Digital Commons Network^™

Crisis Intervention Team Training On Autism Among Female Cit-Trained Police Officers, Julie Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this qualitative case study was the lack of documentation that supports the perceptions and experiences of crisis intervention team (CIT) trained female police officers related to their encounters with persons with mental illness (PwMI) with autism. Using Giles’s communicative accommodation theory (CAT), the purpose of this study examined the perceptions of CIT-trained female police officers of PwMI with autism during encounters. Giles’s CAT was aligned closest with the teachings of CIT training. Seven participants provided data which comprised of completed questionnaires and transcribed interviews. The method of analysis used was a combination of inductive coding and …

Using Social Perspectives On Vaccination To Build Public Trust In Pro-Vaccine Communication, Lindsay Hale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

United States public health guidelines for mandating vaccination of school age children for preventable diseases is increasingly ineffective. Little is known, however, about what sociocultural factors influence parents’ and legal guardians’ decisions to adhere to, hesitate against, or refuse to abide by immunization public health guidelines. The purpose of this qualitative study was to discover and better understand sociocultural factors that contribute to or detract from parents and legal guardians’ adherence to recommended vaccination schedules. The theoretical framework for this study was Coleman’s Rational Choice Theory. Research questions involved sociocultural factors and reference groups that influence parents and legal guardians’ …

Understanding The Involvement Of Parents Of Children With Disabilities In Island Rural Communities, Catherine Ava Ali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that parental involvement in children's school life has a positive impact on children's academic and social success, especially for children with disabilities (CWD), and even more so for CWD in island rural communities. The involvement of parents of CWD in primary schools in rural communities in Trinidad and Tobago has not been studied previously. This qualitative case study was conducted to gain a deeper understanding of why parents of CWD in three primary schools in adjacent rural southern communities in an education district in Trinidad do or do not become involved in their children’s education. At the same …

Postsecondary Faculty Perceptions Of Social And Emotional Learning Professional Development On Instructional Practice, Kurt Victor Spady

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health distress for students is prevalent on postsecondary campuses, which negatively affects students’ psychological well-being and academic success. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the influence that social and emotional learning (SEL) professional development focused on respect had on the instructional practice of full-time faculty at a community college in Western Canada. Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning was the conceptual framework that grounded this study. The research question explored faculty perceptions of the influence of Respect-focused training on their instructional practice. This study used purposeful sampling of 12 full-time faculty members who had taken the …

Self-Identifying Latino/A/X Former Mental Health Therapy Clients’ Experiences Receiving Mental Health Therapy, Teresa Sypolt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Latino/a/x population in the United States continues to increase as does the need for mental health professionals who are bilingual and knowledgeable on multicultural issues. Spanish is the native language spoken in approximately 13% of the households in the United States, with 36% of Spanish-speakers seeking mental health treatment. Research on therapists serving Latino/a/x clients indicated that therapists struggled to provide culturally sensitive and linguistic appropriate interventions. While therapists’ challenges and experiences have been explored, little is known on the therapeutic experiences of Latino/a/x former clients. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis was to explore the therapeutic experiences …

Sociodemographic And Behavioral Predictors Of Obesity Among Female Asian Indian Immigrants In The United States, Afiya Saleem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals from low-income countries such as those in the Asian region migrate to high-income countries and adopt obesogenic behaviors like sedentary lifestyles and high fat and sugar intake. This results in increased susceptibility to obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Previous research has demonstrated that migrants from South Asian countries are at an increased risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension; however, little is known about the factors that contribute to this phenomenon. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study guided by the social-ecological model. This study used secondary data from the National Health Interview survey to investigate …

Context-Responsive Learner-Centered Education In A Secondary School, Chukwemeka Michael Enemuoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Learner-centered education (LCE) has historically proven difficult to implement in non-Western countries, despite being perceived as synonymous with quality education. Although context-responsive pedagogy has been proposed as the key to successful LCE implementation, the literature on context-responsive pedagogy has not focused on LCE specifically, but on education in general. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Nigerian teachers’ understanding of context-responsive LCE. The conceptual framework consisted of Fernandes et al.’s curricular contextualization framework and Schweisfurth’s minimum standards for LCE. The research question examined teachers’ perceptions of context-responsive LCE. Participants were 10 teachers in a Nigerian urban secondary …

Pedagogical Practices And Digital Tools Used By Online Tutors With Students In Grades K-5, Alison Marie Parker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little was known about the experiences of K-5 online tutors. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of online tutors regarding their pedagogical practices and digital tools used when tutoring students in Grades K-5. The community of inquiry model served as the conceptual framework. Data included online tutor profiles, websites, and one-to-one interviews with 16 participants. Data were coded and analyzed using NVivo. Findings were interpreted within the contexts of the conceptual framework and the literature. The study revealed five themes: K-5 online tutors as educational entrepreneurs, rewards of being a K-5 online tutor entrepreneur, …

