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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Continual Energy Management Dynamics: Energy Efficiency In U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry, Cem O. Onus Jan 2011

Continual Energy Management Dynamics: Energy Efficiency In U.S. Automotive Manufacturing Industry, Cem O. Onus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers at automotive manufacturers are seeking ways to reduce energy consumption, costs, carbon emissions, and waste from production processes. Researchers and practitioners perceive energy efficiency as the least expensive and most effective way to deal with issues related to climate change, but adoption of energy efficiency measures has been slow among industrial facilities. The topic of this research study was the decision-making process for energy efficiency projects in the U.S. automotive manufacturing industry. Flaws in this decision-making processes are preventing changes that can dramatically reduce energy usage, cost, and pollution. The study was grounded in the theories of energy management, …


Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Young Adults With Learning Disabilities, Karin Ann Marie Coles Jan 2011

Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Young Adults With Learning Disabilities, Karin Ann Marie Coles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive academic self-efficacy beliefs are associated with increased motivation, higher levels of persistence, and overall academic success. There is a gap in the literature regarding how young adult learners with identified learning disabilities who are also enrolled in postsecondary education characterize their development of academic self-efficacy beliefs and corresponding adaptive coping skills. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to develop a meaningful understanding of the lived experiences of young adult students with learning disabilities in the development of their self-efficacy beliefs and adaptive coping skills. Social learning theory, particularly the self-efficacy belief components, was the guiding conceptual framework for …


The Influence Of Hiv Stigma And Disclosure On Psychosocial Behavior, James Minson Jan 2011

The Influence Of Hiv Stigma And Disclosure On Psychosocial Behavior, James Minson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) remains a serious public health issue, and many social factors are involved in virus transmission and treatment. The current conceptualization of how HIV status disclosure and perceived stigma of HIV diagnosis interact is undeveloped. This study was based on social cognitive theory and tested hypothesized positive relations between HIV serostatus disclosure, social support, and self-efficacy. In addition, self-rated HIV stigma was examined as a potential mediating variable. Participants were 109 HIV positive, mostly White gay men recruited via an online bulletin board. They completed the medical outcomes study social support survey, the general self-efficacy scale, the …


Effect Of Political Skill On Perception Of Organizational Politics And Work Withdrawal Among Community College Employees, David John Ross Jan 2011

Effect Of Political Skill On Perception Of Organizational Politics And Work Withdrawal Among Community College Employees, David John Ross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community college student support services are an important aspect of success among community college students. Theoretical and empirical models of organizational politics and withdrawal guided the expectation that community college employees who perceive their organizations as political may withdrawal from their organization, diminishing the services delivered to students at the institution. A multisite cross-sectional survey design was utilized to gather quantitative data via Survey Monkey from national professional organizations. Two-hundred seventeen usable surveys from community college administrators (executive, mid-level managers, and administrators) were gathered. Data were analyzed via correlation and regression models to examine if political skill reduced or moderated …


The Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention To Improve High School Students' Reading Skills, Ann-Marie Popwell Jan 2011

The Effectiveness Of Response To Intervention To Improve High School Students' Reading Skills, Ann-Marie Popwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High School students in a local school district were having reading-related difficulties in certain subject areas and were at risk of failing high school courses. Success in reading is important because students must read the content within the End of Course Test in core content subjects, and their success on this test determines their eligibility for high school graduation. The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a Response to Intervention (RTI) reading class designed to improve reading skills for at-risk high school students. The constructivist learning theory was the theoretical framework for this study. The research …


Rural Retiree Volunteer Motivations For Nonfamily-Based Intergenerational Communication, Jennifer Jm. Salisbury Jan 2011

Rural Retiree Volunteer Motivations For Nonfamily-Based Intergenerational Communication, Jennifer Jm. Salisbury

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Several decades of research document a growing communication gap between older adults and younger generations, with retirees limiting the information they share with younger generations. This limitation is often due to older adults' low self-efficacy and technology as a communication distraction, a trend which has resulted in the loss of intellectual capital for younger generations. The purpose of the study was to understand and increase knowledge transfer between retirees and unrelated younger people in a rural Canadian community. Communication theory of identity and social cognitive theory provided the research frameworks. The research questions examined what knowledge retirees could pass down, …


