Digital Commons Network^™

Impoverished Schools That Are Performing Successfully In South Carolina: How Do They Differ From Impoverished Schools That Are Underperforming?, Sheka Houston

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This case study examined four impoverished middle schools in South Carolina to identify the factors prevalent in successfully performing impoverished middle schools which set them apart from underperforming impoverished middle schools. The study’s objective was to provide principals working in similar (impoverished) settings an understanding of the factors they might wish to replicate in improving school achievement. Data were collected from several sources. Qualitative data points were collected from the principal and teacher interviews as well as obtained from school report cards to assess student performance, school environment, student engagement, and teacher retention rates. A walkthrough was to be conducted …

Perceptions Of Classroom Teachers On Read-Aloud Practices Implemented Within The Elementary Setting, Kimberly J. Perry

Doctor of Education Dissertations

A problematic imbalance of academic discrepancies continues to exist within our schools today, leading to school failure for many of our students. Teachers must be prepared to provide effective instructional methods that increase the reading outcomes for all students. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the perceptions of elementary teachers, as compared to observable data, regarding the implementation of teacher read-aloud opportunities within the classroom setting. This dissertation analyzed and compared how elementary classroom teachers described their read-aloud practices to the tangible practices implemented in their classrooms, in order to determine a relationship between perception and …

Teacher Perceptions Of Behavioral Programs Serving Emotionally Disabled Students, Joshua Weese

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has undergone numerous revisions since 1965 when the first federal statute dealing with the education of students with disabilities was implemented. A revision completed in 1975 instituted the concept of least restrictive environment (LRE), which demands that all students with disabilities be exposed to the maximum amount possible with their regular education peers, regardless of disability. Full inclusion is the primary mode schools use to meet this requirement. Research has illustrated the positive effects of inclusion-style classrooms and LRE, both for regular and special education peers. However, contemporary research has begun to show …

Digital Literacy: The Impact Of A Blended Learning Model On Student Motivation And Achievement, Jennifer Miller

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Educators continue to search for a balance between preparing students for a marketable future and integrating face-to-face instruction. Many factors influence various educational models related to best instructional methodologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student perceptions regarding student motivation to read and the corresponding effect on student achievement within a blended learning environment. This mixed methods study determined whether the use of digital collaborative learning, as it applies to literacy, within a blended learning environment would have any corresponding effects on student motivation and achievement. Participants included fifth-grade students at the elementary level and …

What Teachers Say Versus What They Do: Examining The Relationship Of Teacher Dispositions And Teacher Behaviors As It Impacts Learning Environments, Carrie Mckeown

Doctor of Education Dissertations

When focusing on the teacher as the key variable in the classroom, professional dispositions are the greatest factor impacting student achievement (Diez & Raths, 2007; Haberman; 2004; Marzano; 2001). The intent of this study was to answer three questions: What professional dispositions impact student success in the learning environment as measured by North Carolina End-of-Grade Assessments (NCFE) data? What observed behaviors do effective practicing teachers demonstrate that stimulate student success as measured by NCFE data? To what extent do observed behaviors correlate between teacher self-professed dispositions and observations of an administrator? A key element was whether dispositions teachers indicated they …

The Impact Of Implementation Drivers On Teacher Efficacy Beliefs Within A Multi-Tier System Of Support Framework, Heather Jennings

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Schools are implementing a Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) to address being met with increased pressures to ensure every student has an equal opportunity to reach proficiency standards and close the achievement gap. An MTSS is characterized as a systematic approach to identifying and problem-solving barriers to learning. In implementing an MTSS, teachers have experienced added responsibilities and have had to increase or refine their skill set in data analysis, data-based decision-making, implementing interventions, and managing academic and behavioral interventions. Through a case study, qualitative and quantitative in nature, the study identifies implementation drivers in the areas of leadership, competency, …

A Quantitative Study On The Effect Restorative Practices Has On Student Discipline In Grades Three Through Five, Angela Harding

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the impact restorative practices (RP) has on student discipline. Additionally, this study intended to understand teacher perspectives on the effect RP has in the classroom as a management system. The overarching research sought to answer, “What is the impact of RP on classroom management, teacher perception, student discipline, and teacher-student relationships?” Individuals’ beliefs have a powerful impact on practice. Moreover, the study aimed to ascertain how educators can better understand what RP is and how it fosters safe learning environments through community building and constructive conflict resolution. The findings from this quantitative study indicated that …

The Qualitative Study On The Effect Of Teacher/Student Relationships On Student Academics And Behaviors, Dionnya Pratt

