Digital Commons Network^™

An Evaluation Of Champs For Classroom Management, Vernessa Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher education programs focus on preparing teachers to instruct students, but they usually do not focus on preparing teachers to manage students’ behavior, which may prevent teachers from providing effective instruction. This project study evaluated a classroom behavior management model, CHAMPS, designed to help teachers manage student behavior so they can focus their time and energy on instruction and student success. Positive Behavior Systems (PBS), used in the field of behavioral management, served as the theoretical foundation for this study. The evaluation design followed Stufflebeam’s (2003) Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) by employing the outcome-based approach, which evaluated the …

Effect Of The Criminal Justice Curriculum On The Attitudes Of 12th-Grade Students Toward The Police, Willie Howard Bradley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While the use of criminal justice courses and law-related education programs have been shown to serve as a crime prevention and deterrence mechanism against school crime and violence, and help students to gain positive experiences and attitudes toward law enforcement, many high schools still do not offer criminal justice courses. The purpose of this quasiexperimental study was to compare the attitudes of 12th-grade students from a school district in Massachusetts who took a criminal justice course to 12th-grade students from another school district in Massachusetts who did not to determine if there is a statistically significant difference between the groups. …

Role Of Coping Self-Efficacy In Working Mothers' Management Of Daily Hassles And Health Outcomes, Sonya Kali Broadnax

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. working mothers experience frequent daily hassles, yet little is known about how working mothers have disproportionate abilities to handle stress. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the extent to which coping self-efficacy mediated the effect that cumulative daily hassles had on working mothers' health outcomes (i.e., physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health). The transactional model of stress and coping, social cognitive theory, and self-efficacy theory provided the theoretical foundations for this study. Daily hassles were used for this study as an additional theoretical approach for measuring stress. A …

Geographical Effects On Adult Sickle Cell Disease Treatments, Morbidity, And Mortality, Paula Busbee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A small percentage of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) have experienced an increase in life span by 10 years, while others with the same disease continue to die prematurely. The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether or not regional location was a barrier to care for adults with SCD in relation to emergency department visits and health outcomes at 16 and 21 years after the approval of hydroxyurea therapy as treatment. Secondary data were sourced and a retrospective quantitative correlational design was used to examine the effect of hydroxyurea treatment approval on emergency department visits and mortality …

Strategies Among Health Care Business Professionals To Increase Productivity And Revenue, Anthony Cal Cal

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care business professionals have been slow to implement electronic medical records (EMRs), although this is a federal requirement tied to reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. Guided by the conceptual framework of the technology acceptance model (TAM), the purpose of this single-case study was to explore EMR strategies that health care business professionals use to increase productivity and revenue. The target population was comprised of health care business professionals with EMR strategies in Orange County, New York. Methodological triangulation included analysis of semistructured interviews with 7 health care business professionals and review of organizational documents consisting of emails, meeting minutes, …

Secondary General Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Challenges For Inclusion Students With Autism, Karen Clark Clark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many secondary students with autism (SWA) included in the general education (GE) classroom demonstrate academic and behavioral challenges. Most GE teachers who have inclusive SWA in their classes receive little or no training on evidence-based practices to address these challenges. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore secondary GE teachers' perceptions of and experiences with the academic and behavioral challenges of inclusive SWA. Theoretical frameworks of the weak central coherence theory for autism and executive dysfunction grounded the study. Data from 6 purposefully chosen secondary GE inclusion teachers, who educated SWA and students with autism spectrum …

Determinants Of Obesity Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Adults, Lindsay Buchko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trends of obesity increased over the last 3 decades with the obesity rate doubling from 1980 to 2010. People with disability are more likely to experience health disparities including obesity compared to the general population. Yet research on the determinants of obesity such as self-efficacy, hearing levels, and deaf acculturation styles among those who are deaf or hard of hearing (HoH) is limited. This cross-sectional study, using the social cognitive theory framework, examined BMI and self-efficacy differences between deaf/HoH adults and hearing adults, aged 20 years and older. This study also examined the associations between BMI or self-efficacy and factors …

