Digital Commons Network^™

Overcoming Failure: Characteristics Of Leaders Who Have Successfully Recovered From A Significant Setback, Richard Leo Hunt

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to study the characteristics of leaders who have experienced a setback or failure and have bounced back to success. A qualitative research design employing an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews with open ended questions allowed the respondents to share valuable insights into the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their individual experiences. The results suggest that after experiencing a setback, a process develops where feelings and thoughts are experienced immediately following the event that is followed by a period of coping and adapting, a transition to a resilient state, and behavioral …

Perceptions Of Academic Advising And Student Retention, Stacy Renaee Soden

Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine student and academic advisors’ perceptions of advisement techniques to determine the connection between academic advising strategies and student retention. If student retention rates are not addressed, higher education institutions are at risk of losing students, which is costly to the institution and the student (Himes, 2014). Most college students are in a state of change and need academic advice to achieve success during a college transition (Tinto, 2012). Academic advisors can assist students in finding the right career for students’ specific strengths. This qualitative study utilized Tinto’s (2012) theories of student …

Standardized To Student-Centered: A Systemic Approach To Navigating The Transition, Finding Balance And Creating Equitable 21st Century Learning Environments, Betsy Fitch

Dissertations

Components of what has been historically referred to as progressive education have been shown to increase both student achievement and motivation. These historically termed ‘progressive’ approaches are now being reintroduced as systemic and innovative practices in the post No Child Left Behind (NCLB) era of education reform. While progressive education has often been criticized for appealing primarily to the white-middle class, and for an apparent lack of rigor, current research is beginning to tell a different story. This dissertation will summarize the evolution of the Progressive Movement from the late 1800s until today, describe the impacts of a more standardized …

Motivation To Persist: The Role Of Hope, Academic Self-Efficacy, And Sense Of Belonging On First Generation Latinx College Students And Their Intent To Persist, Deanna Peck

Dissertations

The landscape of higher education is changing. More diverse students are attending universities at higher numbers, yet these students are not graduating. This quantitative study uses linear regression, stepwise regression, and then exploratory factor analysis to examine three constructs - hope, academic self-efficacy, and sense of belonging - in first generation Latinx college students to see if these constructs made a difference in their intent to persist. While these constructs were positively statistically significant, their effect sizes were weak and do not explain the all the reasons why first generation Latinx college students intend to persist to graduation. In addition, …

Academic Supports Preferred By Academically Struggling African American Students At A Predominantly White University, Ellen E. Meadows, Joan H. Ruppert

Dissertations

Academic supports offered by Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) meet the needs of individuals who achieve standards such as high grade point averages and high standardized test scores, and who can negotiate traditional college institutions. Evidence indicates that retention and graduation rates for underrepresented minority students may be lower in comparison to White peers at the same institutions. Observations indicated that academic supports offered by a Midwestern PWI, may not provide the services preferred by African American students who struggle academically in two colleges, the College of Education and the College of Nursing.

A mixed-methods design was used to determine what …

Ulead: The Effects Of A Civics-Based Educational Program On Urban Youth, Rodney W. Smith, Aaron H. Willis, Mario Pascal Charles

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Urban Legal Education and Academic Development: The Effects of a Civics-Based Educational Program on Urban Youth

There is a critical need for urban youth to have working knowledge of the legal and civic nuances of their communities and political state that affects their daily lives. The pressing problems of the daily existence that these students face inhibit them from utilizing this understanding to exhibit appropriate behavior and engage in civil discourse. Urban Legal Education and Academic Development (ULEAD) provided these students with the knowledge of the functions of the legal and civic processes that facilitate behavior modification to allow …

We Are All In This Together: The Impact Of Collaborative Professional Learning Teams On 21st Century Literacy Instruction, Michelle K. Thompson

Dissertations

Professional learning communities and collaboration are often seen and heard in schools today as educators work to prepare students to be college and career ready in the 21^st century. This dissertation explores the impacts that collaboration within professional learning communities has on the literacy instruction of teachers in a large suburban school district. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and observations following three teams through one school year. Interviews with team members and the building administrators along with observations of team meetings paint the picture of collaborative practices in these teams. The results show the teachers and administrators at …

The Undergraduate In The “New Urban University”: Recognizing The Role Of Agency And Its Correlates In The Student’S Academic Life Story, Karen Galea

Dissertations

According to the U.S. Department of Education (2016), only 36% of first time college students enrolled at broad-access institutions graduate within six years, compared to 60% at all universities. The vital role of academic agency is universally accepted; however, debate remains over a shared definition. The purpose of this study is to determine which combination of non-academic attributes generate, grow, and support academic agency for undergraduate students at a broad-access, minority-serving “New Urban University.” Three questions are examined:

