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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Effect Of Perceived Self-Efficacy And Certification On Teachers Of Students With Emotional Disabilities Exhibiting Behaviors, Maisha Evonne Williams Nov 2018

Effect Of Perceived Self-Efficacy And Certification On Teachers Of Students With Emotional Disabilities Exhibiting Behaviors, Maisha Evonne Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher efficacy is a motivational construct that suggests teachers’ beliefs in their perceived efficacy affects the learning environments they create and the academic achievement of their students. Perceived self-efficacy affects the effort and persistence teachers exude during obstacles, such as when students exhibit challenging behaviors, regardless if the teacher is alternatively or traditionally certified. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to test the construct of self-efficacy grounded in the social cognitive theory and compare a teachers’ route to licensure (traditional or alternative) to perceived self-efficacy for special education teachers (SETs) of students with emotional disabilities exhibiting challenging behaviors. A …


Successful Negotiations: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Superintendents Who Successfully Negotiate Teacher Contracts, Kelly A. Theurer Nov 2018

Successful Negotiations: A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Superintendents Who Successfully Negotiate Teacher Contracts, Kelly A. Theurer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

New York State has a long history related to teachers’ unions. Superintendents are often the main players for school districts when negotiating teachers’ contracts. While much has been researched about negotiations, there is a gap in the literature in relation to the motivating factors of superintendents to successfully negotiate teachers’ contracts. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of school superintendents who have successfully negotiated teachers’ contracts within suburban areas of New York State. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of school superintendents who have successfully negotiated teachers’ contracts in …


Addressing Barriers To Medication Adherence: An Evidence-Based Screening Instrument Validation Study, Donna Jean Washburn Nov 2018

Addressing Barriers To Medication Adherence: An Evidence-Based Screening Instrument Validation Study, Donna Jean Washburn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adherence to a prescribed medication regimen is often critical to successful disease management. Cancer diagnoses often further complicate control of the comorbid diseases. Older cancer patients with multiple comorbidities receiving chemotherapy treatment are at increased risk for adverse health outcomes from uncontrolled disease when nonadherent to their medication regimen. The intent of this pilot study was to test the validity of an evidence-based screening instrument designed to identify patients at risk for medication nonadherence and uncontrolled illness. The W-BMA (Washburn-Barrier to Medication Adherence) screening criteria were applied to retrospective data of cancer patients with multiple co-morbidities. SPSS was used to …


The Relationship Between Virginia School Divisions’ Anti-Bullying Policy Scores And The Percentage Of Student Offenses Of Bullying, Amber M. Zachry Nov 2018

The Relationship Between Virginia School Divisions’ Anti-Bullying Policy Scores And The Percentage Of Student Offenses Of Bullying, Amber M. Zachry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

State laws and policies that adhere to U.S. Department of Education (USDOE)-recommended anti-bullying legislative components have been found to reduce rates of bullying in schools. No longer considered a normal or tolerated part of childhood and adolescence, state legislation and local policy regarding bullying have experienced substantial growth over the last decade. Consequently, state laws and local policies are currently a critical component in response to bullying behavior and yet, there is limited research that has investigated the relationship between anti-bullying policies and the prevalence of bullying. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine whether a relationship exists …


The Impact Of Cyber-Bullying On Adolescents' Georgia Milestones Scores, Sy Hudson Nov 2018

The Impact Of Cyber-Bullying On Adolescents' Georgia Milestones Scores, Sy Hudson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This correlational study investigated the relationship of adolescent cyber-victimization to performance on the Georgia Milestone Assessment System (GMAS) competency test. Technology today allows students to learn how to operate various forms of digital equipment very early, but proper cyber etiquette training is not always included. This study addressed the potential that cyber-victims’ may have low performance scores on high stakes tests. A closer look at the predictive relationship between the two is an important step in the process for developing plans to resolve this issue. The participants included 100 randomly-selected Georgia middle school students. After collecting the Cyberbullying and Online …


The Influence Of Teacher And Institutional Support On Academic Self-Efficacy, Academic Outcome Expectations, And Academic Interest: An Exploration Study, Maureen Quiles Ponce Nov 2018

The Influence Of Teacher And Institutional Support On Academic Self-Efficacy, Academic Outcome Expectations, And Academic Interest: An Exploration Study, Maureen Quiles Ponce

