Digital Commons Network^™

Supporting The Professional Needs Of Alternatively Certified Secondary Education Teachers, Michelle Latrice Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The reliance on alternative teacher certification to address teacher quality and quantity is an educational issue worthy of study because non-traditionally prepared teachers fill the nation's classrooms. This qualitative case study explored the experiences of secondary education teachers with no preservice training who earned a professional educator certificate in Alabama through the alternative baccalaureate-level program. The central research questions of this study related to the professional needs of alternatively certified teachers and how educational leaders supported those professional needs. The conceptual framework of this project study included the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's differentiated induction model based …

Examining Teachers' Lesson Plans Following Universal Design For Learning Training, Georgeann A. Winter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With a growing population of culturally and academically diverse student populations in K -12 education, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has the potential to improve the quality of teaching and learning for all students. However, there is a lack of research on UDL teacher in-service training to determine whether teachers are more effective at implementing UDL once they receive adequate training. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine changes in teachers' lesson plans following UDL professional training. Seventeen teachers from 5 school districts in the state of Mississippi participated in the study. Teachers' lesson plans were evaluated at …

How Does Play In Dramatic Play Centers Help Preschool Children Develop Oral Language And Literacy Skills?, Linda M. Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, early childhood educators are expected to follow the trend to enforce academic curriculum for preschoolers. This effort diminishes the value of play in the young developmental years of children. The purpose of this study was to explore the type of activities and strategies that promote development of language and literacy skills of preschool children while playing in a dramatic play center. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory teaches that children acquire skills through play and discovery in a developmentally appropriate environment. The study was conducted within a qualitative framework using a case study approach. How parents and teachers encourage …

Promoting Annual Depression Screening In A Federally Qualified Healthcare Center, Denise Lesley Alleyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the World Health Organization, depression affects about 350 million people worldwide. In 2014, only 50% of the adult patients were screened for depression in the community-based Federally Qualified Healthcare Center (FQHC) for which this doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) project was developed. In an effort to meet the 100% benchmark set nationally for the screening of adult patients in the primary care settings, the FQHC's quality improvement team now requires that 80% of adult patients in the clinic be screened for depression. Framed within the Iowa model of evidence-based practice, the purposes of this project were to: (a) …

Marketing Strategies Used By Franchise Small Businesses To Retain Customers, Hilda Jordan Arline

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Franchised small businesses will not survive their first 5 years if they cannot implement marketing strategies that appeal to their customers. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the marketing strategies that successful franchise small business leaders used to retain customers. The population comprised 4 business leaders at franchise small businesses in North Carolina. Competitive advantage theory and blue ocean theory grounded this study. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews and review of company marketing materials. Data were thematically analyzed, and 6 themes emerged: personalization of customer service, market segmentation, innovative advertising, networking, brand identity, and …

Strategies To Improve Employee Performance In The U.S. Aerospace Industry, Nicole Therese Balderrama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Outsourcing is a sought out practice within business and, in particular, the U.S. aerospace industry; however, some outsourced firms cannot meet client expectations. The purpose of this single case study was to explore what strategies outsourced firm company leaders use to improve the performance of employees. The sample comprised 4 senior managers employed with a firm that has been producing parts for 109 years for a major aerospace company in Southern California. The conceptual framework for this study built upon systems thinking to identify the structure of the outsourcing and supplier relationship and Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory to understand work motivation …

The Relationship Between Male Involvement In Early Childhood Education And Student Academic Achievement, Carla Christinia Barnes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that the limited involvement of fathers in their children's academic activities may negatively affect children's academic development. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the role of father involvement in the academic achievement of young children in early childhood classes and to assess barriers to such involvement. Guided by Erikson, Vygotsky, and Bronfenbrenner theories of learning and development, the research questions examined fathers' perceived level of educational involvement, barriers to educational involvement, and the relationship between the level of recorded father involvement and student achievement. Data were collected using a modified Parental Involvement Survey that …

An Evidence-Based Educational Intervention To Improve Nursing Staff's Critical Thinking And Decision-Making Skills, Rene Norene Barron-Kagan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An Evidence-Based Educational Intervention to Improve Nursing Staff's Critical Thinking and Decision-Making Skills

by

Rene N. Kagan

MSN, University of New Mexico, 2009

BS, University of Phoenix, 2000

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

September 2016

Hospitalized patients in acute care settings are at a high risk of developing health complications that can eventually lead to failure to rescue (FTR) situations. The aim of this project was to deliver a structured comprehensive medical-surgical competency plan for acute care nurses to detect deterioration in a patient's condition through the …

