Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Successful Partnerships Between Teachers Of Students Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing And General Education Classroom Teachers, Brittney L. Dorn

Dissertations

The field of deaf education has moved from a direct service model to a primarily indirect service model. This means that teachers of students who are deaf or hard of hearing (TSDHH) increasingly work with school staff as well as with students. However, many TSDHH report feeling unprepared for the consultative aspect of their role, for which training may have been limited during their preparation program. This qualitative study used appreciative inquiry to study what is working in TSDHH and classroom teacher partnerships. Five dyads were selected through a two-step nomination process. The 10 selected teachers (general education classroom teachers …

Blooming Where One Is Planted: Understanding Flourishing Among Rural Nurses, Marnee Lynne Crawford

Dissertations

The reality of the challenges experienced in rural hospital-based care leave sparsely populated areas to face critical losses in nurses and healthcare services within already underserved regions of the nation. Nursing education is uniquely poised to serve as a mitigating agent against shortages in rural nursing workforce by preparing rural graduates to bloom where they are planted. This qualitative interpretive phenomenological research study explored the meaning of human flourishing as it is lived among rural nurses in the northwest region of Wyoming. The research was framed using social constructivism and the lens of rural nursing theory. Data were collected and …

How Community College Conduct Administrators Make Meaning Of Their Experience, Meloni Sue Rudolph Crawford

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how community college conduct administrators make meaning of their experience. This is a qualitative, constructivist, narrative study utilizing multiple methods of data collection (semi-structured interview, focus group, reading list elicitation, and researcher journal). The setting was multiple community college campuses in one western state that are part of a larger state system of community colleges. The data revealed that to these five administrators, the work is always more than the title reflects. Those who do the work are unique and altruistic, and the institutions at which the participants work had a lack …

Educational Uses Of Social Media In Learning By University Students, Nora Abdulaziz Ali Almansour

Dissertations

This phenomenological, qualitative research investigated the perceptions of university students in a College of Education about the educational use of social media by examining the experiences of seven graduate students via an analysis of interview transcripts, informal observations, and applicable artifacts. This study was guided by three research questions: Q1 How do university students describe their experiences of using social media for their own learning? Q2 What do university students perceive as advantages or disadvantages in the use of social media for their own learning? Q3 What suggestions do university students make for increasing the use of social media for …

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers To Use Digital Visual Media For Twenty-First Century Teaching And Learning: Practices And Visions Of Teacher Preparation Programs In Saudi Arabia, Haya M. Albaqami

Dissertations

With the increasing use of modern technological media in various areas of life, it has become necessary to develop teaching methods to deal with this change. One key to modernizing teaching methods is the integration of digital visual media into the educational process. The use of these visual media in programs for future teachers has become essential due to the widespread impact of such content in this digital age. Therefore, this study examines the current experiences and perceptions of five teacher educators on the use of digital visual media in pre-service teachers’ preparation programs in Saudi Arabia. The research questions …

Perspectives On English Language Learner Programs: A Case Study, Stacie Thompson

Dissertations

English language programs across the country have experienced a recent swell in English language learner enrollment (McFarland et al., 2017). In this qualitative case study, the researcher elicited the perceptions of multiple groups of individuals directly impacted by the English language program in District B. Two elementary principals, five general education classroom teachers, three English language teachers, two English language paraprofessionals, and five English language learners were interviewed to gain perspective on the current status and effectiveness of the English language program in District B. Little research has been conducted on the perceptions of teachers and the implementation of English …

Classroom Response Systems: Does Instantaneous Feedback Affect Students' Knowledge And Self-Efficacy In A Secondary Science Course, Shani Bourn

Dissertations

Technological advancements have enabled educators to bring excitement in student success with instantaneous feedback utilizing classroom response systems (CRS). A quantitative, quasi-experimental research design was used in this dissertation research to build a comprehensive understanding of the impact of instantaneous feedback with student knowledge and student self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the benefits of instantaneous feedback and student self-efficacy with incorporation of CRS in a secondary science course. Statistical analyses were conducted with quantitative formative scores, summative test scores, and self-efficacy questionnaire results prior to the incorporation of CRS, and perceived self-efficacy questionnaire results after experience …

Elementary Preservice Teacher Preparation To Teach Mathematics And Science In An Integrated Stem Framework, Kelly Overby Byrd

Dissertations

This study investigated the extent to which successful completion of integrated mathematics and science methods of instruction courses related to elementary preservice teachers’ attitudes toward and confidence in teaching integrated STEM lessons, and the extent to which their attitudes and confidence correlated with their proficiency in planning integrated STEM lessons. A mixed-methods, longitudinal research design, with a sequential, explanatory approach was used. Participants included twenty-four elementary preservice teachers enrolled in their final two semesters of a teacher preparation program at a four-year public university in the southeastern U.S. To address the research questions in this study, both quantitative and qualitative …

