Digital Commons Network^™

Recent Graduates' Perspective On The Efficacy Of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Experiences, Holli Sowerby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It has become progressively difficult to find suitable clinical placement for nursing students. To help meet this need, local schools of nursing are turning to high-fidelity simulation manikins to substitute for clinical experience. There is a lack of research that explores recently graduated nurses' perceptions about the efficacy of simulation experiences. Guided by the constructivist theory, this qualitative case study identified how recent RN graduates viewed simulation experiences and whether associate's-degree RN program graduates and bachelor's-program RN graduates viewed simulation differently. Nine recent graduates participated in individual face-to-face interviews. The data were coded and grouped into 5 major themes in …

Exploring Punishment For Driving While Intoxicated (Dwi) And Driving Under Influence (Dui) Offenders, Franklyn Johnson Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Drinking and driving has been the focus of research since the 1960s, but researchers have not defined the meaning of punishment for offenders who continue to drink and drive. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of punishment on driving while intoxicated (DWI) and driving under the influence (DUI) defendants to assess the likelihood of preventing subsequent offenses. This study also sought to describe the behaviors of defendants who are perpetrating multiple offenses. The protection motivation theory was the theoretical foundation of this qualitative case study. The sample included a diverse group of 16 men between the …

Retail Distribution Within The New York City Organic Cacao Market, Omari Nekoro Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small physical commodities firm owners need to establish a distribution channel within the commodities market to enhance profits. The general business problem was that importing physical commodities from emerging markets was not profitable. The specific business problem was some small physical wholesale commodities firm managers lacked strategies to establish distribution channels for imported commodities. The information presented in this study is important to suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of organic cacao products to identify strategies to enhance their distribution channels. Disruptive innovation and the theory of constraints grounded the …

Biopsychosocial Factors That Discriminate Between White Collar Offenders And Business Professionals, Susan Lynn Zukowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

White collar crime is pervasive with a larger financial impact to society than violent or street crime, yet it has been understudied. Violent and street offender research has moved beyond the examination of motive and opportunity to study personality, demographics, sociological influences, and psychological influences on development and criminal behavior; however, the bulk of white collar offender research has focused on greed as a motivator and organizational opportunity. Legislative efforts have attempted to curtail white collar crime, but incidents of crime continue to rise, resulting in a continued need to understand white collar offenders and the influences on offender behavior. …

Perceptions Of Teachers On Instructing Remedial Mathematics Students, Christy Leigh Defilippis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 12% of students at the study middle school failed to reach proficient levels on state assessments in mathematics from 2010-2012. Poor performance on assessments can limit future mathematical trajectories and opportunities for students. One of the causes for failing to meet proficient levels on mathematics assessments could be the inconsistent use of teaching practices targeted at supporting lower achieving students; according to such reasoning, a consistent use of research-supported practices could result in improved student performance. Kolb's experiential learning theory, Vygotsky's social development theory, and Maslow's motivation theory provided a framework for this case study. Interviews and observational data …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Impact Of Standardized Testing And Remediation On Students With Disabilities, Janie M. Mora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At ABCD High School, students with disabilities (SWDs) pass state-mandated English High School Assessments (HSA) at a lower rate than do their nondisabled peers, even with remediation. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of appropriate remediation for preparing SWDs for the English HSA. The theoretical foundation for the study was based on social constructivism with an emphasis on individual experiences. The 3 key research questions investigated how teachers perceive their role in the delivery of remediation, how they describe the remediation program, and what factors they say influence their ability to remediate SWDs effectively. Data were …

The Effects Of Differentiated Instruction On The Achievement Scores Of Struggling Fourth Grade Readers, Carol Elaine Boges

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Identifying an effective instructional strategy to remediate struggling readers is a goal for educators. Differentiated instruction (DI) has received much attention as a possible strategy to rectify literacy problems, but quantitative research on its effectiveness is limited. This quantitative study used a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent, pretest-posttest design to determine if DI provided a significant difference in reading comprehension scores between struggling readers instructed with DI strategies and students instructed with whole group strategies. Philosophies grounded in cognitive constructivism constituted the theoretical framework for this study which examined the archival STAR reading assessment pre- and posttest instructional reading level scores of 120 …