Developing Sustainable Leadership Strategies To Increase Corporate Revenue, Linda Goulet Crosby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The business environment is in constant flux where stakeholders encourage organizational leaders to consider sustainable business tactics alongside corporate profits. While most business leaders recognize the importance of including sustainability into corporate goals, evidence suggested that only 10% have sustainable action plans in place. Using the honeybee leadership model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the sustainable leadership strategies that business leaders from small- and medium- sized companies integrated to increase corporate revenue. These companies were B Corp certified which ensures a third party endorsement of sustainable practices. The data were collected …

Teachers' Perspectives On Reading Interventions Implemented To Low Achieving Second Graders, Kendra Yvette Coles-Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Mid-Atlantic school district, the administration of standardized assessments begins in third grade. Over the past 3 years, these assessments revealed that an average of 37% of third graders in the local district did not possess necessary reading skills, although over 86% of this group received intervention support in second and third grade. It is unclear how effective the implementations of various interventions are in instruction with struggling second graders to prepare them for the rigors of third grade. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore the perspectives of 9 second grade teachers on research-based interventions …

Strategies For Increasing Parental Involvement For Elementary School Students, Amanda Nunnery Compton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strategies for Increasing Parental Involvement for Elementary School Students

by

Amanda N. Compton

MEd, University of Memphis, 1991

BS, University of Memphis, 1982

Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

August 2016

Students are more successful in school when their parents are involved in their education; This concept is especially true for students living in poverty. The school staff of the elementary school studied in this project study identified the need for improved parental involvement to help close the student achievement gap. In this explanatory sequential mixed methods study, …

Exploring The Effectiveness Of Leadership Practices In Urban Charter Middle Schools, Cherise Cupidore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have noted that educational manager and instructional leadership roles are vital to achieving sustainable student achievement. Ineffective leadership practices may decrease students' academic success and are a continuous concern for educators, especially for those of urban charter schools. The purpose of this study was to explore practices that leaders of urban charter middle schools have implemented to advance their schools from a priority school to a focus school designation. This multiple case study sought to identify and clarify leadership practices of successful leaders in urban charter middle schools. Leithwood and Riehl's core leadership practices model served as the basis …

A Qualitative Examination Of Surviving Homeless In Alaska, Reynaldo Espera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The homeless population in Anchorage, Alaska faces many unique challenges. Over the past several winters, a number of homeless individuals have succumbed to the effects of exposure despite available cold weather services. This study investigated individual experiences within the homeless population of Anchorage, Alaska during times of inclement winter weather. Self-determination theory was used to explore motivations of behaviors of the population and to uncover the reasons why this population does not use cold weather services offered by the Municipality of Anchorage. The research questions addressed participant awareness of available cold weather services, survival strategies during inclement winter weather, and …

Perceptions On Interventions Impacting The Self- Efficacy Of At-Risk Students, Natalie Giddens Giddens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers need interventions to improve at-risk students' self-efficacy, which may improve their academic performance in school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of elementary school teachers at a Texas public middle school as to what research-based interventions they felt would improve the self-efficacy of these students. Bandura's social cognitive theory, which framed the study, indicates that self-efficacy beliefs affect the courses of action that people seek and the choices people make. Many at-risk students who experience a lack of academic success have low self-efficacy, which may affect their school performance. The research questions that …

A Study Of Teachers' Challenges With The Inclusion Of Middle And High School Students With Autism, Marcie Anne Goodrow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle and high school general education teachers in the school district in this bounded case study

were facing challenges with meeting the needs of students who have autism in the current inclusion

program. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers' challenges with components of the

inclusion program and serving students with autism in the general education classroom. The

conceptual framework was Villa and Thousand's 5 system-level best practices for successful

inclusive education. A purposeful sampling procedure was used to select 4 general education

teachers who were teaching autistic students in an inclusive setting; this sample included 2 middle …

Generic Drugs : Physician Prescribing Practices For Brand Name And Generic Medications, Tamuno Raymond George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Brand-name drug costs continue to create a burden for many US seniors who receive care from healthcare institutions. Generic medication is as therapeutic as is brand-name drugs and, in most cases, costs far less. Despite this cost difference, physicians continue to prescribe brand-name drugs. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to explore physicians' patterns of prescribing brand-name drugs over generic drugs. This study was guided by the medical home model, which was developed in 1967 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study incorporated a purposeful sampling approach with a sample size of 151 physicians. Multiple linear regression was …