Impact Of The Study Island Program On Students' Reading Comprehension, Rodney L. Gernert Jan 2011

Impact Of The Study Island Program On Students' Reading Comprehension, Rodney L. Gernert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School administrators at the research site, which is a public school district, had been under pressure to improve low reading state scores of Grade 11 students as measured by Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) tests. A web-based reading software called Study Island was integrated into the literacy curriculum for students to increase their reading proficiency and pass PSSA state tests. The research problem was that the integration of Study Island had not been evaluated and students were not meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP). The purpose of this study was to provide research-based evidence on whether Study Island helped students …


A Business Case For Return On Investment: Understanding Organizational Change, Rya S. Henderson-Carter Jan 2011

A Business Case For Return On Investment: Understanding Organizational Change, Rya S. Henderson-Carter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2010, 2,000 U. S. leaders spent {dollar}150 billion on return on investment (ROI) training, yet questions still exist on how to measure the benefits of organizational change. The purpose of this embedded single-case study was to explore how business leaders could use ROI to characterize the benefit of intervention strategies for organizational change. Stakeholder theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory formed the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sample of 20 civilian personnel managers located at a medical facility for veterans in central Texas participated in semistructured interviews. The 5 primary themes that emerged using thematic analysis …


Relationship Of Teacher Training Levels To Teacher Referrals For Twice Exceptional Students, Robin A. Jones Jan 2011

Relationship Of Teacher Training Levels To Teacher Referrals For Twice Exceptional Students, Robin A. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although previous studies have acknowledged the role of teacher training in working with children with special needs, none have investigated the relationship between teacher training and referrals. There is a need to understand the factors that affect K-12 classroom teachers' referrals of twice exceptional (2E) students into gifted programs. Supported by the optimal stimulation theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a relationship between teacher training and 2E student referrals. The survey method was used to collect data from 102 K-12 teachers in the Ohio school district on their teaching credentials, ranging from no …


Standardized Professional Development Content Validation For Educators, Sara J. Sharp Jan 2011

Standardized Professional Development Content Validation For Educators, Sara J. Sharp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators in a low socioeconomic urban school district have been concerned with the quality of professional development (PD) training provided by the district. This issue affects students, parents, and teachers. Guided by the educational philosophy of inquiry and community, which hold that empowering teachers with validated PD could improve teacher pedagogy and perhaps academic outcomes, this project study examined (a) what benefits a standardized professional development content validation program for the 21st century can provide and, (b) what standardized professional development content validation for the 21st century looks like. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was used on a purposive sample …


A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying, Jodi Marie Daly Jan 2011

A Psychological Investigation Of The Expressed Attitudes Of Middle School Aged Adolescents Toward School Bullying, Jodi Marie Daly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International research on bullying suggests that bullying is pervasive in schools and the workplace. Most researchers concur that bullying behavior is a disruptive factor to the social and educational well-being of students. Previous research, grounded in social and family systems theory, has indicated those who bully tend to be involved in self-destructive and delinquent behaviors. Additionally, in the only-large scale study on bullying behaviors, 29% of the 10th-grade student body admitted to being bullied that school year. Further, in a new study conducted by the Josephson Institute of Ethics, half of all high school students reported that they have bullied …


Promoting Inclusive Schools: A Case Study Of Leadership Experiences Of The Middle School Chairpersons For Special Education Service, Juvinell Baylis Jan 2011

Promoting Inclusive Schools: A Case Study Of Leadership Experiences Of The Middle School Chairpersons For Special Education Service, Juvinell Baylis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal and state guidelines direct students with disabilities to the least restrictive environment (LRE). The inclusion of students with disabilities in the LRE (general education) has been an issue for many public schools. In an effort to promote inclusive education for students with disabilities, many special education teacher--chairpersons experience opposition from the general education teacher and their administrator regarding LRE placement. The purpose of this qualitative case study, grounded in the theory of leadership, was to examine the leadership experiences of chairpersons of special education services in middle schools and their perception of the LRE decision-making process for placement for …


