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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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Linguistics As The Basis For Phonological Instruction, Christen Johnson Apr 2016

Linguistics As The Basis For Phonological Instruction, Christen Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study is to determine if teachers of emergent literate students have been trained in linguistics—the anatomy, air flow, and voice of phonology—as part of their literacy instruction and to what extent those strategies are employed while teaching. The basis for this inquiry lies in the understanding that phonology is a science conceived from linguistics which illustrates and explains how sounds are created and produced within the oral structure. This body of information lends itself to an extremely developmental and authentic scope and sequence for teaching phonetics to students. These teachers must be aware of and …


Experiences Of Students With Specific Learning Disorder (Including Adhd) In Online College Degree Programs: A Phenomenological Study, Seleta Bunch Apr 2016

Experiences Of Students With Specific Learning Disorder (Including Adhd) In Online College Degree Programs: A Phenomenological Study, Seleta Bunch

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Enrollment in online degree programs is rapidly expanding due to the convenience and affordability offered to students and improvements in technology. The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the shared experiences of students with documented specific learning disorders (including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) enrolled in online degree programs at a large, faith-based university in the Southeast United States. Colleges and universities must follow federal mandates as recommended by the Office of Civil Rights for students with documented disabilities in both traditional and online settings. Research is lacking in the area of understanding the experiences of students with specific learning …


Yes, I Can: The Effect Of A College Visit And Online Career Intervention On Eighth-Grade Students’ College And Career Self-Efficacy And College Intent, Karin Glessner Apr 2016

Yes, I Can: The Effect Of A College Visit And Online Career Intervention On Eighth-Grade Students’ College And Career Self-Efficacy And College Intent, Karin Glessner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study examined the effect of a college workshop on the college and career self-efficacy and college intent of eighth grade students in a semi-rural setting. The study aimed to fill the gap in the literature by examining college and career self-efficacy and college intent for middle school students in semi-rural areas in the United States as they move to high school. Two groups of eighth grade students from two middle schools in a school district in West-Central Florida participated in the study. The study used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest non-equivalent waitlist control group design. Students in the treatment group participated …


Why Do They Stay? A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Who Persist In Urban K-12 Christian Education, Marie Teodori Apr 2016

Why Do They Stay? A Phenomenological Study On The Lived Experiences Of Teachers Who Persist In Urban K-12 Christian Education, Marie Teodori

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education at five Association of Christian Schools International schools located in the United States. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of teachers who persist in urban K-12 Christian education? Sub-questions explored the source of motivation, role of intrinsic goals, and contextual/environmental supports for teachers who persist in this setting. Methodology utilized a transcendental phenomenological design, purposeful participant sampling, data collection primarily through in-depth interviews and focus groups, and data analysis using Moustakas’ (1994) recommended procedures. …


Litigious Experiences Among Teachers Of Special Education Students: A Phenomenological Study, Shannon Madara Apr 2016

Litigious Experiences Among Teachers Of Special Education Students: A Phenomenological Study, Shannon Madara

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore litigious experiences for special education teachers in South Central Pennsylvania. It was known that teachers are not typically required to have courses on school law, but they are required to abide by educational law. This study was guided by the following research question: How do special education teachers in South Central Pennsylvania describe their litigious experiences? It sought to fill a gap in the literature in the area of actual teacher experience with the problem of litigation. Background information was given to show why this issue was a current problem …


Breaking Free From Cults: A Guide For Pastors To Lead Individuals To A New Christian Identity, Brandon Waters Apr 2016

Breaking Free From Cults: A Guide For Pastors To Lead Individuals To A New Christian Identity, Brandon Waters

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The spiritual scars inflicted on individuals who severed relationships with religious cults or legalistic institutions are widespread. This research will show former cultist experienced spiritual, mental and physical abuse in the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). Through a survey of 150 former members of the WCG and thirty evangelical local pastors, this research will validate the need for support for those individuals seeking personal recovery and the formation of a new spiritual identity. This thesis project produced a manual to assist pastors in understanding the needs of former cultists, specifically in assisting them in developing a new spiritual identity.