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to review and analyze the strategies teachers use in order to develop positive teacher/student relationships in the classroom of a high-poverty, at-risk school district. The cross-case analysis was performed to determine teacher perceptions of their interactions with students and how they influence academics and behavior. Determining the mindset changes needed to maintain positive relationships will provide information that will be used to build effective schools through teacher trainings. Through analysis of teacher interviews, classroom observations, and journal entries, five predominate themes were determined. Relationships, culture, classroom management, high-quality instruction, and engagement were found to …

Secondary Principal Perceptions Of Preparatory Experiences, Renita Griffinjordan

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain insight from current principals regarding principal preparatory experiences and to reveal which assistant principal experiences contributed to principal readiness. Through this study, 17 current secondary principals in an urban school district completed a 21-item survey using a 5-point Likert scale; 10 principals also participated in a follow-up interview. The survey instrument was constructed based on practices within seven primary standards of the North Carolina Standards for School Executives. The content validation index was utilized to measure the validity of the survey tool. The theoretical framework chosen to explore these relationships was …

Program Evaluation Of The J-1 Visa Teacher Exchange Program From The Perspective Of Exchange Teachers Within A Rural School District, Gradesa Lockhart

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Teacher shortages have had a significant impact on student learning outcomes in a time of immense testing accountability; yet, the way rural school districts handle the teacher shortage varies, from policies to incentive pay, to the use of international teachers. International teachers have become a significant resource for some rural districts to address teacher shortages. This study focused on the lived experiences of a subset of international teachers who are working in United States schools via the Exchange Visitor Program (EVP). The findings of the study authenticated the purpose of the Fulbright-Hays Act of 1946, more commonly known as the …

Impact Of Student Voice On Self-Efficacy, Melanie Shaver

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (a) relate the impact of the development of student voice in middle school to the perception of achievement measured by self-efficacy and (b) explore how the transformative learning theory affects developing adolescents through the development of student voice in a project-based learning model. The theory is grounded in Mezirow’s (1991) Transformative Learning Theory. The study explored if an instructional method such as project-based learning allows the development of student voice and builds self-efficacy. Utilizing the explanatory sequential model, survey and achievement data were collected and compared between treatment school to nontreatment school to …

Evaluation Of An Elementary Alternative Learning Program, Joshua Sain

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Schools across the country have an increased responsibility to support appropriate mental health development for their student populations, especially those who have been diagnosed or are at risk of an emotional or behavioral disorder. Increased responsibility has led school leaders and stakeholders to make certain they have processes in place to ensure early identification of at-risk students, along with appropriate learning pathways to support academic achievement (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). This study evaluated Trilogy, an elementary alternative learning program, which provides enrolled students with access to a learning environment that supports academics, behavior, and mental health in …

A Grounded Theory Inquiry Into Parent School Choice Motivation And How Schools Can Better Market Themselves, Susan Fail

Doctor of Education Dissertations

It is no longer about neighborhood schools but allowing parents to choose which school is best for their children. In addition, traditional public schools have seen a decline in enrollment, whereas charter, private, and home schools have seen an increase. This study sought to identify what motivates parents to choose a school for their children and how schools can enhance their marketing and branding. To determine the answers to these key questions, a qualitative research design was employed utilizing the Grounded Theory Approach. Data were gathered from a survey and focus groups at five large International Baccalaureate (IB) schools serving …

Why Do They Stay? A Qualitative Study On The Motivation Of South Carolina Elementary Self-Contained Special Education Teachers Who Persist In The Classroom, Judith Mills

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the motivational factors that have influenced South Carolina (SC) elementary self-contained special education teachers to remain in the profession beyond the 5-year mark, while despite having the same experiences, many others quickly leave the profession behind. Based on the theoretical framework of Ryan and Deci’s (2018) motivational theory of self-determination, this study sought to explore the lived experiences of 10 special education teachers. Data were collected through interviews, member-checked, coded, and analyzed for common themes. The results indicated that student growth and success; relationships with students, parents, and colleagues; collaboration …

The Impact Of A Dual Language Environment On Social And Emotional Competency, Anne Parker

Doctor of Education Dissertations

As SEL is intentionally embedded into a student’s school experience, it is important to explore contexts in which SEL can be further enhanced. Because the bilingual brain has shown high correlation to social and emotional behaviors, this study examined the dual language environment and the impact on a student’s SEL. The setting is a K-5 global and dual language immersion school, and the study examined the social and emotional competency of students learning in the K-3 dual language immersion cohorts compared to K-3 students in the traditional learning cohorts. The study used the Devereux Student Strength Assessment (DESSA)-Mini from Aperture …

