Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 121 - 150 of 3383

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

School Leaders And Strategies To Address Teacher Shortages In A Rural School District, Phaniki Antwanette Jenkins Oct 2025

School Leaders And Strategies To Address Teacher Shortages In A Rural School District, Phaniki Antwanette Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed was that education administrators struggle to reduce teacher shortages in rural public school districts in the Southeastern United States. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was three-fold: to understand what experiences education administrators had concerning teacher shortages, what practices they used to address shortages, and what strategies they deemed most helpful. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 state-certified administrators with at least 3 years’ experience in their role in one rural public school district in the Southeastern United States. Open and axial coding were used to support thematic analysis. Administrative experiences …


Clubhouse Versus Ips Outcomes In Terms Of Hours Worked And Pay Earned, Daniel Scott Reynolds Oct 2025

Clubhouse Versus Ips Outcomes In Terms Of Hours Worked And Pay Earned, Daniel Scott Reynolds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals balance personal needs and societal norms as they attempt to achieve self-fulfillment. However, those who have mental illness face marginalization from the workforce and diminished quality of life. Of the two prominent vocational programs – the Clubhouse and the Individualized Placement and Support (IPS) – that assist this population in integrating into the workforce, and therefore into society. It is unknown which program does better at helping the mental illness population meet their objectives of integration. Such a comparison is important because it will help these people to integrate into the workforce and into society, thereby increasing their quality …


Using Supply Chain Management Strategies To Create Competitive Advantages, Marlon Mitchell Sep 2025

Using Supply Chain Management Strategies To Create Competitive Advantages, Marlon Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, small and medium businesses (SMBs) can use effective supply chain management (SCM) to strengthen competitiveness. Supply chain stakeholders and SMB owners are concerned with maintaining resilient and innovative supply chains to sustain growth. Grounded in game theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies that small business leaders use to identify and implement supply chain innovation. Data were collected through Walden University and peer-reviewed studies. Through thematic analysis, nine themes were identified: supplier diversification, inventory management, cost evaluation, visibility systems, technology and automation, improved communication, risk management, changes …


The Level Of Awareness Of County Services In Maryland Offered By A Local Care Team To Youth With Developmental Disabilities And Mental Illness, Wanna Nedgie Dare Sep 2025

The Level Of Awareness Of County Services In Maryland Offered By A Local Care Team To Youth With Developmental Disabilities And Mental Illness, Wanna Nedgie Dare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental and developmental health challenges remained a significant concern in one Maryland county. The Maryland Governor’s Office for Children (GOC) funds and supports the Local Care Team (LCT). Participation remains low, indicating a lack of community awareness. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness of LCT services and strategies to improve outreach, interagency coordination, and communication to increase service use. The research question was: What is the Level of Awareness of County Services in Maryland Offered by a Local Care Team to Youth with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Illness? Guided by the person-centered care (PCC) model, evidence …


Exploration Of How Study District-Wide Stakeholders Achieved Reading Success For Students With Disabilities, Kisha Hairston Sep 2025

Exploration Of How Study District-Wide Stakeholders Achieved Reading Success For Students With Disabilities, Kisha Hairston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that this study addressed is that students with disabilities (SWDs) demonstrated low reading achievement in U.S. public schools as shown by annual state standardized scores. The study district achieved the anomaly of more than 50% of SWDs achieving Proficient and Advanced on the state reading assessment. The gap in practice was that it was unknown how the study district stakeholders achieved such success in SWDs’ reading achievement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how archival data supports and how teachers and administrators explain the successful reading achievement of SWDs in the study school district. …


Effects Of Elementary And Secondary School Emergency Relief Grants On Math And English Language Arts Standardized Test Scores In Connecticut, Zoe Robinson Sep 2025

Effects Of Elementary And Secondary School Emergency Relief Grants On Math And English Language Arts Standardized Test Scores In Connecticut, Zoe Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was the decrease in proficiency levels in math and English Language Arts (ELA) of 3rd- to 8th-grade students on standardized tests following the COVID-19 pandemic in Connecticut (CT). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the difference between the mean change in math and ELA standardized test scores for Grades 3-8 for 4 years before and 4 years after the introduction of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant funding in CT, while controlling for all other funds received. The theory that supported this study was Lezotte’s school effectiveness and …