Health Belief Effects On Preventive Health Among Hispanic Migrant And Seasonal Farmworkers, Angela M. Trawick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) are the unhealthiest workers in the United States and experience barriers to preventive healthcare. While faced with numerous health risks, many Hispanic MSFWs may not seek preventive health services or have access to them when they need them. The purpose of this study, guided by the rural nursing theory, was to understand the beliefs/health seeking behaviors of MSFWs and how they described usage of preventive health services. Fourteen Hispanic farmworkers volunteered to do telephone or in person interviews. The codes and categories were reviewed to identify patterns and make connections between the data using Saldana’s …

A Culturally Responsive Literacy Approach To Develop Scientific Conceptual Knowledge Through Creative Narratives, Alma D. Stevenson, Lacey D. Huffling

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our study examined the effects of culturally responsive literacy pedagogical approaches in the development of scientific vocabulary and conceptual knowledge among minoritized middle-grade students during a summer program. We describe the design and implementation of a literacy-enriched STEM instructional unit of study built upon the background experiences of Latina/Latino migrant farmworkers’ children to expand their STEM literacy skills and knowledge. Our aim with this unit was to increase the students’ science knowledge and skills; strengthen their mathematical abilities; enhance their ability to use technology for research; and improve their academic vocabulary, language, and writing skills. This program also had as …

Systematic Collective E-Cheating In A Saudi Arabian Higher Education Context: A Case Study, Amel M. Shoaib, Khawla A. Zahran

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The primary purpose was to investigate organized group cheating in a Middle Eastern institution during the shift to e-learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019.

Method: The study explores the personal experiences of ten Saudi Arabian English as a Foreign Language program graduates in a higher education institution through in-depth interviews via qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis. The study was guided by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior.

Results: A novel type of misconduct coined systematic collective e-cheating was identified and discussed. In addition, insights on the causes and types of e-cheating in a Middle Eastern context were provided. …

Beyond The Social Determinants Of Learning™ A Walden University Position Paper, Andrea Lindell, Ann Morgan, Barry H. Sugarman, Debra J. Tervala, Jorg Westermann, Kathy P. Strang, Kelly L. Costner, Maléka N. Ingram, Marilyn Powell, Nina M. Mccune, Rebecca L. Jobe, Savitri Dixon-Saxon, Sue Subocz, Wiilam Schulz

White Papers

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) and a cross-organizational global commission in the early 2000s, provide an understanding of health status of individuals and communities. SDOH consider societal forces and conditions such as housing, work conditions, environment, and education (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014; WHO, 2021). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (n.d.) launched a “Healthy People 2030” initiative, addressing five key social determinants of health and offering a framework from which organizations can build strategy: 1. Healthcare access and quality 2. Education access and quality 3. Social and community context 4. …

Enabling Sustainable Organizational Change: A Case Of Cognitive Diversity In The Automotive Industry, Tonja Blom, Yvonne Du Plessis, Hamid H. Kazeroony

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

In diverse societies such as South Africa, organizations continue to face inclusion challenges when implementing change. This study proposes a different method and new dimension of diversity management within the cognitive diversity construct, namely human niche theory, to tackle the diversity dilemma of exclusivity. The research question asked whether human niche theory, as a defined concept within cognitive diversity, could be utilized by managers to enable inclusion and promote sustainable organizational change implementation. Conceptually, this paper relates human niche theory to seven themes in the change process, namely, communication, training, motivation, resources, control, monitoring, and feedback. An exploratory single case …

Childbirth Educators’ Role Regarding Pregnant Women And Cervical Cancer Prevention, Olufunmiso Oyetunde Asamu, Hadi Danawi

Journal of Excellence in Nursing and Healthcare Practice

Childbirth educators play an important role in educating pregnant women regarding their health. They bridge the gap between pregnant women and healthcare providers. A paucity of information exists on the benefits that pregnant women derive from interactions with childbirth educators regarding early cervical cancer detection. The purpose of our cross-sectional study was to investigate the association among education during early pregnancy offered by the childbirth educators, access to childbirth educators, availability of childbirth educators in the United States and survival from cervical cancer. Secondary data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) on 520,153 women were analyzed using logistic …

An Evaluation Of Local Mentor Support In Ae E-Teacher Educational Technology Integration Online Teacher Training Course, Yasemin Yelbay Yilmaz, Seher Balbay