Scaffolding English Language Learners' Reading Performance, Lolita D. Mckenzie Jan 2011

Scaffolding English Language Learners' Reading Performance, Lolita D. Mckenzie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

English language learners (ELLs) spend a majority of their instructional time in mainstream classrooms with mainstream teachers. Reading is an area with which many ELLs are challenged when placed within mainstream classrooms. Scaffolding has been identified as one of the best teaching practices for helping students read. ELL students in a local elementary school were struggling, and school personnel implemented scaffolding in an effort to address student needs. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine how personnel in one diversely populated school employed scaffolding to accommodate ELLs. Vygotsky's social constructivist theory informed the study. Research questions were …


Preschoolers' Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Re, Darlene M. Estes-Del Re Jan 2011

Preschoolers' Use Of Technology In The Classroom, Re, Darlene M. Estes-Del Re

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Almost from birth, children are immersed in a technologically rich world yet they often enter preschools that offer little to no use of technology. Preschool learning is tied to more traditional forms of reading and writing; this may be inconsistent with the ways children are learning at home and will learn in elementary school. Despite growing interest in creating learning environments that better mirror the technological experiences of the home, there is a significant gap in current research about how learning is affected in preschool environments designed with multiple forms of technology. This qualitative single case study was designed to …


The Association Of Mentorships And Leadership Practices With Nursing Faculty Retention, Lisa M. Rettenmeier Jan 2011

The Association Of Mentorships And Leadership Practices With Nursing Faculty Retention, Lisa M. Rettenmeier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of mentored relationships among nursing educators has the potential to negatively influence perceptions of leadership practices and could decrease the numbers of nursing faculty staying in academia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of mentorships and leadership practices of nursing faculty teaching in academia. Watson's caring theory was the theoretical foundation to explain the congruence between mentored relationships, leadership practices, and the association with faculty retention. The first research question focused on differences between mentoring experience, assistance, and characteristics by mentor training type. Question two assessed the relationship between leadership practices by mentor training …


A Q Methodology Analysis Of Individual Perspectives Of Public Decision Making Influences Of Collaborative Processes, Perry D. Gross Jan 2011

A Q Methodology Analysis Of Individual Perspectives Of Public Decision Making Influences Of Collaborative Processes, Perry D. Gross

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suboptimal public policy formulation and implementation often result from traditional representative democratic practices. Increasing government fragmentation, eroding trust among policy actors, and an increasingly complex policy making environment contribute to this problem. Collaborative decision making is considered to be a pragmatic alternative by its advocates. The purpose of this research was to explore the claim that process dynamics lead participants to prefer collaborative approaches to decision making among local and regional transportation plans in a western state. The conceptual framework was the diversity, interdependence, and authentic dialogue (DIAD) theory-based model of collaboration in decision making. The research questions focused on …


Correlates Of Resilience Among American Indians In A Northwestern Us State, Bruce M. Bradway Jan 2011

Correlates Of Resilience Among American Indians In A Northwestern Us State, Bruce M. Bradway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite low life expectancy, high suicide and homicide rates, and excessive levels of poverty and violence, American Indians continue to survive. However, few researchers have assessed the correlates of resilience among adult American Indians. Current researchers assessing American Indian resilience have focused primarily on adolescents and preadolescents, resulting in a definition of resilience that is more often than not defined by the lack of negative youth outcomes. In this quantitative survey study, data were collected from 103 American Indians living off-reservation in a northwestern state. Gender, age, education level, degree of enculturation (using the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure), level of …


Assessment Of Admission Criteria And Selection Process For Nurse Education Programs, Mary Ann Jarmulowicz Jan 2011

