Digital Commons Network^™

Designing Three-Dimensional Implementation Of Ngss To Support Science Education, Melissa M. Delaurentis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Next Generation Science Standards transitions science instruction to a strategic focus on students’ application of science content through sensemaking to deepen their understanding of naturally occurring phenomena. As an innovative educational initiative, NGSS requires a vast shift in how all stakeholders approach scientific learning in public education. New Mexico formally adopted NGSS in 2017 and promptly expected full implementation. The problem explored in this study is the perceptions of principals, instructional coordinators, and science educators on the implementation of NGSS, based on New Mexico’s abridged timeline, inadequate funding, and limited professional learning. The study used a qualitative exploratory case …

Perspectives On The Study Circles Program For Increasing Parental Involvement, Eugenia Sophia Dawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrators were concerned over a lack of minority parental involvement and challenges in meeting the needs of a rapidly growing minority student population in a local school district. To enhance minority parental involvement, one local middle school implemented the Study Circles program that involved a series of interactive small group sessions in which parents and educators collaborate to build a culturally sensitive, inclusive community. The problem addressed in this study was grounded in the fact that the adequacy of this program’s implementation to address the low minority parental involvement at the school was not fully understood. Guided by Epstein’s model …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Nurses In South Carolina Emergency Rooms, Debra A. Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underrepresentation of African American (AA) nurses in South Carolina (SC) emergency rooms (ERs) may affect quality patient care for AAs and all other patients in culturally diverse populations. This qualitative interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of AA nurses in several SC ERs concerning quality patient care in culturally diverse populations. Herzberg's two-factor theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory framed the study. The research question investigated the lived experiences of AA ER nurses in SC ERs concerning quality patient care in culturally diverse populations. Interpretive phenomenology was used to gain insight from a sample of 17 …

Patient Perceptions Of Access To Chronic Pain Medications, Lauren Amy Durham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe 2014 Drug Enforcement Administration’s reclassification of hydrocodone combination products caused significant unintentional consequences to patients with chronic pain. Although a few researchers have looked at the problems that resulted immediately following the reclassification, none have as yet repeated their studies, creating a knowledge gap. Additionally, previous researchers have shown that most of the current opioid restricting policies in place today were not created using a strong evidence-based or ethically inclusive approach. The purpose of this study was to assess whether common factors identified as issues impacting care for these patients immediately following the reclassification continue to affect care standards. …

The Pre-School Teacher Experience Of Social Skills For Early Education Success, Cheryl Dorsey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Pre-school is foundational to future academic success, and social skills have been recognized as a critical component of that foundation. How pre-school teachers facilitate social skills development is an area requiring further study. The purpose of this research was to describe the experience of social skills development from the perspective of early educators. Attachment and social learning theories were used as theoretical frameworks to explore how early education teachers describe the social skills for early education success in young children and how early education teachers facilitate the development of important social skills. This study used a generic, qualitative design …

Antenatal And Postnatal Care Services And Maternal Mortality In Nigeria, Lucy Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nigeria has had a high maternal mortality rate per 100,000 live births since the 1990s. A possible contributing factor is that many Nigerian women are not aware of prenatal and postpartum pregnancy care-related services. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between pregnancy-related care (access to antenatal services, maternal health education, and knowledge of prenatal and postpartum care) and maternal mortality in Nigeria. The theory of planned behavior forms the basis of this study. A cross-sectional quantitative study design was used to determine whether maternal mortality is influenced by pregnancy-related care. Secondary data collected by the Demographic …

Strategies For Call Center Employee Retention, Tracion Evette Flood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractOrganizations with leaders that fail to implement strategies to retain knowledgeable employees risk maintaining a competitive advantage in the industry. The turnover rates in call centers are relatively high because of the stressors of offering different services and addressing dissatisfied, irate customers in a fast-paced environment while providing quality customer service. Organizations with leaders who fail to retain knowledgeable employees risk maintaining a competitive advantage in the industry. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies call center leaders implemented to reduce voluntary employee turnover. The participants consisted of three call …

New York City Police Officers’ Experiences Of 9/11, Christine Fiore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPolice officers were some of the first responders to the World Trade Center bombings on September 11, 2001. Longitudinal studies have revealed that some New York City (NYC) police officers were better able to cope than others, yet the long-term effects of officers’ coping strategies are unknown. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to explore the coping strategies used by NYC police officers during 9/11 and how these police officers continue to cope with their experiences today. Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping provided the foundation for this study. The participants included nine NYC police …