Strategies To Improve Project Portfolio Management In The Pharmaceutical Industry, Emely Nhi Thi Ai Nguyen Aug 2025

Strategies To Improve Project Portfolio Management In The Pharmaceutical Industry, Emely Nhi Thi Ai Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor management of pharmaceutical project portfolios can negatively impact a pharmaceutical company’s product development and profitability. Project portfolio managers must ensure the successful development of new products in the pharmaceutical pipeline as the financial investment in new product development is significant and if not managed effectively can negatively impact profitability and prevent launch of new treatment therapies. Grounded in the project portfolio management framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore successful project portfolio management (PPM) strategies that drug project portfolio managers use to contribute to business success. The participants were six employees that managed portfolios …


Instructional Leadership Practices To Advance Secondary Student Mathematics Achievement In A British Commonwealth Country, Dawn Agdomar-Jean Aug 2025

Instructional Leadership Practices To Advance Secondary Student Mathematics Achievement In A British Commonwealth Country, Dawn Agdomar-Jean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that school leaders are challenged in providing instructional leadership to teachers to advance secondary students' mathematics achievement in a British Commonwealth Country (BCC). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate secondary school leaders’ perceptions of the challenges to providing instructional leadership practices found to be effective to support teachers to advance secondary students' mathematics achievement in a BCC. The conceptual framework for this study was Hallinger and Murphy's model of instructional leadership. A self-designed semistructured interview protocol with open-ended questions was used to interview participants. Purposive sampling was used to …


Government Policies Influencing The Retainment Of Civil Engineers In Guyana's Public Sector, Gracelyn George Aug 2025

Government Policies Influencing The Retainment Of Civil Engineers In Guyana's Public Sector, Gracelyn George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low retention of civil engineers in Guyana’s public sector has impeded the execution of needed infrastructure projects in the country. The literature reviewed highlighted that there continued to be questions regarding why people leave engineering jobs. Moreover, there was a limited understanding of what societal attributes influenced the problem, while there continued to be a growing demand for civil engineers. The literature specific to government policies influencing the retention of civil engineers in the public sector was lacking, presenting an opportunity to expand the application of the policy feedback theory, which provided a lens for examining retention measures in …


Effects Of Summer School Attendance On The Assessed Reading Proficiency Of Third Grade Students, Lydia Evers Aug 2025

Effects Of Summer School Attendance On The Assessed Reading Proficiency Of Third Grade Students, Lydia Evers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are more likely to eventually drop out of high school or be considered illiterate as adults, making it challenging to function adequately in society. The problem addressed through this study was that as many as 60% of U.S. third-grade students scored below proficiency on annual standardized reading assessments. Guided by faucet theory by Alexander et al., the purpose of this causal-comparative quantitative study was to compare reading standardized test scores of third-grade students who participated in a summer school program (SSP) in the summer following second …


The Impact Of Digital Sexual Health Education Using Social Media On African American Undergraduate Students, Valora Reid Bishop Aug 2025

The Impact Of Digital Sexual Health Education Using Social Media On African American Undergraduate Students, Valora Reid Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite making up approximately 12% of the United States’ population in 2020, African Americans ages 15 to 24 years old comprised 32% of the reported sexually transmitted diseases. The purpose of this quantitative research was to examine the impact of digital sexual health education (SHE) information on sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college students aged 18 to 24 years. The two research questions explored if the use of digital SHE information reduced the risk of adverse sexual health behaviors among African American undergraduate college student ages 18 to 24 years old; and if there was a relationship between …


The Meaning Of Academic Achievement For Fathers Of African American At-Risk Urban Female Youth, Shurise Telesford Aug 2025

The Meaning Of Academic Achievement For Fathers Of African American At-Risk Urban Female Youth, Shurise Telesford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family dynamics, parenting styles, and the impact of parental involvement on children have long been studied, with much of the focus traditionally placed on the mother-child relationship. This study shifted that focus to explore the perceptions of African American fathers of at-risk female youth regarding academic achievement. Using a generic qualitative approach and guided by Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a theory emphasizing how the marginalized learn through critical awareness and collaboration, I sought to understand how these fathers view their daughters’ educational experiences and barriers to success. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with seven fathers living in urban …