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This study addressed a different approach to online language teacher training programs. The researchers investigated the pros and cons of having local mentor support for an online course titled Using Technology in the English Language Classroom provided by the AE E-Teacher Program. The course was offered to preservice teachers from 24 different universities across Turkey. The study collected data through a pre- and post-online survey and individual semistructured interviews. The results revealed that while local mentoring as a supplement to the main course content contributed to teacher candidates’ emotional and professional attachment to their profession by helping them relate theory …

Expanding Stem Membership: Using Science Process Skills In A Social Justice Curriculum To Combat Stereotype Threats And Build Self-Efficacy In African American Students, Beverly A. King Miller, Alma D. Stevenson, Shelli L. Casler-Failing

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Science process skills were scaffolded throughout instruction over the ten-week program. The culminating project included the development, design, and testing of their own independent science fair project. The results reflect an increase in students’ self-efficacy which was evidenced by the students’ preparation and presentation of their projects in the science fair.

Students’ And Faculty Members’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Classroom Assessment: A Case Study Of A Public University In Afghanistan, Sayed Ahmad Javid Mussawy, Gretchen Rossman, Sayed Abdul Qahar Haqiqat

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective: The primary goal of the study was to examine students’ perceptions of classroom assessment at a public university in Afghanistan. Exploring current assessment practices focused on student and faculty members lived experiences was a secondary goal. The study also sought to collect evidence on whether or not the new assessment policy was effective in student achievement.

Method: Authors used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to conduct the study. Initially, we applied the Students Perceptions of Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ), translated into Dari/Farsi and validated, to collect data from a random sample of 400 students from three colleges: Agriculture, Education, and …

Elementary Content Teacher Perceptions Regarding Their Ell Instructional Practices, C. Wesley Owens, Steve P. Wells

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the instructional practices of elementary English language learner (ELL) teachers and how those practices are perceived by the teachers to be aligned with improved ELL academic performance. The study is grounded in Ladson-Billings’ theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, which holds that student academic achievement and cultural identity should be affirmed. The research questions focused on exploring instructional practices used by teachers to support ELL learning and the teachers’ perceptions of how their practices are aligned with improved ELL academic performance. The qualitative descriptive study was limited to three elementary schools …

University Professors’ Perceptions About Patient Safety Teaching In An Interprofessional Education Experience: A Phenomenological Study, Gabriele Vilanova, Andreas Xyrichis, Elena Bohomol, Rosana Aparecida Salvador Rossit

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) and patient safety are recurrent and linked themes within the field of healthcare worldwide. International organizations have repeatedly called for and research has shown the benefits of health and social care professionals learning how to work collaboratively and efficiently to provide safer and better care. This study was undertaken to explore professors’ perceptions and experiences of an IPE curricula project with a view to improving future patient safety teaching in undergraduate health courses.

Methods: This qualitative study utilized phenomenology as a theoretical framework. The participants were 11 professors from a public university in south-eastern Brazil, recruited …

Strategies To Improve Financial Profitability In The Banking Industry, Khalid Said, Yvonne Doll

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

More than 50% of business failures in the United States are because of leaders’ inability to manage working capital. This qualitative, multiple case study is grounded in the cash conversion cycle theory. The purpose is to explore the strategies bank leaders have used to improve working capital management in three banks in Kentucky to increase bank profitability and improve financial stability. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with three different banking leaders who have implemented successful working capital strategies. Using methodological triangulation and Yin’s five-step data analysis resulted: (a) risk and liquidity, (b) top-down approach, and (c) investment approach. The …

Review Of Schooling Of Learners With Disabilities And The Manifestation Of The Hidden Curriculum Of Time, Theodoto Ressa

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Postsecondary outcomes remain difficult to attain despite their significance to learners with disabilities. This qualitative study investigated the impact of a hidden curriculum of time on the education of five undergraduate students with disabilities at a Carnegie Research One institution in the midwestern U.S. Participants in their quest for an education experienced a hidden curriculum of time in the form of physical impairments, educational costs of ill-health, and disability discrimination. The academic barriers participants encountered in reaching their educational goals suggest that addressing the hidden curriculum of time is essential for authentic inclusion and achievement of postsecondary education outcomes.

