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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Veteran Transition To The Workplace, Jameson Gordon Apr 2023

Veteran Transition To The Workplace, Jameson Gordon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military veterans’ skillsets and experience are multi-faceted, giving veterans the capability of adaptation, leadership, and decision-making as a general foundation on which they have built many other focused skills (Albertson, 2019; Carpenter & Silberman, 2020; Davis & Minnis, 2017). The use of a directed training intervention to educate and enlighten hiring teams within the human resources field is essential to changing perspectives and giving decision-makers the tools necessary to properly screen candidates for hire. This qualitative study’s purpose was to do just that. The overall purpose was to decrease transitioning veteran unemployment rates by educating Human Resource Departments (HRDs) and …


Leadership Development In The African American Church, Barbara S. Houston Apr 2023

Leadership Development In The African American Church, Barbara S. Houston

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

If the Church successfully fulfills its mission, it must have skilled and effective lay leadership. This research intends to examine the Christian organization's enhancement through discipleship and leadership development. Leadership development and discipleship are vital to every church organization. However, research shows that many historically African American denominations are challenged perhaps more than others to find and educate new religious leaders for their congregations (Johnson, 2017, kindle, loc. 179). What most African American pastors have discovered is that aging leadership is prominent in all denominations. The reality is that many African American churches are on life support; they are clinically …


Employers’ Experiences With Graduates Of Industrial Systems Technology Community College Programs In Northeast Alabama: A Phenomenological Study, Todd Edwards Freshwater Apr 2023

Employers’ Experiences With Graduates Of Industrial Systems Technology Community College Programs In Northeast Alabama: A Phenomenological Study, Todd Edwards Freshwater

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand what skills alignment gaps exist between graduates of Industrial Systems Technology CTE programs and local industrial employers. Career Technical Education is structured to develop students using practical experiences, which help students to develop the skills, both practical and soft, needed to work as technical career professionals. A phenomenological approach was used to structure this study. Phenomenological research is used to explore the shared meaning of a group of individuals that have the same experience, discovering differences and similarities between those experiences. The setting of this phenomenological study was the production and …


Thematic Analysis Of Food Safety Literature: The Fda Food Code And State Legislation, Sabrina Nicole Backlund Apr 2023

Thematic Analysis Of Food Safety Literature: The Fda Food Code And State Legislation, Sabrina Nicole Backlund

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

One of the most important purposes of communication is to warn people of environmental dangers. More specifically, communication can identify risks associated with food safety. The government and food safety experts are to provide information on these dangers. This study aims to determine whether these entities use consistent language to communicate these dangers. The reader will first take a journey through relevant communication concepts and an introduction to food safety. This qualitative applied communication analysis uses MAXQDA software to ascertain similarities in word choice between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) food code and state legislative material. This comparison uses …


Grounded Theory Study On The Perceived Relationship Between Classical Leadership Theories Education And Christian Ministry Leader's Success, Yannique Thomas Apr 2023

Grounded Theory Study On The Perceived Relationship Between Classical Leadership Theories Education And Christian Ministry Leader's Success, Yannique Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A central aim of the research study was for colleges and universities that prepare Christian ministry leaders for ministry in the twenty-first century to include classical leadership theories education in order to meet the growing demand for equipping Christian ministry leaders of the future for success (Kessler & Kretszchmar, 2015). The research findings overwhelmingly suggested that there is a direct link between classical leadership theories education and Christian ministry leaders’ success. All of the characteristics, skills, talents, and attributes identified through receiving classical leadership theories education shifts the emphasis away from what the Christian ministry leader knows in his head …


Perceived Effectiveness Of Teacher Preparation For Teaching Students With Low-Incidence Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study, Shannon Lynn Feerrar Apr 2023

Perceived Effectiveness Of Teacher Preparation For Teaching Students With Low-Incidence Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study, Shannon Lynn Feerrar

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe the participants' perceived effectiveness of their teacher preparation program and their experience of teaching students who are identified with a low-incidence disability. The theory guiding this study was the experiential learning theory. Kolb's experiential learning theory is based on the belief that meaningful experiences and reflection promote enhanced learning. The research questions for this study focused on teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of their special education teacher-preparation programs. Eleven participants who have completed a special education teacher preparation program and currently teach students who are identified with a low-incidence disability …


Positively Reinforcing Parent Communication With Students In Special Education Classrooms For The Reduction Of Attention Maintained Maladaptive Behaviors In A School Setting, Jennifer Rose Harmon Apr 2023