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

While college and career readiness benchmarks were created to provide evidence that a student is academically ready to succeed in a post-secondary educational setting, many high school graduates do not reach these academic benchmarks, and of students who go on to college, many do not complete their bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, current college and career readiness markers neglect to consider non-academic factors despite research suggesting that psychosocial factors strongly influence readiness beyond academic performance. The literature supports the premise that other powerful forces, namely social-cognitive factors also shape learning and performance, which in turn shapes academic and career outcomes. Self-efficacy emerged …


The Religious Persecution Of Christians, Novella L. Crudup Nov 2018

The Religious Persecution Of Christians, Novella L. Crudup

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The thesis project addressed the religious persecution of Christians in Kenya, East Africa, and the United States. The problem is that Christians deny Christ to avoid persecution. There is a need for a proposed solution that emphasizes the need to believe that persecution is a reality, and that every believer should anticipate and prepare for it. Furthermore, the proposed solution should emphasize that God has a purpose for allowing Christians to face persecution. The methodology used for this project was qualitative analysis. The researcher applied the content analysis approach towards interpreting the data that was collected from thirty-one participants completing …


Community Bank Leaders' Perception On Maintaining Values In Decision Making, Jennifer H. Matheny Oct 2018

Community Bank Leaders' Perception On Maintaining Values In Decision Making, Jennifer H. Matheny

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative study explored community bank leaders’ perception of conflicts between their personal values and core corporate values when negotiating critical decisions. At this stage in the research, the negotiating of decisions were generally defined as resolving conflicts between personal and organizational values. Results provide an understanding of how values-based leadership affects executive level decisions in community banks. A purposeful sample of community bank leaders participated in qualitative interviews. These leaders were selected based on their responsibility to make decisions that influenced their corporate culture and/or had a significant impact on their company. Based on the study, there was a …


Improving The Practice Model In A Military Clinic, Kristina Marie Zuccarelli Oct 2018

Improving The Practice Model In A Military Clinic, Kristina Marie Zuccarelli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Military members and their families face numerous stressors due to the unique lifestyle of this career (Lester, 2011). The occupational impact on these members creates a highly stressful and physically demanding environment with low morale, chronic medical complaints, and poor mental health for these individuals. This project incorporated the current patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model and fused it with the operational medical model for all the active duty members in this unit. The combination of models allowed the provider to have a better understanding of the population’s needs. By embedding in the units, the provider developed a team approach to …


Perceptions Of The Achievement Gap As Experienced Among Academically Proficient To High-Achieving African American Adolescents In The Rural Southeastern United States: A Phenomenological Study, Tony Antonio Dominic Roberts Oct 2018

Perceptions Of The Achievement Gap As Experienced Among Academically Proficient To High-Achieving African American Adolescents In The Rural Southeastern United States: A Phenomenological Study, Tony Antonio Dominic Roberts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe how the achievement gap is perceived as a lived experience by African American adolescents in a southeastern United States school district. The perception of the achievement gap as a lived experience among African American adolescents is generally defined as the meaning this group ascribes to their lived experience in the academic achievement gap. The theory guiding this study was Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Vygotsky theorized that sociocultural learning precedes cognitive development; therefore, African American adolescents’ sociocultural awareness of the gap, or the meaning or lack of definition in perceptions of …


Increasing Hcahps Scores By Scripting Of Hourly Rounding, Katherine Rivera Oct 2018

Increasing Hcahps Scores By Scripting Of Hourly Rounding, Katherine Rivera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a standardized national report on patient perceptions of care and is now linked to hospital reimbursement by both government and now some independent insurance companies. Healthcare systems are therefore very interested in ways to increase patient satisfaction within their facilities. This evidence-based practice pilot project was based on the Iowa Model of Evidence and used a quasi-experimental process to ascertain if adding scripting to the hourly rounding process was able to increase patient satisfaction scores on the HCAHPS. The increase in patient satisfaction, in the area of perceived responsiveness …


Knowledge And Attitude Of Nurses In A New Rn Graduate Residency Program Regarding Pain Management, Kathryn Lee Wampole Oct 2018

Knowledge And Attitude Of Nurses In A New Rn Graduate Residency Program Regarding Pain Management, Kathryn Lee Wampole

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Most people have encountered pain at some point in their lives. It is a very common complaint nurses hear from patients. When assessing patients, nurses are taught to take what the patient says as his or her pain level as fact. Pain is not a vital sign that can be measured with medical equipment like temperature or blood pressure. Therefore, many nurses find assessing pain challenging. Adding to the complexity of pain management is the current opioid crisis. To help combat some of these issues, the project leader worked with healthcare administrators at a regional teaching hospital in the southeastern …