Neurodiversity And Workplace Social Capital Effects On Employee Attitudes And Intentions, Alice Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Neurodivergent employees have higher turnover rates than their neurotypical peers, andmuch remains unknown about how to improve their workplace experience. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationships between neurodiversity and workplace social capital on job satisfaction and turnover intent. Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) informed the study design. Working adults (N = 1,243) in the United States recruited using convenience sampling and MTurk participated through an anonymous online survey. Data analysis was conducted using three-way ANOVA and mediation. Significant three-way interactions were found between gender, job classification, and likelihood of having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) …

Benefits Of Technology Integration In A Small Behavioral Health Organization, Tremaria Sweet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current study sought to understand the significance of information systems (IS) planning in small-to-medium enterprise (SME) behavioral health agencies and the direct impact it has on organizational growth and performance. The research was guided by the Baldrige Excellence Framework. The study was based on a sample of one senior leader from one agency licensed to practice in three states in the eastern region of the United States. This exploratory case study involved using semi-structured interviews and internal archival data during the process of data collection. Information technology (IT) competence, skills, leadership, infrastructure, and awareness were emergent themes identified in …

Social Determinants Of Health And Type 2 Diabetes Among Enrollees Of California Children’S Services Program In Fresno County, California, Daniela Marie Aghadjanian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite extensive study in adults, Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been the subject of little research concerning young adults or children. Doctors believed T2D to develop only in a person’s later years until health care providers found younger individuals developing this disease. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative analysis was to determine correlations between T2D and social determinants of health in Fresno County, California, based on children and adolescents. The 2017-19 data came from the Fresno County Department of Public Health. The theoretical foundation for the study was the socio-ecological framework focusing on individuals’ traits having a bidirectional impact on …

Communicating Organizational Vision And Values To A Multigenerational Workforce, Jose M. Peralta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differences in values, motives, and beliefs of members of a multigenerational workforce can negatively impact organizational sustainability. Business leaders who cannot communicate organizational vision and values to a multigenerational workforce risk reduced organizational sustainability. Grounded in generational cohort theory, communication accommodation theory, and organizational culture theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that leaders of multigenerational workforces within the financial industry use to communicate organizational values and vision for a sustainable work environment. Participants comprised five financial organization leaders in New York City who successfully implemented communication strategies to communicate organizational vision and values for …

Head Start Program Staff Perspectives On Fully Engaging Families, Taylor Lashay Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates family engagement yields positive outcomes for children. However, data indicate that educators struggle to engage families. Current evaluation methods assess the number of family services offered and not how families are engaged. It is not known how the Head Start program staff fully engages families. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how to fully engage families in Head Start programs as perceived by staff. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory and the complexity theory comprised the conceptual framework. The research question explored perspectives of Head Start staff about how to fully engage families. Selection criteria for …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Their Ability To Provide Equitable Instructional Practices In High-Poverty Schools, Angela Mary Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Equitable instructional practices have a positive impact on the academic achievement of students living in high poverty. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions of their abilities to implement equitable instructional practices in high-poverty schools. Gorski’s equity literacy framework was the approach used to guide the study and address the research question. In this qualitative study, teachers in high-poverty schools were asked to perceive and describe their abilities to implement equitable instructional practices. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 K-8 teachers of high-poverty schools located in the Southeastern region of the United States. …

Hospital Emergency Room Visits For Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Henry John Mead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a well-recognized health issue among women of reproductive age. The characteristics and demographics of women in the community with HMB who present at the emergency department (ED) are not well described. This research aimed to describe the cohort of women who seek treatment at the ED. The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project 2016 National Emergency Department Sample was examined. The theory of reasoned action predicts that women who present at the ED are exhibiting health seeking behavior. From 32 million records, the inception cohort identified N = 111,555 cases. Using national estimation weights, this translates …

Kindergarten Teachers’ Implementation Methods For School Readiness Skills In A Rural School, Beverly Vashon Woods

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten students in a Title 1 elementary school are lacking school readiness skills. When students enter kindergarten unprepared to learn, they may experience difficulties with approaches toward learning skills related to physical, language, social, emotional, and cognitive development, which are reliable predictors of subsequent academic and life success. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study with a constructivist framework was to examine how kindergarten teachers implemented the five domains of school readiness at a Title 1 school to improve incoming kindergarten students’ learning. Convenience sampling was used within a bounded system of four kindergarten teachers in a Title 1 …

Effect Of Culture-Based Education On Retention Of First-Time Degree-Seeking, 1st-Year Indigenous College Students, Lucas Moe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Western pedagogy dominating higher education institutions creates a barrier that is difficult for many Indigenous students (IS) to overcome. To address the concern of low IS retention rates, a local community college (CC) infused culture-based education (CBE) into the existing curriculum. Grounded in Cross’s cultural competence framework, the purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine the difference in retention rates between first-time degree-seeking 1st- year IS (FTFYIS) who attended the CC from 2008-2010 (n = 1,000), before CBE was implemented, and those who attended the CC from 2011-2013 (n = 1,286), after CBE was implemented. Raw data were …