A Qualitative Case Study On Principal Perceptions Of Responsibilities, Preparation, And Training And Their Effect On Retention, Karlene Crawford

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The focus of this qualitative case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the differences in school leadership responsibilities, preparation, and training of traditional public school principals and charter school principals and their effect on principal retention. The study included five principals from traditional public schools and five principals from charter schools in North Carolina. This study had four main findings: (a) Traditional public school principals have more student discipline responsibilities, while charter school principals engage in more instructional leadership; (b) All principals spent most of each workday responding in a managerial capacity to emerging stakeholder needs or, in …

Parent Perceptions Of Quality Early Childhood Education Programs, Lichelle Jones-Wilkins

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Early childhood education (ECE) programs play an important role in a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. ECE programs strive to prepare the students for kindergarten. The importance and value of ECE programs have increasingly become more important to state and federal officials. As a result, these officials have made significant efforts to make ECE programs more accessible. When it comes to selecting educational programs for their children, parents are frequently the primary decision makers. Rather than parental choice, studies usually focus on stakeholder perspectives on quality care. The goal of this 3-phase study was to better understand the factors …

Teacher Technology Self-Efficacy And Its Impact On Instructional Technology Integration, Paige Mitchell

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study is an extension of Slutsky’s (2016) dissertation about technology self-efficacy. The purpose of this study was to extend the generalization of the original study, considering the knowledge of teacher technology self-efficacy as it relates to integrating technology in the classroom. I built on previous research and added related knowledge to the original study. This study examined teacher levels of technology self-efficacy, identified specific factors affecting their current level, and examined the role and impact professional development opportunities have on technology self-efficacy.

A Study Of The Impact Of Career And Technical Education In Determining The Skills Gap In Selected Rural Communities In North Carolina, Chad Beasley

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study was an investigation of three rural high schools in western North Carolina to examine the perceptions of community employers, principals, and career and technical education (CTE) directors as to the skill levels of graduates from CTE programs. The study also determined if the skills being taught in secondary schools meet the needs of community employers. Qualitative data were collected from high school principals, CTE directors, and regional employers via open-ended questions and one-on-one interviews. Findings indicated participants perceived that CTE has a positive effect on student ability to be career and college ready. In addition, participants perceived CTE …

Effects Of A Global Schools Initiative In A Rural School Setting: A Collective Case Study Of How A Global Schools Initiative Impacts A Small, Rural Elementary School In Northwest North Carolina, Steven Hall

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify ways a Global Schools Initiative in rural schools, especially in northwestern North Carolina, supported students, teachers, and the greater community. The study reviewed the factors that facilitated this initiative and looked at the impact the initiative had on students, teachers, and the community. I desire to give guidance to other rural school leaders who might be interested in implementing their own Global Schools Initiative. The results of the research I conducted, along with the theoretical framework presented in Chapter 2, allowed me to hypothesize how students in a Global Schools Initiative compared …

A Program Evaluation: Implementing A Dual Language Immersion Program, Jennifer Hall

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The research study evaluated the implementation of a kindergarten Spanish dual language immersion program (DLI) using Stufflebeam’s (2003) context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model of program evaluation. The study aimed to determine specific strategies to best implement a learning initiative not just in a stable year but also in a time of duress such as COVID-19. Interviews with the superintendent, chief academic officer, director of global studies, principal, teacher, and teacher assistant and head of household surveys informed the following research questions.

1. Context: What factors were considered when the district implemented the DLI program?
2. Input: What specific resources were …

The Relationship Of Career And Technical Student Organizations To College And Career Readiness, Brenda Haynes

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Many schools are waking up to the reality that students need programs that will keep them alert and ready for their next level in life. Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) are the co-curricular programs associated with every career and technical education course and promise to offer opportunities for a peek into the real world. This study examined the relationship of CTSOs to college and career readiness. Career and technical education is oftentimes overlooked. Qualitative data were collected in the form of interviews of former high school students who were CTSO participants and teachers who were advisors of CTSOs. This …

Evaluating School Safety Using Environmental Design, Wade D. Key Jr

Doctor of Education Dissertations

A case study was conducted to establish baseline data in determining the efficacy of the safety and security program at two rural high schools. Using a publicly available Likert scale survey provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), district and school leaders were surveyed to determine their perceptions of safety and security on the two campuses. The adult subjects were subsequently interviewed to elicit deeper meaning behind their scores. A second survey was administered to former students to provide compare/contrast data. Utilizing the data from the surveys and interviews, the district was able to determine those things it is …