Forensic Science Course Student Efficacy, Task Value, And Sense Of Community: Comparing Traditional And Virtual Classroom Designs, Jennifer Lynn Hall-Rivera Oct 2018

Forensic Science Course Student Efficacy, Task Value, And Sense Of Community: Comparing Traditional And Virtual Classroom Designs, Jennifer Lynn Hall-Rivera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student enrollment in undergraduate online education continues in an increasing trend toward the creation of new virtual degree programs. Academia and university faculty have observed comparable learning outcomes in both traditional and online classrooms, but minimal research exists discussing student perspectives of science-based coursework in these two learning environments. A specific discipline within scientific programs which continues to demand student interest is Forensic Science degree programs. Forensic Science coursework requires tangible application of content learning in addition to confidence in task completion. Forensic Science also necessitates a sense of connectedness amongst a team of individuals, as peer collaboration and discovery …


State Appropriations And Allocation Ratios To Predict Financial Condition At Public Higher Education Institutions, Cassandra Bennett Oct 2018

State Appropriations And Allocation Ratios To Predict Financial Condition At Public Higher Education Institutions, Cassandra Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The higher education industry has faced increased competition in recent years from new institutions and learning platforms entering the marketplace. Public higher education institutions, in particular, have been forced to develop strategic plans due to limited state funding in recent years. These colleges and universities face the challenge of allocating their limited financial resources in a manner that will optimize financial strength and ensure long-term sustainability. Institutions classify their operating expenses into several different functional expense categories, including instruction, academic support, student services and operations and maintenance of plant. This paper analyzed the relationship between changes in state appropriations, allocation …


Burnout In Sweden And The United States: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Gina G. Barker Oct 2018

Burnout In Sweden And The United States: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Gina G. Barker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation begins with a background on the phenomenon of burnout. A review and examination of the literature on burnout in offered, including diagnoses, symptoms, and assessments; causes and antecedents; the related concepts of demands, motivation, and stress; prevention, intervention, and treatment; and cultural influences. Research on cross-cultural differences between Swedish and American cultures is addressed. The review concludes with a rationale, research questions, and hypotheses to guide this cross-cultural investigation of burnout in Sweden and the United States. Next, the research design is described and illustrated. This study examined how cultural dimensions, self-efficacy, and performance-based self-esteem moderate the relationships …


The Relationship Between Test Of Essential Academic Skills And Nursing Final Course Grades For Sophomore Students In A Residential, Undergraduate, Pre-Licensure Bachelor Of Science Nursing Program, Tracey Milton Turner Oct 2018

The Relationship Between Test Of Essential Academic Skills And Nursing Final Course Grades For Sophomore Students In A Residential, Undergraduate, Pre-Licensure Bachelor Of Science Nursing Program, Tracey Milton Turner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In light of the national nursing shortage, there is a heightened need to admit students to schools of nursing who are likely to persist through graduation. The purpose of this quantitative predictive correlational study was to determine if Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) subscale testing scores could predict the final course grade in a fundamentals of nursing course for sophomore students in a residential, undergraduate, pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program at a private university. Archival data consisting of information related to sophomore, residential, undergraduate, pre-licensure BSN students at a private university during the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and …


Pain Management: A Flowsheet For Providers, Lisa Swezey Oct 2018

Pain Management: A Flowsheet For Providers, Lisa Swezey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many different factors led to the trend of providers prescribing opioids for chronic pain. However, the misuse of and many deaths related to opioid prescriptions have caused the trend to reverse its direction. National organizations call for providers to stay clear of opioid medication and increase the use of nonpharmacological pain management, but also to treat pain adequately. There are still many barriers to decreasing the use of opioids and increasing the use of nonpharmacological methods. This scholarly project hoped to use an educational flowsheet to assist providers in meeting the demands from national organizations to decrease the use of …


The Relationship Of Community College Staff's Job Satisfaction To Administration's Leadership Style: A Correlational Study, Darla Sue Harwell Oct 2018

The Relationship Of Community College Staff's Job Satisfaction To Administration's Leadership Style: A Correlational Study, Darla Sue Harwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Today, higher education faces more social, cultural, accreditation, and funding opportunities than they have faced in the past and it is important for staff to have job satisfaction to assist the colleges to meet these opportunities. Higher education leaders are increasingly recognizing that to keep the institutions doors open financially, they must have staff that are satisfied with their jobs and thus are placing a greater emphasis on meeting the staffs’ expectations and needs. This will allow for the staff to assist with the opportunities that those in higher education are facing today. The purpose of this study was to …