A Phenomenological Examination Of Students’ Lived Experiences In A Type Ii Alternative School, Joseph Garner Apr 2016

A Phenomenological Examination Of Students’ Lived Experiences In A Type Ii Alternative School, Joseph Garner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe lived experiences in a type II alternative school, from the perspective of former students who are now in a correctional facility. Three research questions guided the study: How do former students who are now incarcerated describe their experiences in a type II alternative school? How do former students of a type II alternative school describe their experiences in a correctional facility? How do participants’ lived experiences in the alternative school compare and contrast with their lived experiences in a correctional facility? Data was collected through individual interviews, journaling, and focus group …


The Self-Reported Relationship Between A Teacher's Perception Of Learner Characteristics For Students With Disabilities And A Teacher’S Use Of Differentiated Instruction In Georgia Public Schools, Shannon Knight Mar 2016

The Self-Reported Relationship Between A Teacher's Perception Of Learner Characteristics For Students With Disabilities And A Teacher’S Use Of Differentiated Instruction In Georgia Public Schools, Shannon Knight

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative multivariate correlational study was to determine if there is a significant relationship between a general education teacher’s perception of learner characteristics for Students with Disabilities (SWD) and a teacher’s use of Differentiated Instruction (DI) in the general education classroom, grades 6-12. Since previous studies did not clearly support any significant benefits in utilizing segregated instruction for the teaching of students with exceptionalities, it was vital to identify research-based methods to facilitate the education of all students in the general education classroom. Sustained by research on student achievement, the proper and comprehensive implementation of DI has …


The Relationship Between Satisfaction, Motivation, And Caseload And Teacher Retention, Corbett Hawks Mar 2016

The Relationship Between Satisfaction, Motivation, And Caseload And Teacher Retention, Corbett Hawks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Teacher retention has long been a major issue in the educational sector. In today’s schools, effective teachers are a necessity for meeting the fluctuating needs of society. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational, predictive study was to examine the relationship between satisfaction, motivation, and caseload in relation to teacher retention for elementary special education teachers in southwest Virginia. This study incorporates the Three C’s of Education theory (Sher, 1983) and the influence of characteristics, conditions, and compensation. Non-experimental research with a correlational design was implemented along with the criterion variable (retention) and the predictor variables (satisfaction, motivation, and caseload). Participants …


Effects Of Traditional And Online Instructional Models On Student Achievement Outcomes, Vanessa Wrenn Feb 2016

Effects Of Traditional And Online Instructional Models On Student Achievement Outcomes, Vanessa Wrenn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Although virtual education options have rapidly expanded in recent years, little academic research has examined the effectiveness of these courses. Furthermore, little research has been conducted at the secondary school level for public school students. Policymakers and school leaders need reliable research in order to make informed decisions about online learning and to implement programs, which add value to the quality of instruction and provide students with the support they need to be successful. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of instructional model on student achievement for public high school English II students. The high school …


Dual Enrollment: An Integration Strategy For College Persistence And Achievement Among First-Generation Students, Alisha Carey Jan 2016

Dual Enrollment: An Integration Strategy For College Persistence And Achievement Among First-Generation Students, Alisha Carey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Educational and political leaders across the nation seek to create a more educated population in order to compete in a global technology-oriented society and to increase earning potential of workers. Colleges and universities are currently seeking ways to increase persistence and achievement in order to produce more college graduates. Georgia’s ACCEL program provides funding for dual enrollment programs that exist to support earning college credit while in high school. This study explored one Georgia university’s persistence and achievement among first-time first-generation college students who participated in dual enrollment programs. First generation students are more likely to withdraw from college enrollment …


A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Meaning Of Language Learning Strategies As Experienced By Successful English Language Learners At A South Korean University, Eric Hall Jan 2016

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Meaning Of Language Learning Strategies As Experienced By Successful English Language Learners At A South Korean University, Eric Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the shared experiences and beliefs concerning the use of language learning strategies (LLS) among successful English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at a South Korean university. The research questions focused on how successful EFL learners describe their experiences learning English through the lens of learning strategies. Further examination described the role LLS play in the student’s successful English language learning. The participants were 12 successful EFL students from a South Korean university. Data collection consisted of interviews, focus groups, and observations. Data analysis was achieved through use of the hermeneutic …