Identification Of High-Performing School Characteristics In Successful Low-Wealth, Rural North Carolina Elementary Schools, Tammie Padgett Ash

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Poverty has been identified as an obstacle to educational success. In 2003, Washington state researchers, Shannon and Bylsma (2007), conducted a study to uncover the commonalities found in schools outperforming their socioeconomic indicators. Their work identified nine characteristics of high-performing schools and determined all successful schools had five or more of the characteristics firmly in place, although no characteristic was rated most important (Shannon & Bylsma, 2007). The desired outcome of this research study was first to determine if the nine characteristics identified by Shannon and Bylsma were still aligned with current research. Second, I sought to determine if five …

A Correlational Study Of Teacher Self-Efficacy And Culturally Responsive Teaching, Lashaunda Plain-Mamon

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) focuses on equity and mandates high academic standards for all students. The achievement of diverse students is significantly below their counterparts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between culturally responsive teaching (CRT) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE). Additional research focused on teacher perspectives regarding their self-efficacy around CRT practices and how their experiences with CRT can be described. Quantitative data were analyzed independently and then merged to test the theory of a correlation between culturally responsive teaching techniques (CRTT) and TSE. Qualitative data were analyzed, coded, and then collapsed into themes. …

An Exploratory Study Of Experiences That Influence North Carolina Initially Licensed Teachers’ Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy, Estella Williams

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study examined initially licensed teachers’ culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) using the CRTSE survey and conducting interviews with initially licensed teachers scoring above the mean on one or more CRTSE constructs. It extended upon previous work conducted by Siwatu (2011) that explored the CRTSE experiences of preservice teachers. Siwatu’s (2011) study focused on subjects’ teacher education programs before they entered the teaching profession. Participants in this replication study were initially licensed teachers who shared opportunities from teacher preparation to in-service development as an influence on their CRTSE. The study explored these influences as an impact on behavior …

Grit In The Performing Arts: A Mixed-Methods Study Of High School Theatre Student Perceptions Of Grit, Kelsey Gibson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Previous grit research has not yet studied how the performing arts may have an impact on student grit scores and perceptions of grit. Grit is defined by two main characteristics: consistency of interest and perseverance of effort. Continued participation in an extracurricular theatre production requires students to maintain interest and sustain effort throughout the rehearsal and performance period. This mixed methods interpretivist research study examined how high school students from three groups (performing arts, non-performing arts, and non-arts) measured on Duckworth and Quinn’s (2009) Grit-S scale, as well as how performing arts students perceived their own grit after participation in …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Social Emotional Support Offered And Received Following The Return To School During The Global Pandemic In Two South Carolina Regions, Mindy Duckworth

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study determined teacher perspectives of the social emotional learning (SEL) support offered and received following the return to school during a global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. The study is important, not only to those who returned during the global pandemic or because states are requiring districts to think of the whole child but for educational leaders who are understanding the importance of delivering SEL for the purpose of educational growth. The research questions were answered through the lens of a mixed methods design through a combination of survey items and the results of the focus group. The …

Competitive Edge Teaching: A Comparison Of Differentiated Reading Instruction In The K-3 Elementary Classroom To The Sports Psychology Behind High School Athletic Coaching Methods, Lindsay W. Lee

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study explored the similarities between the philosophies and techniques used by select high school athletic coaches and select elementary reading teachers. The study shows parallels between the psychology behind coaching methodology within high school athletics and differentiated instruction within the elementary reading classroom. The purpose of this research was to develop a pathway to influence the increased implementation of differentiated instruction in elementary schools by determining and highlighting these parallels. The design of the study is a triangular analysis of interview questions conducted in a face-to-face interview format, document analysis, and surveys to show the parallels between the planning …

The Role Of Math Anxiety And Math Self-Efficacy Levels On High School Equivalency Student Math Performance, Barbara A. Clarke

Doctor of Education Dissertations

One of the most predominant measures of a community’s appeal is the high school graduation rate. National “best places to live” ratings utilize educational statistics to rank the quality of life in a community (Morse & Brooks, 2020). Additionally, an individual’s future prospects depend on a high school credential (HSC) as the minimum needed for postsecondary academics or gainful employment. One hindrance high school equivalency (HSE) students encounter is the inability to perform math sufficiently to earn an HSC due to the affective state of math anxiety and reduced math self-efficacy, particularly under pressure on tests/assessments. This quantitative study, using …