Digital Commons Network^™

Describing The Education Reform Landscape: A Typology Of State Charter School Laws, William Flanary Dabney Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Since 2014, 42 states have adopted charter school legislation. Research has been conducted on charter school effectiveness and legislative adoption. However, limitations in the research exist regarding school choice in that studies address inequalities and outcomes at the school level, with limited attention to the state-level policy environment. Additionally, research does not consider variations in state school choice policy nor does it link policy differences to equitable educational outcomes.

This descriptive study described and categorized the variation of state charter school polices and explored differences in state level education finance, student demographics and academic outcomes, and school type characteristics. A …

2018 Great Expectations Spring Faculty Conference: Otterbein University And The Public Good, Academic Affairs

Spring Great Expectation Faculty Conference

The 2018 Great Expectations Spring Faculty Conference featured a talk by John C. Burkhardt, drawing on his work to talk about how faculties can be more inspired and effective.

John C. Burkhardt is a professor of clinical practice in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan. He was the founding director and currently leads the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good, which was established in 2000 to better understand and influence the changing role of higher education within a diverse, dynamic, democratic society. For three years, 2013-2016, John directed …

African American Women: The Role Of Education, Spirituality, And Resilience In Their Transition From Poverty, Donna Scott

Dissertations

African American women born into impoverished families often have difficulty moving beyond their low socioeconomic circumstances (Cozarelli, Wilkinson, & Tagler, 2001). Although education has been shown to influence the lives of African American women, limited research has been conducted relative to the influence of education in their transition from poverty. Also, while there is considerable evidence regarding the authoritative role of spirituality in the lives of women, and for African American women in particular (Mattis, 2002), little research has focused on how African American women utilized spirituality as a source of strength in response to the challenges of poverty. The …

Agricultural Information Needs And Food Access In The Stann Creek District Of Belize, Sam Harris

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe agricultural information sources available to farmers and to describe food access and availability for the people of Dangriga, Stann Creek, Belize. This study used descriptive survey research methods with convenience sampling of the general public (n=22) and of farmers (n = 38) in the summer of 2017. Farmers use a variety of agricultural information sources with the extension service cited most often, followed by friends and fellow farmers. Weather, lack of information, pests, and inadequate access to capital were of primary concern for farmers. Face to face meetings were …

Does Inequality Erode Generalized Trust? Evidence From Romanian Youths, Paul E. Sum, Gabriel Bădescu

Political Science & Public Administration Faculty Publications

Generalized trust is a critical component of liberal democratic citizenship. We evaluate the extent to which exposure to socioeconomic inequality erodes trust among Romanian youths. Using national survey data of Romanian eighth-grade and high school students, we evaluate this effect as a product of socioeconomic diversity within the classroom, controlling for the social status of the students as well as socioeconomic inequality within the community where the school is located. Our analysis shows that generalized trust is higher for students in higher grades. However, despite this maturing effect, students exposed to greater levels of socioeconomic diversity have significantly lower levels …

The Structurally Adjusted School: School Restructuring And Youth Political Incorporation In Suburban America, Erin Michaels

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

My dissertation argues that key 21st century education reforms intended to improve education for Latinx and Black students are actually new mechanisms of educational inequality. I examine this trend in the suburbs where Latinx and Black populations are growing due to new immigration and gentrification. I show how state-mandated education reforms use conditional financing and coercive restructuring policies to undermine the school’s local control by tying major reforms to vital school aid and threatening it with closure. I relate this model to the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) the IMF and World Bank use globally in order to coerce countries to …

The Effect Of Teacher Race On Student Perceptions In Low-Income Schools, Benton M. Brown

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision, thousands of teachers of color lost their jobs as black students were integrated into mostly white schools. The number of black teachers in schools across the United States has never recovered resulting in a teaching workforce that is less diverse than the student population that they teach. Many studies have examined the possible impact of this discrepancy including the possibility that this has contributed to the black-white achievement gap that exists in the United States. Other studies have examined the non-academic impacts of a less diverse workforce including …

Working Alliances: The Implications Of Person-Centered Theory For Student-Teacher Relationships And Learning, Adam Parker Cogbill

