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Police Officer Perceptions Of Parenting Experience Changes Following An On-Duty Child Death, Jennifer Sellers Mar 2024

Police Officer Perceptions Of Parenting Experience Changes Following An On-Duty Child Death, Jennifer Sellers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) work in careers that can be demanding, stressful, and traumatizing. Although researchers have explored vicarious, or secondary, trauma as it relates to a LEO bringing their experiences at work into the home environment, influencing their spouse or partner’s mental and physical well-being, they have not yet investigated how a LEO’s experience of a child death while on-duty might affect their parenting styles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the parenting styles that LEOs use or change when they have experienced a traumatic incident at work, specifically a child death. The study was …


Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney Jan 2023

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers’ perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to obtain primary teachers’ perceptions regarding how instructional components of the WRFP challenged or strengthened their instructional practices with assisting struggling readers gaining proficiency. Engelmann’s theory of instruction, Orton-Gillingham’s approach, and Engestrom’s activity theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Fifteen K-3rd grade teachers who implemented WRFP and …


Female Superintendents’ Perspectives About The Preparation, Experiences, And Challenges Important To Secure A Superintendent Position, Erin Fasel Jan 2023

Female Superintendents’ Perspectives About The Preparation, Experiences, And Challenges Important To Secure A Superintendent Position, Erin Fasel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of female representation and gender imbalance in the superintendent position nationwide has been a focus of scholars for many years. Researchers have demonstrated that females have the experiences, preparations, and expertise necessary but are not securing the superintendent position at the same rate as their male counterparts, causing a disproportionate representation in the superintendent position nationwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of female superintendents on the challenges, preparation, and experiences important for females to succeed in attaining a superintendent position in a large southwestern state. The social cognitive career theory was used to …


First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler Jan 2023

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …


Community Perceptions Of Syringe Service Programs In Charleston, West Virginia: A Qualitative Socioecological Perspective, Kenya M. Burton Jan 2023

Community Perceptions Of Syringe Service Programs In Charleston, West Virginia: A Qualitative Socioecological Perspective, Kenya M. Burton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In rural areas of the United States, people who inject drugs (PWID) experience an array of obstacles to accessing adequate healthcare. Locations with high rates of drug use normally offer more healthcare options, including needle exchange programs but, in some communities, there is resistance to providing this kind of care. This increases mortality, morbidity, cost, and adds to the stigma experienced by this vulnerable group. The experiences of people with substance dependency, including PWID, has been widely explored throughout studies that reflect a need for increased support. However, the perspectives of the community, especially in rural areas, though equally important, …


Perceptions Of K–12 Educators Of Color On Ethnic Studies Curriculum And Teaching In Urban Public Schools, Tracy Castro-Gill Jan 2023

Perceptions Of K–12 Educators Of Color On Ethnic Studies Curriculum And Teaching In Urban Public Schools, Tracy Castro-Gill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retention of educators of color (EOC) is becoming a focal point in K–12 education because of the increasing demographic of students of color in K–12 urban public schools; however, a shortage of EOC exists in these schools in the United States due in part to disproportionate attrition rates for EOC compared to White educators. Little is known about the role curriculum may play in retaining EOC in K–12, urban public schools. The purpose of this qualitative critical narrative inquiry study was to explore how ethnic studies curriculum influences how EOC who teach ethnic studies perceive the teaching profession in K–12, …


Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney Jan 2023

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers’ perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to obtain primary teachers’ perceptions regarding how instructional components of the WRFP challenged or strengthened their instructional practices with assisting struggling readers gaining proficiency. Engelmann’s theory of instruction, Orton-Gillingham’s approach, and Engestrom’s activity theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Fifteen K-3rd grade teachers who implemented WRFP and …


First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler Jan 2023

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Factors Related To The Perceptions Of Academic Honesty Among Campus-Based And Online Undergraduate Students, Robert Defranco Jan 2023

Factors Related To The Perceptions Of Academic Honesty Among Campus-Based And Online Undergraduate Students, Robert Defranco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic dishonesty poses a challenge for the online and campus-based learning environment where technology and assessment at a distance may encourage easy and innovative ways of cheating. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess campus-based and online students’ attitudes and perceptions toward academic dishonesty. Data were collected via the Student Academic Honesty Survey to measure student perceptions of academic dishonesty to determine the following: (a) whether biological males and females differed in their perceptions of academic dishonesty, (b) the predictive relationships between perceptions of academic dishonesty and locus of control after controlling for type of school, and (c) …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Perceptions Of K–12 Educators Of Color On Ethnic Studies Curriculum And Teaching In Urban Public Schools, Tracy Castro-Gill Jan 2023