1. Which attributes define academic agency, and how do they relate to conceptually similar variables?
2. Assuming academic agency exists along a continuum over …

The Lived Experience Of Registered Nurses Caring For Patient Living With Hiv/Aids In Broward County, Florida: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Archimore Alexander Wright

Dissertations

Vulnerability, opportunistic infections, and infection-related illnesses, caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIF), progressively overwhelms the human immune system resulting in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to slowly and non-discriminately spread continentally with dramatic consequences on the life expectancy of anyone who develops this pervasive illness/disease. The virus, HIV, is well documented and is commonly transmitted through risky behaviors of human contact, and if left unattended and untreated, leaves a path of destruction an devastation of monumental proportions. HIV/AIDS dramatically leads to long struggles and concerns for human rights and end-of-life (EOL) care.

The purpose of this …

Understanding Noncompliance: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Title Ix Sexual Misconduct Violations Using The Office For Civil Rights Investigative Findings, Lenore N. Schaffer Nee Malone

Dissertations

On April 4, 2011 the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) reminding higher education institutions (HEIs) of their obligations under Title IX to respond to complaints of sexual misconduct. The 2011 DCL was meant to be a guidance document to assist HEIs in complying with Title IX, but many higher education administrators expressed frustrations concerning some of OCR’s requirements. Since releasing the 2011 DCL, OCR has opened more than 200 Title IX investigations at HEIs across the nation. When OCR concludes that a HEI has failed to comply with Title IX, …

Optimizing Stadium Evacuation By Integrating Geo-Computation And Affordance Theory, Joslyn Jane Zale

Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to optimize football stadium evacuation time by integrating geo-computation with affordance theory from perceptual psychology to account for evacuee characteristics: age, gender, physical fitness, alcohol consumption, and prior experience attending football games at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), evacuating from large, outdoor public places, and with hazard events.

According to the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act, football stadiums are part of the country’s critical infrastructure warranting special government protection. Evacuation modeling was identified as an important component of game day emergency …

Self-Identity And Community Through Social Media: The Experience Of Saudi Female International College Students In The United States, Tahani Obaid Alruwaili

Dissertations

This study examined the role of social media in the lives of Saudi female international college students as they faced issues related to adjusting to living and studying in a culture vastly different from their own. Social media is an increasingly important consideration in literature on self-identity, education, and community. This study employed qualitative interview methods to explore this topic. Fourteen Saudi female international college students living in the United States for three to nine years answered questions about their personal identities in Saudi Arabia and in the United States, their social media use in Saudi Arabia and in the …

Click, Explore, And Learn: Graduate Students’ Experiences And Attitudes Toward Using E-Books For College-Level Courses, Rasha Abdulrahman Alhammad

Dissertations

The main purpose of this qualitative research was to explore graduate students’: (a) interpretations of their experiences with the use of e-books for learning; (b) reasons that influence their preference to use e-books or printed books when they learn; (c) perceptions toward e-books impact on learning; (d) perceptions toward the influence of prior technological experience, knowledge, and confidence on opinions and decisionmaking associated with e-books; (e) interpretations of their experiences with the use of a given e-book; and (f) recommendations of changes to e-books to better supporting their learning. Participants were 20 graduate students at one of the midsize universities …

In Line For The Presidency: The American Association Of Community Colleges (Aacc) Leadership Competencies And The Career Development Of Women Leaders In Community College Administration, Autumn Rene Porter

Dissertations

Though women make up the majority of community college students, faculty and staff, only 36% of community college presidents nationwide are female. With a significant number of presidential retirements on the horizon, there could be many opportunities for women in line for a community college presidency to take the next step along their career paths. This study was designed to explore how women in senior-level community college administration have acquired the American Association of Community Colleges leadership competencies throughout their careers and what other influences had impacted their career development. A qualitative, phenomenological design was chosen, and results were examined …

The Effects Of Pregnancy On Student Progress, Sarah Hope Steinkamp

Dissertations

Ample evidence exists establishing the relationship between pregnancy during high school and subsequent educational difficulties, yet little research has investigated the relationship between pregnancy during college and subsequent educational difficulties. The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between pregnancy in undergraduate college students and educational attainment and to determine the strength and direction of said relationship. A quantitative research approach composed of historical medical and retention data was utilized. Vincent Tinto’s theory of student departure was applied to frame the use of experience of pregnancy diagnosis as a variable related to retention. Findings indicate a …