Doctoral Dissertations

In this dissertation project, I interview four therapists and four writing teachers to learn if there were any significant similarities in differences in their approaches to dyadic relationships with students and clients. By dyadic, I mean what happens between individuals in a 1-on-1 setting when subjectivities collide. I was guided in my investigation by the core concepts of person-centered theory, which have heavily influenced the work of clinical therapists for the past half-century or more. These concepts are congruence, or whether one’s behaviors and speech match what one is feeling; empathy, the process of entering and becoming familiar with another’s …

The Activity Of Becoming A Second-Career Teacher, Michael Hildebrandt

Doctoral Dissertations

This is a study of three second-career teachers’ experiences of self transformation and the processes of socialization and identity formation each undergoes during his or her first three to five years as a full-time teacher. Each narrative offers a means through which to explore how liminal identity is at play during the transition to a new career—an experience that reshapes the experiences and self-understandings of individuals in the process of becoming teachers. The narratives that emerge from in-depth interviews showcase individuals with multi-faceted lives who have engaged in a multitude of personal and professional activities throughout their life course and …

"Or I May Live...": Meaning-Making And Mortality, Hannah Bright

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

This project examined the ways in which dialogical processing of the fact of one’s own impending death impacts meaning-making in day-to-day life. Taking a qualitative approach, the thesis builds from five in-depth interviews and follow-up surveys with students in higher education. In reviewing the role of death education in public school settings, the study concludes that an enhanced emphasis on love of learning, creative thinking and community engagement in public education is the most effective way for educators to support students in building appropriate skillsets to create meaning in their lives, as well as in the face of their eventual …

Literacy Rates Analysis: An International Comparison, Macarena Arce

Economics Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper attempts to provide a more complete reckoning of the economics of literacy rates around the world. It consists on a literature review about the economic benefits and costs of literacy rates and then it shows two econometrics models that attempt to predict literacy rates based on GDP, government expenditure, and several other independent variables.

Early Childhood Teachers' Perception Of Their Principal's Leadership And The Relationship On Their Own Job Satisfaction And Self-Efficacy, Maria F. Rincon

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between Early Childhood teachers’ sense of job satisfaction and their sense of self-efficacy. Teachers in this study participated voluntarily and answered a set of questionnaires that collected data regarding their current opinions and perceptions of their school principal’s leadership, job satisfaction, and self-efficacy beliefs.

An Autoethnographic Exploration Of The Professional And The Person: A Life's Journey Of A Hispanic Superintendent In South Texas, Gonzalo Salazar

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership effectiveness is often defined in terms of, a leader’s ability to motivate followers towards a collective goal, mission or vision (Knippenberg, Knippenberg, Cremer & Hogg, 2004). However, a leaders’ understanding of their own identity; how education, culture, upbringing, values and morals helped shape the self (Leary, & Tangney, 2002; Anzaldua, 2015; and Guajardo & Guajardo, 2017) and how the leader functions as a contributing member of the organization (Knippenberg & Hogg, 2003) is critically important.

Demographers have long held that by the year 2050, our nation will be increasingly more diverse and that there will be no racial or …

Does Race Matter? School Decision Making Among White, Latino, And Polynesian Families, Maria Daniela Barriga

Theses and Dissertations

Low-income parents value excellent schools, yet often enroll their children in low-performing schools. The literature is inconclusive when examining how low-income families go through school choice decisions. It is important to understand the school decision-making process among different racial groups because choosing a good school improves later academic outcomes. Choosing a good elementary school is especially important because this is a critical period in a child's development and can affect performance in subsequent educational institutions. I am interested in understanding how race/ethnicity shapes how low-income parents make decisions about schools. Using interview data from an extensive qualitative study, I examine …

Family Influences And Its Effects On Completion Of Postsecondary Education Among Hispanics, Marlee Olivarez

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I will examine the relationship between family influences and college graduation among Hispanics. Compared to students in other race/ethnic groups, Latino students are underrepresented in college enrollment and completion of a bachelor’s degree. Prior research generally finds that higher parental educational attainment is positively associated with educational attainment for children. Highly educated parents may expect their children to attain a similar level of education, have the resources to support higher education and provide encouragement and assistance necessary for children to successfully pursue post-secondary education. Yet, at the lower end of the educational distribution, the relationship between parental …