Difference In High School Geometry End-Of-Year State Exam Scores Between Three Different Retake Time Frames, Christina Noel Walton Aug 2025

Difference In High School Geometry End-Of-Year State Exam Scores Between Three Different Retake Time Frames, Christina Noel Walton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A grading policy was implemented in a Northeastern suburban public school district that left it to curriculum teams to define the amount of time between the original test and its retake resulting in a slight decrease in high school students’ geometry end-of-year state exam scores. Guided by Bloom’s theory of mastery learning, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to investigate if there were statistically significant differences between high school students’ geometry end-of-year state exam scores or between high school students’ geometry math growth scores when controlling for the preassessment score differentiated by three schemes of retake timing: short-term, …


Middle School Special Education Math Teachers’ Perceptions On The Use Of Quality-Plus Teaching Strategies, Lisa Williams Taylor Aug 2025

Middle School Special Education Math Teachers’ Perceptions On The Use Of Quality-Plus Teaching Strategies, Lisa Williams Taylor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that middle school special education math teachers’ use of quality-plus teaching strategies (QPTS) is not known at a large Georgia school district (GSD, a pseudonym). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore middle school special education math teachers’ perceptions about using QPTS to improve standardized test scores for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) at GSD. The study was grounded in Piaget’s theory of constructivism, which holds that knowledge is best gained through a process of action, reflection, construction, and the interaction of experiences and ideas. For this basic qualitative …


Student Perceptions About How Supplemental Instruction And Instructor Engagement Support Academic Achievement In A College-Level Statistics Course, Tasha Y. Rhodes Aug 2025

Student Perceptions About How Supplemental Instruction And Instructor Engagement Support Academic Achievement In A College-Level Statistics Course, Tasha Y. Rhodes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many college students enter postsecondary education underprepared for college-level mathematics, posing challenges for course completion and degree attainment. In response, a local community college system implemented a mainstreaming initiative that places underprepared students directly into college-level statistics courses with supplemental instruction (SI). This basic qualitative study explored students’ perceptions of the role of SI and instructor engagement in supporting their success in a college-level statistics course. The research was guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 students enrolled at a comprehensive college who had completed the course. Through thematic analysis employing open coding yielded five distinct …


High School Teachers’ Experiences Using Data-Driven Decision Making To Implement Supplemental Accelerated Instruction, Stephen Courtney Smith, Sr. Aug 2025

High School Teachers’ Experiences Using Data-Driven Decision Making To Implement Supplemental Accelerated Instruction, Stephen Courtney Smith, Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was that high school teachers in a Texas school district struggle to use data-driven decision making (DDDM) to meet the requirements of Texas HB 1416, which mandates specific interventions to address instructional loss. Grounded in the theory of DDDM, by Mandinach et al., the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore high school teachers’ experiences using DDDM to implement supplemental accelerated instruction (SAI) for students who failed to demonstrate proficiency on state exams. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 12 high school teachers from a Texas school district. Using …


Educators’ Perceptions Of Multitiered Systems Of Support For Improving Reading And Math Achievement In An Urban School District, Denice Yvonne Garrett Aug 2025

Educators’ Perceptions Of Multitiered Systems Of Support For Improving Reading And Math Achievement In An Urban School District, Denice Yvonne Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) has been shown to benefit students’ academic and behavioral performance in schools. However, despite 4 years of MTSS implementation in one local urban school district, English language arts (ELA) and math underachievement among students remained evident. Guided by Hall and Hord’s concerns-based adoption model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore educators’ perceptions of MTSS for improving ELA and math achievement in the local urban school district. Ten educators purposively sampled from the local district participated in semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis using inductive, open coding of the interview data was conducted. Themes …


School-Based Peer Mentoring Programs To Support New Teacher Retention, Denisha Logan Aug 2025

School-Based Peer Mentoring Programs To Support New Teacher Retention, Denisha Logan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increased rate of attrition among new educators underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by early career teachers. The problem addressed in this study was the high attrition rate of new teachers in middle-low-income urban schools in Maryland. Guided by Kram’s mentoring theory and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of new teachers regarding how the school-based peer mentoring program contributed to them remaining at their schools. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 novice teachers who had fewer than 3-years of experience teaching at the study site. Thematic …