Positively Reinforcing Parent Communication With Students In Special Education Classrooms For The Reduction Of Attention Maintained Maladaptive Behaviors In A School Setting, Jennifer Rose Harmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A mixed-method multiple-baseline experimental design explored the relationship of frequency of attention-maintained maladaptive behaviors and positive parent communication in a fourth through sixth grade special education classroom using visual analysis and a Wampold-Warsham (Wampold & Brown, 2005) statistical design. The obtained result of -11.021 was found to be the 6th highest mean difference across all 24 possible outcomes, resulting in a p-value of 6/24 = 0.25, which is not statistically significant with α = .05 (one-tailed). However, when looking at the visual analysis of the multiple baseline design graphs, one can see a clear decrease in each of the participants …


The Predictive Ability Of Early Reading Indicators And Spelling On Oral Reading Fluency, Jessie Mackenzie Reed Apr 2023

The Predictive Ability Of Early Reading Indicators And Spelling On Oral Reading Fluency, Jessie Mackenzie Reed

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to explore the predictive ability of beginning of the year scores of Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF), and scores from a Primary Spelling Inventory (PSI) at mid-year ORF scores for second-grade students in a rural school district in central Pennsylvania. Because reading skills are strongly linked to positive academic and life outcomes, the identification of students who may have reading difficulties is a critical task for schools. Alphabetic and orthographic knowledge is central to reading development and essential for educators to understand the reading aptitude of students. This …


Teaching Trauma-Affected Students: A Qualitative Investigation Of Teacher Perceptions, Cheryl R. Haynes Apr 2023

Teaching Trauma-Affected Students: A Qualitative Investigation Of Teacher Perceptions, Cheryl R. Haynes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Trauma-affected children in early grades provide unique challenges for classroom teachers. To better understand these challenges, this study examined the experiences of 12 PreK to first-grade Northwest Georgia educators as they support trauma-affected students. Data collection came from semi-structured interviews, memoing, and member checking. Reasons for supporting trauma-affected students discussed in this study include aggressive behaviors in the classroom setting, volatility of home culture, social-emotional needs, and the impact of Covid-19 quarantines. Challenges facing teachers included a lack of knowledge about child trauma, the lack of training on working with trauma-affected students in teacher preparation programs, and the need for …


Understanding An Urban Black Worldview: A Phenomenological Examination Of 2020, Gershwin Francis Grant Apr 2023

Understanding An Urban Black Worldview: A Phenomenological Examination Of 2020, Gershwin Francis Grant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This action research project was designed to surface and codify a worldview that emerged among black people as a result of the traumatic phenomena of 2020. The program sought to help white pastors in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley recognize this new worldview, understand its implications, and desire to intentionally develop their level of Cultural Competence to more effectively counsel and disciple black congregants holding this worldview. The detrimental effects of the phenomena of 2020 exacerbated existing trauma caused by social and institutional racism and resulted in an altered worldview among urban blacks affecting relationships in communities and within church …


A Causal Comparative Study Of The Difference In Percentage Of At-Risk Children Served In New Hampshire Childcare Facilities Based On Facility Type, Danielle R. Higuera Apr 2023

A Causal Comparative Study Of The Difference In Percentage Of At-Risk Children Served In New Hampshire Childcare Facilities Based On Facility Type, Danielle R. Higuera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to determine whether there is a difference in the type of childcare center that at-risk children attend. Scholars have noted the importance and long-term benefits of providing quality early childhood education for at-risk children, but limited research has been conducted on where at-risk children attend childcare. A random sampling method was used to recruit programs from the 689 New Hampshire childcare centers for this study. A questionnaire was administered to determine the percentage of at-risk children that attend each of the five childcare program types: license-exempt, licensed center, licensed family provider, licensed-plus, and …


A Predictive Study Of Factors Impacting Technology Integration In Elementary Public Charter Schools, Carrie D. Ortiz Apr 2023

A Predictive Study Of Factors Impacting Technology Integration In Elementary Public Charter Schools, Carrie D. Ortiz

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to determine if technology integration in elementary public charter schools can be predicted from a variety of factors. These factors included self-efficacy for technology usage, perceived benefits of technology usage, teachers’ beliefs and behaviors related to technology, and the available support. The study addressed technology integration in public charter schools by analyzing relationships between these factors and the level of technology integration. The target population was public charter school classroom teachers in the state of New Mexico. All teachers were general education teachers in grades kindergarten to sixth. Teachers completed the Teacher …