When Secular Universalism Meets Pluralism: Religious Schools And The Politics Of School-Based Management In Hong Kong, Junxi Qian, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This article examines the politics of school-based management (SBM) in Hong Kong, with a specific focus on the conflicts between the state and three Christian churches (Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist) running state-funded religious schools. Although the state based its advocacy for SBM on neoliberally driven ideas of participation, transparency, and accountability, religious groups expressed worry about the loss of control over schools as an institution of value transmission anchored in religious beliefs. This article uses the SBM controversy as a case study to advance geographical debates on religious schools and argues that neoliberalism forms a necessary lens through which to …

A Multiple Case Study Of Long-Term Success For At-Risk High School Students, Emily Dupree Christensen

Student Work

As a qualitative, multiple case study this research reports on the factors that young adults, in their early to mid-twenties, reflect upon as contributing factors they encountered during their high school and late adolescent years that lead them to or away from success. Individual stories and experiences defined factors that lead to success while aided to gain an understanding of individual perceptions of attaining success. The researcher used emerging themes from each story to find the commonalities that lead to long-term success of at-risk youth and then made recommendations to the field of education by redrawing the notion of supporting …

These Relationships Save Lives:The Association Between The Nature Of Relationships And Experience Of Support In The Workplace For The Amber Alert Training And Technical Assistance Program, Kimberly Rutigliano

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

My research looks at organizational behavior as a resource to beleveraged for human learning. Two theoretical constructs guided this research, Team Member Exchange theory (TMX) and Social Network Analysis theory (SNA). The data for this research were derived from a case study of a subpopulation of the AMBER Alert organizationin Mexico.While no results were statistically significant, there was a weak association between the perceived support on the team (TMX) and the perceived strength of dyadic relationships (SNA) based on measures of outbound degree centrality (r>0.3). Graphical SNA analysis provided a more useful observation for a small group (N=14) than …

Teachers' Confidence And Preparedness For Teaching Mobile Learners, Kelley Kirk Gonzales

Dissertations

Mobile devices, such as tablets, laptops, and Smart phones have changed the landscape of education requiring teachers to integrate technology in the classroom. The integration of mobile devices in the classroom is referred to as mobile learning, and requires teachers to be confident and prepared in their ability to teach mobile learners. This study was an attempt to explore and examine teachers’ confidence and preparedness in teaching mobile learners and close some of the gaps in the research. A quantitative method of investigation and analysis was used for this study to draw conclusions relative not only to teachers’ confidence and …

A Phenomenological Study Of Female Stem Majors Who Have Decided To Become Educators, Porcia Richardson-Spears

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to investigate, identify, and describe the lived experiences that influence female STEM majors to become secondary educators rather than enter a STEM-related corporate profession. This study was guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory (TLT) and Lent, Brown and Hackett’s social cognitive career theory (SCCT) as they related to self-awareness, which guides and motivates the behaviors involved in choosing a career path. The research questions for this study were designed to investigate the experiences that prompted females to major in STEM majors and to enter the field of teaching rather than enter corporate …

My Mother's Body, Anika N. Jensen

SURGE

On Friday, April 20, 2018, Gettysburg College students organized a campus-wide walkout to protest all forms of gun violence as part of Gettysburg College’s first annual Peace and Justice Week. Over the next several days, SURGE published the poems and personal testimonies of the student speakers who participated in the event.

Begin in sukhasa–easy pose–with your legs crossed the way children used to sit during show and tell before they had to worry about what position gives them enough time to stand and scramble toward the door when the shooting starts. [excerpt]

The Evolution Of The Perceptions Of The Goth Subculture, Sabrina Newman

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

No abstract provided.

