Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Arts and Humanities Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Walden University

Theses/Dissertations

2011

Discipline
Keyword
Publication
File Type

Articles 31 - 48 of 48

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Perceptions Of Recent Male Nursing Graduates Regarding Gender Bias And Gender-Based Educational Barriers, Nancy Spahr Jan 2011

Perceptions Of Recent Male Nursing Graduates Regarding Gender Bias And Gender-Based Educational Barriers, Nancy Spahr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite decades of important contributions by male nurses, nursing is still viewed as a feminine profession. Moreover, male nursing students continue to experience gender bias and gender-based educational barriers within schools of nursing. This has led to failure and drop-out rates much higher than those experienced by their female counterparts. The purposes of this quantitative survey study were to (a) explore the relationship between perceived gender bias, gender-based educational barriers within nursing education, and resiliency in recent male nursing graduates; and (b) to identify those gender-based barriers that were considered to be most prevalent and most important. A view of …


The Application Of Adult Learning Principles In Effective Preaching, Randall C. Deville Jan 2011

The Application Of Adult Learning Principles In Effective Preaching, Randall C. Deville

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that a disconnect is growing between the information provided in Christian sermons and the life challenges faced by those church attendees. To bridge that divide, the purpose of this study was to better understand the characteristics of a sermon that enhance learning for churchgoers in Christian churches. The guiding question focused on churchgoing adults' perception of the sermon. Additional sub questions explored the relationship of the principles of adult learning, communication theory, and ambient teaching with churchgoers' and preachers' experiences with sermons. A qualitative case study design included one-on-one interviews with 5 preachers, 5 focus groups with 9 …


Exploring Deliberation And Participation: Tribal Membership Meetings Under Indian Reorganization Act Constitutions, Jo Anne House Jan 2011

Exploring Deliberation And Participation: Tribal Membership Meetings Under Indian Reorganization Act Constitutions, Jo Anne House

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Based on a review of one tribal government's strong membership powers exercised in General Tribal Council (GTC) meetings, tribal leaders do not analyze or review the activities in those meetings on an ongoing basis to determine where or if improvements are needed or are effective when implemented. The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap in empirical studies and to identify a process by which tribes can review GTC meetings to implement continuous improvements. Based on the tenets of Habermas' deliberative democracy framework, this qualitative study used the Discourse Quality Index (DQI) to determine the level of participation …


National Music Education Standards And Adherence To Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, Vada M. Coleman Jan 2011

National Music Education Standards And Adherence To Bloom's Revised Taxonomy, Vada M. Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pressures from education reforms have contributed to the need for music educators to embrace new and diverse instructional strategies to enhance the learning environment. Music teachers need to understand the pedagogy of teaching and learning and how these affect their praxis. The purpose of this multiple case evaluative study was to investigate the instructional methods used in 10 middle school general music programs to assist students in obtaining the National Standards for Music Education. Bloom's revised taxonomy was the theoretical framework used to evaluate the teaching praxis of the participating teachers. The research questions for the study addressed the effectiveness …


A Survey Of Fifth Grade Writing Teachers On Their Instructional Writing Practices, Susan Margaret Muehl Egloff Jan 2011

A Survey Of Fifth Grade Writing Teachers On Their Instructional Writing Practices, Susan Margaret Muehl Egloff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Writing is an essential skill that students need in order to become successful in school and beyond. Within a school district in the southwestern United States, student writing scores were not at proficient levels, and students were not prepared for graduation or employment. The purpose of this quasi-experimental research study was to compare the distribution of student writing achievement scores for 5th grade teachers who used 7 or more of the 11 components of effective writing instruction outlined by Graham and Perin to those teachers who implemented 6 or fewer of these components. In this study, a survey was given …


Church Leaders' Financial Coping Strategies During A Recession, Cecil Williams Jan 2011

Church Leaders' Financial Coping Strategies During A Recession, Cecil Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An economic recession can disproportionately affect the financial stability of churches because their income relies primarily on voluntary contributions. The purpose of this phenomenological study, framed by servant leadership theory, was to explore lived experiences and perceptions related to church leaders' strategies for coping with the economic downturn in 2008. A purposive sample of 20 church leaders from Tennessee was recruited to explore the changes that have been made in church operational strategies in order to cope with the recession. The interview data were iteratively examined by using keywords, phrases, and concepts and were coded into categories, which led to …