Assessment Of Admission Criteria And Selection Process For Nurse Education Programs, Mary Ann Jarmulowicz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Qualified student enrollment to nurse education program is limited by admission criteria predetermined by faculty; however, little is known regarding the development and consistency of selection criteria. The purpose of this study was to examine the admission requirements of nursing programs to better understand the philosophical underpinnings and complexity of selection criteria. The conceptual frameworks of teaching philosophy, complexity, and gatekeeping guided this research. This descriptive correlational study used a cross-sectional design to survey a purposeful sample of full-time faculty teaching in nurse education programs in a southeastern state. Descriptive analyses, independent t test, and a Lambda analyses were employed …


The Perspectives Of African American Nonprofit Female Executives From The Northeastern Region Of The United States About The Work-Family Balance, Tammy Evans-Colquitt Jan 2011

The Perspectives Of African American Nonprofit Female Executives From The Northeastern Region Of The United States About The Work-Family Balance, Tammy Evans-Colquitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although many studies have been conducted on the increased pressure and stress facing women who are trying to fulfill work and family demands, little is known about African American women in executive positions and their perspectives about work-life balance. A particular gap in the research literature exists on the lived experience of African American nonprofit executive women in maintaining work-life balance. The conceptual framework of this phenomenological study was the bidirectional frame of both work interfering with family and family interfering with work. Data were collected through semistructured telephone interviews of 12 African American women ages 30 to 45 and …


A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools, Charles Jerry Williams Jr. Jan 2011

A Quantitative Assessment Of Skills And Competencies In Graduates Of At-Risk High Schools, Charles Jerry Williams Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The willingness to work and a high school diploma were once all that was needed to start one's career. The problem is that on the twentieth anniversary of the reports by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), high school graduates may still lack what business and education leaders require for success in entry-level employment or post-secondary studies. The research question included understanding how prepared graduates from at-risk high schools are for post-secondary work or study. The study used a Likert-scaled survey to assess participant work readiness in 36 skill or competency areas. The sample consisted of recent graduates …


Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of High-Stakes Testing, Amy Pavia Jan 2011

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of High-Stakes Testing, Amy Pavia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High-stakes testing has increased since the passage of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001. Many teachers are using teacher-centered activities with memorization and testing coach books instead of creating student-centered higher-order thinking activities. Some school districts are eliminating subjects that are not tested on state assessments. The purpose of this study was to collect information regarding the teaching experiences of 9 elementary teachers from the same school within one public school district. Teacher interviews were utilized in this case study to explore the perceived effects of high-stakes tests on elementary curriculum and instruction. The theoretical foundation …


Middle School Educators' Perceptions Of Online Professional Development, Kelley E. Theodocion Jan 2011

Middle School Educators' Perceptions Of Online Professional Development, Kelley E. Theodocion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous researchers have investigated distance education in postsecondary settings, but there is a paucity of research regarding the design and delivery of online professional development for K-12 educators. The goal of this mixed methods sequential exploratory study was to examine attitudes of middle grades educators toward an online professional development course held for teachers employed by one suburban school district in the southeast region of the United States. The theoretical framework is Knowles's theory of adult education (andragogy). The research questions addressed perceptions of connectedness and learning in an online professional development course. A structured interview protocol was used to …


Comparison Of Principals' Leadership Practices By Methods Of Professional Development, Marcia J. Grande Jan 2011

Comparison Of Principals' Leadership Practices By Methods Of Professional Development, Marcia J. Grande

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the roles of instructional leader and lead learner have become central in the work of 21st century principals, their professional development has garnered little attention. This quantitative, non-experimental, comparative survey study investigated differences in the self-reported leadership behaviors of principals who identified themselves as using either supported or unsupported professional development. Brain based learning, constructivist learning, and adult learning theories, together with professional development standards, created the conceptual framework for this study. Participants were obtained through a purposive national sampling of 7,000 of 230,600 U.S. principals, delimited to leaders in their school for 2 years or more. The voluntary, …


Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner Jan 2011

Exploring The Meaning And Use Of Science Content Integration, Jason L. Garner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Science content integration, or the simultaneous teaching of science with other subjects during learning activities, has been explored by multiple studies. However, due to a lack of consensus on its definition, it was difficult for educators in a local school district to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of this instructional technique. This qualitative collective case study, based on a constructivist theoretical foundation, centered on the questions of how teachers defined and used science content integration, and perceptions of impediments to its use. Participants were five teachers in a suburban elementary school. The sources of data for this study were interviews, …