Social Stereotyping And Self-Esteem Of Miss America Pageant Contestants, Ebony Bowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Miss America Pageant contestants (MAPCs) have been negatively stereotyped socially for their perceived lack of intelligence and nonconformance to feminist gender stereotypes of women. Stereotypes could affect an individual's social psyche and establish stigma, which could prevent a group from achieving their full potential. Stereotypes could also result in women having mental health disorders, low self-esteem, a decrease in self-efficacy, body image dissatisfaction, and eating disorders. The problem this study addressed was that women who participate in the Miss America Organization (MAO) preliminary pageants risk social stigma for taking part in a seemingly nonfeminist activity. Intercultural communication research (ICR) was …

High School Teachers' Perceptions Of Mental Health And Adolescent Depression, Christine Ann Breuer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescents have a high rate of untreated mental health issues, specifically related to depression. Current literature does not indicate the impact of teachers' attitudes toward mental health on their decisions to refer students for services. This study provides understanding specifically, how teachers' beliefs about mental health, as well as their age, gender, ethnicity, years of education, and years of teaching, were analyzed to determine the impact each these characteristics had on the decision to refer a student for services. 92 high school teachers participated in this quantitative study by completing a survey measuring their attitudes of mental health, and then …

Faculty Career-Enhancing Training Opportunity Effects On Perceived Organizational Support, Job Satisfaction, And Organizational Commitment, Laura Pateri Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that organizations outside of academia that provide career-enhancing training opportunities have employees with greater levels of perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment than do organizations without such training. Increasingly, colleges and universities are looking to attract and retain the most talented individuals; providing opportunities for growth through career-enhancing training opportunities may be one way to do so. This study examined whether or not faculty at institutions providing career-enhancing training opportunities showed a similar positive relationship between perceived organizational support, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment as have employees at organizations outside of academia; this study also …

Exploring Obesity Risk Factors In Five Regions Of Virginia, Karen Toth Carpenter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity continues to weaken our nation physiologically, psychologically and financially with an overall prevalence rate of 34.9% or 78.6 million Americans affected. Variance in obesity prevalence rates, in the state of Virginia, account for over a 15% difference from one health district to the next. The purpose of this research was to better explore the regional obesogenic factors that may exist among five health districts in the state of Virginia. The socio ecological theory provides the conceptual framework of the study to understand the variance in regional obesity rates, as a function of the contributing risk factors that a region …

Barriers Faced By Canadian Aboriginal Adults As They Return To Postsecondary School, Robert Lawrence Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aboriginal people in Canada are less likely to complete postsecondary education than are non-Aboriginal people. This lack of education leads to increased rates of unemployment and poverty and the need for additional government supports. The purpose of this project study was to identify and examine barriers faced by Canadian Aboriginal adult students as they return to school for postsecondary education. The conceptual framework for this qualitative study was based on the work of Ertmer, which suggests barriers can be placed into broad categories of extrinsic and intrinsic barriers. A case study design was used with a purposeful sample from a …

Strategies For Responding To Generational Differences In Workplace Engagement, Amanda Delane Crowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business managers are experiencing a 30% turnover of employees, costing U.S. businesses $41.3 million per year. The purpose of this case study was to explore the strategies that experienced business managers use in small accounting firms to respond effectively to generational differences in workplace engagement. Using a purposeful sampling technique, 5 managers possessing successful experience in issues related to generational differences in the workplace were recruited from small accounting firms located in Midwestern United States to participate in semi-structured interviews about engaging a multi-generational workforce. Methodological triangulation was used to analyze the data collected through semi-structured interviews and observations, …

Healthy Work Environment: Essentials For Outcome Improvement, Lisa Cuff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to identify the standards for the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). The employees of a 39-bed medical surgical unit within a 697-bed metropolitan medical center were selected through collaboration with the practicum site. Out of 68 allocated positions for this unit, only permanent employees were selected to participate. An employee presented the purpose of the project, the survey process, and inferred consent represented by online login to complete the survey. Following the online assessment, the employee explained the AACN healthy work environment standards in a subsequent presentation. The online healthy work environment …