The Impact Of Tuition Assistance On Employee Retention: Cybersecurity Employee Perceptions Of National Security Agency’S College Tuition Assistance Program, Marta I. Benitez-Guzman Aug 2025

The Impact Of Tuition Assistance On Employee Retention: Cybersecurity Employee Perceptions Of National Security Agency’S College Tuition Assistance Program, Marta I. Benitez-Guzman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. employers spend considerable sums on employee skill development, including investments in college tuition assistance programs (CTAP). Based on a review of recent literature, measuring employer return on investment can be difficult. The literature contained varying results on the effectiveness of employer-provided incentives on retention decisions and provided insufficient empirical or evaluative data on employee perceptions and the influence on retention. The purpose of this qualitative evaluative case study was to examine how cybersecurity employees at the National Security Agency (NSA) who participated in CTAP (2019–2023) perceived the program's effect on their career development and retention decisions. The theoretical framework …


Grade 3-5 Teacher Experiences Using Digital Learning Tools In Mathematics Instruction, Dorothy Yun Aug 2025

Grade 3-5 Teacher Experiences Using Digital Learning Tools In Mathematics Instruction, Dorothy Yun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that Grade 3–5 mathematics teachers in Chicago suburban elementary schools (CSES) faced challenges integrating digital learning tools (DLTs) to support student achievement after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid transition to technology-based instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore CSES Grade 3-5 teachers’ experiences using DLTs in mathematics instruction. Guided by the technological pedagogical content knowledge framework, two research questions explored how teachers used DLTs in instruction, and what resources or supports were needed for effective implementation. For this basic qualitative design, 15 certified Grade 3–5 teachers, who …


Teacher Challenges In Ela Instruction For Low-Achieving Elementary Students In Urban Title I Schools, Keshiea Tamika Chandler Aug 2025

Teacher Challenges In Ela Instruction For Low-Achieving Elementary Students In Urban Title I Schools, Keshiea Tamika Chandler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that approximately 80% of upper elementary students do not reach proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) at an urban Title I school district in Georgia, despite implementing intervention and literacy programs. Guided by Senge’s organizational learning theory and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the challenges that elementary teachers face when providing ELA instruction to low-achieving students in a local Title I school district in Georgia. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 ELA teachers across Grades 3-5. Data were analyzed …


Prisoner Re-Entry Into Society And Criminal Justice Social Work Practice, Aleeyah S. Norvell Aug 2025

Prisoner Re-Entry Into Society And Criminal Justice Social Work Practice, Aleeyah S. Norvell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explores the challenges faced by social workers in supporting the successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. Social workers play a critical role in the U.S. criminal justice system, yet they often encounter systemic barriers that limit their ability to meet clients’ basic needs, such as housing, employment, and healthcare. Using a generic qualitative research design, the study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with a sample of eight licensed social workers, using open-ended questions to gather rich, detailed accounts of their experiences. Guided by social learning theory and using thematic analysis, the findings reveal significant obstacles in adapting to …


Motivational Factors Affecting Female Students' Choice Of Stem And Non-Stem Majors At Us Universities, Buthaina Ruyyashi Aug 2025

Motivational Factors Affecting Female Students' Choice Of Stem And Non-Stem Majors At Us Universities, Buthaina Ruyyashi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is the persistently low enrollment of female undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors within U.S. universities. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between female undergraduate students' choice of STEM versus non-STEM majors and their motivational factors, as measured by the Motivations Influencing Course Choice (MICC) survey. The study was grounded in social cognitive career theory, which emphasizes the role of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and personal goals in academic decision-making. The analysis assessed the predictive power of career aspiration, interest, helping, and loafing in determining major …


Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Iready To Support Elementary Mathematics Instruction In Georgia, Cassandra Denise Walker Aug 2025

Teachers’ Perceptions On Implementing Iready To Support Elementary Mathematics Instruction In Georgia, Cassandra Denise Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that a significant number of 3rd to 5th grade students score below grade level on the mathematics portion of the Georgia Milestones assessment within a Georgia School District, despite the training and implementation of iReady. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore 3rd to 5th grade teachers’ perceptions of their successes, challenges, and suggestions for implementing iReady in their mathematics instruction. The study was grounded in Chomsky’s concept of competency-based education, which asserts that as long as students can progress at their own pace, the majority of students will achieve competency …