“Their Whole World At School”: Portraits Of Students, Their Teacher, And Emerging Culture In A Middle School Newcomer Program, Megan Finney Edmiston

Dissertations

This dissertation utilizes ethnographic and portraiture as complementary methodologies to explore the individual and group cultures of emergent multilingual immigrant students in a public middle school newcomer program. Research questions focus on how these students negotiate their multiple identities individually and collectively. Postmodernism and a critical perspective form the conceptual framework to support the theoretical lenses of Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Pedagogy and Sociocultural Positioning Theory. Six newcomer students and the newcomer teacher are explored through individual portraits and through five emergent themes shared among the group in their constructed newcomer cohort culture. Results suggest greater recognition of the differences among newcomer …

An Exploration Of Experiences Of Low Socioeconomic Chinese Students Who Achieved High Scores On The National College Entrance Exam, Dongfang Liu

Dissertations

Although the economy has been developing at a fast pace for the last few decades, there is still a relatively high low SES population within the Chinese society, which constitutes a contextual barrier to educational equity in Chinese education. Meanwhile, the Chinese government has been administering assistance policies in education to promote education equity, such as the milestone policy introduced by the Compulsory Education Law that requires all school-age children to attend grades one through nine for free. This policy has brought immense prosperity to the majority of citizens. However, Chinese education still faces a large array of challenges pertaining …

Analyzing The Curricula Of Doctor Of Philosophy Programs In Educational Technology And Any Associated Specialty In The United States, Abdullah Almaden

Dissertations

The aim of this research study was to analysis on-campus and online Ph.D. programs in educational technology and any associated specialties in the United States. In particular, it sought to evaluate the most common titles; core, elective, and research courses; structured types of comprehensive examinations; and possible employment opportunities based on program mission statements. The research design for this study was quantitative content analysis. Data for this study were collected from six different sources. The current study found 43 institutions offered campus-based degree programs and four offered online degree programs in educational technology and any associated specialty. In addition, the …

The Transferability Of Soft Skills Of Women Veterans To Corporate America, Chanty Bradley Clay

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the transfer of soft skills of women veterans to their post military career in corporate America in order to support their career success by helping them market and utilize their soft skills and experience in their post military career, and to better understand the employability issues of women veterans. Thorndike and Woodworth’s (1901) Identical Elements Theory was used to better understand how women veterans transferred learning in one context (military) to another similar context (corporate America) and their identification, marketability, and utilization of these learned soft skills to the workforce. A narrative …

Comparative Assessment Of Agricultural Literacy In Selected K-5 Classrooms Employing Agriculture In The Classroom Methodologies: A Solomon Four-Group Analysis, Mary Margaret Fischer

Dissertations

The significance of agriculture to future generations is unparalleled. The United Nations projects the global population to swell to 9.75 billion people by 2050, and to proliferate to 11.2 billion by 2100. The non-agricultural population has little to no understanding or comprehension of the complexities of sustaining a viable agricultural system. Agricultural literacy is an area often unseen and rarely discussed outside specific agricultural disciplines. Society does not view agriculture as being important, yet it is important that society be properly educated on issues in order to reach well-informed decisions and render prudent choices that impact the world around them. …

In Pursuit Of A Black Identity In Contemporary South Africa: Culture, Class, And Gender In Wedding Reality Tv Shows, Tv Audience Comments, And Wedding Speeches, Lindani Memani

Dissertations

This research reveals the opaque social hierarchies which work to structure Black life in contemporary South Africa. Using a multi-modal critical discourse analysis, and four theories: hegemony, neoliberalism, post-feminism and African womanism, this study analyzes the representation of weddings in Our Perfect Wedding and Top Billing Weddings, two South African wedding reality television programs. In addition, the study examines the TV programs’ audience narratives in online spaces. Analyzing online conversations helps to show how audiences actively engage with and interpret messages disseminated by the TV shows as they talk back to the shows and among themselves. The study also examines …

A Mixed-Methods Study: Self-Efficacy And Barriers To Participation In Workplace Wellness Programs, Massiel Perez-Calhoon

Dissertations

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation’s health. Lack of awareness and sensitivity to what motivates individual participants versus group participants built formidable barriers to accessing all workplace employees equitably. The purpose of this study was twofold. First, the intent of this study was to explore the relationship between self-efficacy and the impact on participation and engagement when …

