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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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A Case Study Investigating The Interpretation And Implementation Of The Transformative Mediation Technique, Chuks Petrus Nweke Jan 2011

A Case Study Investigating The Interpretation And Implementation Of The Transformative Mediation Technique, Chuks Petrus Nweke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For decades, unresolved conflicts have negatively influenced the general public through increased violence, overwhelming the judicial system. A literature review suggested that between 15% and 20% of conflicts result in an impasse. This study was designed to understand how the implementation and application of the transformative meditation technique (TMT) is used to resolve conflicts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the interpretation and implementation of TMT. This qualitative case study was grounded in the conceptual framework of interest-based negotiation (IBN) principles. The research questions focused on mediators' perceptions, interpretations, and depth of knowledge, as well as …


Hardiness And Attitude On Hypertension Treatment Adherence Among Nigerian Health Care Workers, Chinwe N. Egwuagu-Ndubisi Jan 2011

Hardiness And Attitude On Hypertension Treatment Adherence Among Nigerian Health Care Workers, Chinwe N. Egwuagu-Ndubisi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic minorities in the United States have higher rates of hypertension than European Americans. In this ethnographic study, 30 Nigerian immigrant health care workers with hypertension described their self-efficacy management of the disease to ascertain the relationship between health-related hardiness, individual attitudes on compliance, and medication adherence self-efficacy. Using a mixed methods designs comprised of survey tools and focus-group questionnaires, the research questions were focused on understanding attitudes and health practices within Nigerian culture that support self-efficacy management. The theoretical framework for this study is the social learning theory and the social cognitive theory postulated by Bandura. Content …


A Clinical Practicum Experience To Prepare Teacher Candidates For Classroom Literacy Instruction, Karen C. Waters Jan 2011

A Clinical Practicum Experience To Prepare Teacher Candidates For Classroom Literacy Instruction, Karen C. Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a pervasive reading crisis in the United States. Critics, including policymakers, educators, literacy scholars, and professional educational organizations have openly accused university teacher preparation programs of not preparing candidates to deliver effective reading instruction. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry to explore ways in which teacher candidates' participation in a research-based university clinical practicum contributed to their pedagogical understanding of literacy instruction. Conceptually this study was based on constructivism and the ideas of Dewey, Freire, Vygotsky, and Schon. Data collection included multiple interviews and observations to determine how teacher candidates' participation in clinical practicum affects their assumptions about …


Association Between Vegan, Vegetarian, And Omnivorous Diets And Overweight And Obesity, Daniel Sullivan Jan 2011

Association Between Vegan, Vegetarian, And Omnivorous Diets And Overweight And Obesity, Daniel Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Overweight and obesity and associated health risks have become epidemic in several regions around the world. Numerous studies have addressed the dietary habits of vegetarians and vegans in terms of disease prevention and nutritional deficiencies but the relationship between overweight and obesity and the demographic, psychosocial, lifestyle, and dietary intake of omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans has received less attention. Guided by the social-ecological model, this study included a cross-sectional, quantitative, anonymous web-based survey to obtain dietary information on omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Vegans demonstrated a significantly lower mean and median body mass index ( p=0.00) than omnivores, semi-vegetarians, and vegetarians. …


An Empirical Study On User Acceptance Of Simulation Techniques For Business Process, Olurotimi Adeboye Ladeinde Jan 2011

An Empirical Study On User Acceptance Of Simulation Techniques For Business Process, Olurotimi Adeboye Ladeinde

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Non acceptance of technology may result in serious damages to organizations. For example, non acceptance of simulation technology cost Merrill Lynch Bank over {dollar}50 billion in 2008, while statistics in 2 separate studies showed that non acceptance of technology was responsible for a 57% decrease in performance level for physicians practicing in public tertiary hospitals in Hong Kong, and a 39% decrease in productivity for hotel workers in Seoul, Korea. The problem addressed in this research was non acceptance of simulation technology by project managers. This research investigated the correlation among personal innovativeness, organizational innovativeness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of …


A Comparison Of 2009--2010 Curriculum Test Scores Of Students Taught By Alternate Route And Traditional Route Teachers, James Howard Wallace Ii Jan 2011

A Comparison Of 2009--2010 Curriculum Test Scores Of Students Taught By Alternate Route And Traditional Route Teachers, James Howard Wallace Ii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an increase in the popularity of alternative certification programs; however, some administrators are still reluctant to hire these graduates to teach within their schools. With the shortage of certified teachers in Mississippi, some school districts have no choice but to hire alternatively certified teachers. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if students taught by teachers trained in alternative teaching programs had significantly different changes in language arts scores on the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 nd edition, as compared to fellow students who were taught by teachers trained in traditional teaching programs. Scores from the 2008--2009 …


The Effect Of Class Size On Inclusion Student Academic Success, Anthony, Iii Arico Jan 2011