The Impact Of Socio-Emotional And Provider Support On Hiv Testing In Southern United States, Ijeoma Onyinyechi Nwazuruokeh Aug 2025

The Impact Of Socio-Emotional And Provider Support On Hiv Testing In Southern United States, Ijeoma Onyinyechi Nwazuruokeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV was first diagnosed over 40 years ago in the United States; however, HIV remains an epidemic. An understanding of how socio-emotional support, social isolation, and support from an individual's provider influence HIV testing in the Southern United States can be a key to increasing testing rates and ultimately reducing the incidence and prevalence of HIV in the Southern United States. The purpose of this non-experimental quantitative study was to examine the relationship between HIV testing, socio-emotional support, and social isolation, and how these variables are further moderated by an individual having provider support in the Southern United States. The …


Faculty And Administrators' Perspectives Of Generative Artificial Intelligence At An Online Higher Education Institution, Devon Edmund Aug 2025

Faculty And Administrators' Perspectives Of Generative Artificial Intelligence At An Online Higher Education Institution, Devon Edmund

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that faculty and administrators in higher education are not prepared to address the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) innovations in institutional policies and practices. The pace of advancement of GAI in higher education (HE) left institutions to determine policies and practices without industry best practices or guidelines established by accreditors or regulatory bodies. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of faculty and administrators at an online HE institution on how to respond to the emergence of GAI through institutional policies and practices. The theory supporting the study …


Experiences Of Women In K–12 Educational Technology Leadership Positions, Natalie M. Johnson Jul 2025

Experiences Of Women In K–12 Educational Technology Leadership Positions, Natalie M. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the lack of women in K–12 educational technology leadership positions in the United States. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of women in K–12 educational technology leadership regarding the challenges and successes they encountered in achieving and maintaining their positions. Feminist standpoint theory formed the framework for this study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 women who were active or former K–12 educational technology leaders in public schools across the country. Open and pattern coding were used to support thematic analysis. An overarching theme of gender bias …


Relationship Of A Business Simulation Course To Act Applied Math Outcomes, Brenda Lorraine Savage Jul 2025

Relationship Of A Business Simulation Course To Act Applied Math Outcomes, Brenda Lorraine Savage

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little evidence links the use of business simulations to advances in the higher order thinking skills that high school students need to prepare for careers in finance. The problem for this study was that students in three southern high schools had limited success on the ACT Applied Math Assessment, and there was a need to explore the relationship of a newly implemented stock market trading simulation course to student success on the assessment. Kolb’s experiential learning theory, which was aligned to the simulation activities, guided the study. The purpose of this quantitative predictive study was to determine whether participation in …


The Covid-19 Lockdown And Diabetes Self-Management In Esan Northeast Area Of Edo State, Esther Ehivbaun Rapu Jul 2025

The Covid-19 Lockdown And Diabetes Self-Management In Esan Northeast Area Of Edo State, Esther Ehivbaun Rapu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 lockdown impacted chronic diseases care globally, but there is limited research on how individuals in rural Nigerian communities managed diabetes during this period. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of self-management with diabetes during the COVID-19 lockdown among adults in Esan Northeast. The socioecological model (SEM) served as the guiding conceptual framework, allowing for the exploration of the impact of individual, interpersonal, community, and institutional factors on self-care behaviors. The research explored how cultural, social and economic factors impacted how adults with diabetes in Esan Northeast managed their condition during the COVID-19 lockdown. Semi-structured interviews via …


Reasons For Former Teachers To Change Employment Or To Depart The Profession, Vicki Renfroe Jul 2025

Reasons For Former Teachers To Change Employment Or To Depart The Profession, Vicki Renfroe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher turnover adversely affects students’ academic performance and the educational community. The problem that was addressed through study is the approximately 18% teacher turnover at a local Title I school district in southeast Texas. This purpose of this study was to explore why teachers within a local souteast Texas Title I school district left their positions. The conceptual framework was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The study was guided by a research question centered on recurring reasons for teachers considering retiring, leaving the profession, or changing locations. A basic qualitative study employing semistructured interviews with 14 former teachers who had left …