Synthesized Grounded Theory Expansion Of The Quadruple Aim In Acute Care Nursing, O. Ann Ann Fuller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractConflation of moral and compassionate healthcare within the business model that is focused on customer service, disempowers, dehumanizes, and destabilizes nursing as well as the financial stability of healthcare. The purpose of this research was to determine nurses’ perceptions of how their work environment supported or contradicted a potential expansion of the quadruple aim. The quadruple aim was the primary conceptual framework for this research. The overarching research question was about how the environment of care supports professional nurses’ provision of high-quality person- centered care and bolsters meaningful and purposeful careers. The synthesized grounded theory methodology was used to collect …

Lived Experiences Of Adults Using Emotional Support Animals To Cope With Anxiety, Kenneth Patrick Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Anxiety is a clinical disorder affecting nearly 40 million adults in the United States. Treating anxiety symptoms has been most effective when clinicians combine medication and therapy intervention. Still, treatments for anxiety varies among clinicians to determine which one may be the most effective. Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide one kind of intervention that clinicians use to treat anxiety in adults. However, existing research literature has not fully explored the phenomenon of lived experiences of coping with anxiety among adults with an ESA. Social cognitive theory provided a basis for this study’s theoretical framework for understanding this phenomenon. This study …

Continuing Education And Predictors Of Self-Reported Professional Competency Among Trauma Counselors, Desiree Lynn Grin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractContinuing Education and Predictors of Self-Reported Professional Competency Among Trauma Counselors by Desiree Lynn Grin

MS, Walden University, 2019MA, Capella University, 2009 BS, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 2003

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counseling Psychology

Walden University November 2021 Abstract Currently, there is limited research about outcomes for therapists who choose to engage in professional trainings for ongoing education. Although other professions track this kind of information, there is a dearth of information for mental health counselors. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of counselors’ motivations, …

Elementary Administrators’ Perceptions Of Support For Novice Alternatively-Certified Teachers In High-Poverty Schools, Kelle Wilson Lofton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Novice alternatively-certified teachers are hired to teach in high-poverty schools at a higher rate than traditionally-certified peers. These teachers are often unprepared to teach in challenging environments and struggle to manage their classrooms and achieve student academic success. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative case study was to investigate elementary school administrators’ perceptions of support for novice alternatively-certified teachers in high-poverty schools in a southern U.S. state. Burns’s transformational leadership paradigm informed the study. The research questions focused on how elementary principals and assistant principals perceived transformational practices to support novice alternatively-certified teachers in high-poverty schools. Data were collected using …

Early Childhood Education Teacher Experience And Knowledge Regarding Outdoor Learning And Affordances, Jennifer Karshna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers have indicated that they are interested in supporting children’s learning outdoors but have been challenged with intentional use of the outdoor learning environment (OLE). The purpose of this qualitative study was to illuminate ECE teacher experience with and knowledge of supporting children’s learning in the OLE, specifically using affordances for teaching and learning. The conceptual framework was based on the Reggio Emilia approach, Gibson’s affordance theory, Dewey’s ideas regarding educational experiences, and Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development. The key research question addressed teachers’ experiences and knowledge of affordances in the OLE. The 12 participants were …

Clinical Practice Guideline On Childhood Obesity, Catherine Nanyongo Manga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFamily care practitioners (FCPs) are important players in the treatment of childhood obesity. However, the evidence-based literature shows that practitioners lack both knowledge of how to diagnose the condition as well as the confidence and education to care for patients with obesity. The primary care setting for this project has a 77% obesity rate among the clinic pediatric population compared to a national average of 19%; the FCPs at the target clinic lacked sufficient knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, limiting their ability and confidence to counsel families on weight control measures. Following the Walden University Clinical Practice …

Strategies Used By U.S. Biotechnology Companies To Attain Fda Quality Compliance, Peter M. Ovwiovwio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Up to 70% of U.S. businesses in the biotech industry received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) noncompliance citations in 2015. The effective implementation of quality management strategies may lead to improved quality compliance. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies that quality compliance managers in biotech companies use to integrate and apply FDA product quality compliance requirements into their products’ quality compliance metrics. Deming’s strategic models for developing and implementing quality provided the conceptual framework for the study. The study participants consisted of five biotech quality compliance managers in the West region of the …