The Effects Of Rurality And Education Deserts On The Four-Year Degree Selection Of Aspiring Teacher Education Candidates In A Rural Community College Setting, Alice Faye Sanders

Dissertations

Teacher shortages exist across the nation, with greater shortages in middle school and secondary education (Center for Public Education, 2016). The purpose of this study was to determine the factors and barriers presented to teacher education candidates affecting the selection of their teacher education degrees in a rural community college setting. The research questions were designed to use quantitative survey questions administered to the teacher education candidate population of ABC College. Qualitative interview questions were used to gather data from the Director and Assistant Director of Enrollment Services/Student Development at ABC College. As a result of data analysis, misconceptions were …

Exploring The Homeless Persons Perception Of Living In A Long-Term Care Facility, Janice Woods

Dissertations

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of homeless persons admitted to a nursing home facility. Originally, the study was to explore their understanding of and their experience with advance health care planning; coincidently, the participants were more open to their experience of living in a long-term care facility.

Method:A convenience sample of 13 participants (12 male, 1 female) at four long-term care facilities in Southern California were interviewed about their perception of advanced health care planning, including the physician’s orders for life sustaining treatment (POLST); a consent form required in all nursing homes. …

Older Adults’ Implementation Of Discharge Instructions Following An Acute Care Hospital Stay, Brenda Miller

Dissertations

Discharge instructions are a self-care guide for patients after discharge from an acute care hospitalization. The discharge process starts on admission to the hospital and continues until discharged. Many patients rely on informal caregivers to provide support after a discharge. However, it is often unclear whether the patients or caregivers completely understand instructions provided during the discharge process. Key concepts related to how discharge instructions were implemented following discharge to home have been understudied from the patient’s and informal caregivers’ perspectives. Developing effective discharge instructions based on study findings may assist in reducing 30-day hospital readmission rates.
This study was …

Confronting Masculinity: The Gen X Novel (1984-2000) And The Sentimental Man, Robert E. Woolridge

Dissertations

Experimental novels written from 1984-2000 by authors associated with Generation X collectively struggle with common sense notions of masculinity in their various decades at the end of the twentieth century. Relying on confessional, first-person narration, first novels written by white men stage a critical engagement of outdated patriarchal norms in an effort to produce a more progressive masculinity based on sentimentality. In the 1980s, McInerney and Ellis novels, Bright Lights, Big City and Less Than Zero chronicle the struggles of empty, yuppie men who cannot make connections with their peers due to their emotionally devoid lives. By the 1990s, Douglas …

Models Of Spiritual Leadership: Strategies For Bridging The Gap Between Policy And Ethics, Rebecca J. O'Brien

Dissertations

Public institutions are finding that strict policies premised on value-free research are incapable of dealing with the social and ethical issues facing schools. Increasingly, research is identifying how spiritual practices can be a source of insight and guidance on ethical issues and other soft leadership skills. Spiritual and servant leadership is a burgeoning area of study in the business world and health care field, but it just beginning to be examined as a guiding tool in the education field. In the current study, I interview educational leaders who self-identify as having a spiritual practice and who are responsible for oversight …

Superintendent Beliefs About The Assessment And Use Of School Climate Data For Continuous Improvement, Anji Buckner-Capone

Dissertations

Academic outcomes and health outcomes are interconnected and reciprocal and school climate has emerged as a way to capture some of this relationship. An increasing trend in education policy is using multiple measures of school success, including school climate, such as California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). As school climate evolves as a critical component in state accountability there is a need to better understand the role of leaders in facilitating the implementation processes for school climate assessment accountabilities, including their beliefs and their practices. This mixed methods study explored the practices and beliefs of California Superintendents in their efforts …

Bridging The English Language Divide And Building Self-Confidence In Marginalized Communities: An Exploratory Study In Tamil Nadu, India, Radha Aravamudhan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the implementation of a community based English program in villages in Tamil Nadu, India and examine their model from the perceptions of students, parents, teachers, program tutors, trainers and administrators. The study using visual qualitative research methods describes the experiences of various stakeholders in the program. The data for the study was collected in video format through in-person interviews and site observations and edited to produce the documentary film “I Can!” Findings demonstrated that an asset based approach utilizing strengths in the community, culturally responsive teaching practices and a positive teacher …

Experiences Of Adolescent Refugee Students Who Attend Afterschool Programs For Literacy Support, Analiza Filion