The Effect Of Class Size On Inclusion Student Academic Success, Anthony, Iii Arico

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is based on the principle that setting high academic expectations and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. Under NCLB, states are required to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The purpose of this study was to determine if reduced inclusion class sizes affect student's scores on the Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (ASK) test administered in one northeastern US state and to solicit teachers' opinions of smaller class sizes. Inclusions …


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 …


Association Between Fast Food Consumption And Obesity And High Blood Pressure Among Office Workers, Kifle Mihrete Jan 2011

Association Between Fast Food Consumption And Obesity And High Blood Pressure Among Office Workers, Kifle Mihrete

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fast food consumption among office workers is a common phenomenon. Frequent consumption of fast food is linked to cardiovascular risk factors. The pervasiveness of these risk factors has debilitated the office workers' health and contributed to low performance and absenteeism. However, there remains a significant gap in the current literature regarding the health impacts of frequent fast food consumption behavior of office workers. Consuming large portions of fast food has been associated with obesity. The purpose of this correlation study was to investigate the relationship between fast food consumption and obesity and hypertension among office workers. The theoretical foundations for …


The Influence Of Community Support Services In Reducing Potentially Preventable Readmissions, Camille Rose Bash Jan 2011

The Influence Of Community Support Services In Reducing Potentially Preventable Readmissions, Camille Rose Bash

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recently, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ranked all hospitals based on Medicare readmission rates for heart attacks, heart failure, and pneumonia. CMS offered subsidies to hospitals ranked in the 4th quartile to develop community support services to reduce the problem of potentially preventable readmissions (PPRs). CMS cited 4 of the 5 hospitals in Prince George's County in the 4th quartile. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to investigate the relationship between community support services and the reduction of PPRs in Prince George's County. The Evans and Stoddart field model of health and well-being guided this …


The Effect Of Positive Verbal Information On Reducing Fears About Bats In School-Aged Children, Kimberly J. Williams Jan 2011

The Effect Of Positive Verbal Information On Reducing Fears About Bats In School-Aged Children, Kimberly J. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many school-aged children fear certain animals. Fear tends to make children worry and exhibit anxious behaviors, and this can negatively affect many aspects of their lives. Rachman (1977) speculated that some children might acquire fear through receiving negative verbal information. Few studies have examined whether positive verbal information can influence children's fear beliefs about bats. Based on Rachman's Theory on the Acquisition of Fear Behaviors this experimental research study examined whether positive verbal information might relate to decreasing fears about bats. One hundred and seventy-two participants in Grades 2 through 4 completed the Fear Beliefs Questionnaire (FBQ) and the Bat …


Credit Default Swaps Regulation And The Use Of Collateralized Mortgage Obligations In U.S. Financial Institutions, Jon Patraic Neill Jan 2011

Credit Default Swaps Regulation And The Use Of Collateralized Mortgage Obligations In U.S. Financial Institutions, Jon Patraic Neill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The fast and easy global movement of capital throughout the financial system, from lenders to borrowers and through intermediaries and financial market participants, has been recognized as a source of instability associated with illiquidity and financial crises. The purpose of this research was to better understand how regulation either enables or constrains capital movement. The theoretical framework comprised 2 contrasting public policymaking models, Arrow's rational-comprehensive model and Kingdon's garbage can model, which were used to derive opposing hypotheses. The research question addressed the nature of the relationship between Credit Default Swaps (CDSs) regulations and the flow of capital into Collateralized …


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 …


Improving Community College Faculty Effectiveness Through Technology-Based Learning Communities, David Mark Peter Jan 2011

Improving Community College Faculty Effectiveness Through Technology-Based Learning Communities, David Mark Peter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College faculty members are often inadequately prepared to use technology in their classrooms. They often learn technology without institutional support, and without understanding technology's impact on student learning. As a result of these shortcomings, the use of technology in the college classroom is often not systematic or focused on improving learning. This study used a conceptual framework based on Wenger's learning community or community of practice idea. This study examined a Midwestern university where faculty made only limited use of classroom technology and did not demonstrate contemporary approaches to student learning. The study set out to determine the impact of …


Use Of Professional Development To Improve Attitudes Of General Educators Towards Inclusion, Ginger Dodge-Quick Jan 2011

Use Of Professional Development To Improve Attitudes Of General Educators Towards Inclusion, Ginger Dodge-Quick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study involved the inclusion of special needs students in the general education classroom as required by law. The problem centered on general educators' perceptions of their abilities to meet the education needs of included students and their lack of training in special education issues. Research questions studied perceptions general educators had regarding inclusion and whether professional development addressed those concerns, and improved their perception of inclusion. The Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) was the conceptual framework utilized throughout the sequential mixed-methods case study. Quantitative data of teachers' concerns were determined using the Survey of Concerns Questionnaire from the CBAM …


