Digital Commons Network^™

Virtual Instruction: A Qualitative Research Laboratory Course, Lee Stadtlander, Martha J. Giles

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

Online graduate programs in psychology are becoming common; however, a concern has been whether instructors in the programs provide adequate research mentoring. One issue surrounding research mentoring is the absence of research laboratories in the virtual university. Students attending online universities often do research without peer or lab support and without previous experience in supervised research projects. This paper describes a virtual qualitative research lab course at an online university that both mentored students and collected data through a virtual qualitative lab on a national scale. The authors also address logistics, problems and issues that arose, as well as suggestions …

The Relationship Between Instructional Delivery And Academic Motivation Of Included Elementary Students With Special Needs, Don Jones, Daniele Kass

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

ABSTRACT

Historically, it has always been important for educators to meet the needs of their children. In practice however, children with special needs were often neglected in the educational processes of schools. With the advent of NCLB and high stakes testing, the pressure on schools to demonstrate improved student achievement for all students has accelerated. As these children have been increasingly included within the regular classroom, educators have been challenged to develop methods to effectively meet their needs.

This concurrent nested mixed method study explored the effect of interdisciplinary thematic instruction using constructivist principles on the motivation and performance of …

Social Capital Influences Upon Internet Usage Of Rural Guatemalan English Teachers For Professional Development, Douglas Hudson Tedford

Frank Dilley Award for Outstanding Doctoral Study

This qualitative study examined Internet usage by Guatemalan English teachers in the rural, indigenous community of San Lucas Toliman, to improve enrollments and persistence in online teacher professional development programs promoted by the Fundación Rigoberta Menchú Tum. Woolcock's concepts of bonding, bridging and linking social capital were united with Rogers's theory of perceived attributes to ascertain why only 5 of 34 teachers completed free online coursework. Research questions addressed teacher concerns about using the Internet, teacher satisfaction with Internet resources, and social influences upon Internet usage. The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method was employed using a culturally-sensitive native speaker to …

How Does The Sf--‐36 Perform In Healthy Populations? A Structured Review Of Longitudinal Studies, Chinekwu A. Obidoa, Susan L. Reisine, Martin Cherniack

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

This study examined the stability of the Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form (SF-36) in healthy populations. The researchers conducted a structured review of longitudinal studies that reported the use of SF-36 among people in their active working years ages 18 to 65. The cumulative sample size across selected studies comprised 29,868 participants. SF-36 mean scores were similar to published U.S. aggregate norms. Gender-specific changes in SF-36 scores also followed a normative trend, with women having greater declines in scores (poorer health) than men. The SF-36 was stable among healthy populations; however, its use among healthy people requires caution, particularly when considering …

Counseling Athletes Who Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs: A New Conceptual Framework Linked To Clinical Practice, Michael C. Johnson, David N. Sacks, William A. Edmonds

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Doping, the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes, is a major concern that the media have publicized prominently. Sport governing bodies currently use two primary methods to dissuade athletes from doping: punishment and didactic education. Neither of these approaches has eradicated doping from competitive athletics because the practice appears to be increasing. Including clinical interventions in systemic campaigns that address this problem would be efficacious. The current article provides a conceptual framework that addresses doping from a psychologist’s perspective and then operationalizes this framework, all the while identifying the unique environment in which athletes function. Practical interventions for working with …

An Analysis Of Reasonableness Models For Research Assessments, William D. Kight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals who screen research grant applications often select candidates on the basis of a few key parameters; success or failure can be reduced to a series of peer-reviewed Likert scores on as little as four criteria: risk, relevance, return, and reasonableness. Despite the vital impact these assessments have upon the sponsors, researchers, and society in general as a benefactor of the research, there is little empirical research into the peer-review process. The purpose of this study was to investigate how reviewers evaluate reasonableness and how the process can be modeled in a decision support system. The research questions both address …

Leadership To Sustain Professional Learning Communities, Kelly P. Gillespie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have shown promise as a means to meet the challenge of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. A problem that has surfaced is the inabilty of schools to sustain PLCs. This project study examined leadership characteristics of elementary school principals in selected school districts to determine how these characteristics shape organizational culture and provide support for sustaining professional learning communities. At the center of this initiative have been the school principals and their leadership skills. The theoretical underpinnings of this study were based on the work of DuFour and DuFour, which places leadership of …