School Principal Attitudes Toward The Inclusion Of Students With Disabilities, Taleshia Lenshell Chandler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion is a philosophy and practice of educating students with and without disabilities in the same learning environment. Previous researchers have indicated that principals play a key role in implementing successful and effective inclusive programs. However, there remains a gap in the literature regarding the attitudes of principals and assistant principals toward including students with disabilities at both elementary and secondary school levels. Therefore, the purpose of this nonexperimental, quantitative study, based on transformational leadership theory, was to examine the attitudes of principals toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms. An electronic version of The Principals' …

The Implementation Of Curriculum Mapping At A Private High School, Ellen E. Dutton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Using curriculum mapping to align the expected curriculum and the actual curriculum has been demonstrated as an effective approach for ensuring educational equity for all students. To improve student achievement, a private high school in the Midwest implemented curriculum mapping to better align curriculum and eliminate gaps and repetition between and within grade levels. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine fundamental implementation strategies for the mapping process and teachers' and administrators' perceptions of those strategies. The theoretical framework was based on change theory. Data were collected from 10 participants through individual interviews and observations. Teachers and administrators …

Creating Professional Learning Programs That Recognize Teachers As Adult Learners, Nicole Marie Lowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to recent research, approximately 40-50% of teachers leave the profession within the first 5 years, creating a constant need for teachers. There is evidence that creating a supportive working environment through effective professional learning, drawing on adult learning theory, may reduce teacher turnover and increase student performance. This study explored teachers' perceptions about the professional development offerings available to them, how these perceptions influence their decisions to remain at the school, and what types of professional learning experiences teachers want to experience. Fourteen high school teachers participated in individual interviews and 2 focus groups, which were analyzed inductively for …

Elementary School Teachers' Levels Of Concern With Disruptive Student Behaviors In The Classroom, Jacquline Mccaskey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators are concerned over disruptive student behavior that diverts teacher attention from instruction to student's negative behavior. The disruptive student is frequently removed from the classroom, decreasing negative behavior but resulting in shorter instructional time for the disruptive student. The purpose of this correlational survey study was to identify teachers' (a) levels of concern for specific disruptive behaviors, (b) methods most frequently used for disruptive behavior, and (c) professional needs related to general classroom and behavior management. The study examined the relationship between teachers' levels of concern regarding specific behaviors and the degree of support needed to manage those behaviors. …

Relationships Among Adult Student Performance And Satisfaction Variables For One Campus Of A Career University's Mba Programs, Curtis G. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of adult learners has grown significantly since World War II, and workplace environments have expanded to embrace many new areas of expertise and knowledge. The expectations of these learners in terms of the courses offered by career universities have become increasingly diverse. University personnel need to find ways that optimize and align courses offered with those expectations. The purpose of this correlational study was to understand the relationships between outcome variables in adult education programs and students' perceptions of the quality of their educational programs. Five historically tracked variables were examined: program GPA, job placement rate, program completion …

Understanding Presidential Voting Motivation By Factors Of Agency, Sharlene Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The President of the United States sets the tone for policy and has significant power in adopting and implementing policy. Despite this acknowledged power, prior studies, have not examined whether or not agency theory is predictive of voting in U.S. presidential elections. Agency theory is important in the scope of voting behavior as it identifies the relationships which support significance in practicing the activity. This correlational study examined the statistical impact of personal agency, social agency, and sociocultural agency on predictive voting behavior. This study used secondary data originally collected between 1956 and 2008 by the American National Election Study …

Parent And Teacher Attitudes Toward Bullying In School, Lidwina Helena Wijtenburg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parent and Teacher Attitudes Toward Bullying in School

by

Lidwina Wijtenburg

MA, Walden University, 2008

BS, Florida Atlantic University, 2005

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

School Psychology

Walden University

March 2015

Bullying is a problem in elementary schools and has been shown to negatively affect a student's academic performance, friendships, and attitudes towards bullying. Previous research has indicated that parents' and teachers' attitudes toward bullying and victimization can influence elementary children's views of bullying, yet little research has compared parents' and teachers' attitudes toward these bullying behaviors of children in …

Principals' Perceptions Of The Bully Busters Program In Combating Cyberbullying In Elementary Schools, Sheila Ann Cuffy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over time and with both the increasing ubiquitousness of the Internet and children's technological knowledge at young ages, cyberbullying has grown more widespread and acts of bullying have become more intense. However, little is known about the effectiveness of different antibullying programs for decreasing cyberbullying behaviors. This study addressed that gap in the literature by exploring one elementary school's use of the Bully Busters program for combating cyberbullying. The decision-making model was used as the conceptual framework for this qualitative interview study. Participants were 3 principals from 3 schools using the program. Data were gathered from the participants via interviews …

