Digital Commons Network^™

Faculty Management: An Examination Of The Dual Role Of Faculty As Managers In Higher Education, Rume J. Azikiwe

Full-Text Theses & Dissertations

This research study offers a better understanding on the role of faculty when they are given managerial/leadership roles beyond their teaching and research duties. It focuses on why faculty members accept initial roles with a university; how they become faculty managers; how they are transitioned into faculty management roles; what challenges are with having faculty managers in the role; how the concept of academic freedom/empowerment plays a role in challenges of faculty managers; and how university leadership can respond to, support, and prepare faculty managers to be successful in these administrative roles. To better understand faculty managers, the researcher conducted …

Faculty Perceptions Of Open Educational Resources In Cyber Curriculum: A Pilot Study, Alan Stines

Masters Theses & Doctoral Dissertations

The cyber landscape is growing and evolving at a fast pace. Public and private industries need qualified applicants to protect and defend information systems that drive the digital economy. Currently, there are not enough candidates in the pipeline to fill this need in the workforce. The digital economy is still growing, thus presenting an even greater need for skilled workers in the future. The lack of a strong workforce in cybersecurity presents many challenges to safeguarding U.S. national security and citizens across the world. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation defines Open Educational Resources (OER) as teaching, learning, and research …

Online Instruction In Higher Education: Promising, Research-Based, And Evidence-Based Practices, Alison A. Lockman, Barbara R. Schirmer

Walden Faculty and Staff Publications

The purpose of this study was to review the research literature on online learning to identify effective instructional practices. We narrowed our scope to empirical studies published 2013-2019 given that studies earlier than 2013 had become quickly outdated because of changes in online pedagogies and technologies. We also limited our search to studies with undergraduate and graduate students, application of an empirical methodological design, and descriptions of methodology, data analysis, and results with sufficient detail to assure verifiability of data collection and analysis. Our analysis of the patterns and trends in the corpus of 104 research studies led to identification …

Guidelines For Designing Online Courses For Mobile Devices, Sally J. Baldwin, Yu-Hui Ching

Educational Technology Faculty Publications and Presentations

College students frequently use mobile devices (e.g., smartphones and tablets) to access online courses yet online course designers often do not design courses with mobile learning in mind. This research identified seven national and statewide online course design evaluation instruments and examined the criteria that guide course designers designing online courses for learning with mobile devices. Currently, minimal guidance on course design for mobile learning is offered in most of the national and statewide online course design instruments. Research-supported design tips that promote device compatibility, content readability, format optimization, and mobile-friendly navigation are suggested in this paper to guide future …

Sloth Speed: Finance Classes Slow To Incorporate Important Research, Ellis Pristash

Honors College Theses

Traditional finance contains many models which misrepresent human behavior. In order to mathematicise the field and make it more like hard sciences, economics in the 20th century presupposed that people act “rationally.” In economics, rationality means adherence to the neoclassical model, which presents persons as utility maximizers. This presupposition was useful for certain applications but dominated the academic landscape. Later, the Chicago School of Economics built on the rationality premise, advocating less regulation in favor of the free market. The Efficient Markets Hypothesis was built on these same ideas and argued that markets have a wisdom that individuals do not. …

Defying The Odds, Stories Of Success: A Case Study Of Foster Care Alumni In The Community College Environment, Julia Philyaw

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the lived experiences of foster care alumni and how these experiences influenced the individual’s decision to enroll in a community college, persist, and complete a degree. The dissertation drew from two conceptual frameworks, Bandwidth (Verschelden, 2017) and Capitals – cultural, social, and academic (Bourdieu, 1986; St. John, Hu, & Fisher, 2010). Foster care alumni were selected as the population due to their underrepresentation in college enrollment and poor completion rates. Moving beyond a deficit model that focuses on identifying obstacles, this dissertation focused on success stories of the foster care alumni in …

How The Tiger Keeps Its Stripes: A Case Study Of Black Student Involvement And Retention At Clemson University, Sherman Jones

All Theses

This manuscript documents and elaborates upon a creative project thesis that used documentary filmmaking to explore organizational involvement and black student retention at Clemson University. The produced docuseries contains five episodes of student and faculty interviews about their experiences at Clemson. This manuscript expands upon the documentary by discussing Clemson University’s general and racial history, as well as academic literature on student involvement, critical race theory, and documentary research. Due to my own involvement and experiences as a black student at Clemson, my positionality is incorporated throughout the project. This manuscript concludes with an overview of project content and an …