A Correlational Study Of Telework Frequency, Information Communication Technology, And Job Satisfaction Of Home-Based Teleworkers, Shana P. Webster-Trotman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2008, 33.7 million Americans teleworked from home. The Telework Enhancement Act (S. 707) and the Telework Improvements Act (H.R. 1722) of 2009 were designed to increase the number of teleworkers. The research problem addressed was the lack of understanding of factors that influence home-based teleworkers' job satisfaction. Job dissatisfaction has been found to have a significant impact on voluntary turnover. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship among telework frequency, information communication technology (ICT), and job satisfaction. The research questions were designed to answer whether correlational relationships exist among telework frequency, ICT, and job satisfaction and …

The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being And Perceived Wellness In Graduate-Level Counseling Students, Michel Renee Harris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is imperative that those who provide personal therapy to others be well-adjusted in their personal and professional lives and possess a keen and accurate perception of wellness. Yet, persons drawn to careers in counseling often have unresolved psychological issues. Counselor education programs should have a systematic way to evaluate and improve wellness in their students. Studies addressing the well-being of counselors-in-training, their perception of wellness, and their need for self-care are lacking in the professional literature. This study, therefore, examined the relationship between psychological well-being and perceived wellness in a sample (N = 97) of graduate students in a …

The Effect Of Text-To-Self Reading Strategies On Reading Comprehension, Cathy Arlene (Legg) Cutright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle-school male students currently face a disadvantage in reading comprehension compared to female students. Research suggests the problem is that more male students score below grade level in reading comprehension because they require more cognitive scaffolding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of text-to-self reading instruction and to compare the comprehension achievement of male and female students in 6th-grade reading and language-arts classes using guided reading of text-to-self instruction and guided reading using novels. The foundation of this study was based on constructivist theories including Dewey's pragmatist philosophy, Piaget's developmental theory, and Vygotsky's theory of zone …

National Survey On Equine Assisted Therapy: An Exploratory Study Of Current Practitioners And Programs, Patricia J. Mcconnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP), a new field in psychology, is an alternative method of therapy that uses horses to facilitate therapeutic outcomes. There is minimal peer reviewed literature and few published studies examining efficacy. The conceptual lens of this study was grounded theory, as there is insufficient evidence of theoretical frame-works guiding equine assisted therapy. The purpose of this exploratory concurrent mixed methods study was to examine the theoretical foundation of practitioners; program make up; client populations; efficacy of program; and why the horse serves as the therapeutic catalyst of this model. A 43-item survey was sent to 800 programs, …

Using Globally Significant Children's Literature To Increase Fourth-Grade Students' Global Attitudes And Intercultural Sensitivity, Tonya Salisbury

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is vital for future generations to clearly grasp what it means to be global citizens in order for them to be successful and for America to maintain its status as a world leader. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to measure and describe the growth of global attitudes and intercultural sensitivity that fourth-grade students acquire through reading and discussing globally significant children's literature which honors and celebrates diversity worldwide, in terms of culture, race, language, religion, and social status. According to Rosenblatt's transactional theory, readers experience aesthetic transactions with the text leading to an understanding of the world …

Identifying The Relationship Between Network Governance And Community Action Program Participation, Angelique M. Goliday

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The relevant literature consistently suggests that understanding citizen participation in community action programs is needed to maximize network governance efforts. Yet, there is no empirical evidence demonstrating a relationship between levels of network governance (NG) and citizen participation rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which levels of NG is correlated with levels of citizen participation in community action agency (CAA) programs, and whether variations in NG or variations over time in average income level is more strongly related to participation. The research was guided by the integrative model of democracy, which emphasizes citizen participation …

A Q-Methodology Study Of Adult English Language Learners' Perceptions Of Audience Response Systems (Clickers) As Communication Aides, Lisa Ann Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the perceptions of adult English language learners about the use of audience response systems (clickers) to facilitate communication in a classroom environment. In the early stages of second language acquisition, learners' receptive capabilities surpass expressive capabilities, often rendering them silent in their second language. Educational strategies and tools may be available to help English language learners communicate more effectively by enabling them to demonstrate their knowledge and express their opinions nonverbally. Many studies have been conducted with clickers, but none were found pertaining to adult English language learners. Second language acquisition theory provided the theoretical base for …

Confidence-Based Assessment In Moodle: Insights From Teachers, Administrators, And Programmers, Timothy P. Florian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Critical thinking is a skill that school systems are trying to develop in their student populations. Numerous studies have been conducted on developing critical thinking skills such as self-regulation, interpretation, and analysis. However, available data on the use of learning management systems (LMS) as a means to develop critical-thinking skills have been opaque. This study examined the perceptions of local stakeholders and the impact of confidence-based assessment (CBA) on secondary students at one high school. The conceptual framework guiding the study represented a synthesis of theoretical perspectives on critical thinking and its development with the current research on the pedagogical …

