the efficacy of the program in enhancing the well-being of the consumers of the program. The purpose of this quantitative study was to develop and administer a consumer satisfaction survey that evaluated the efficacy of caregiver support program services from the consumer perspective. This study was grounded by the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment model, which informed the development of the survey that was administered to the participants …

Differences In Art And Music High School Students’ Sat Test Scores From 2006 To 2015, Margaret Ellen Beyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academia and education advocates have reported a concern about the elimination of art and music education classes from high school curriculums in the United States. Studies using mean SAT test scores from 1984 and 1994 versions of the SAT test indicated participants who had art and music education classes had higher verbal and mathematical SAT test scores compared to those who did not. However, since revision of the SAT test in 2005, whether students had significantly increased mean SAT test scores with each added year of art and music education participation, and whether students who participated in art and music …

Differences In Art And Music High School Students’ Sat Test Scores From 2006 To 2015, Margaret Ellen Beyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academia and education advocates have reported a concern about the elimination of art and music education classes from high school curriculums in the United States. Studies using mean SAT test scores from 1984 and 1994 versions of the SAT test indicated participants who had art and music education classes had higher verbal and mathematical SAT test scores compared to those who did not. However, since revision of the SAT test in 2005, whether students had significantly increased mean SAT test scores with each added year of art and music education participation, and whether students who participated in art and music …

Instructional Perspectives To Providing Corrective Feedback For Advanced Second Language Writers, Christina Torres, Elif Saribas

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate how tutors approached second language (L2) errors when working with advanced graduate students in structured one-on-one feedback sessions.

Method: The longitudinal, qualitative case study used data from immediate, retrospective tutor reflections and in-session interactions to follow two tutors as they worked with four advanced L2 writers. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results: Three themes emerged: Error identification, error focus, and learner uptake. The treatment of error in advanced L2 writing necessitated negotiation with the students and deviation from the set tutoring protocol to serve student needs. Tutors took …

Educators’ Perceptions Of The Implementation And Influence Of The Middle School Concept, Carri Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers struggle to apply the middle school concept in three middle schools in the U.S. region of New England. This study was a qualitative investigation of teachers’ perceptions of the middle school concept and their needs for additional support to effectively apply it. The conceptual framework for this study was the middle school concept itself, which theorizes five essential attributes of effective middle schools: responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable, and engaging. The research questions were about teachers’ perceptions of their knowledge about and application of the middle school concept, the extent to which …

Educators’ Perceptions Of The Implementation And Influence Of The Middle School Concept, Carri Burns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that teachers struggle to apply the middle school concept in three middle schools in the U.S. region of New England. This study was a qualitative investigation of teachers’ perceptions of the middle school concept and their needs for additional support to effectively apply it. The conceptual framework for this study was the middle school concept itself, which theorizes five essential attributes of effective middle schools: responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable, and engaging. The research questions were about teachers’ perceptions of their knowledge about and application of the middle school concept, the extent to which …

Human And Social Services Professionals’ Perception Of Service Delivery For African Immigrants, Krystal N. Jossell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African immigrants face various barriers when accessing and utilizing health care and social support services. The challenges associated with migration and the intersectionality of being a Black immigrant can significantly exacerbate African immigrants’ physical, mental, and social well-being. The purpose of this generic, qualitative inquiry was to explore the perceptions and experiences of human and social service providers regarding the barriers and challenges of African immigrants when accessing and using health and social services, the role of cultural competency in the quality-of-service delivery, and how both affect overall service delivery. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven human and …

Human And Social Services Professionals’ Perception Of Service Delivery For African Immigrants, Krystal N. Jossell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African immigrants face various barriers when accessing and utilizing health care and social support services. The challenges associated with migration and the intersectionality of being a Black immigrant can significantly exacerbate African immigrants’ physical, mental, and social well-being. The purpose of this generic, qualitative inquiry was to explore the perceptions and experiences of human and social service providers regarding the barriers and challenges of African immigrants when accessing and using health and social services, the role of cultural competency in the quality-of-service delivery, and how both affect overall service delivery. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven human and …

Teachers’ Perceptions And Challenges Using Imagine Language And Literacy Tool To Support English Language Learners, Sheryl Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growth in the English language learners (ELLs) population in the classroom has given rise to the need for teachers to employ strategies that are both innovative and culturally responsive. A Florida school district has implemented the Imagine Language and Literacy program to meet the growing academic and linguistic demands of its ELL students. However, understanding of teachers’ perceptions and challenges with this program in mainstream classrooms remains limited. This basic qualitative study explored the perceptions and challenges of teachers using Imagine Language and Literacy to support ELLs in their mainstream classrooms. The study was guided by Thomas and Collier’s …

Examining The Association Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Risk Factors Between African Immigrants Living In The United States And African Americans Born In The United States, Philip Effiong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of the study was to investigate the risk factors for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among African immigrants and African Americans born in the United States to identify differences and similarities in their impact and prevalence. Variables considered as potential differentiators included alcohol consumption, income, educational levels, and smoking habits, age, and gender. The health belief model served as the theoretical framework. Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2016, logistic regression analyses were used to test for significant factors affecting T2DM prevalence in these groups. Results indicated that country of origin did not predict …