Perceptions Of K–12 Educators Of Color On Ethnic Studies Curriculum And Teaching In Urban Public Schools, Tracy Castro-Gill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retention of educators of color (EOC) is becoming a focal point in K–12 education because of the increasing demographic of students of color in K–12 urban public schools; however, a shortage of EOC exists in these schools in the United States due in part to disproportionate attrition rates for EOC compared to White educators. Little is known about the role curriculum may play in retaining EOC in K–12, urban public schools. The purpose of this qualitative critical narrative inquiry study was to explore how ethnic studies curriculum influences how EOC who teach ethnic studies perceive the teaching profession in K–12, …


Perceived Barriers To Health Care Access And Delivery Among Arkansas Medicaid Beneficiaries, Kimbra D. Butler Jan 2022

Perceived Barriers To Health Care Access And Delivery Among Arkansas Medicaid Beneficiaries, Kimbra D. Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Arkansas has historically been one of the lowest ranking states in the United States in education, economy, opportunity, crime and corrections, and health care. Though more than 3 million Arkansans live in the state, nearly 1 million receive Medicaid-funded health insurance. This phenomenological study employed a constructivist paradigm and focused on the perceptions of underserved Arkansans regarding their health and their access to health care; additionally, within this study, the Health Belief Model shifted the study’s focus to individuals’ perspectives, perceptions, experiences, and opinions through interview responses. The research was intended to identify factors that may relate to the higher …


Perceptions Of Human Services Case Workers Regarding Culturally Sensitive, Evidence-Based Services In Child Welfare, John Dyrkacz Jan 2022

Perceptions Of Human Services Case Workers Regarding Culturally Sensitive, Evidence-Based Services In Child Welfare, John Dyrkacz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The perceptions of human services case workers toward their racial minority clients may affect the quality of service that racial minority families who are involved in the child welfare system receive. In the child welfare system, some African American families are not offered services that are culturally sensitive or tailored to their race or ethnicity. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore human services case workers’ perceptions of offering culturally appropriate, evidence-based services to their African American and racial minority clients in an Upper Midwest urban setting in the United States. Family systems theory was used to …


Disciplinary Teacher Perceptions And Challenges Of Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Scarlett Nicole Wetherington Jan 2022

Disciplinary Teacher Perceptions And Challenges Of Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Scarlett Nicole Wetherington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disciplinary teachers who teach mathematics, science, and social studies are challenged to embed literacy instruction into their disciplines for the growing population of English language learners (ELLs). In a rural middle school in the Southern region of the United States, disciplinary teachers are struggling to embed literacy instruction to support ELLs to meet grade-level achievement standards. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions about the challenges of using literacy strategies to teach ELLs in the disciplinary classroom. The conceptual framework for this study included Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning. The key research questions of this …


Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Disengagement And Its Role In Low Academic Achievement, Georgia Ross-Holmes Jan 2022

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Disengagement And Its Role In Low Academic Achievement, Georgia Ross-Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisengaged students display boredom, low achievement, and high dropout rates. The problem addressed in this study was the need for a better understanding of teachers’ perceptions about disengaged students, which is essential in developing interventions to support students’ school completion. This basic qualitative study explored teachers’ perceptions of the underlying reasons for student disengagement and explored how teachers perceived the role of disengagement in student academic achievement. The self-system motivational theory lens was the framework used to guide the research and address the research questions, which asked about middle school teachers’ perceptions of the underlying reasons for student disengagement and …


Perceptions Of Female Divinity Students Regarding Gender Bias And Career Aspirations, Monique C. Norton Jan 2022

Perceptions Of Female Divinity Students Regarding Gender Bias And Career Aspirations, Monique C. Norton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender bias plays a significant role in ministry and could prevent churches and congregations from benefitting from the values female ministers bring to the church in a leadership capacity. This bias can also prevent female ministers from accomplishing their career goals. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of gender bias held by female Master of Divinity (MDiv) students and whether they perceive gender bias has an effect on their choice of a career as a ministerial leader. Social cognitive career theory provided the framework for the study. The research question focused on gathering the …


Parents' And Caregivers' Attitudes About Child Passenger Safety, Latoya Wider Jan 2022