Experiential Truth In Contemporary Worship Environments: The Role Of Late Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century Worship Music In The Spiritual Formation Of Millennials, Clifford Ernest Lambert Ii Apr 2023

Experiential Truth In Contemporary Worship Environments: The Role Of Late Twentieth And Early Twenty-First Century Worship Music In The Spiritual Formation Of Millennials, Clifford Ernest Lambert Ii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Over the past forty years, the American Church has gone to great lengths to make corporate worship culturally attractive for the purpose of evangelizing the Millennial population. Their main emphasis in accomplishing this has been to shift their approach to culturally relevant modes of presentation.  The main components of this shift have included the style, presentation aesthetic, and lyrical content of corporate worship music.  However, immediately following these methodological shifts has been a disillusionment with the flaws of attractional ministry, leading many to a biblically compromised faith and the espousal of progressive theologies.  A distrust of authority paired with postmodern …


Regular Education Teachers' Lived Experiences With Self-Efficacy In Light Of The Endrew F. Decision Of 2017 - A Phenomenological Study, Brian Edward Helsel Apr 2023

Regular Education Teachers' Lived Experiences With Self-Efficacy In Light Of The Endrew F. Decision Of 2017 - A Phenomenological Study, Brian Edward Helsel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of regular education teachers' perceptions of self-efficacy aligned with the FAPE mandate in an inclusion model at a small, rural school district on the east coast. The central research question was as follows: What are the lived experiences of regular education teachers working within an inclusion model with students with disabilities? The theory guiding this study involves Bandura's self-efficacy theory of behavioral change, which Bandura defines as a core belief in one's capabilities to act to produce results. A qualitative hermeneutical phenomenology approach aligns with the study by …


The Duality Of Teachers As Learners Through Influences Of Self-Regulation In Pedagogical Competencies: A Case Study, Rebecca Young Apr 2023

The Duality Of Teachers As Learners Through Influences Of Self-Regulation In Pedagogical Competencies: A Case Study, Rebecca Young

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to describe the elements of self-regulated learning utilized by K-12 teachers navigating the process of improving instructional pedagogy and self-efficacy in a rural school district. The guiding theory of this study was Bandura’s social cognitive theory of self-regulation, as it addresses the connection of self-directedness in goal attainment actions, motivation, and efficacy in learners. A multiple case study of twelve K-12 teachers in a rural school district was used to showcase the individuals’ lenses of self-regulatory practices. Open-ended interviews focused on the patterns and experiences with self-regulation each educator exhibits while designing, …


Teachers' Perceptions On The Implementation Of Behavioral Intervention Initiatives In Alternate Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Teddrick Mccreary Apr 2023

Teachers' Perceptions On The Implementation Of Behavioral Intervention Initiatives In Alternate Schools: A Phenomenological Study, Teddrick Mccreary

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the teachers' perceptions of the implementation of behavior intervention initiatives in alternative schools. The theory guiding this study was the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) framework, as it suggested that teachers' attitudes and behaviors in learning or implementing new philosophies, resources, and methodologies would be addressed to proceed to higher levels of curriculum implementation. This phenomenological study investigated 13 teachers' perceptions of implementing behavior intervention initiatives at several alternative school campuses in the United States. Qualitative data collection methods included individual interviews, a focus group, and questionnaires with experienced teachers …


One Church’S Apathy Toward Fulfilling The Great Commission, David Thomas Williamson Apr 2023

One Church’S Apathy Toward Fulfilling The Great Commission, David Thomas Williamson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Philippians 1:9-11 records Paul’s prayer containing four assessments believers can use to measure their progress toward spiritual maturity. These areas include a love that flows, a mind that knows, a character that shows, and a fruit that grows. The purpose of all these qualities is to demonstrate God’s glory. Where spiritual maturity is absent, apathy and complacency abound, and this dilemma must be overcome before a church can effectively pursue and sustain a viable focus on church revitalization. Because theological academia has not effectively focused on the partnership between spiritual maturity and church revitalization, this DMIN research project will address …


A Causal-Comparative Study Of Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Academic Misconduct In Advanced Practice Nursing Education, Jennifer Marie Oakes Apr 2023