Measuring Faculty-Student Interaction In Online Courses Using Asynchronous Discussion Boards: A Campus-Wide Analysis, Crystal Gasell

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Online learning is growing. As such, institutions want to grow programs, while ensuring quality. Part of ensuring quality in online courses is ensuring that there is regular and substantive interaction (RSI) between students and instructors. Discussion boards are often used in online courses as a way to promote social exchange, interaction, and the discussion of course concepts. Therefore, discussion board activity can provide a glimpse into the RSI that occur between students and instructors. Until recently, data from learning management systems was difficult to access and analyze. However, advances in technology and an increased interest in learning analytics provides researchers …

Literature Review For A Certificate Program In 21st Century Skills, Mary L. Alexander

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Artificial intelligence, automation, rising tuition costs, increase need for reskilling, and now the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown are just a few of the influences on the shifting landscape for higher education. In this project, I review the compounded pressures on institutions while examining the possible solution of modularized credentials and a focus on 21^st century skill content to inform discourse on the subject at a private, faith-based university in Texas. The literature review yielded studies to inform a conversation about the growing problems and possible solutions for the future of higher education and training for the workforce. Additionally, as part …

Embedding Internationalisation Of Higher Education At The Teaching And Learning Level: Lessons From Lecturers’ Perspectives, Deirdre Ryan

Doctoral

Recognising the educational value of internationalisation in higher education institutions for both international and domestic students is of paramount importance. Despite the increasing presence of internationalisation strategies at national and institution levels, the resultant consequences for the teaching and learning environment are not being adequately explored. Research into lecturers’ engagement with the practicalities of internationalisation in the teaching and learning environment is underdeveloped. This study explores the key variables that affect the implementation gap between the theory and practice surrounding internationalisation of higher education from lecturers’ perspectives. It also examines the inherent lack of engagement between lecturers and the concept …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Faculty With Disabilities In A Research University In The South, Gonzalo Camp

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While diversity and inclusion has become a benchmark for universities all around the country, faculty with disabilities remain in the margins of higher education discourse and are a neglected population across the spectrum of academia. This thesis aims at exploring the experiences of faculty with disabilities at a specific research 1 university in the South. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five faculty members who self-identify as having a disability. Four themes emerged from this study: able-bodied lens, fear, social isolation, and coping mechanisms. Building on the existing literature, these findings offer new information to expand the knowledge on the challenges …

The Question Of Pronouns: Recommendations For How Higher Education Institutions Should Implement Pronouns, Kaitlin Hahn

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

Historically, higher education has supported the binary genders of man and woman by championing the binary in terms of receiving higher education, such as those who go on to pursue college degrees and further. As colleges and universities are driven to become more and more accessible, so do their policies. The research to follow highlights the need for higher education institutions to recognize and implement common use of pronouns, meaning the use of They/Them or other pronouns that do not align with how someone is assigned upon birth. By looking into the scholarship on pronoun use in colleges and universities …

Stigma And Disclosure Of Chronic Pain In Higher Education: A Qualitative Study, Jennifer K. Davenport

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Students with chronic pain represent an overlooked population in higher education institutions, due to the barriers their conditions present and the stigma associated with chronic pain. There is existing research examines treatment of elderly populations and best practices for university students with disabilities, facing discrimination. This study sheds light on a gap in the existing research, where a niche population of students in chronic pain navigated disclosure issues and stigma in the academic environment. The purpose of the qualitative research study was to examine how anticipated or experienced stigma associated with chronic pain conditions influenced disclosure of chronic pain for …

An Exploration Of Faculty With Disabilities In Social Work Programs, Kelly Dundon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disability is a unique dimension of diversity, yet structural, social and attitudinal barriers can make meaningful workforce participation difficult for individuals with disabilities. Faculty with disabilities (FWD) are a particularly underrepresented population in academia, and even more so in social work programs. Based on this under-representation and a concern for the lack of attention this population has received, this project will explore a subset of this group. This thesis will focus on faculty with disabilities, first by looking into the scant research pertaining to FWD, then presenting the data from a qualitative study and demographic survey. Implications for policy, practice …