Effects Of Acculturation Gap And Attachment Style On South Asian Adolescent Well-Being, Malliga Delaney Delaney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

South Asian (SA) adolescents experience the added challenges of identity development and coping as a minority population of color in a predominantly White host culture. Adolescent attachment style (AS) with their parents, along with an acculturation gap (AG) with their parents, can either add to or alleviate their struggles. A matched acculturation style and secure AS with their parents were hypothesized to result in higher ethnic identity and adaptive coping. The Brief COPE, Multiethnic Identity Measure, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, and the Bicultural Inquiry Questionnaire were used to measure the independent (AG and AS) and dependent variables (identity …

Retention Factors For Assistant Retail Managers, Amber Huffman Echols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The cost of losing a manager in the retail sector is 2 to 3 times their yearly salary. The purpose of this exploratory single case study was to explore strategies general managers in large retail organizations can use to improve assistant manager retention. Building upon Ramlall's adaptation of motivation theory, research was conducted to determine factors that contributed to retention of assistant managers in a general merchandise retail store operating in Virginia and North Carolina. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 20 general managers of stores in the same organization located in Virginia and North Carolina, reflective journals, and …

Enrollment Patterns In Advanced Middle School Mathematics Classes, Paul Gray Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this study is that U.S. minority and low socioeconomic status (SES) student participation in advanced academic classes continues to lag behind that of Caucasian and economically advantaged students. The purpose of this project study was to investigate the participation gaps between minority and low SES students compared with non-minority and high SES students in advanced mathematics courses in the study district's middle school. The theoretical framework for the study was gap-analysis theory. A quantitative gap analysis of existing student test score data was conducted, utilizing a secondary analysis of existing Iowa Test of Basic Skills data …

Lived Experiences Of Exonerated Individuals 1 Year Or Longer After Release, Claudette M. Grooms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of information related to the postprison experiences of exonerated individuals is frequently found in reports by journalists, or based on the findings of scholars on systematic factors that contribute to wrongful incarcerations. There is a lack of social science research on the unexplored meanings and essence of the postprison lived experiences of exonerees exclusively from their perspectives. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand and describe the postprison lived experiences of exonerated individuals, 1 year or longer after their prison release. The conceptual framework was guided by Tajfel's social identity theory and Becker's social reaction theory. …

The Use Of Online Supplemental Materials In College Courses To Improve Retention, Amy Lynn Hennings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

First-generation college students continue to have lower retention and success rates in colleges and universities, reducing their likelihood of staying above the poverty line. The study tested Bandura and Vygotsky's social cognitive theories of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and student ability to self-pace in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to explore if offering supplemental online materials to traditional class delivery, which can be self-regulated and self-paced, impacted students' success rates in the class and semester-to-semester retention. Using a quasi-experimental method, first-semester college students, in a small private liberal arts college (N = 678); were compared on use of supplemental …

Perceptions Of Homeless Individuals Regarding Public Housing Use, Shirley Elaine Hicks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on how homeless individuals perceive shelters, housing programs, and their agents has been limited, especially in relation to the reasons for engaging in or avoiding programs. This phenomenological study explored the perspectives of chronically homeless individuals in Wake County, North Carolina, regarding shelters and housing programs, examining their reasons for using or not using shelters or public housing. Using Glidden's structuration theory as the framework, the research questions for this study were based on exploring the perceptions of homeless individuals use of public resources related to housing and shelters to better understand why some use, and perhaps more importantly, …

Small Aviation Business Success Strategies For Profitability, Christina Hiers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ninety-five percent of all aviation businesses are small businesses; from 2009-2012, small aviation business operations decreased by 10.2% and resulted in a loss of $4.4 billion in revenue. The purpose for this multiunit case study was to explore what strategies small aviation businesses leaders used to reduce or control operating expenses for profitability. The sample comprised 3 small aviation businesses located in Middle Tennessee. The conceptual framework for this study built upon systems theory and sustainability theory. The data were collected through semistructured interviews and company documents. Member checking was completed to strengthen creditability and trustworthiness. Based on the methodological …