The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling Jan 2011

The Effect Of Two Reading Programs On First Grade Students' Reading Fluency, Christy Stewart Bowling

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts struggle to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading in first grade. Nine percent of first grade students at the study site were not meeting state performance standards in the area of language arts. Specifically in the area of fluency, 38% of first grade students were not achieving AYP. Because of the close connection between oral fluency and early reading achievement, first grade students need to be more fluent to attain state standards. Based on LaBerge and Samuels theory of automaticity within reading fluency, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of the Scholastic Guided …


Assessing The Impact Of Mandated Standards For Teaching On United States History Achievement Scores In Public Schools, Erick W. Nason Jan 2011

Assessing The Impact Of Mandated Standards For Teaching On United States History Achievement Scores In Public Schools, Erick W. Nason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how a well developed and validated national standard for United States history can affect public school achievement levels. Currently, there is no mandated national standard for United States history; rather it has been left to the respective states to create their own. This study focused on the state of Virginia, which has been able to meet both the nationally mandated adequate yearly progress (AYP) level, and achieve high proficiency levels in United States history achievement. This comparative case study examined two neighboring states of similar demographics: Virginia which made both the AYP …


A Clinical Practicum Experience To Prepare Teacher Candidates For Classroom Literacy Instruction, Karen C. Waters Jan 2011

A Clinical Practicum Experience To Prepare Teacher Candidates For Classroom Literacy Instruction, Karen C. Waters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a pervasive reading crisis in the United States. Critics, including policymakers, educators, literacy scholars, and professional educational organizations have openly accused university teacher preparation programs of not preparing candidates to deliver effective reading instruction. This qualitative study used narrative inquiry to explore ways in which teacher candidates' participation in a research-based university clinical practicum contributed to their pedagogical understanding of literacy instruction. Conceptually this study was based on constructivism and the ideas of Dewey, Freire, Vygotsky, and Schon. Data collection included multiple interviews and observations to determine how teacher candidates' participation in clinical practicum affects their assumptions about …


Female Students' Experiences In An Old Testament Bible Course At A Christian University, Janet K. Puls Jan 2011

Female Students' Experiences In An Old Testament Bible Course At A Christian University, Janet K. Puls

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has shown that 80% of college students have reported they are interested in spirituality. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experiences of female students while studying Old Testament scriptures as part of their required liberal arts curriculum and to describe how their experiences affected their lives, spiritually or in other ways. While there is a small but growing body of survey data about students' interest in spirituality, a gap exists regarding how or in what ways required biblical curriculum affects students spiritually at Christian liberal arts universities. Fowler's faith stages, Gibson's model for spiritual …


Relationships Between Political Competition And Socioeconomic Status In The United States, Trevor K. Smith Jan 2011

Relationships Between Political Competition And Socioeconomic Status In The United States, Trevor K. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 30 years there has been an increase in socioeconomic inequities between Black and White persons in the United States. Some research suggests that political ideology, which in turn impacts political competition levels, may at least partially explain these disparities, though the body of academic literature in this area is sparse. Little is known about how Black political ideology is formed by perceptions of inequality. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of Black political ideology, political competition, and socioeconomic status to determine how political competition relates to social inequities between Blacks and Whites. The …


Selfobject Needs, Homophobia, Heterosexism, Among Gay Men During Emerging Adulthood, Kenneth D. Allen Jan 2011

Selfobject Needs, Homophobia, Heterosexism, Among Gay Men During Emerging Adulthood, Kenneth D. Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to determine the associations between homophobia and heterosexism, psychodynamics of the subconscious mind, and life satisfaction among gay men during emerging adulthood. Although researchers have reported on the psychological distress associated with antigay oppression, limited research is available on the psychodynamics of young gay men in the United States, a place known for prevalent homophobia and heterosexism. Kohut's theory of self psychology and self object needs served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Selfobject needs, perceived homophobic and heterosexist discrimination, and life satisfaction were explored in a national sample of 118 gay men aged 18-25 …


Experiences And Perceptions Of Pregnant Unmarried Adolescent Girls In Nigeria, Priscilla N. Asonye Jan 2011