Dissertations

Studies on the academic achievement of refugee students cite continuous underachievement in literacy skills. Due to trauma from fleeing their countries of origin, limited school experiences, and language barriers, refugee students struggle with demonstrating progress in academic achievement. Learning challenges continue to take place when classroom teachers are not equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources to support students with their unique learning needs. Through the use of a documentary research method, this dissertation investigated the experiences of five adolescent refugee students who attended afterschool programs as an additional resource for developing literacy skills.This study also explored how students perceived …

The Influence Of Media Consumption On Trust, Political Efficacy And Social Media Activism Among Young Adults, Kerra Mccorkle- Akanbi

Dissertations

For many years, trust in government and political efficacy has increasingly been an area of interest for political scientist. Recently, social media activism has become just as intriguing. With social media playing such a dominant role in society, individuals are consuming news through their social media timelines, without having to seek it out themselves. This is especially true for young adults. Through the advancement of non-traditional media outlets, this generation is submerged in endless Facebook statuses, tweets, and television coverage of civil unrest and political polarization that has certainly had both social and political implications. While past studies conducted by …

Understanding Chinese International Undergraduate Students’ Experiences At The University Of Missouri - St. Louis, Yujia Wang

Dissertations

This study examines the challenges and stressors Chinese international undergraduate students face while attending the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) in relation to their study abroad experience. Surveys were initially used to gather information and to gauge students’ familiarity and use of university support services available to help with specific challenges and stressors. Follow-up interviews were conducted to collect additional in-depth data. As consistent with the literature review, the study found that UMSL students confronted language barriers, academic challenges, and cultural differences when transitioning to UMSL’s academic culture and social environment. Additionally, financial stresses were exacerbated by issues …

Perioperative Antimicrobial Prophylaxis In Vascular Surgery: A Quality Assessment And Improvement Project, Brian Torres

Dissertations

Introduction: Prophylactic antimicrobial selection and administration for the prevention of surgical site infections in vascular surgery is a recommended best practice. Non-adherence to published guidelines on the selection and administration of antimicrobials has been observed and may lead to reduced efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Methods: An observational, descriptive design was used to study clinician knowledge and behavior and included a retrospective patient record review and provider knowledge survey. A clinical education intervention targeting providers responsible for the selection and administration of antimicrobial prophylaxis was conducted. A repeat patient record review and knowledge survey was completed following the education intervention.

Results: …

Extent Of Violence And Danger Of Homicide Before And After Abused Women Seek Help, Pamela Willson

Dissertations

A descriptive longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate the extent of violence and danger for homicide experienced by women before and after they filed assault against an intimate partner through a Family Violence Unit (FVU) of a large urban police department. A consecutive sample of 90 women were interviewed at the FVU using three instruments: Demographic Data Form (DDF), Danger Assessment (DA) (Campbell, 1986) scale, and Severity of Violence Against Women Scale (SVAWS) (Marshall, 1992). Of the women, 54% were African-American, 28% Latino/Hispanic, and 14% Caucasian. Ages ranged from 19 to 59 years ( M = 3 1, SD = …

You Look Like Me: The Impact Of Demographic Similarity On Picture Primes’ Effectiveness, Jennifer L. Unnerstall

Dissertations

Past research has clearly demonstrated the ability of various primes to influence behavior; however, little is understood about how and why primes work. The present research takes a theory-based approach to begin to understand this further. First, it investigates whether a picture prime has the ability to influence cooperative and competitive concept activation and implicit associations. Then, it examines whether the characteristics of the picture prime, specifically the race of the individuals depicted in the prime and whether it matches the race of the participant (i.e., demographic similarity), moderate these effects. Secondly, the present research investigates whether the same picture …

Experiences Of Caregivers Of Dementia Patients With An Integrated Primary Care Model, Mariya Alekseyevna Kovaleva

Dissertations

Few U.S. dementia care programs are led by advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), including a dementia patient-centered medical home, the Integrated Memory Care Clinic (IMCC) at Emory Healthcare. To our best knowledge, the IMCC is the only U.S. dementia care program where primary care and dementia care are provided simultaneously. This study aimed to explore the experiences of caregivers of persons living with dementia (PLWD) and PLWD (as reported by their caregivers) at the IMCC. This prospective longitudinal cohort study employed quantitative and qualitative methods. The study began with a scoping review of the U.S. dementia care programs. Caregivers participated …

Generative Pedagogies: Activating Learners Through Student-Centered Practices, Jason Becker, Heather N. Klein, Vielia M. Jeffries-Evans, Jessica T. Pilgreen, Jane A. Zappia

Dissertations

This collective dissertation contains the efforts of a group of curious, committed, and creative educators on the hunt for high-impact instructional approaches that empower and emancipate learners. Although each study within the dissertation is anchored in its own setting--and those settings represent a diverse collection of learning sites--a single thread connects them all: Each study inquires into the impact of a generative pedagogy. By “generative,” we mean to highlight methods that focus on helping learners of all kinds develop creativity and take ownership over their learning, approaches that will help them build agency and grow skills simultaneously. Here, we explore …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Problem-Based Learning And Technical Students In General Studies Course At A Midwest Technical College, Barbara R. Primm