Spiritual Nurture In Developing The Faith Of Christian High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Martha Boyd-Mitchell Jan 2016

Spiritual Nurture In Developing The Faith Of Christian High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Martha Boyd-Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Christian schools provide solid academic environments for adolescents. The programming promises to deliver an education to nurture the human soul. This qualitative, transcendental, phenomenological study was for the purpose of discovering how spiritual nurture in Christian high schools aided and encouraged faith development. Christian high school is the lived experience of adolescents going to school with spiritual nurture at the heart of their programming. The participants were 15 adolescents who attended a Christian high school that implemented spiritual nurture by use of prayer, worship, biblically-integrated curriculum, Bible study, teacher-student relationships, holistic correction, and peer relationships. The epoche was the …


Case Study: Moral And Ethical Decisions Some Students Make Pursuing Their Doctoral Degrees From Accredited For-Profit Universities, Anne Pinchera Jan 2016

Case Study: Moral And Ethical Decisions Some Students Make Pursuing Their Doctoral Degrees From Accredited For-Profit Universities, Anne Pinchera

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study is to identify issues some doctoral students face in obtaining their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree from accredited for-profit colleges and universities. The three participants attended for-profit universities in the past five years and failed to obtain their doctoral degrees. Data collection is through an initial demographics survey, qualification survey, vignettes, and the interview itself. Data analysis from the Coding Manual for Qualitative Research by Johnny Saldana is used to analyze the data collected from problems doctoral students encounter in pursuit of their doctoral degree (Saldana, 2013). The theoretical foundations for this project come …


Facilitating A Change Of Mind About Father God Through Mentoring Of The Fatherless, Stephen Madosky Jan 2016

Facilitating A Change Of Mind About Father God Through Mentoring Of The Fatherless, Stephen Madosky

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The consensus of published research has proven beyond question that fatherlessness is a crisis in America. Textbooks and autobiographies have covered and reported the statistical effects of fatherlessness; nonetheless, there is far less literature dealing with the solution of fatherlessness and even less literature from Church scholars on how the Church may participate in its correction. This thesis presents an understanding of fatherlessness and proposes a resolution to act on behalf of fatherless children. The resolution will be comprised in preparing Church leaders to equip Church laity to understand and to minister to the fatherless in their affliction effectively.


Exploring The Role Of Elementary Parent Involvement Coordinators In A North Georgia Title I Charter School District, Phillip Elrod Jan 2016

Exploring The Role Of Elementary Parent Involvement Coordinators In A North Georgia Title I Charter School District, Phillip Elrod

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored the role of elementary parent involvement coordinators (EPIC) in a Northeast Georgia Title I Charter School District. EPICs were charged with facilitating programs designed to build social capital and network closure for families. This nested case study explored the experiences of five EPICs, each located in one of the five charter elementary schools, within the district of study. Data was collected through focus groups, interviews and related documents to identify emerging themes and shared experiences among the participants. Data sources were analyzed to develop an understanding of each EPIC program as well as an overall perspective on …


Spiritual Nurture In Developing The Faith Of Christian High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Marsha Boyd-Mitchell Jan 2016

Spiritual Nurture In Developing The Faith Of Christian High School Students: A Phenomenological Study, Marsha Boyd-Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Many Christian schools provide solid academic environments for adolescents. The programming promises to deliver an education to nurture the human soul. This qualitative, transcendental, phenomenological study was for the purpose of discovering how spiritual nurture in Christian high schools aided and encouraged faith development. Christian high school is the lived experience of adolescents going to school with spiritual nurture at the heart of their programming. The participants were 15 adolescents who attended a Christian high school that implemented spiritual nurture by use of prayer, worship, biblically-integrated curriculum, Bible study, teacher-student relationships, holistic correction, and peer relationships. The epoche was the …


A Practical Guide For Creating A Group Environment To Reach A Postmodern World, Anthony Michael Randall Jan 2016

A Practical Guide For Creating A Group Environment To Reach A Postmodern World, Anthony Michael Randall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are disturbing statistics about the number of young people who are leaving the church after they graduate high school and are no longer bound by obligation to the family to attend worship services. If the church does not begin to change its methodology, it will not be able to succeed in reaching this generation. This project seeks to help local churches create an environment in their groups that is comfortable and engaging to the postmodern generation. Churches must create a group environment that not only fosters true Biblical community but also engages our congregations in fulfilling the mission of …