Psychological Effects Of Testosterone Replacement Therapy For Secondary Hypogonadism, Minerva Spurlock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypogonadism negatively impacts various psychological aspects of a male’s life. Males under the age of 50 who experience symptoms of depression or a decreased sense of well-being may not be aware that secondary hypogonadism might be the underlying cause. A gap exists in the literature regarding the psychological effects of testosterone replacement therapy used to treat hypogonadism. The current research project was framed by Engel’s biopsychosocial theory, which encompasses the biological, psychological, and social aspects of a client’s life. The research objective was to determine the relationship between testosterone replacement therapy and the psychological effects of depression and quality of …

The Impact Of Telehealth Services Offered By Home Care Agencies On Patient Safety, Moyna Temple

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little available research about how home care agencies attempt to address patient safety during the nurse virtual healthcare visit. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine, during the delivery of telehealth care by a home care agency, to what extent the level of education of the registered nurse, the level of education of the director of the home care agency, and the clinical decision support system (CDSS) impact patient safety. The framework for the study was the complex sociotechnological systems model. Data from the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey were analyzed using logistic …

Clinical Practice Guidelines For Community-Based Resources For Substance Abuse Patients In An Emergency Department, Julie Ann Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Substance use disorder (SUD) has plagued the United States for decades and has been an ongoing issue in a Midwest hospital emergency department where SUD patients were provided discharge information that did not include SUD specific recovery and rehabilitation resources available in the community. The purpose of this project was to develop a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for nurses to use when discharging a SUD patient with an accompanying evidence-based recovery and referral resource list including Narcan, medication-assisted treatment, crisis hotlines, needle exchange programs, and treatment options. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice framework was used to grade the levels …

Community College Student Persistence In The Online Learning Environment, Lori Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Online course enrollment at community colleges has increased in recent years. Student persistence rates in online courses are lower than in traditional face-to-face courses. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore student perceptions of the external and internal factors that contribute to students’ persistence in online learning. Rovai’s composite persistence model was the conceptual framework used to explore the perceptions of eight students who were 18 and older and had completed a minimum of two online courses within the past 2 years at a Midwest community college in the United States. Findings from inductive coding analysis of …

Employee Retention Strategies In The Fast Food Industry, Patrick C. Umezurike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe annual employee turnover rate in the fast-food industry is 73%, resulting in significant financial losses to the fast-food industry across the United States. The fast-food managers who lack strategies to improve employee retention; risk reduced organizational performance and effectiveness. Grounded in the eight motivational forces of voluntary employee turnover, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify strategies managers in the fast-food industry used to improve employee retention. The participants were five senior fast-food managers in Baltimore, Maryland, who successfully improved restaurant employee retention. Data were collected through semistructured interviews; and documents (e.g., employee handbook, training …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Literacy Instruction With Autistic Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heather Ann Marzenski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Families and educators have voiced concerns about the literacy skills of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the situation. Pandemic era studies have demonstrated the ramifications that students with ASD have faced, including regression of literacy skills, lower grades, lack of support services, and subpar instruction. Teachers' perceptions remained unexamined in the pandemic era studies. The purpose of this basic qualitative dissertation was to examine teachers’ perceptions about the materials and strategies used to deliver literacy instruction during the pandemic for students with ASD. The conceptual frameworks that underpinned this study were self-determination theory …

Educators' And Parents' Perceptions Of Family Engagement In A Head Start Program, Sondeania Marie Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Family engagement benefits children’s development and contributes to student academic success. However, educators feel that they are unprepared to engage families in the educational process, although they are encouraged to do so. The purpose of this basic qualitative study with interviews was to explore educators’ and parents’ perceptions of family engagement. The conceptual framework for this study was supported by Epstein’s ecological framework. A basic qualitative study and purposeful sampling were used to conduct semistructured interviews with 10 educators who were currently employed as teachers and with five parents who had a child enrolled in the Head Start program who …