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between problem-based learning, motivation and engagement (as measured by the Motivational and Attitudinal scale) selfdirectedness, and academic achievement of technical students enrolled in general studies courses at a Midwestern technical college. The intended purpose for the study was to identify if tactile learners, who currently spend 75% of their program in hands on instructional courses, would benefit from the implementation of a PBL model in general studies courses. Career Technical Education prepares students for the workforce. Creating an academic learning platform that mimics technical instruction where students solve real life problems can encourage students to …

The Process Of Oral Academic Discourse Socialization And Workplace Enculturation Of International Graduate Students Of Business, Denise Mussman

Dissertations

This study addresses the process of oral academic socialization that learners of a second language and culture undergo to succeed in disciplinary graduate courses. The participants were students from Mainland China and Taiwan pursuing an International Master of Business Administration (IMBA) degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL). Guided by social constructivist and language socialization theories, this ethnographic case study investigated factors that facilitated oral academic discourse socialization of speakers of Chinese. A group of eight IMBA Chinese and Taiwanese students studied their first academic year in their home country before transferring to study abroad in the U.S. to …

How Professional Physical Therapist Education Programs Develop Cultural Competence Within Their Students: An Exploratory Concurrent Mixed Methods Study, Dustin E. Domingo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory concurrent mixed methods study was to describe experiences that shape the factors of cultural intelligence (CQ) as perceived by students of professional physical therapist education programs. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine whether any particular factor of cultural intelligence influenced one’s overall cultural competence according to the cultural competence continuum by Cross et al. (1989).

Methodology: Students in a professional physical therapist education program completed a questionnaire, which included Likert scale questions, open ended questions, and a 37-item self-assessment based on the expanded cultural intelligence scale by Van Dyne …

The Effect Of Emotional Intelligence And Adversity Intelligence On Mental Health, Life Satisfaction, Career And Interpersonal Success Among Chinese Adults, Yuyang Zhao

Dissertations

Few studies examine the comprehensive effect of EQ and AQ on mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, anger, positive automatic thoughts), life satisfaction, career success (i.e., job position and organizational commitment), and interpersonal success (i.e., interpersonal sensitivity and empty). By conducing two studies, totally 512 Chinese adults were recruited. Results from the multiple regression analysis revealed that part of EQ (i.e., regulation of emotion) and AQ (i.e., consistency of interest and acceptance of self and life) negatively predicted depression; whereas part of EQ (i.e., utilization of emotion) and AQ (i.e., personal competence) positively predicted depression. All aspects of EQ were not …

The Muzzling Of The Sheepdog: A Mixed-Methods Case Study Of The Impacts Of Media Reporting On Police Officer Performance, Christopher Landavazo

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-methods case study was to understand:

Questions 1 and 2: How do police officers in major metropolitan law enforcement organizations experiencing crime spikes since 2008 perceive the impacts of the media coverage on them personally/professionally?

Questions 3 and 4: Is there a significant difference about the perception of how media coverage impacts patrol officers personally and professionally in major cities experiencing crime spikes since 2008 based on gender/race?

Methodology. The study used a phenomenological mixed-methods case study approach collecting both quantitative and qualitative data.

Findings. An analysis of the data resulted in ten major findings …

A Mixed-Method Study Evaluating English Second Language Student Classroom Placement At The Secondary Level In A Midwest Public School, Corbin Kreamalmeyer

Dissertations

English second language (ESL) learners have been present in the United States public schools for decades. While the identification and procedures for entering students into an ESL program have improved throughout the years, there still seems to be a lack of understanding of academic backgrounds and program support for these students with unique educational backgrounds and languages. Instructional techniques for ESL students have varied widely, but there has not been a common consensus on which technique to utilize with secondary ESL students. Placement of ESL students has proved to be a difficult task in districts with limited options and often …

The Attitudes And Learning Styles Of Adult Learners To E-Instruction Of The Spanish Language, Brian Santos

Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between adult learner attitudes toward technology and learning style. A sample of community college Spanish students in a Midwestern city in the United States was surveyed to determine (a) an attitude score toward Spanish E-Instruction based on the Lukow ATUTS (Attitudes toward Using Technology Survey) and (b) a learning style measured by the Kolb LSI (Learning Style Inventory). The majority of participants (n = 151) were aged 18-29 (95%), used between one and five software programs on a daily basis (88%), spent at least 11 hours a week online (88%), and reported an "Accommodating" …