Parental Concerns Surrounding The Care And Education Of Military Dependent Children With Autism: A Phenomenological Study, Charles Tidwell Jan 2016

Parental Concerns Surrounding The Care And Education Of Military Dependent Children With Autism: A Phenomenological Study, Charles Tidwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Autism continues to be a growing concern in America and there is indication that the rate of autism among the sub-population of military dependent children is potentially higher than the general public. This hermeneutic phenomenological study focused on the concerns and experiences of parents of military families raising and educating their children with autism. Data was collected from nine military families across the United States. Six fathers and seven mothers participated through an initial questionnaire, interview, and a written reflective timeline. Findings demonstrated the stress, strain and sacrifice of families serving in the military with children with autism. Continuity of …


Effects Of Child-Parent Attachment And God Attachment On Depression In Adolescent Christians, Soloman Aifuwa Jan 2016

Effects Of Child-Parent Attachment And God Attachment On Depression In Adolescent Christians, Soloman Aifuwa

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis contains a description of a study that examined the relationships between parent attachment, God attachment, and depression in adolescent Christians. It was predicted that secure parent and God attachment are related, and that they will have positive effects on depression and that God attachment will mediate the effects of parent attachments on depression. The study was a cross-sectional correlation study that employed 75 adolescents in youth ministries in North-east Jersey. Depression and attachment measures were administered and the results were analyzed using hierarchical and simultaneous multiple regression, and Pearson’s product-moment correlation coefficient. The study findings demonstrated that parent …


A Phenomenological Study Examining The Experiences Of High School Graduates Who Participated In A Career And Technical Education Program Of Study, Camille Goins Jan 2016

A Phenomenological Study Examining The Experiences Of High School Graduates Who Participated In A Career And Technical Education Program Of Study, Camille Goins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are designed to help prepare students to become effective workers by equipping them with college and career readiness skills needed for the 21st century workplace. Students who participate in a CTE Program of Study (POS) have the potential for greater success during and after high school because they have achieved academic success in meeting the college and career readiness targets that lead to success in post-secondary and career training. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of graduates from one high school in the southwest region of North Carolina who …


A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo Dec 2015

A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with …


A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo Dec 2015

A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Students With Disabilities Who Did Not Complete High School, Richard Wieringo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study explores the experiences of students with disabilities who have dropped out of high school, so as to identify related factors that led to their decisions. Participants included both males and females who were designated as students with disabilities at Ridgeville High School (pseudonym for a Virginia high school) and who dropped out between their third and fourth years of high school, during the 2010 to 2014 academic years. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 24. The case study was conducted through the use of semi-structured interviews, journaling, and observation of the sample population, with …


Differences In Literacy Scores Among Students Who Attended School-Based Prekindergarten, Head Start, And No Prekindergarten, Melissa Hughes Dec 2015

Differences In Literacy Scores Among Students Who Attended School-Based Prekindergarten, Head Start, And No Prekindergarten, Melissa Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With no state-funded prekindergarten program in Mississippi, some school districts have chosen to divert Title I funds to the creation of school-based prekindergarten programs. This study looked at archival data to determine differences in the beginning of the year kindergarten scores between students who attended local Head Start programs (n = 41), students who attended school-based prekindergarten programs (n = 64) in schools that use Title-I funds to support such programs, and students who did not attend prekindergarten (n = 31). The study sought to examine the question of whether a difference existed in the overall scaled score of the …


Predicting Academic Achievement For Seventh Grade Language Arts Students Using The Seven Dimensions Of The Multi- Dimensional Assessment, Mary Rogers Dec 2015

Predicting Academic Achievement For Seventh Grade Language Arts Students Using The Seven Dimensions Of The Multi- Dimensional Assessment, Mary Rogers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlational study was to test how accurately end of the year achievement scores can be predicted by using the seven dimensions of the Multi-Dimensional Assessment in the seventh grade language arts classroom in a southeastern Tennessee school district. The predictor variables were the seven dimensions of the MDA: community engagement, curriculum expectations, developmental perspectives, educational attitudes, faculty fidelity, leadership potential, and school climate. The criterion variable of interest, academic achievement, was generally defined as scores made on the Tennessee Department of Education state mandated test for seventh grade in reading/language arts, the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program …