Use Of Integrated English Language Development To Improve Long-Term English Learner Instruction, Rosanne Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2023, California schools served 1.2 million students designated English learners (EL-classified students). Most EL-classified students in grades 6-12 were considered long-term English learners. The problem addressed by this study is that LTEL-considered students have historically had the lowest academic achievement of any student group, despite federal and state mandates for instructional support through designated and integrated English language development (ELD). The purpose of this case study was to explore how content-area teachers at one California high school used components of integrated ELD to support LTEL-considered students in learning language, literacy, and content knowledge and how site and district administrators …

K-12 Teachers' Perceptions Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy In Ontario, Canada, Heather Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) is an approach to teaching that emphasizes students’ cultural backgrounds in classroom learning to improve student success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness in culturally diverse learners. Research highlights that using CRP in multicultural classrooms supports the engagement, learning, and achievement of culturally diverse students around the world, but less is known about how K-12 teachers’ perceptions of CRP impact the usage of this practice in their classrooms. This basic qualitative study examined K-12 teachers’ perceptions of CRP in Ontario, Canada, to address this gap in practice and determine why educators are not widely using CRP in …

Impact Of Workplace Racial Discrimination On The Health Of Black Men, Denise Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived racially discriminatory experiences of Black men in the workplace in New York City and how those incidents affected their overall health. The study used Critical Race Theory as the theoretical framework and analyzed data gathered through semi-structured interviews with 10 participants. Findings from coding analysis indicated that Black men routinely engaged in acts of John Henryism to receive positive recognition as they navigated negative societal stereotyping, namely proving that they, as individuals, were not negative stereotypes. Additionally, the study revealed that exposure to racial discrimination in the workplace …

Parents’ Perspectives On School Readiness In Preschool-Age Children In Idaho, Courtney Painton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over half of Idaho’s incoming kindergarteners lack the necessary school readiness skills. The environment in which the child lives and grows, which includes the child’s parents, determines the child’s readiness for school. This study addressed Idaho parents’ roles in preparing their preschool-aged child for kindergarten, and their current ability to access resources and information on school readiness. The study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which provided a framework for the influence of parents on a child’s school readiness outcomes based on the idea that a person’s behavior evolves based on the relationship between the person and their environment. …

An Empirical Study Of Student Satisfaction At Selected Private Universities In Bangladesh, Mubina Khondkar, Abureza M. Muzareba

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Satisfying students in higher education has proven to be a difficult task, although universities are striving to meet student needs and expectations. Private universities are trying to become more student-oriented and are seeking to understand students’ perceptions of higher education facilities. This research was designed to measure the gap between students’ expectations and perceptions of various aspects of private universities in Bangladesh. It uses a SERVQUAL framework and the Gaps Model of Service Quality. The population of students at private universities in Bangladesh is represented by a sample of 412 respondents from five top-tier private universities. Findings indicate that the …

Using Case-Based Instruction To Support Teaching Self-Efficacy For Cultural Responsiveness In Pre-Service Teachers: A Mixed Methods Study, Marisa Nodine, Carolyn Hushman, Ashley K. Vaughan, Kira J. Carbonneau

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Using a mixed methods design we quantitively examined how case-based instruction (CBI) influenced preservice teachers’ (PSTs) cultural responsiveness teacher efficacy development across three classroom case studies. Qualitatively, we examined how PSTs were able to engage in self-insertion when writing about their reactions to the classroom cases. Specifically, PSTs were randomly assigned to one of two conditions; one group received a content-based text excerpt prior to reading and responding to two classroom cases (Text–Case). Another group was given a series of three classroom cases (Case–Case) that contained similar information to the Text–Case group. The Text–Case group maintained their cultural responsiveness teacher …

Lived Experiences Of Quality Of Life Among Makonde Immigrants In Kenya During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Shem Migosi Kenyanya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic affected Makonde immigrants’ health and quality of life around the world more than any other previous event. This descriptive qualitative study aimed to contribute knowledge and understanding of the lived experiences of Makonde immigrants and their health and quality of life during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Shye’s systematic quality of life model served as the theoretical basis for the study, along with Wilson and Cleary’s conceptual model of health quality of life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants recruited through social media and flyers posted in Kilifi and Kwale counties. Subjects were interviewed face-to-face and …

Innovation In Practice: Embracing Multilingualism In An Intensive English Programme, Hengzhi Hu, Lu Zhang

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to delineate and substantiate the adoption of multilingualism within an intensive English programme (IEP) conducted at a public Malaysian university. The target audience comprises international students categorised as English as a Foreign Language learners.

Innovation: A model encompassing multilingualism was formulated and applied in the specific context, involving various stakeholders. While acknowledging the primary purpose of IEPs is to develop English language proficiency, this model transitions from monolingualism to multilingualism by raising participant awareness of multilingualism, adopting translanguaging strategies, encouraging comparisons of different languages, and facilitating target language production that acknowledges the role …

Exploring Spanish Translation Accommodations For English Learning Students, Lea Mendoza

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem is that translations of language in standardized mathematics tests are not provided, which reduces the achievement scores of native-Spanish-speaking English language learners (ELLs) in Grades 4 and 8. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of language translation for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to uncover strategies of language translation to support the math scores of Spanish-speaking ELLs in fourth and eighth grades in a northeastern state. Underpinned by Krashen’s theory of comprehensible input, this study addressed the research question regarding how teachers of ELLs perceive language translation strategies for the …