A Causal-Comparative Study Of Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Academic Misconduct In Advanced Practice Nursing Education, Jennifer Marie Oakes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study was to identify whether there is a difference between student and faculty perceptions of academic misconduct in APRN education. The findings of this study may aid in the strategic management of academic policies and enforcements. The study took place at a single private university in Texas which houses six graduate-level APRN programs. The sample size consisted of 92 students and 42 faculty. The Exams and Assignments Scale (EAS) was used as an instrument for both groups and anonymous data was collected using an online survey platform. Statistical analysis took place using an independent …


Systemic Barriers In Victims Of Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (Csec), Caitlin Brooks Apr 2023

Systemic Barriers In Victims Of Commercial Sexual Exploitation Of Children (Csec), Caitlin Brooks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), also known as child sex trafficking is a topic trending amongst the media both nationally and internationally. Within the United States, numerous agencies such as law enforcement (LE), the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS), Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs), and others tend to become involved in child trafficking cases in some capacity. This qualitative study aims to fill a gap in research by investigating how the child-serving system creates its own barriers, leaving child victims without services. Two data collection methods were utilized to obtain which …


The Impact Of Stressors On Undergraduate College Students With Anxiety Disorders: A Phenomenological Study, Whitney Shea Dickerson Apr 2023

The Impact Of Stressors On Undergraduate College Students With Anxiety Disorders: A Phenomenological Study, Whitney Shea Dickerson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

ABSTRACT The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the essence of the shared lived experiences of undergraduate college students with anxiety disorders at two universities in the Southeastern United States. One institution is a mid-sized, public, nonsectarian university; the other is a small, private, faith-based liberal arts college. The theory guiding this study is Ellis’s cognitive theory, rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT), which posits that irrational core beliefs create intense negative emotions that cause suffering. The central research question is intended to elicit rich data regarding the shared lived experiences of the study participants. The four …


A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors Leaving Employment Due To Experienced Poor Person-Organization Fit, Stephen T. Buys Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of Pastors Leaving Employment Due To Experienced Poor Person-Organization Fit, Stephen T. Buys

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe pastors’ experiences who have served full-time in a lead/senior pastor role in evangelical churches after having lost or left their employment as a result of experiencing poor person-organization fit. For this study, pastoral staff turnover was defined as the employment of full-time pastoral staff employed for at least one year who have resulted in voluntary or involuntary resignation from their place of employment because of value incongruence. In this phenomenology, the church is viewed as an educational institution, including similarities between pastoral roles and educator and administrator roles. As …


The Impact Of High School Math Teachers' Conceptions Of Teaching And Learning On Implementation Of Student-Centered Instructional Practices, Melissa Marie Lute Apr 2023

The Impact Of High School Math Teachers' Conceptions Of Teaching And Learning On Implementation Of Student-Centered Instructional Practices, Melissa Marie Lute

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive, correlational study is to investigate the relationship between high school math teachers’ conceptions of constructivist instructional practices and their conceptions of traditional teaching practices with their implementation of student-centered learning (SCL) practices in their math classes. Cognitive constructivism, theories of teacher beliefs, and teacher self-efficacy provide a theoretical framework for understanding math teachers’ beliefs about teaching and learning and their use of SCL. This quantitative, nonexperimental study uses a correlational research design to investigate teachers' conceptions of teaching and learning and their implementation of student-centered instructional practices. The convenience sample included 68 high school …


Ecology Of Faith And Learning: A Case Study Of The Experience Of Spiritual Formation Of Online Undergraduate Students, Phillip Vincent Apr 2023

Ecology Of Faith And Learning: A Case Study Of The Experience Of Spiritual Formation Of Online Undergraduate Students, Phillip Vincent

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to describe the spiritual formation practices of online undergraduate students at a Christian college. This study employed a qualitative methodology approach involving 12 online undergraduate students engaged in studies at a Christian college in the United States. The theoretical framework that guided this study was the ecological systems theory and the ecologies of faith model. The central research question was: How do online undergraduate students describe their experiences of spiritual formation while engaged in online studies? The data collection methods consisted of interviews, journal prompts, and document analysis. The data analysis process …


Faculty And Staff Experiences Of The Support Services Provided To Students With Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Status At A Community College: A Phenomenological Investigation, Juhi Mehrotra Gor Apr 2023

Faculty And Staff Experiences Of The Support Services Provided To Students With Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals Status At A Community College: A Phenomenological Investigation, Juhi Mehrotra Gor

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand community college faculty and staff members’ experiences of providing support services to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. The theory that guided this study was Rendon’s validation theory - as students are validated and made to feel valuable, they will foster personal and social development. This study explored three of the six elements of validation theory through the following research questions: 1. In what ways are faculty and staff at the institution acting as validation agents for DACA students? 2. What initiatives or steps do validating agents take to engage …