Blended Online Learning Versus Traditional Classroom Learning: A Comparison Of Mathematics Content Mastery For High School Students Of Homeowners And Non-Homeowners, Jeannette Hallam Dec 2015

Blended Online Learning Versus Traditional Classroom Learning: A Comparison Of Mathematics Content Mastery For High School Students Of Homeowners And Non-Homeowners, Jeannette Hallam

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to compare the methods of traditional face-to-face classroom instruction and blended online instruction for students from differing home environments who were repeating a Mathematics I course at the high school level. This quantitative study, conducted at three high schools in Georgia, used the theories of self-regulated learning, student-centered learning, Keller’s ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) model of motivational design of instruction, and cognitive load theory to compare the two approaches to learning. The participants in this study consisted of 398 high school students taking a Mathematics I class for the second time …


The Effects Of Strategy Instruction In Reading Informational Text On Reading Level And Motivation Of Fifth Grade Students, Michelle Adler Dec 2015

The Effects Of Strategy Instruction In Reading Informational Text On Reading Level And Motivation Of Fifth Grade Students, Michelle Adler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this nonequivalent control-group design study was to determine if students had an increase in reading level and motivation to read when more informational text and instruction was added into the curriculum. The independent variables were the reading curriculum, with Success for All (SFA) used with the control group and SFA with additional instruction in informational text used with the study group. The dependent variables were reading level and levels of motivation determined by the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) and the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS) measured after eight weeks of instruction and again three months post-study. The …


Teacher Preparedness For Spiritually Transformational Teaching: A Case Study In One Christian High School, Wendy Lewis Dec 2015

Teacher Preparedness For Spiritually Transformational Teaching: A Case Study In One Christian High School, Wendy Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This single instrumental case study examined a purposive sample of teachers from Live Oak Christian High School (a pseudonym) for indications that they were spiritually qualified, sufficiently trained, and intentionally committed to transformational Christian teaching. Spiritually qualified teachers would evidence an active Christian faith as demonstrated by a sound basic theology, verbalization of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and various spiritual practices. Teachers who were sufficiently trained would evidence personal knowledge, experience, education, or training related directly to Christian education. Teachers who were committed to transformational Christian teaching would evidence that intentionality in documents, surveys, classroom observations, and personal …


Inclusive Education For Preschool-12th Grade Students With Low Incidence Disabilities: A Case Study Of State Leaders’ Perceptions, Charles Kemp Dec 2015

Inclusive Education For Preschool-12th Grade Students With Low Incidence Disabilities: A Case Study Of State Leaders’ Perceptions, Charles Kemp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this holistic single-case study was to examine the state leaders’ perceptions of the readiness for public schools to implement inclusive education for students with low incidence disabilities. The adult learning theory (Knowles, 1990), the sociocultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978, 1986), and the implementation science framework (Blasé, Van Dyke, Fixsen, Duda, Horner, & Sugai, 2009) provided the theoretical framework for this study. The study, set in a Midwestern state, sought to understand from state-level leaders’ perspectives the readiness for and the roadblocks to implementation of inclusive education for students with low incidence disabilities. The data for this study was …


The Effects Of Student Self-Assessment With Goal Setting On Fourth Grade Mathematics Students: Creating Self-Regulating Agents Of Learning, Laura Clift Nov 2015

The Effects Of Student Self-Assessment With Goal Setting On Fourth Grade Mathematics Students: Creating Self-Regulating Agents Of Learning, Laura Clift

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With the national trend toward student accountability as learners, few studies have identified effective instructional strategies that motivate elementary students in becoming agents of learning and the effect of these strategies on academic achievement. This quantitative study investigated the effect of student self-assessment with goal setting (SAGS), based on the work of Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis (2006), on elementary school students’ academic achievement and motivation in mathematics. This study employed a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent control-group design. Participants were 130 students drawn from six intact classes of fourth graders from five elementary schools located in a large Archdiocese in the …