Community Policing By Part-Time Police Leaders, Steven W. Minard Jan 2011

Community Policing By Part-Time Police Leaders, Steven W. Minard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The majority of police departments across the United States are led by part-time police leaders who are expected to provide high quality public safety and policing services. Research results have not been conclusive on best practices for community policing in larger cities, and the community policing model has not been researched for small police organizations staffed by part-time police leaders and police officers. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the community policing experiences of 12 part-time police leaders in a northeastern U.S. state. Ecological theory provided the conceptual framework. The research questions examined the participants' …


Professional Development For K--12 Charter School Teachers In Jersey City: Effects On Student Achievement, Davidson Okere Jan 2011

Professional Development For K--12 Charter School Teachers In Jersey City: Effects On Student Achievement, Davidson Okere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Continuous workforce training programs are important for business productivity. Traditional professional development practices (those that make teachers passive consumers of knowledge) may no longer satisfy the need for teachers' professional growth and for student achievement as measured by test scores. The purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental study was to consider the importance of professional development and collegiality (teacher collaboration) on student achievement. This study was based on Piaget's constructivism. The research question asked whether teachers thought collegial professional development and management's support helped teachers improve student achievement based upon the type of professional development (PD) employed at their schools. The …


Factors Contributing To The Increase In Hiv/Aids And Late Diagnoses Of The Virus Among Older Adults, Lorraine C. Barnett Jan 2011

Factors Contributing To The Increase In Hiv/Aids And Late Diagnoses Of The Virus Among Older Adults, Lorraine C. Barnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that the incidence of HIV/AIDS among the American population aged 50 years and over would account for 50% of all HIV/AIDS cases in the United States by 2015. Yet there is little research available about the reason for the high prevalence or the availability of interventions available for this population. The purpose of this study was to explore factors related to HIV/AIDS awareness in a group of older recipients of health care and their health care providers. This study was intended to help fill the information gaps in this area by using …


A Phenomenological Exploration Of Teacher Training Regarding Academically Advanced/High-Ability Students, Carrie Olstad Sueker Jan 2011

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Teacher Training Regarding Academically Advanced/High-Ability Students, Carrie Olstad Sueker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The needs of academically advanced/high-ability students may not be met in today's schools. When educational needs are not met, students may not reach full potential, may lose intrinsic motivation for learning, and may develop poor work and study habits. The rural school district involved in this study lacks a formal gifted and talented program. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore the lived experiences of 15 K-8 teachers in the identified school district via individual interviews. The National Association for Gifted Children's knowledge and skill standards in gifted and talented education served as the conceptual framework …


Understanding Psychosocial Rehabilitation Workers' Perceptions Of Difficult Psychiatric Situations, James B. Arnold Jan 2011

Understanding Psychosocial Rehabilitation Workers' Perceptions Of Difficult Psychiatric Situations, James B. Arnold

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) is a community-based service that addresses the challenges faced by people diagnosed as having psychiatric disabilities. While working with co workers and clients, PSR workers may harbor perceptions that could lower the effectiveness of their work and hinder recovery by their clients. Although cognitive-behavioral theory has suggested an association, research has not yet connected PSR worker attitudes about psychiatric situations to their feelings and behavior. In this nonexperimental factorial design, 196 PSR workers were surveyed about the frustrations presented by stressful interpersonal job situations using the Psychiatric Situations Scale to identify whether occupation (case workers, residential workers, …


Perceptions Of The Role Of Nurses In Providing Psychosocial Care For Patients With Cancer, Kerry Suzuki Jan 2011

Perceptions Of The Role Of Nurses In Providing Psychosocial Care For Patients With Cancer, Kerry Suzuki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychosocial care for patients with cancer is aimed at detection, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of psychological distress (PD). PD is a universal clinical phenomenon experienced by at least 38% of patients with cancer, yet only10% are identified as having PD. Nurses are presumed providers of psychosocial care, yet no research examined what nurses perceive as their role in caring for patients with cancer, and whether nurses believe that providing psychosocial care to patients with cancer is within their role. Patient care that rests on assumptions is too precarious; nurses' role beliefs are critical in light of their impact on practice …


A Situational Analysis Of Human Rights And Cultural Effects On Gender Justice For Girls, David Kenneth Waldman Jan 2011

A Situational Analysis Of Human Rights And Cultural Effects On Gender Justice For Girls, David Kenneth Waldman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that despite repeated mandates by the United Nations (UN) for gender equality, local gender justice for girls has been elusive. Conceptually drawn from Merry's human rights-cultural particularism dissonance and Sen's comparative justice theories, the purpose of this grounded theory study, supported by Clarke's situational analysis, was to investigate how local religious and cultural practices impedes a gender equality outcome for girls. The primary research question involved identifying characteristics and situations of actors who focused solely on gender, culture, and human rights issues at the international and national level. A qualitative research design was used in this study of …