Relationship Between Destructive Leadership Behaviors And Employee Turnover, Craig Michael Hyson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The loss of 6 million U.S. manufacturing jobs since 2000 has severely affected communities that have lost a vital source of employment. Voluntary employee turnover has compounded the problem. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee turnover and destructive leadership behaviors of managers in small and medium enterprise (SME) manufacturing businesses in Warren County, New Jersey. The constructive-destructive leadership model formed the theoretical framework for the study. A random sample of 96 SME manufacturing firm employees completed the destructive leadership scale (DLS), multifactor leadership questionnaire (MLQ), and the turnover intention scale (TIS-6) via an …

Middle School Success Reading Intervention Strategies, Christina Ikwuegbu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Guided by the cognitive development view of reading interventions, this qualitative case study addressed the lack of intervention programs in middle schools in a large city in New Jersey State. The purpose of the study was to examine teachers' perceptions of intervention programs for low-performing readers. Research questions addressed the intervention strategies to improve students' learning, school culture, and teaching styles used to teach them. Survey questions were sent to 25 teachers chosen randomly from 5 schools in the school district. Surveys were analyzed by developing codes, clustering themes, and then developing a full description from the teachers' perspectives. The …

Health Science Adminstrators' Perception Of Remediation With Students In The Professional Track Programs, Yvonne Jackson Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Remediation to improve student retention is rapidly becoming an important part of health science programs in higher education. A career college located in the midwestern United States implemented remediation for students to address declining enrollment health science professional-track programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how remediation was carried out by college instructors and their perceptions of instructional best practices for students in health science programs in the context of current research. The conceptual framework that guided this study was based on constructivism and adult learning theory. Research questions focused on how instructors were carrying out …

Core Leader Competencies For Implementing Sustainability Strategies In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Alan William Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Because small- and medium-sized enterprises contribute as much as 70% of the world's pollution, small-business leaders need to develop and implement strategic approaches to sustainable development. Global sustainable development spending may reach $5 trillion by 2030. Guided by leadership competency theory, this qualitative multiple case study explored the core competencies of 5 independent small business leaders who had successfully implemented environmentally sustainable initiatives in their manufacturing firms in eastern Nebraska. Interviews and company planning documents including strategic business plans were gathered, coded, and cross-case analyzed, and member checking was periodically conducted to strengthen the trustworthiness of interpretations. Thematic analysis identified …

Development Of A Mentorship Program To Help Support And Retain New Nurses, Sherrie Marie Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many newly graduated registered nurses (NGRNs) leave the nursing profession within the first 2 years of employment in a rural hospital located in the Southwestern region of Oklahoma. A strategy to address this problem was to introduce a mentorship process that would help support the NGRNs as they transition into independent practice in the clinical setting. The goal of this project was to develop a mentorship program for future implementation. The Partners In Nursing (PIN) program sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Nurses Association, was selected …

Precursors Of Terrorism In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Israel Kabashiki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been entangled in a cycle of violence. Extensive crimes that include summary executions, rapes, and the use of child soldiers are frequent in the eastern provinces of the DRC. Little is known, however, about the factors that have contributed to the emergence of these ongoing acts of terror. The study provides insights into the antecedent conditions of terrorism in this country. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research study is to examine the precursors of the conflict in the DRC. The study provides the opportunity to understand the degree and …

Leadership Styles And Learning For Performance Within Commercial Banks In Kenya, Teckie Michelle Karoki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature indicates that leaders influence the establishment of organizational learning culture (OLC) by the application of transformational (TFO), transactional (TAC), and passive-avoidant (PAV) styles. Further, the literature links OLC to the financial performance of organizations by leadership involvement in establishing learning organizations. However, the manner in which the practice of OLC occurs and the relationship of OLC with TFO, TAC, and PAV is unclear, as is the link between OLC and financial performance (ROA); especially for growing economies outside North America. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through a quantitative study of …

Cognitive Processes And Memory Differences In Recall And Recognition In Adults, Laura Elaine Fitzgerald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Eyewitness testimony is critical in both criminal court and civil court, so determining the most reliable method to gain information from witnesses is imperative. Past research in this area has focused on false memory, assisted recall, stress, and event perception. A gap exists in the current literature regarding the best method to gain the most accuracy in recall. The purpose of this study was to evaluate free recall, cued recall, and recognition, in an attempt to examine the accuracy of eyewitness memory. The study utilized a quantitative design to assess the accuracy of eyewitness memory as measured by results on …