(Re)Storying Ferguson: Youth Voices And Literate Lives, Katherine O'Daniels

Dissertations

This dissertation reports on a collaborative action research study conducted with Sioux Roslawski, a third-grade teacher in a Ferguson, Missouri elementary school. Sioux and I wondered how students might use words, images, and actions to shape a vision of their community space and its future in the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting. Situated within a critical-spatial and sociocultural paradigm, placemaking stems from understandings of place as culturally produced and interpreted, and, thus, capable of being re-designed in the interest of equity and social justice. The research methodology was guided by a critical qualitative and ethnographic approach, coupled with critical …

Leaky Pipeline And Sacrificial Lambs: Gender, Political Parties, And Descriptive And Substantive Representation Of Women In South Korea, 1988 – 2016, Young-Im Lee

Dissertations

This study examines women’s political representation in pre-election (candidate nomination), election, and post-election (legislative activities) stages in South Korea. First, I examined factors contributing to electing women to the National Assembly in the eight national legislative elections since democratization in 1987. I conducted statistical analysis to examine how a candidate’s political experience, major party nomination, incumbency, and districts’ party loyalty affect the candidate’s electoral victory and how each influences women and men differently. I also interviewed candidates, candidate aspirants, elected legislators, legislative staffers, scholars and activists on their personal experiences with major party nomination and election campaigns.

Second, I analyzed …

What’S In It For Me? The Impact To Social Exchange Dynamics Of Hispanic Males Serving As Mentors In Formal Youth Programs, Annica Meza Dawe

Dissertations

Purpose: The U.S. Hispanic population is on the rise and will continue to be an important thread in the fabric of American society as a whole. However, in the midst of this burgeoning group lies its male subpopulation which faces its own unique challenges. One outlet that has demonstrated success for minorities is mentoring. Mentoring can provide Hispanic males with numerous benefits in a social exchange paradigm. Unfortunately the majority of mentoring research has focused solely on the perspective of the protégé, thus leaving mentor perceptions, particularly those of Hispanic males, unexplored. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study sought …

Parasitism Of Free-Ranging Neotropical Primates: Examining Parasite-Host And Parasite-Parasite Relationships, Gideon A. Erkenswick

Dissertations

Parasites are infectious agents that require resources from host organisms to complete all or part of their lifecycles. It is customary for wild animals to acquire and maintain multiple parasitic infections during their lifetime. The effects of parasites on hosts vary across demographic and environmental variables, and in relation to each other. Moreover, the propensity for a host animal to acquire an infection can be influenced by other host species in the area that are susceptible to the same parasites. This dissertation describes and explores the natural parasite assemblage of a free-ranging community of nonhuman primates in the Peruvian Amazon …

The Untold Stories Of Former Teen Mothers Who Have Achieved A Master’S Degree Or Higher, Tanya M. Benitez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to shed light on former teen mothers who have “beaten the odds” by achieving a master’s degree or higher. It sought to reveal and understand what the external and internal factors are which lead to these women pursing higher education.

Methodology: The methodology of this study is a case study which explored these factors through the personal stories of former teen mothers. The study revealed the commonalities among these women.

Findings: The findings of the study determined Data collection and analysis resulted in four findings in the lived story of the 13 selected …

Transformational Leadership: An Urban Leaders' Autoethnography, Joyce M. Roberts

Dissertations

My story of lived experiences is told through a transformational leadership lens whereby the leader is charged with identifying the need for change, creating the vision to guide the change through inspiration and executing the change in tandem with committed members of the group. An autoethnography is a style of autobiographical writing that explores an individual's unique life experiences in a natural setting. The researchers' lived experiences are scholarly and justifiable interpretations supported by multiple sources of evidence and artifacts.

Exploring Nurse's Feelings On Floating: A Phenomenological Study, Marie-Paule M. Lafontant

Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to explore nurses' lived experiences floating in an acute health care facility within a large southern city of the United States. Husserl's transcendental approach assisted in capturing the essence of floating as a lived phenomenon occurring in the nurses' natural work environment.

Repercussive Discrimination: Racial Discrimination As An Explanation Of Prevalent Homophobia Among Racial Minorities, Timothy E. Lewis

Dissertations

Generally, attitudes in the United States towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons have become more favorable in recent years. Obviously, examining the politics of LGBTI persons and attitudes towards them is important considering that this demographic may account for 10% of the U.S. population; but a more inconspicuous reason it that examinations provide insight into the political landscape of how political minorities address various issues and interests. However, in studying public opinion towards gays and lesbians it is discovered that racial minorities, particularly African-Americans, generally possess negative attitudes to LGBTI persons and possess higher percentages of homophobic …