The Effects Of Writer's Workshop On Writing Achievement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Mary Mester Jan 2011

The Effects Of Writer's Workshop On Writing Achievement In The Kindergarten Classroom, Mary Mester

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Only one quarter of American students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 were considered at or above the proficient level in writing in 2002 and 2007. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the effect of the instructional strategy known as writer's workshop on students' writing achievement. Writer's workshop is an instructional strategy involving daily writing and systematic lessons. The research question guiding this study examined the writing achievement of students taught through writer's workshop versus students taught through the county's writing curriculum which utilizes journal writing on a regular basis but does not involve systematic lessons or …


The Effect Of Leadership Flexibility And Effectiveness On City Manager Tenure, Patrick H. Burtch Jan 2011

The Effect Of Leadership Flexibility And Effectiveness On City Manager Tenure, Patrick H. Burtch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tenure can affect administrative continuity and proper governance in cities that employ the council-manager form of government, as most public policy proposals originate with the city manager. Literature regarding low tenure in medium and large communities is relatively well explored; however, little is known about the relationship between length of service and leadership style among small municipalities. Using Hersey and Blanchard's theory of situational leadership as a theoretical framework and the Leadership Behavioral Analysis IIRTM Self (LBAIIRTM Self) as an instrument, this study looked at managers' leadership flexibility and effectiveness and whether selection of an appropriate leadership approach impacts length …


Effectively Using Presentation Technology In The History Classroom, Scott Louis Johnson Jan 2011

Effectively Using Presentation Technology In The History Classroom, Scott Louis Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In spite of increased use of technology in the history classroom, the impact of technology remains low on student retention and comprehension of historical information. This project study examined the manner in which PowerPoint slides in history classes are formatted and the elements they contain for effective use. The literature related to best methods was reviewed to reveal practices that lead to the highest levels of comprehension and retention and how those practices could be implemented in PowerPoint presentations. This grounded theory study in the field of cognition and instruction centered on a high school that successfully implements technology in …


Students' Perceptions Of A Mobile Application For College Course Management Systems, Roopa Mathur Jan 2011

Students' Perceptions Of A Mobile Application For College Course Management Systems, Roopa Mathur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education administrators need data on student perceptions to support their decision making regarding mobile learning (m-learning) applications. There is a lack of research addressing students' perceptions of mobile applications for course management systems (CMS). The findings of this study may help administrators understand students' perceptions of a CMS m-learning application, Blackboard Mobile Learn (BML). This m-learning application is available on mobile devices, such as the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, Android, and Blackberry smartphones. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to explore the linear relationship between the independent variables of students' perceptions of usefulness and students' perceptions of …


Public Safety Directors' Leadership Role For The Implementation Of The National Incident Management System, John C. Mccauley Jan 2011

Public Safety Directors' Leadership Role For The Implementation Of The National Incident Management System, John C. Mccauley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is the result of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5). NIMS requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a national policy template for state, local, regional, and federal agencies to work together during emergencies. One difficulty with NIMS is that state and local agencies interpret and implement NIMS requirements differently. Using Lusier & Achua's theory of integrative leadership and Burns, Bass, Kouzes, and Posner's concept of transformational leadership, this study examined the relationship between the leadership provided by city public safety directors (CPSDs) and effective NIMS implementation at the local level. Two research …


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 …


Examining Students' Reflections On Literacy Activities Focused On Poetry Reading And Writing, Celeste Long Jan 2011

Examining Students' Reflections On Literacy Activities Focused On Poetry Reading And Writing, Celeste Long

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Motivation, which is based on experience, is crucial in promoting literacy acquisition; however, little research has explored what children experience during literacy activities such as poetry reading and writing. This phenomenological study explored what elementary students experienced during literacy activities focused on poetry. Educational reform inspired by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is based on a narrow range of quantitative research and does not consider the multifaceted nature of literacy and the experiences of the learner. Bruner's psychocultural theory and the belief that an individual's experiences are the core of existence were the philosophical and theoretical frameworks …


Perceptions Of White Men On Affirmative Action Planning, Linda Lee Hansken Jan 2011

Perceptions Of White Men On Affirmative Action Planning, Linda Lee Hansken

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the perceptions of White men on whether they should or should not be treated with total equality and be included in affirmative action (AA) planning in the workplace. Previous studies explored the topic of discrimination toward white males and AA. Using Festinger's cognitive-dissonance theory and Adams's theory of equity, this study focused on research questions addressing basic knowledge of AA planning, perceived discrimination, dissonance, and, the perceptions of White men about AA planning. Using phenomenological methodology, data were collected from personal interviews, and analyzed by obtaining a sense of the phenomenon, categorizing the interviews into meaningful and …