The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Subscales Of Student Engagement, Instructional Practices, And Classroom Management, And Attitudes About The Inclusive Setting, Stephanie Marie Wood Apr 2023

The Relationship Between Secondary Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Subscales Of Student Engagement, Instructional Practices, And Classroom Management, And Attitudes About The Inclusive Setting, Stephanie Marie Wood

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative correlation study is to determine if there is a relationship between in-service secondary teachers’ self-efficacy regarding student engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management and their attitudes toward the inclusive setting. Secondary teachers’ self-efficacy is imperative to student engagement, instructional practices, and classroom management in an inclusive setting. The study surveys 67 in-service middle and high school level general education teachers from a single, rural school district in eastern Pennsylvania. Data were collected using two surveys which are the long form of Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale and The Scale of Teacher’s Attitudes towards Inclusive Classroom. …


Effects Of Student Leadership Style On Their Academic Performance, Ignatius Luke Chan Apr 2023

Effects Of Student Leadership Style On Their Academic Performance, Ignatius Luke Chan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Leadership is a topic that is often researched. Most research surrounds the management's leadership and how it affects the environment and people around them in an academic institution or the instructional leadership of instructors and how it affects students. There is little to no research done on students' leadership styles and how these various leadership styles affect their academic performance. The importance of this study surrounds the need to understand students to better cater to them. By understanding students' leadership styles and their effects on academic performance, instructors can better cater to the needs of these students to prepare them …


A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Of Implementing Social Promotion Policies In A Public School District, Kelley L. Duffy Apr 2023

A Phenomenological Study Of Middle School Teachers’ Experiences Of Implementing Social Promotion Policies In A Public School District, Kelley L. Duffy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe middle school teachers’ experiences of implementing social promotion policies at a public school district in the southern United States. The study advanced understanding about teachers’ perceptions implementing social promotion policies and how those perceptions impacted their professional behaviors and identity. Weick’s sensemaking theory guided this study as it explains how individuals define and give meaning to their reality when ambiguities and uncertainties exist. The study was designed to explore the central research question, what are middle school teachers’ shared experiences with social promotion policies at a public school district in …


How Personal Reponsibility Can Empower The Marriage Relationship, Emmanuelle Sawyer Apr 2023

How Personal Reponsibility Can Empower The Marriage Relationship, Emmanuelle Sawyer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The researcher created a seven-step ‘What Makes Marriage Work’ personal responsibility framework, that is an empowerment tool used for couples coached at E. Sawyer Coaching. The researcher presented the seven-step framework to seven married/previously married persons, to determine their perception of the merit of the seven-step framework. This framework was presented with the hypothesis that if couples at E. Sawyer Coaching understood the power of personal responsibility, they would experience marriage vitality and restoration as a result. As it stands, in current marriage related research, personal responsibility is not a key tool of emphasis surrounding marriage support and empowerment. This …


Higher Education During Crisis: A Phenomenological Study Of Educator Perceptions On Their Transition To Online Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carrie Smith Curtis Apr 2023

Higher Education During Crisis: A Phenomenological Study Of Educator Perceptions On Their Transition To Online Education During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Carrie Smith Curtis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study is to describe the experience of higher education faculty during the crisis-response transition to online learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. By gaining a perspective of the experiences of faculty during this crisis experienced during the 2020-2021 academic year, valuable insight can be gained for higher education institutions on how to better prepare for future crises. Phenomenology allows the participant’s perspectives to be treated as complete truth and analyzed from multiple vantage points through horizontalization. This study uses Transition Theory to draw conclusions about the adaptability of faculty without prior experience …


Predicting Successful Completion Of Biology From Course Satisfaction And Curriculum Format For Nontraditional Students, Janet Elizabeth Forde Apr 2023

Predicting Successful Completion Of Biology From Course Satisfaction And Curriculum Format For Nontraditional Students, Janet Elizabeth Forde

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The overall purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between the biology curriculum design with student course satisfaction and the successful completion for nontraditional adult students. The current study was important in determining course curriculum format leading to nontraditional students’ successful course completion. The selected college is a small two-year community college in the southeast United States. This quantitative, predictive correlation study surveyed 85 nontraditional students’ satisfaction with the biology course curriculum format using the Online Course Satisfaction Scale. The survey data was correlated along with the type curriculum used in the course section (Open …