Epistemic Skills Deficiency In The Project Management Body Of Knowledge, Alex Hosch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Information Technology (IT) projects continue to fail despite being managed by certified Project Management Professionals (PMP) and professionally trained non-certified Project Managers (PM). This study addressed PMPs and qualified PMs who continue to experience IT project failure at a high rate. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore perspectives of PMs and their understanding of project management best practices in the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). There were 5 research questions focused on IT project failures, lessons learned, trends, deficiencies in project management framework, and adherence to standard PM practices. This study …

Implementing The Common Core State Standards For Mathematics, Susan E. Hinkley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current research and declining test scores indicate that changes in educational practice are required for successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM). Using a constructivist change theory framework, this grounded theory study explored the experiences 6 purposefully selected, experienced teachers at an Upstate New York school district had related to the implementation of the CCSSM. The research question investigated the experiences that educators had related to implementing the CCSSM and the accompanying New York State mathematics modules. Observation notes, interview transcripts, and teachers' journals were collected and analysed simultaneously through coding, constant comparison, theoretical sampling, and …

Health Literacy Program Proposal For Health Care Workers, Shevon Naomi Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health information literacy influences patient health outcomes, yet almost 90% of adults

struggle to understand health information. This study explored the impact of an education course in health literacy on healthcare professionals' methods of providing information to patients in order to increase effective communication and improve patient outcomes. This study drew from an integrated theoretical framework that suggests development and validation of tools to measure health literacy. Access to and understanding of reliable, high-quality health care information equalizes many other variables that impact health outcomes, including age, economic class, and cultural background. This study analyzed survey data collected from 2 …

Time To Diagnosis Of Second Primary Cancers Among Patients With Breast Cancer, Edward Okezie Irobi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many breast cancer diagnoses and second cancers are associated with BRCA gene mutations. Early detection of cancer is necessary to improve health outcomes, particularly with second cancers. Little is known about the influence of risk factors on time to diagnosis of second primary cancers after diagnosis with BRCA-related breast cancer. The purpose of this cohort study was to examine the risk of diagnosis of second primary cancers among women diagnosed with breast cancer after adjusting for BRCA status, age, and ethnicity. The study was guided by the empirical evidence supporting the mechanism of action in the mutation of BRCA leading …

Teachers' Perceptions Of English Language Learners And Reading Instruction, P. Pualani Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing population of English language learners (ELLs) in an urban school district in the southwest United States has maintained low achievement scores in the K-5 grades. Students who do not attain reading proficiency at least by the end of 3rd grade are at risk of continued academic failure through high school. Research shows that teachers' knowledge and preparedness to teach reading has an influence on student performance. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the readiness of mainstream classroom teachers to teach reading to ELLs. Guided by the sociocultural frameworks of Bruner and Vygotsky, this study explored …

Effects Of An Integrated Electronic Health Record On An Academic Medical Center, Kenneth E. Koppenhaver Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The debate about healthcare reform revolves around a triple aim of improving the health of populations, improving the patient experience, and reducing the cost of care. A major tool discussed in this debate has been the adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems to record and guide care delivery. Due to low adoption rates and limited examples of success, the problem was a lack of understanding by healthcare organizations of how the EHR fundamentally changes an organization through the interactions of people, processes, and technology over time. The purpose of this case study was to explore the people, processes, and …

Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, And Intellectual Developmental Disorder: A Parent's Perspective, Wendy Marie Kellon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A consistent gap in previous studies was sexuality education and sexual orientation, as well as how to disseminate the sexual education material in a format that would be useful to individuals with IDD, parents, and caregivers. This biographical study addresses the understanding of sexuality and sexual orientation of an individual with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD), as reported by his parents. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews, documents, and social media sites belonging to the participants. The theoretical framework for this study was social constructivism; a thematic analysis was used for data analysis. The six themes that emerged from this research …

Strategies To Influence A Quality And Compliance Culture, Betsy Jean Macht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In drug, medical, and consumer products businesses, leaders should establish strategies that ensure production of quality products and drive profitability. Sales of defective or substandard products carry a potential risk of unintended effects on the consumer. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the strategies used by leaders to influence a culture of quality and compliance, leading to production of saleable products, and business profitability. The conceptual framework of the theory of constraints served to guide the scope and data analysis for this study. Participants included ten individuals with a minimum of 5 years of experience at …