Parents' And Caregivers' Attitudes About Child Passenger Safety, Latoya Wider

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of childhood injury and death in the United States. Many car seats are installed incorrectly, and many children under the age of 6 are seriously injured or killed in a motor vehicle crash. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between age of child, age of parent/caregiver, attitudes, and behaviors of child passenger safety among parents and caregivers in South Carolina. The influence of age and attitude on consistent car seat use was also examined. The study was based on the theory of planned behavior. A survey design featuring questions …


Perceptions Of Support For Adult Students At A Community College, Holle Lynn Ford Jan 2022

Perceptions Of Support For Adult Students At A Community College, Holle Lynn Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult college students face unique challenges that can derail their dreams of completing a degree or certificate program. The problem addressed in this study was that, although postsecondary institutions in Tennessee have been tasked with equipping at least 55% of adult residents with a college degree or certificate by the year 2025, some college leaders were struggling with how to best support adult students. Guided by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand what supports were needed to best meet the needs of adult students who are completing a degree or …


Principals’ And Coaches’ Perspectives On Leadership Practices And Instructional Coaching, Shona Sandlin Jan 2022

Principals’ And Coaches’ Perspectives On Leadership Practices And Instructional Coaching, Shona Sandlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education reform is the driver for changes in principal leadership practices. Instructional coaching is a common lever used to meet reform mandates but has had inconsistent results. The problem in practice is little is known about how principals use leadership practices to establish effective instructional coaching in their school building. The conceptual framework used in this study was the distributive leadership framework, which was used to analyze how leadership skills are distributed throughout an organization to meet overall goals. In this study, the principals and the instructional coaches were asked to perceive and describe the principal’s leadership practices that influence …


Smoking Cessation: Factors That Determine Cigarette Smokers Lived Experiences To Quit, John F. Zogbo Jan 2022

Smoking Cessation: Factors That Determine Cigarette Smokers Lived Experiences To Quit, John F. Zogbo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmoking is a serious public health problem because of its close link to health conditions such as lung cancer. Smoking cessation has received significant attention in research that contributes to successful quitting, but not much is known about smokers’ reasons for and experiences of quit attempts. This qualitative phenomenological study explored factors that contribute to failed quit attempt experiences among adults 18–40 years old. The researcher recruited 30 participants, 22 males, and eight females, who had participated in a cessation program with the Indiana Department of Health, but failed to quit, or had successfully quit but who had returned to …


Perceptions Of Novice Teachers Applying Differentiated Instruction In Heterogeneous Elementary Classrooms, Jessica Ann Meadows Jan 2021

Perceptions Of Novice Teachers Applying Differentiated Instruction In Heterogeneous Elementary Classrooms, Jessica Ann Meadows

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction (DI) is an effective approach to maximize students' academic success in diverse elementary classrooms. But a current concern in educational research is an insufficient understanding of how novice elementary teachers perceive and apply DI to support student success, especially as student diversity continues to increase, creating challenges to meeting students' needs. Novice teachers are expected to positively influence student learning through their teaching methods at the same level as experienced teachers. Yet, it is unclear how they use DI to do so. The purpose of this study was to provide a deep understanding of how novice teachers perceive …


Pk–12 District Administrator Perceptions About Career Readiness And Workforce Preparation Programs And Activities In Schools, Shawn Lee Dilly Jan 2021

Pk–12 District Administrator Perceptions About Career Readiness And Workforce Preparation Programs And Activities In Schools, Shawn Lee Dilly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of student career preparedness has increased the number of youths facing negative personal, economic, and social implications and have led to increased calls for public education to find solutions. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore West Virginia district administrators’ perceptions about career readiness and workforce programs. Underpinning the study’s conceptual framework was educational leadership. The two research questions focused on district administrator perceptions about the value and importance and the barriers, limitations, and successes of career readiness and workforce programs. A qualitative survey and semistructured interview were employed to provide data for an iterative, …


Perceptions Of Midwestern Msn Nps Of The Dnp Degree, Margaret Gallagher Jan 2021

Perceptions Of Midwestern Msn Nps Of The Dnp Degree, Margaret Gallagher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strong professional forces have emerged within healthcare with expectations for a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree for nurse practitioner (NP) practice. While NP contribution to societal healthcare is evident, most of these frontline workers are still only masters’ prepared nurses (MSN). A problem exists in that their views of the DNP have been minimally studied. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of Midwestern MSN NPs of the DNP. The study was supported by the self-determination theory (SDT) proposing that motivation for goal achievement was driven by perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, which set priorities …