Emotional Intelligence And Decision-Making In Higher Education Administrators In Post-Secondary Institutions In Eastern Tennessee, Rachel Ellis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact of emotional intelligence on decision-making in higher education administrators. A qualitative research design was used for this study. Data was collected in three phases from the following sources; survey, case study submissions, and open-ended face-to-face interviews. The research data, about emotional intelligence and decision-making, were collected form ten higher education administrators. Constant comparative method was an important part of the data collection process for this study. Range of participant leadership experience was 3-8+ years and participant roles were either, Department Chair, Program Director, Dean, Provost, and President. The findings …

Developing A Responsive And Adaptable Emergent Media Curriculum, Dennis Owen Frohlich, David Magolis

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The field of mass communication is constantly undergoing change and development, and the pace has accelerated with the advent of digital technologies. One challenge educators face is: how do we educate college students not just for today’s careers, but also for lifelong competencies with media? Against this backdrop, the Department of Media and Journalism at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania sought a new curriculum to capitalize on “emergent media,” that is, media that does not fit neatly into established mass communication disciplines such as journalism, telecommunications, public relations, and advertising. Our curriculum is centered around media literacy, skills development, and experiential …

2020 April 24 - Board Of Trustees Public Notice, Board Of Trustees, East Tennessee State University

Board of Trustees Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Factors That Influence The Success In Higher Education For Students With Autism, Elizabeth O. Gardner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine factors that influence the success in college for students with autism. To meet this purpose, four upperclassmen college students with ASD were recruited for semi-structured interviews on their college experience. The interviews were transcribed and coded which led to the uncovering of three categories and three themes. The data from this study suggest that success in college for students with autism is influenced by an integration of multiple factors working together which include personal, macro educational, and micro educational. Many general themes uncovered in this study were mirrored by the current literature …

Reframing Solutions To Mental Health In Higher Education, Alan Cromlish

Essays in Education

Universities in the U.S. have seen their students’ experience an increase in mental health issues that relate to their personal development and academic performance. The development of non-profit organizations that specifically address the issue of mental health in higher education and recent trends of improving wellness and well-being have seen universities increase professionals to treat mental health issues as well as programs that develop wellness in students. The continued increase of mental health issues in conjunction with the increase of supportive measures for students suggests that universities need to reframe solutions to the issues that students experience. Finland and Aalto …

Retitling Title Ix, Matthew F. Marino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Title IX, a federal education policy put into place in the early 1970s, has been under the microscope for its perceived failure to protect students from sexual misconduct. Since 2011, and especially since 2017, conflict has existed among higher education, the judicial system, and the Department of Education (ED), resulting in little clarity as to proper Title IX response. However, little research exists that attempts to examine court cases for both commonalities and divergence in how higher education institutions respond to Title IX incidents of sexual misconduct and whether those procedures mesh with how the courts view proper Title IX …

Women's Leadership In Higher Education: Status, Barriers, And Motivators, Susan R. Madsen, Karen A. Longman

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Advancing more women into institutional leadership roles in higher education matters. Although numerous studies have documented the value of involving diverse perspectives in decision-making processes (Donovan & Caplan, 2019; Gero & Garrity, 2018; Williams, 2013; Woolley & Malone, 2011), many individuals and organizations—ranging from the corporate sector and the political realm to postsecondary education—have voiced commitments to increasing the representation of women in higher ranks, yet they have been stymied in achieving measurable results. A variety of examples in the research-based literature reflect the glacial pace of progress for women into leadership roles across a variety of fields. Examining the …

Improving Mentoring In Higher Education, Camey Lei Andersen

Theses and Dissertations

As universities and institutions of higher education seek to improve retention, persistence, well-being, and overall college experience satisfaction for their students, there is an increased emphasis on mentoring in higher education. Improving mentoring in higher education--the specific tools, training, and practices that develop effective mentors--remains an often-elusive goal for college administrators and university mentoring programs and in research. This research examined available research on effective mentoring and provided recommendations for how to create successful mentors and mentoring programs in higher education. This dissertation is a three-article format presentation of information about mentoring in higher education. The first article is a …