Challenges Of Child Trauma On Adoptive Families' Social And Emotional System, Jacqueline Yvonne Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adoption-focused psychoeducation is deemed essential in maintaining the permanency of traumatized children within a new family unit. However, adoptive parents of traumatized children struggle to find training to address their unique concerns. Guided by the lens of psychodynamic theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by adoptive families of traumatized children. Special focus was placed on the social and emotional relationships of the adoptive parents of traumatized children, to identify the realistic expectations towards attachment from the families' perspectives. Fifteen families were randomly selected to participate in this study from a group of 30 parents …

Microbrewing In Madison County Alabama: Exploring Business Formation Strategies And Regulatory Compliance, Luis R. Gely

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders venturing in the microbrewing business sector experience long delays due to federal, state, and city requirements unique to this industry. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by microbrewers in cases bounded by the fulfillment of the same licensing requirements to launch a microbrewery in Madison County, Alabama. The dynamic capabilities framework served as the conceptual framework for this study. A purposive sampling of 4 microbrewers who possessed tacit knowledge about the microbrewery licensure process participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews providing in-depth information about their strategic approaches. The overarching research question addressed the …

Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge And Self-Efficacy About Providing End-Of-Life Care, Mary Kathryn Gaffney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most nurses receive limited formal education regarding end-of-life (EOL) care, which affects their ability to meet dying patients' needs. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, this explanatory correlational study examined the relationships between critical care nurses' personal and professional characteristics and their perceived knowledge and self-efficacy when providing EOL care at an academic medical center. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from the eligible adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care nurses for this study. The 67 participants completed the End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey (EPCS) to assess EOL care knowledge and self-confidence. Total EPCS scores revealed only moderate levels of …

Effects Of Embedded Study-Skills Instruction On High School Students' Attitudes Toward Mathematics, Alberta Diahann Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The target school used embedded study skills in Algebra I classes to improve attitudes toward mathematics. The purpose of this sequential, explanatory mixed-methods study was to examine the effect of embedded study-skills instruction on students' attitudes toward mathematics. Metacognitive theory was used for this study's framework. Participants were 28 Grade 9 and 10 students who repeated Algebra I. Quantitative data from the Attitudes Toward Mathematics Inventory assessed students' pre- and post-instruction attitudes toward mathematics in 4 domains. Data were analyzed using 4 independent samples t tests for students who did and did not receive embedded instruction. Qualitative data were collected …

A Case Study Of The Effectiveness Of A Summer Transition Program For First-Time Ninth Grade Students, Jonathan Wickert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High schools have undertaken numerous approaches to reduce the number of first-time 9th grade students who do not move to 10th grade with their cohort. The purpose of this study was to determine if a summer program successfully transitioned 9th grade students from middle school to high school environments. Guided by the stage-environment fit conceptual framework, this study explored the effectiveness of a summer transition program at acclimating first time 9th grade students to physical, social, and academic environments. A mixed-method design was used in the study. A t test was used with a sample of approximately 400 archival 9th …

Midcareer Women Leaving Information Technology: An Examination Of The Phenomenon, Susan F. Way

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Midcareer women are leaving the information technology (IT) career field at a much higher rate than are men. This attrition has contributed to a decreasing percentage of women in the IT field, hindering the creativity, innovation, and productivity that can result from a diverse workforce. This phenomenological study addressed a gap in the current research by examining the lived experience of women who have left the IT field. The conceptual frameworks of the study included Rhodes and Doering's integrated career change model based on traditional turnover theory, a model of gender and power in careers by Ragins and Sundstrom, and …

Debt Collectors Exposed: A Phenomenological Study Of Job Requirements And Job Satisfaction, Christina Michelle Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to allow debt collectors to share their views about their work and to give more insight to collection leaders into lived experiences of debt collectors and the social stigma associated with collection work. This study explores potential reasons for the negative stereotypes, high turnover, performance outcomes, and stress experienced by the participants of this study. Additionally, this study adds new data to the limited amount of existing data on debt collectors by exploring emotional labor within the collections industry and determining collectors' levels of job satisfaction. Guided by Maslow's hierarchy of needs model, this …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Multimodal Literacies In Middle School Health Literacy Programs, Cynthia Darlene Jackson-Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy, defined as the ability to understand and use health information to make informed decisions, is critical to maintaining health; however, not all U.S. states mandate strategies to improve adolescents' health literacy. Moreover, many middle school teachers are often unaware of how their roles could improve the health literacy of their students. Multimodal literacies help students to create meaning through viewing print-based resources and using digital technologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of multimodal literacies on adolescents' overall health literacy via the introduction of health literacy programs into the curriculum. This …