Remedial Reading: Teacher Input Student Output: The Impact Of Teacher Education On Post-Secondary Remedial Reading Students, Deb Davis Sep 2018

Remedial Reading: Teacher Input Student Output: The Impact Of Teacher Education On Post-Secondary Remedial Reading Students, Deb Davis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite evidence that enhanced teacher education provides enhanced learning opportunities, there is little research on the impact for remedial college students. This study addresses this issue. Reviewing students assigned to remedial reading based on placement test scores, a series of t-tests compared students after one term based on COMPASS scores and compared between the courses provided with teachers of bachelor’s or master’s degrees grouped by gender. This study used a non-experimental, causal-comparative quantitative ex post facto design to study the difference between the education level of the teaching staff and the student achievement at completing the prescribed remediation course within …


Community College Completion: The Predictive Relationship Between Placement Scores And Graduation, Lisa Martin Sep 2018

Community College Completion: The Predictive Relationship Between Placement Scores And Graduation, Lisa Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This predictive correlative study was designed to investigate the relationship between the entry placement-test scores of community college students as measured by the ACT® COMPASS® placement exams and the students’ successful completion of a degree or certificate program at a technical (community) college in South Carolina. The study was of importance, for it was designed to determine if ACT® COMPASS® placement test scores can predict graduation from a degree or certificate program in the subject college’s programs of study. The study will utilize archival data available in the college’s retention-management system. The selected college is a mid-sized institution that enrolls …


Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Performing Physical Restraints Involving Students With Disabilities: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Stephanie Laymon Sep 2018

Experiences Of Special Education Teachers Performing Physical Restraints Involving Students With Disabilities: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Stephanie Laymon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The performance of physical restraints on students with disabilities has become a significant interest to the legislative and disability communities in recent years. A report from the USDOE Department of Civil Rights (2018) indicated that while students with disabilities make up only 12% of the student population, these students account for 71% of the physical restraints in public schools. To date, little research has been identified involving physical restraints in public schools. This transcendental phenomenological study collected data from 10 special educators in a school district in Southeast Tennessee who were involved in the physical restraint of students with disabilities …


A Quantitative Descriptive Case Study On The Alzheimer's Nonprofit Marketing Methods, Stephaine Buffaloe Sep 2018

A Quantitative Descriptive Case Study On The Alzheimer's Nonprofit Marketing Methods, Stephaine Buffaloe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem to be addressed was the deficiency of financial support, as a result of dwindling effectiveness of fundraising using traditional methods needed to meet the Alzheimer’s Association goal of finding a treatment by 2025. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive case study was to examine the current traditional marketing approaches of fundraising for the Alzheimer’s nonprofits. The significance of the study was finding that the survey participants preferred the traditional approach to the nontraditional approach. An entertainment event was the most favored approach. The implication on organizational change was that age, gender, and past donations to religious organizations were …


An Analysis Of Principal Burnout And Job-Person Fit Among Elementary, Middle, And High School Principals In Alabama, David West Sep 2018

An Analysis Of Principal Burnout And Job-Person Fit Among Elementary, Middle, And High School Principals In Alabama, David West

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This causal-comparative, quantitative study examined the relationship between elementary, middle, and high school principals’ level of burnout and job-person fit. The purpose of this study was to identify the congruence of school principal burnout by examining the dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Job-person fit was explored by comparing the principal and his or her work environment. The six key domains of worklife (i.e., workload, control, community, reward, fairness, and values) were examined using the Areas of Worklife Survey, and data on the level of burnout were collected using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator’s Survey. The data in the …


How Might Servant Leadership Principles Impact Employee Turnover At A Solid Waste Management Firm?, Clifton Thacker Sep 2018

How Might Servant Leadership Principles Impact Employee Turnover At A Solid Waste Management Firm?, Clifton Thacker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study analyzed the impact servant leadership had on employee turnover at an SWM firm. Many authors were reviewed with literature pertaining to leadership, servant leadership, and SWM. Multiple interviews were conducted with current personnel at an SWM firm that utilizes servant leadership in order to gain a better understanding of the experiences of these employees. The results of the study indicate that servant leadership has a profoundly positive impact on employee satisfaction and, consequently, decreased turnover. The researcher developed many themes based on data analysis, which included culture, accountability, support, and commitment.