Personality Characteristics And Relationship Satisfaction Of Individuals Who Attended The Preparaciã³N De Novios Weekend Workshop, Rosalba Mada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research is limited and inconsistent when identifying basic constructs that improve relationship satisfaction; there is also limited research on marriage education efforts that address effects of premarital programs on relationship satisfaction and how they are influenced by personality. Research questions in this study explored the relationship between personality characteristics and relationship satisfaction and the relationship among personality characteristics and affective communication, role orientation, problem-solving communication, aggression, family history of distress, time together, disagreement about finances, and sexual dissatisfaction, as measured with the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (5th ed.) and Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised. The family systems theory provided the theoretical foundation. …

Spirituality For Late Adolescents Coping With Grief And Loss, Dana Yolanda Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Experiencing the death of a loved one is often life changing, and learning ways to cope is an important part of the healing process. Such a change can be particularly difficult for late adolescents (individuals between 18 and 25 years of age) who are already going through significant life changes. Spirituality and mental health has received increasing scholarly attention in recent years, and the Association for Spirituality, Ethics, and Religious Values in Counseling has developed competencies for counselors to use when working with clients who wish to incorporate spirituality in their treatment. Despite increased interest in the field, there is …

Perceptions Of Completers Of A Four-Task Teaching Performance Assessment, Jordan Morton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In California, 55 teacher preparation programs have embedded a standardized four-task teaching performance assessment (CalTPA) as a requirement for initial teacher licensure. Guided by the frameworks of transactional experience and the theory of formative assessment, this phenomenological study addressed the meaning and role ascribed to the CalTPA by those who complete it. Research questions examined participants' perceptions of their CalTPA experience with respect to preparation, completion of the tasks, feedback, remediation, activities between tasks, and overall experience Data were collected through 3 semi-structured interviews of 8 participants who had successfully completed the CalTPA tasks, chosen by reputational case selection from …

Psychological Empowerment And Customer Orientation In The Grocery Industry, Christopher Nestico

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations incur $83 billion per year in losses because of negative consumer experiences. Leadership behaviors and the various aspects of organizational life affect employee-customer interactions. With psychological empowerment theory as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this correlational study was to investigate the relationship between the independent variables of psychological empowerment (PE), dimensions of PE (e.g., meaning, self-efficacy, influence), tenure, education, and the dependent variable of customer orientation (CO). Employees of a regional grocery retailer in the northeastern United States comprised the population of the study. Data collection involved the use of paper surveys to measure individual worker levels of …

Bone Health Education For Osteoporosis Risk Reduction In Premenopausal Women: A Quality Improvement Project, Gloria Nichols Nichols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, about 8.5 million women live with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a debilitating systemic skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass and reduced bone mineral density that occurs with the loss of estrogen. The mortality rate for this group is about 3 to 4 times higher than other women and as many as 1 in 3 experience a fracture. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this project evaluated how a bone health fact sheet impacts knowledge about osteoporosis and self-efficacy for preventative behavioral change in premenopausal women (age 40-58 years). The project also evaluated if an electronic medical …

Effectiveness Of Cognitive Screening For Heart Failure Patients, Comfort Nkengla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cognitive impairment is commonly seen in the elderly population. It is unclear if cognitive deficit in heart failure (HF) patients is a primary factor for higher hospital readmission rates in this population. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have established strict guidelines for reimbursement on readmissions that occur within 30 days. It is imperative that organizations identify and rectify issues that impact readmissions. The aim of this project was to determine if there is a reduction in HF readmission after patients are screened for cognitive impairment. Orem's self-care model guided the project by providing a framework of inquiry regarding …

The Effect Of Regulations On The Bottom-Line Of Traditional And Shadow Banks, Tsatsu Emmanuel Nyamadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Return on equity is often associated with prudent risk-taking and the attraction of new clients in advanced economies like the United States, where shadow banks are not regulated. Researchers have contended that freedom from regulation encourages risk-taking and earning of higher profits, but there is a lack of empirical evidence addressing this relationship. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether lack of regulations result in increased return on equity. The theoretical framework was regulatory arbitrage by Ricks M, Gennaioli N, Shleifer A, and Vishny R. The research question addressed the relationship between regulation, profit margin, leverage, asset …