Instructional Leadership Practices Of Middle School Principals Regarding Students With Learning Disabilities, Sharon Dixson Jan 2021

Instructional Leadership Practices Of Middle School Principals Regarding Students With Learning Disabilities, Sharon Dixson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA problem existed among middle school principals in that they appeared to inconsistently apply instructional leadership practices while supporting their teachers teaching students with learning disabilities. How the principals perceived these inconsistencies and the possible effects on practice was not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of middle school principals regarding their instructional leadership practices to consistently support teachers who teach students with learning disabilities. The conceptual framework comprised the instructional leadership theory of Murphy, Hallinger, Weil, and Mitman. The research question addressed the perceptions of middle school principals regarding their instructional leadership practices …


Parental Perceptions Of Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Students In The Educational Process, Robin Waltman Jan 2021

Parental Perceptions Of Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Students In The Educational Process, Robin Waltman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex biological disorder that encompasses a wide range of symptoms and varies in degree of severity. Parents and caregivers rely on programs offered by school districts that encourage parental participation in the educational process and have differing views on inclusion in educational decisions. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain the views of parents of children with ASD regarding their inclusion in the educational process. The research question addressed the lived experiences and perceptions of parents of students with and ASD regarding their inclusion in the educational process. A case study methodology …


School Personnel’S Perceptions Toward Transfer Versus Nontransfer Students In A Borderland School, Maria Isabel Quiñones Velez Jan 2021

School Personnel’S Perceptions Toward Transfer Versus Nontransfer Students In A Borderland School, Maria Isabel Quiñones Velez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School personnel serving highly transient student populations in borderland schools in the southwestern United States may have different perceptions toward transfer students and nontransfer students. Few quantitative studies have measured the perceptions that arise as school personnel confront the unique challenges of providing services to transfer students. Research-based evidence of the perceptions of school personnel in a southwestern border town is needed. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the presence, or not, of different perceptions of school personnel toward students who transfer from other school systems due to specific circumstances versus the perceptions toward nontransfer students who …


Experience Of The Obese Population With Weight Bias/Stigma, Gary Mathew Brown Jan 2021

Experience Of The Obese Population With Weight Bias/Stigma, Gary Mathew Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity management has been identified as an important issue in health promotion, and some researchers have also reported that people who are obese often do not seek health care. Yet, current research is lacking on the complexities of weight stigma from the perspective of people who are obese. The purpose of this qualitive descriptive study was to understand the perceptions of weight bias/stigma of obese individuals. Guided by Goffman’s Theory of Social Stigma and the Health Belief Model, purposive sampling was used to recruit 10 participants who had a body mass index greater than 30 and who lived in West …


Impact Of Gender Of The Offender On Perceptions And Criminal Sentencing Of Child Sexual Abuse Cases In Puerto Rico, Sigrid Enid Vázquez-Tirado Jan 2021

Impact Of Gender Of The Offender On Perceptions And Criminal Sentencing Of Child Sexual Abuse Cases In Puerto Rico, Sigrid Enid Vázquez-Tirado

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The gender of the adult offender may influence perceptions and criminal sentencing of child sexual abuse (CSA) cases in Puerto Rico. Extralegal factors such as culture and stereotypes may impact how CSA crimes are perceived and handled. The traumagenic dynamic model and the focal concerns theory of sentencing provided the theoretical frameworks for the study. Data were gathered by convenience sampling. To measure perceptions and sentencing decisions, 525 participants were asked to read a hypothetical case of CSA by a teacher with a minor student. Point-biserial correlational analyses were used to assess the influence of the independent variable (sex of …


Church Leaders' Perceptions Of Their Roles In Mentoring Young Black Males' Development, Johnny Anthony Beckwith Jan 2021

Church Leaders' Perceptions Of Their Roles In Mentoring Young Black Males' Development, Johnny Anthony Beckwith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBlack Baptist church leaders are potential male role models for their communities, however there is no straightforward guide on how to optimally support the adolescent, Black male population with life skills development. The research question that guided this generic qualitative study addressed the perceptions of male, Black, Baptist church leaders regarding their role as a support for the development of life skills for the adolescent, Black male. Thirteen, Black, male, Baptist Church leaders from the southeast United States participated in semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. Their responses were analyzed thematically, resulting in the identification of four emergent themes: (a) conceptualizing …