Social Capital Variables As Predictors Of Hiv Risk-Taking Behaviors Among Sub-Saharan African Immigrants In The United States, Gbadebo Ogundiran Ogungbade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vulnerable populations, including immigrants, are often at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection because of their risk-taking behaviors. This study investigated risk-taking behavior for HIV infection among Sub-Saharan African (SSA) immigrants in United States. Using social capital as a theoretical foundation, the study aimed to address the question, is there any association between social capital assets of educational opportunity, employment, and eligibility for social assistance and HIV risk-taking behavior, defined as condom use before sex (CUBS) among SSA immigrant in the U.S? Potential participants were recruited through religious and social organizations in a southwestern US state. The survey generated …

A Phenomenological Study Of Leader Experiences And Reactions To Transformational Change In A Multicampus System, John E. Cech

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on organizational change theory confirms the importance of leaders' ability to establish a sense of urgency, create institutional support for change, develop a vision, communicate the vision, empower others toward action, generate results, and ultimately create change in the organizational culture. Organizational change in nested systems, in which CEOs of individual units report upward through a state, regional, or corporate hierarchy, has not been extensively studied. To address this gap in the literature, this phenomenological study explored perceptions of college leaders who in 2002-2003 participated in the transformation of seven 2-year technical colleges into a community college system. The …

Perceived Attributes And Organizational Support Influencing Course Management System Adopter Status In Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Gayla Spooner Keesee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid growth of online learning fueled by technologies including course management systems (CMS) has transformed the traditional educational landscape. Little research shows why faculty members at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been slow to adopt this new teaching paradigm. This quantitative, nonexperimental study utilized Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory as the theoretical base. Research questions explored faculty perceptions of the CMS's attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability) and organizational support (policies, procedures, and norms) in order to predict adopter status. The study used a convenience sample of 137 full-time faculty from 3 public and 2 private …

The Relationship Between Timed Drill Practice And The Increase Of Automaticity Of Basic Multiplication Facts For Regular Education Sixth Graders, Nelly P. Knowles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

By the time students transition from elementary to middle school, many do not demonstrate mastery of recalling basic math facts. This 8-week quasi-experimental quantitative study, based in cognitive development and theories of the construction of memory, used a 3-level independent variable experimental design to determine if there was a relationship between teachers' implementation of timed drill practices and the students' level of automaticity with regard to basic multiplication facts in 9 sixth-grade, regular education math classes. The control group received no intervention, the first treatment group received weekly timed drill practice for 3 minutes, and a second treatment group received …

Toward A Grounded Theory On The Management Of Orphanages In South Africa And Zimbabwe, Anna Siyavora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of orphaned children in many parts of Africa is increasing as their parents die from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The research problem addressed in this qualitative study was lack of understanding by others about how the managers of orphanages in 2 African countries -- South Africa and Zimbabwe - were responding to the emotional and social needs of these orphans. The purpose of this study was to develop an orphanage management theory or model that could replicate the African kinship environment in the orphanages under study. Nurturing leadership theory provided the conceptual …

Grounded Theory Approach To Understanding Student Perceptions Of Asynchronous High School Learning Environments, Paige N. Morabito

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the development of cyber high schools over the last 10 years has increased, no data are reported in the literature regarding the factors that have contributed to the increased enrollment or student perceptions of success. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory describing why students currently enrolled in an online high school program chose an asynchronous setting and their subsequent perceptions of success. Critical pedagogy, as a basis of transformational experiences through education, served as the conceptual framework. An attitudinal survey, provided as a limited data set by the high school, was used to …

Emerging Adults' Perceptions Of Learning In An Undergraduate Student Organization For Global Social Justice, Patricia Marie Kean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current literature suggests the institution of higher education is exploring its identity and role in society, much like the emerging adults who enroll in their programs as traditional aged undergraduates. Literature also reveals that society is asking undergraduate institutions to meet the diverse needs of its students and prepare them for adulthood and life long learning. However, research also highlights the need for students to be educated for participation within an interconnected and complex global society able to facilitate positive social change. Using a developmental lens, this interpretive case study addressed these current needs through interpreting perceptions of undergraduates and …

Clinical Recognition Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In A Population-Based Sample, Mark R. Zellmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disorder in which the airway intermittently collapses and obstructs during sleep, is associated with increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and depression. Treatment of OSA attenuates or reverses many of these associated risks. However, most cases of OSA are unrecognized and untreated. The two most recent studies using 1990s data found that only 6.5 - 15.4% of OSA cases, depending on severity, are clinically recognized in mixed gender populations. Based on a conceptual framework of improved physician awareness of OSA, and reduced diagnostic access bias …