Using An Evidence-Based Tobacco Cessation Treatment Guideline Workshop To Increase Nurses’ Skill, Confidence, And Provision Of Care, Tonya Tyson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract Approximately 15% of adults 18 years of age or older in the United States smoke tobacco. Over 16 million people who smoke tobacco have a related disease. Since nurses comprise the largest group of health care providers in the country, they could have a big impact on client cessation efforts. Many nurses, however, feel unprepared to provide evidence-based smoking cessation counseling (SCC) per established national guidelines. The aim of this project was to provide a brief workshop providing nursing students and faculty training. The theory of planned behavior was used as a framework to measure attitudes toward providing SCC, …

Bridging Civic Engagement To Civic Responsibility Through Short-Term, International Service-Learning Experiences: A Qualitative Analysis Of Student Reflections, Stephanie Malinenko, Justine Tutuska, Lynn Matthews

eJournal of Public Affairs

Written reflection is a tool commonly used by faculty to assess student learning in service-learning courses, which are frequently offered as short-term international experiences. This article discusses a qualitative analysis of students’ written reflections on a short-term, international service-learning project that was conducted to determine whether undergraduate students bridged their engagement to the development of civic or social responsibility. Results of the analysis revealed that students demonstrated nominal progress toward civic responsibility when not specifically prompted by assignments. Multiple themes emerged from the analysis related to students’ goals, challenges, and lessons learned. Based on the findings, the authors recommend that …

Teaching The Next Generation Of Researchers: An Inquiry Into Aviation Research Education, David C. Ison

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Research in aviation fields has become increasingly important to institutions and their faculties. Expectations to conduct such research have escalated, with tenure and employment decisions often hanging on evidence of research skill and advanced educational attainment. Considering the importance of research to aviation higher education, this study investigated how research skills are conveyed to undergraduate and graduate aviation students. Further, the subjects and methods of instruction were evaluated. This inquiry was guided by content analysis. To bolster the findings of this study, a series of interviews with program directors and faculty teaching research courses were conducted to explore faculty perceptions …

The Impact Of Gap Years On Academic Outcomes For Women: A Case Study From The Missionary Age Change, Margaret Marchant

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Young adults throughout the United States and other countries participate in “gap years,” or time away from school, often for travel, work, or volunteering. This practice is promoted as a way to mature and refocus. However, some worry that it lowers the likelihood of college completion. Previous literature has investigated the academic, social, and personal benefits of gap years with mixed results; however selection into gap years confounds the true impact with unobservable personal characteristics. To overcome selection issues, I exploit an exogenous policy change that lowered age requirements for missionary service, a unique type of gap year, resulting in …

The Effects Of Prior Education On The Success Of Inmates In Prison Education Programs, Jayden Barth, Lisa Kort-Butler

UCARE: Research Products

This study examined the relationship among an inmate’s prior education level, work history, and his/her success in a prison education and training program. Success in prison education and training programs in this study was defined as a positive change in job readiness skills, selfcontrol, and self-esteem.

The study took a mixed-methods approach, based on secondary data analysis. Data came from a faithbased organization which currently facilitates a life skills/job readiness program in some Nebraska prisons and jails. (244 men, 193 women)

Quantitative Data: • No significant relationship between prior education or prior incarceration and the success in the program …

Power And Powerlessness In The Shale Valley Schools: Fracking For Funding, Jacqueline Yahn

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Education And Health: Reducing Disparities Through A Contextual Approach, Anna Zajacova, Elizabeth M. Lawrence

Sociology Faculty Research

Adults with higher educational attainment live healthier and longer lives compared with their less educated peers. The disparities are large and widening. We posit that understanding the educational and macrolevel contexts in which this association occurs is key to reducing health disparities and improving population health. In this article, we briefly review and critically assess the current state of research on the relationship between education and health in the United States. We then outline three directions for further research: We extend the conceptualization of education beyond attainment and demonstrate the centrality of the schooling process to health; we highlight the …

Mental Health & The Modern Educator, Samantha Nousak

Honors Projects

Mental health issues are far more prevalent than most are aware; according to the National Institute of Mental Health (2017), 49.5% of 13 to 18-year-olds will qualify for any mental illness. Mental health concerns will impact students in every single classroom, yet curriculum for Education majors does not include more than rudimentary information on this topic. This presentation aims to provide basic facts pertaining to mental health (including incidence rates, educators' responsibilities, and the impact mental health issues can have on students), discuss broad strategies to employ with students with mental health concerns (basic do's and do not's), and provide …