First-Year Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Induction Program Components, Kathyleen Bliss Jan 2011

First-Year Teachers' Perceptions Of Effective Induction Program Components, Kathyleen Bliss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational literature has established that over half of all teachers leave the profession within 3 years. Exploring the 1st-year teacher transition and its inherent challenges has been necessary to educational stakeholders seeking to achieve national standards and improve the educational environment, student achievement, and teacher retention. This study's purpose was to investigate 1st-year teacher induction programs; determine the type of support components included, whether from administrators, mentors, or colleagues; and identify which components 1st-year teachers perceived as most effective. The professional development models of Wong, of Johnson and Kardos, and of Curran and Goldrick provided the conceptual framework. The guiding …


Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training And Its Impact On Attitudes Toward Help Seeking, John Angelo Cascamo Jr. Jan 2011

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training And Its Impact On Attitudes Toward Help Seeking, John Angelo Cascamo Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Trainings such as Question Persuade and Refer (QPR) are used to increase suicide awareness and teach participants basic suicide intervention skills. Previous researchers showed that QPR training increases knowledge of suicide risk factors and increases participants' willingness to intervene with individuals at risk of suicide. It was hypothesized that completion of QPR would also increase positive attitudes toward the utilization of mental health services and that this outcome would be more pronounced among male participants. The examination of attitudes was rooted in the theoretical framework of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior. The Inventory of Attitudes toward Seeking …


The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Literacy Achievement Of Secondary Students, David P. Jones Jan 2011

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Literacy Achievement Of Secondary Students, David P. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Proficiency in language arts and communication skills is essential to success in the global workforce. Most states assess students in language arts literacy (LAL) through standardized tests that assess a student's ability to read, interpret literature, and write expressively. Although educational reformers strive to improve the foundations that prepare students in literacy, reforms have not fully incorporated the theory of emotional intelligence (EI), which explains a student's ability to use, understand, perceive, and manage their emotions in order to think critically, make decisions, and solve problems. Although it is not known whether EI directly correlates to literacy, emotional skills are …


The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling Jan 2011

The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts struggle to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading in first grade. Nine percent of first grade students at the study site were not meeting state performance standards in the area of language arts. Specifically in the area of fluency, 38% of first grade students were not achieving AYP. Because of the close connection between oral fluency and early reading achievement, first grade students need to be more fluent to attain state standards. Based on LaBerge and Samuels theory of automaticity within reading fluency, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of the Scholastic Guided …


Induction Of Special Education Teachers In Self-Contained Classrooms For Students With Autism, Nelly A. Dixon Jan 2011

Induction Of Special Education Teachers In Self-Contained Classrooms For Students With Autism, Nelly A. Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past decade, the number of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in public schools in a northeastern US state has almost tripled in number. Given a lack of preservice training on autism topics, many beginning special education teachers are ill prepared to meet the challenges of working in classrooms for students with ASD and current induction practices do not specifically support special education teachers. The perceived effectiveness of induction programs for beginning teachers in self-contained classrooms for students with ASD were examined in this phenomonological inquiry grounded in theories of adult learning. Through semi structured interviews that were …


Gender And Modification Of Self-Traits In Online Dating: The Impact Of Anonymity, Social Desirability, And Self-Monitoring, Zagorski, Emma Von Zagorski Jan 2011

Gender And Modification Of Self-Traits In Online Dating: The Impact Of Anonymity, Social Desirability, And Self-Monitoring, Zagorski, Emma Von Zagorski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Modification of self-traits is defined as a user's modification of his or her physical self-description between real life and online dating profiles. Personality traits may impact this modification in online dating. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of gender and modification of self-traits on measures of anonymity, social desirability, and self-monitoring to identify factors that contributed to deception in online dating. The theoretical framework used in this study was Paulhus' social desirability model to explain changes in social interactions with the inclusion of anonymity and the desire to be perceived in a favorable light. The research …