Perceptions Of Community College Of The Air Force Graduates Regarding The Degree's Influence On Employability: A Case Study, Kimberly Castillo Sep 2018

Perceptions Of Community College Of The Air Force Graduates Regarding The Degree's Influence On Employability: A Case Study, Kimberly Castillo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single embedded case study was to answer the central question: How do CCAF graduates perceive the impact of their degree in enhancing their employability for the civilian workforce? Because veterans have historically suffered from high unemployment (Kleykamp, 2013), veteran employment is a highly politicized problem considering the large number who will soon be discharged (Burnett-Zeigler, Valenstein, Ilgen, Blow, Gorman, & Zivin, 2011; Humensky, Jordan, Stroupe, & Hynes, 2013; Kleykamp, 2013; Loughran, 2014). This study used a theoretical framework of the transition theory to better understand the issues airmen faced when leaving the Air Force as well …


The Effective Return Of Biblically Responsible Exchange Traded Funds, Stacie Rhodes Sep 2018

The Effective Return Of Biblically Responsible Exchange Traded Funds, Stacie Rhodes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation research study was designed to contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the efficacy of a recently popular investment vehicle (ETFs; Ben-David et al., 2017) and the impact of values-based investment strategies on performance (Bidisha et al., 2017). Specifically, this research examined the risk-adjusted returns of biblically responsible ETFs, a subset of the larger category of socially responsible investment funds. The results of this study indicated there was no statistically significant difference between the intraday risk-adjusted return yields of the mid-cap and world large stock BRI ETFs and their respective benchmark indexes or the average intraday risk-adjusted …


Utilizing Natural Settings To Reinforce Social Skills Instruction In Students With Disabilities, Torrey Pitchford Aug 2018

Utilizing Natural Settings To Reinforce Social Skills Instruction In Students With Disabilities, Torrey Pitchford

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A large proportion of students with disabilities (SWD) have social skills deficits that make it difficult for them to succeed in school, work, and life. This quantitative, quasi-experimental, non-equivalent, pretest-posttest, control group study was designed to explore whether SWD can better transfer their learned social skills to natural settings, improving their chances at independence and success, with the use of reinforcement in natural settings. The researcher included 86 students with disabilities from a school district in a predominantly white, middle class, rural Utah town. The researcher and teachers used Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) in this study to provide instruction …


Predicting Student Retention Using Scholarship And Grant Aid, William Dixon Aug 2018

Predicting Student Retention Using Scholarship And Grant Aid, William Dixon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the beginning, the field of higher education has represented the possibility of a better future for many. For some, education represents a way to better oneself and to prepare for a future career. This is the one of the strongest drivers of going to college, that it will open doors to a better future. The number of students attending colleges and universities has increased over the decades but so too has the expense of going to college. The dissertation report presented here attempts to look at the retention rates of colleges and universities and how forms of financial gift …


Employing Text Messaging As An Instructional Tool: Effects On Academic Achievement And Sense Of Connectedness, Mary Sell Aug 2018

Employing Text Messaging As An Instructional Tool: Effects On Academic Achievement And Sense Of Connectedness, Mary Sell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quasi-experimental, non-equivalent groups study investigated the effects of instructional text messages on the academic achievement and sense of connectedness of high school students enrolled in economics classes in north Georgia. Previous research on text messaging has shown that it (a) is the preferred method used by adolescents for communication, (b) increases student motivation to learn, (c) allows for ubiquitous learning, and (d) was found to be useful and acceptable by students. The Test of Economic Literacy, Fourth Edition was used to measure academic achievement, and the Classroom Community Scale was used to measure sense of connectedness. Results of the …


The Relationship Between Toddlers' And Their Primary Caregivers' Perspectives On Gender, Marc Strawderman Aug 2018

The Relationship Between Toddlers' And Their Primary Caregivers' Perspectives On Gender, Marc Strawderman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative case study was to discover the relationship between the views of gender between toddlers and their primary caregivers and between those toddlers and their teachers at an early childhood education center, or daycare center, in south-central Pennsylvania. The Child-Rearing Sex-Role Attitude Scale (CRSRAS) and Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale (SRES) assessed and evaluated how the adults perceive gender. The Sex-Role Learning Index (SERLI) had the toddlers gender-type toys. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the adults’ scores on the CRSRAS and SRES, and explanation building was used after that to link the adults’ perceptions to the toddlers’ …