Managing At The Intersection: The Negotiations Of Racialized Role Strain Of Black Mid-Level Student Affairs Administrators At Predominantly White Institutions, David Frank Hibbler Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to identify the unique stressors Black mid-level student affairs administrators encounter, how they cope with such stressors, and the perceived consequences of these encounters and coping mechanisms. Data for this qualitative interview study was collected from face-to-face interviews with eight Black mid-level student affairs administrators at predominantly White institutions in the U.S, and from and an optional diary entry. Findings revealed that participants experienced racialized role strain as a result of interactions with White peers and supervisors, same-race peers, and navigating campus climate. Specifically, the Black mid-level participants experienced strain in their …

2021 Graduate Program Rankings For Unlv & Unr, Madison Frazee-Bench, Marie A. Falcone, Caitlin Saladino, William E. Brown

Higher Education

This Fact Sheet presents the 2021 U.S. News and World Report graduate program rankings for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The rankings for 2021 are important when taking into consideration that both UNLV and UNR achieved Carnegie R1 status in 2018. This status marks their place in the top 130 research universities in the country.

Here They Are, Send Them: An Evaluation Of The Send Program At Merrimack College, Jordan T. Mason

Community Engagement Student Work

The purpose of this study was to gather a deeper understanding of the SEND Program at Merrimack College. This program evaluation sought to determine if the SEND Program was meeting its short-term outcomes for the program. The current literature highlights the important and significant aspects of alternative break/global service-learning programs as they can provide great educational experiences for students. A survey was sent out to a cohort of alumni SEND participants to gather their perspectives of the program. Overall, the survey respondents noted positive responses of their experiences in this program, indicating that they had some level of a positive …

Governors And Public Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study Of Governors Bill Haslam And Paul Patton, Shannon W. Gilkey

Dissertations

Governors can impose tremendous influence on public policy. In their attempt to address issues that their states face, and in order to sustain and improve the present and long-term health of its citizenry, some governors invest significant resources to shape the direction of their state’s postsecondary system of education. This study examined the critical elements that led two different governors to enact large-scale impact on state postsecondary education by investigating three research questions through a qualitative multiple-instrument case study: (a) How do governors’ vision for their state intersect with their view of postsecondary education as a key policy priority area …

Streamlining Time Spent In Alternative Developmental Mathematics Pathways: Increasing Access To College-Level Mathematics Courses By Altering Placement Procedures, Marla A. Sole

Publications and Research

Developmental mathematics, which is designed to prepare students for college-level mathematics courses, can be a barrier to students’ success. In the United States, the majority of students placed into developmental mathematics courses fail to complete the developmental sequence. Alternative mathematics pathways offer some benefits when integrated with “just-in- time support” or expedited instruction on specific prerequisite concepts needed solely for the current lesson. This study compares two statistics courses taught at a public community college: a complete course taught in one semester and a two-semester version with just-in-time developmental content integrated into the course. The study found that students placed …

Clark Magazine, Spring 2020, Clark University

Clark Magazine

The Spring 2020 edition of Clark Magazine. Clark Magazine is a twice-yearly publication primarily geared towards Clark University Alumni.

In this issue, our alumni share their stories of living in the age of COVID-19 and we look back at President David Angel's legacy.

Exploring The Experiences And Needs Of Faculty When Implementing Active Learning At A Public Southeastern Regional University: A Mixed-Methods Approach, Michael Lampe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this action research was to identify participant experiences and needs of faculty when teaching in the active learning classrooms at a public regional southeastern university. This study aimed to determine what were the experiences of faculty members who have taught in the active learning classrooms, what were the experiences of students who have taken a course in the active learning classrooms, and what are the faculty development, classroom technology, and technical support needs of faculty members who have taught in such classrooms. With the five-year Federal grant cycle ending in 2019, the university needs to create a …

International Education In Regional Study Destinations: Building The Evidence Base: Final Report, Justin Brown, Jo Doyle, Leyna Clarke, Ali Radloff, Darren Matthews

Higher education research

The objectives of this project are to develop the evidence base in ways that enable the development of marketing messages that attract international students into regional areas in Australia. To achieve this objective, the project has identified: the profile of international students in regional areas; the pull factors that attract them to study there; the rate at which students appear to convert from short-term non-award courses into formal qualifications; and factors underpinning success in attracting international students to regional areas. Drawing on significant advancements in the geocoding of enrolment data to the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Structure and …