Diabetes Management And Self-Perception Of Health Among Adults In The United States, Moses Ajoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The burden and complications of diabetes have been a public health concern and societal challenge for decades, and the rate of prevalence is projected to increase in the future. The study aims to examine the association between blood glucose monitoring, glycated hemoglobin test, and self-perceived health status among diabetic adults in the United States. Guided by the chronic care model, the study used data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to investigate diabetes management practices among diabetic adults in the United States. Quantitative and cross-sectional methods were used to assess the associations between diabetes management practices and self-perceived …

Retired Military Officers’ Length Of Service And Loss Of Social Identity In Second Careers, Moriah Elizabeth Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many past researchers have reported problematic issues and challenges with militarypersonnel transitioning to civilian life and to the civilian workplace. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of 20 retired military officers who had between 24 and 42 years of military service regarding how they may have experienced the losses of social identity and organizational socialization and how those losses may have impacted their second careers in civilian organizations. Data for this study were collected via semistructured interviews and the use of interview protocols. The conceptual framework consisted of a combination of social identity theory …

Local Government Agencies Constraints With 5% Management Cost Allocation From Fema, Mike Lalbachan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Local government agencies have deviated from federal hazard mitigation contractual requirements despite been paid by the federal emergency management agency (FEMA) to accomplish these requirements. Noncompliance with meeting federal requirements can result in returning part or all the financial award to the federal government. The current literature does not address the causations of the deviations. The purpose of this case study research was to gain the perceptions from local government employees in the state of Florida that are managing the hurricane IRMA hazard mitigation grant program (HMGP) projects on the effectiveness of the 5% management costs allocation. The theoretical framework …

Principal Servant Leadership Effects On Relationships With Teachers In Underperforming Schools, Marta Georgina Vasquez-Mcnamara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that a leaders’ behavior can impact employee organizational outcomes and how employees engage at work. The primary purpose of this qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological study was to interview a purposeful sample of teachers and a principal at an underperforming school to examine and understand their lived experiences and the meaning of principal–teacher relationships in underperforming schools using a servant leadership framework. The goal was to describe principals/teachers’ experiences, perceptions, and meanings associated with servant leadership in building relationships. Data were collected by conducting semistructured interviews. Following an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach, the data were transcribed and coded for …

Evidence-Based Hospice Care Education For Healthcare Clinicians, Nonie E. Weir

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vulnerable populations with a terminal illness, who reside in a nursing home setting, continue to experience psychological, physical, and emotional effects that lead to end-of- life (EOL) suffering and discomfort. Globally, millions of individuals receive care from a hospice provider. By 2030, this figure will triple due to the increased lifespan of the geriatric population. The literature review has revealed that the practical problem is the lack of hospice care education received by healthcare clinicians. It is, therefore, important to prepare and educate healthcare clinicians about a peaceful death through an individualized plan-of-care (POC) from a holistic approach. The purpose …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Teacher Retention, And Attrition, Tonya Kabia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition has been an issue in the local urban area resulting in students being taught by teachers and substitutes who may not be knowledgeable about the content. The attrition of experienced teachers is a concern for administrators, fellow teachers, parents, and students. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of administrator support, teacher retention, and teacher attrition. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological system theory served as the conceptual framework that guided this study. A basic qualitative research design was used to capture the insights of 10 middle school teachers in an urban district in the eastern United States through …

Self-Efficacy, Motivation, And Academic Success: Learners With Adhd In Online Universities, Kareta Lewin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on traditional or brick and mortar universities suggests that there is an association between self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation (IM), extrinsic motivation (EM), and academic success in higher education. What is not yet clear is whether self-efficacy and motivation (IM and EM) are associated with academic success in online universities. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is an association between self-efficacy, motivation (IM and EM), and academic success for learners with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who attend online universities. The possible role of self-efficacy in mediating the relationship between IM and EM and academic success was …

Mathematics Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Its Relation To Student Achievement, Michelle Emmalyn Peters-George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students' performance in national assessments of mathematics at Grades 2, 4, and 6 has been a cause for concern in the Eastern Caribbean. Researchers have called for studies to focus on primary mathematics teachers' pedagogies rather than on laptops and curriculum; however, it is unclear how primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical knowledge influences these student’s achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (mathematical knowledge for teaching, quality of instruction, and pedagogical qualifications) and student achievement, measured by national assessment scores in Grenada, controlling for teachers’ age, gender, and experience. …