The Self-Perception And Campus Experiences Of Traditional Age Female Muslim American Students, Carol Warren Koller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Religion and spirituality have been found to contribute to the well-being of American university students. Although practiced by a small minority, Islam is the fastest growing faith in the United States, indicating a growing campus presence. The purpose of this study was to identify campus experiences that influenced the identity perception of traditional age Muslim American women. The conceptual framework included theories of identity negotiation, intergroup contact, and religious identity as well as campus climate structures developed to improve diversity. This phenomenological study took place at 2 public 4-year universities in California and included interviews with 6 participants. Interview protocol …

Communication Skills Of Novice Psychiatric Nurses With Aggressive Psychiatric Patients, Rose Moss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Communication Skills of Novice Psychiatric Nurses with Aggressive Psychiatric Patients

by

Rose L. Moss

MS, University of Hartford, 1996

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

March 2015

The transition from novice nurse to a competent psychiatric staff nurse is often associated with major communication challenges, primarily when caring for aggressive patients. Guided by Peplau's theory, this quantitative study assessed the communication skills of novice psychiatric nurses (N = 25) who worked 24 months or less in the state psychiatric hospital with aggressive psychiatric patients. Additionally, certain demographic data …

The Role Of Sociodemographic Characteristics And Antiretroviral Prophylaxis On Risky Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Leonard Obodo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent multicenter, randomized, double blind clinical trials have shown no association between HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and increased sexual risk behavior among high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM). However, little research has been conducted under natural conditions devoid of clinical trial controlled environment to confirm the lack of association between PrEP and increased sexual risk behavior. Also, research has shown conflicting associations between sociodemographic characteristics and sexual risk behavior among MSM. In this cross-sectional, web-based, primary data analysis, MSM who reside in United States of America (USA) and who make use of PrEP for HIV prevention were examined …

Attachment Style, Leadership Behavior, And Perceptions Of Leader Effectiveness In Academic Management, Rehema Underwood

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizational effectiveness is related to both effective leadership styles and to having leaders with secure attachment styles. Transformational and charismatic leaders often have secure attachment styles. However, the relationships between insecure attachment styles and leadership styles remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine whether insecure attachment in leaders (fearful, preoccupied, and dismissing attachment styles) is related to transformational, charismatic, transactional, and laissez faire leadership. A quantitative, non experimental approach was taken in this study. Participants included those in leadership positions (college deans, chairpersons, and provosts) (n = 18) and instructors (subordinates) (n = 36) from local community …

Exploring The Risk Factors That Influence The Parental Dental Deferment Decision, Megan White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

When caregivers defer their personal routine dental care (RDC) in order to provide RDC for their children, they risk detrimental consequences in their personal health and the health of their children. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the risk factors that led to the parental dental deferment decision. The oral health and personal care services conceptual models guided the development of the research questions, facilitated the selection of risk factors on the decision-making process, and provided the basis for the data analysis thematic categories. Ten caregivers who made the decision to defer their personal RDC for …

Facilitating Weight Tolerance Among Health And Fitness Majors Toward Obese Persons, Stephanie Boss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Weight bias exists in some health-related degree programs. Overweight and obese persons who experience weight bias in health-related services often delay or avoid medical attention altogether. Guided by the attribution theory, the purpose of this sequential explanatory study was to examine weight bias among health majors at a southwest regional university to illuminate how attitudes can affect the level of care provided to overweight persons. The Attitudes toward Obese Persons (ATOP) scores from a convenience sample of 184 health majors revealed that participants' scores were found to be significantly lower than the midpoint (60) of the ATOP scale, M = …

Exploring Strategies For Retaining Information Technology Professionals: A Case Study, Shannon J. Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the 21st century, retaining information technology (IT) professionals is critical to a company's productivity and overall success. Senior IT leaders need effective strategies to retain skilled IT professionals. Guided by the general systems theory and the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the retention strategies used by 2 senior IT leaders in Atlanta, Georgia to retain IT professionals. Semistructured interviews were employed to elicit detailed narratives from these IT leaders on their experiences in retaining IT professionals. A review of company documents, as well as member-checking of initial interview transcripts, helped …