A Qualitative Study Of Bariatric Patients And Their Social And Emotional Experiences After Surgery, Denise Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated that the majority of individuals who undergo bariatric surgery have histories of psychological disorders. Only a paucity of research has examined the social and emotional effects of bariatric surgery on patients. Using Kelly's personal construct theory as the conceptual framework, this phenomenological study was designed to gain more insight into how this life-altering bariatric surgery transforms patients socially and emotionally. Fifteen participants who had undergone bariatric surgery in the past 10 years were interviewed for the study. The interviews were transcribed and coded. Similar themes found within the interviews were identified as the primary themes of …

The Use Of Handheld Devices For Improved Phonemic Awareness In A Traditional Kindergarten Classroom, Cristy Ann Magagna-Mcbee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Effective teaching strategies that improve the development of phonemic awareness are important to ensure students are fluent readers by third grade. The use of handheld devices to improve phonemic awareness with kindergarten students may be such a strategy, but no research exists that evaluates the use of these devices. This study explored the effectiveness of Bee-Bot handheld devices in kindergarten classrooms to teach phonemic awareness. A 4-month sequential mixed-methods study was conducted in four classrooms: two that used Bee-Bot handheld devices in phonemic awareness lessons and two that never used the devices. The score gain (Fall 2009 to Winter 2010) …

The Experience Of Adjunct And Full-Time Faculty Participation In A Public University Teacher Education Department, Crystal Marie Aker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education has recently experienced a shift from an input-based accountability system (curriculum and instruction) to one that is now output-based (assessment). Faculty members are the intermediaries who prepare curriculum and instruction to meet the requirements of teacher education departments and to demonstrate results through the achievement of students. The purpose of this study was to understand how adjunct and full-time faculty members experience participation in a public university teacher education department and if faculty members' experience of participation influences instruction. Theories of systems, teacher education, faculty work, and communities of practice formed the study's conceptual framework. Data for the …

Professional Development In Elementary School Mathematics, C Scoggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was an investigation of mathematics instruction and professional development at a rural elementary school. The Department of Education in a southern U.S. state implemented a new curriculum in 2007 that required major changes in mathematics instruction. The problems were that teachers engaged in different levels of training and many students experienced a decline in mathematics scores on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT). The historical learning theories of Piaget and Vygotsky framed the study. The guiding questions focused on how to improve mathematics instruction through professional development for teachers. Nine elementary school educators served as purposefully selected participants. The …

The Dissemination Of Teacher Learning: A Study Of The Similarities And Differences Between Public School Levels And Locations, Jacqueline M. Krohn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher learning, whether in-service, continued education, or experience based, is a key component of school reform. Specific research on the use of teacher learning to improve student achievement and instructional practices in and across schools is limited. The research questions addressed in this study were: (a) the degree to which teacher learning is disseminated throughout a school organization to improve student learning and instructional practices, and (b) differences and similarities in the dissemination of teacher learning between schools. Watkins and Marsick's learning organization theory, Senge's system theory, and Dewey's constructivist learning theory were used as the theoretical framework. A variation …

Teacher Workload: A Formula For Maximizing Teacher Performance And Well-Being, Norma A. Sugden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that teacher workload is intensifying and teachers are increasingly leaving the profession prior to having taught for 35 years. The purpose of this mixed method, sequential, phenomenological study was to determine (a) how workload intensification impacts teacher performance and well-being, (b) whether or not workload intensification was a primary factor in teachers’ choosing to leave the profession early, and (c) a formula for maximizing teacher performance and well-being. Apple’s workload intensification thesis was the theoretical framework for this study. Quantitative data obtained via a survey (N=484), together with qualitative data collected via four focus group sessions and …

Empowering Adolescents: A Multiple Case Study Of U.S. Montessori High Schools, Wendy J. Larue

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The standards-based, teach-and-test methods that have come to proliferate secondary education since the inception of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) fail to adequately prepare students for higher education and employment. This system lacks opportunities for developing 21st century skills such as higher-level thinking, problem solving, and group dynamics, as well as opportunities for fostering spiritual growth and personal development. This problem impacts graduates of U.S. high schools because they are unprepared for higher education and the 21st century workplace. Using qualitative multiple case study methodology, this study examined five U.S. Montessori high schools through the lens of cultural-historical …