Experiences And Perceptions Of Pregnant Unmarried Adolescent Girls In Nigeria, Priscilla N. Asonye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexual activity among unmarried adolescents is a major public health problem in Nigeria, because unmarried pregnant girls are more likely to have multiple sex partners and are less likely to use contraceptives, putting them at greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), unplanned pregnancy, abortion, social isolation, and poverty. Teen pregnancy and STD rates are on the rise in Nigeria, yet few data exist on the experience of the adolescents themselves. This phenomenological study was designed to explore the in-depth experiences of 10 pregnant, unmarried adolescent girls aged 16-19, including the factors contributing to their sexual activity. An ecological model …


A Situational Analysis Of Human Rights And Cultural Effects On Gender Justice For Girls, David Kenneth Waldman Jan 2011

A Situational Analysis Of Human Rights And Cultural Effects On Gender Justice For Girls, David Kenneth Waldman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence suggests that despite repeated mandates by the United Nations (UN) for gender equality, local gender justice for girls has been elusive. Conceptually drawn from Merry's human rights-cultural particularism dissonance and Sen's comparative justice theories, the purpose of this grounded theory study, supported by Clarke's situational analysis, was to investigate how local religious and cultural practices impedes a gender equality outcome for girls. The primary research question involved identifying characteristics and situations of actors who focused solely on gender, culture, and human rights issues at the international and national level. A qualitative research design was used in this study of …


The Experience Of Menopause As Reported By Sedentary Women, April Elizabeth Ann Rietdyk Jan 2011

The Experience Of Menopause As Reported By Sedentary Women, April Elizabeth Ann Rietdyk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited research exists on the experiences of sedentary women as they transition through menopause. This gap creates difficulty for public health practitioners as they strive to develop resources, implement programs, or influence policy change at the community level for this group of marginalized women. Keeping women healthy throughout the aging process, including menopause, improves their quality of life and decreases the impact aging has on the health care system. This phenomenological study, through in-depth interviews, provided the opportunity for sedentary women to share their thoughts and experiences of menopause. Thirteen sedentary women between the ages of 40 and 60, experiencing …


A Case Study Of Differentiated Instruction In Upper Elementary Mathematics And Reading Classrooms, Laponya Alexandria Burris Jan 2011

A Case Study Of Differentiated Instruction In Upper Elementary Mathematics And Reading Classrooms, Laponya Alexandria Burris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary students in one school have shown a decline in proficient and advanced performance on statewide assessments. This decline increased for reading and mathematics achievement from 2003--2008, especially for disabled and minority students in grades 3--5. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine the extent to which differentiated instruction was implemented in instructional practices to increase student academic performance. Vygotsky's theory of constructivism, Bruner's theory of problem solving, and Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences provided the conceptual frameworks for this study. The research questions focused on the instructional strategies and resources used by teachers. Data included interviews, …


Predicting Breast Cancer Screening Among African American Lesbians And Bisexual Women, Cheryl B. Fields Jan 2011

Predicting Breast Cancer Screening Among African American Lesbians And Bisexual Women, Cheryl B. Fields

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2009, 713,220 new cases of cancer were diagnosed for women in the United States with more than a quarter million deaths. African American women and lesbians exhibit behavioral risk factors as well as diminished access to and utilization of breast cancer screening that reduces opportunities for early detection. This secondary analysis of a national convenience-based study examined screening compliance among 647 African American lesbian and bisexual women. Barriers to accessing screening represented the theoretical framework for this study. Bivariate chi square analysis was used to assess the association between independent variables: sociodemographic characteristics; participation in wellness activities; sexual orientation/gender …


The Relative Influence Of Military Rank Versus Personality On Perceived Autonomy For United States Air Force Pararescuemen, Kevin A. Deibler Jan 2011

The Relative Influence Of Military Rank Versus Personality On Perceived Autonomy For United States Air Force Pararescuemen, Kevin A. Deibler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hierarchies within organizations like the military have often contributed to feelings of subordination and have contributed to lower employee autonomy and a decrease in job satisfaction, motivation, and performance. Other constructs, such as those relating to personality, have been eluded to explain the variance in the poor outcomes. However, despite the research on dominance, autonomy, and personality constructs, there has been little investigation to bridge together the structure and dynamics of personality and autonomy. By applying interpersonal, boundary, control, and contingency theories, this quantitative study bridged the gap between hierarchical levels of military rank, the personality construct of relative dominance, …