Education Commons^™

Youth Sport Coaching Efficacy: Coach Education Level As A Predictor Of Coaching Efficacy, Geoffrey V. Weller

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

The purpose of this research was to evaluate coaches’ level of education as a predictor of their coaching efficacy level. The study tested ten hypotheses. Two for each of the five types of coaching efficacy identified: (1) Coaches with a higher level of education will not exhibit a higher level of coaching efficacy and (2) male coaches will not exhibit a higher level of coaching efficacy than similarly educated female coaches. Individuals (N=1669) coaching teams within the YMCA of Lincoln, NE Youth Sports Branch were emailed a link to an online survey developed using Qualtrics software. An analysis of variance …

The Role Of Sports Clubs In University Recruitment And Retention: A Mixed-Methods Case Study, Andrea R. Mcclymont

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

Opportunities for involvement on a college campus can have many positive effects on students. Additionally, opportunities for involvement can have positive implications for student recruitment and retention at a university. There are many ways for students to become involved during college through their campus recreation centers. Through these centers students can have the opportunity to participate in sport clubs. Although multiple studies have been conducted on the importance of student involvement, few studies focus specifically on student involvement in sport clubs. This study addressed six research questions: a) do freshmen student sport club participants have higher 1^st term GPAs …

Growing As A Leader Through Developing Others: The Effect Of Being A Mentor Principal, Megan Rachel Adams

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

Principals play a significant role in student learning. They are expected to be both instructional and organizational leaders as well as the day-to-day management of a community of individuals. The balancing of multiple roles is a dynamic task that takes education, training, coaching and ongoing developmental support. However, principals often do not have these supports to foster growth and effective practice.

This multiple case study examined the experiences of two secondary school urban principals who mentored future administrative leaders. The study also explored other elements of the practice including the necessary supports for a successful partnership, the barriers to a …

Engagement In An Online Course: Thestudents' Viewpoint, Michael B. Miller

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

Distance education is not a new phenomenon, distance education had its beginning with correspondence education through postal services in the 19th century (Daniel, 2000) and progressed into the 21st century with the use of computer-mediated instruction. Еvеn with аll оf itѕ соnvеniеnсе аnd роrtаbility, thе оnlinе сlаѕѕrооm iѕ ѕtill ѕееn by mаny аѕ lасking thе humаn “соnnесtivity” оf fасе tо fасе соurѕеѕ. Rесеnt findingѕ hаvе ѕhоwn thаt оnlinе lеаrnеrѕ’ lеvеlѕ оf ѕаtiѕfасtiоn, реrfоrmаnсе, аnd ѕеnѕе оf соmmunity аrе rеlаtеd tо thе intеrасtiоnѕ thеy hаvе with thеir inѕtruсtоrѕ, inсluding thе tyре аnd frеquеnсy оf fееdbасk thеy rесеivе оn аѕѕignmеntѕ аnd соurѕе …

Experiences Of Community College Vocational Students Who Were Required To Begin Their Studies By Taking Remedial Courses And Successfully Attained Their Associate’S Degrees: A Phenomenological Study, Amy Margaret Morrison Goings

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

The Great Recession and national skills gap crisis have reframed community college efforts to shift from access-based institutions to that of persistence and completion-focused colleges. Within the post-recession context, this research examines what success looks like for today’s vocational community college student, as well as the current research on the barriers to completion. This qualitative, phenomenological study will explore the experiences of community college students who are graduating with vocational degrees and how they overcame known barriers to complete their degrees. In addition to summarizing the responses to each of the sub-questions, three primary themes emerged from the research that …

Terms And Conditions Of Employment In Collective Bargaining Agreements Negotiated By School Boards And Teachers Associations In Pennsylvania School Districts For 2012-2013, Daniel P. Dismuke

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

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the typical terms and conditions of employment in 2012-2013 negotiated agreements in Pennsylvania school districts, and to determine if there was a relationship between enrollment size and 5 selected terms and conditions of employment: base salary; highest salary; teacher contribution for one full-time teacher’s personal and dependent health benefit; total yearly sick, personal, bereavement, and emergency days offered; and steps in the grievance process available to teachers who are union members. The population of this study was 498 of the 499 school districts found in the Pennsylvania Department of Education …

Protecting The Civil Rights Of English Language Learners Today: A Study Of The Recent Doj And Ocr Investigations Of Selected School Districts In The United States, Omobola Oyeleye

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

The purpose of the study was to examine the circumstances and practices that led to OCR and DOJ investigations in seven selected school districts, and to determine the emerging themes from the details of the settlement agreements between the school districts and the United States. The themes developed through this study were aimed at providing a framework for school officials all across the nation, assisting them to examine their practices and align the practices with the results of the recent investigations and settlement agreements.

Representing the intermingling of the field of law and education, the study addressed the question: What …

Institutional Governance Of New Program Development At Public Research Universities, Nathan Brad Miller

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

Central university administration is often involved with guiding new programs through university and state approvals. A number of factors affect these processes. No studies discuss the role of central administrators in program approvals, however. This study addresses the gap through interviews with 13 individuals responsible for new program approvals in the provost’s office of 12 Research University/Very High public institutions. Five primary themes emerged in the interviews. The themes were used to frame discussion on the purpose, barriers, and self-described roles of the participants. Partial findings from this research were reported in Miller (2013).

Adviser: Marilyn L. Grady

Increasing Access To Post-Secondary Education: A Mixed Methods Study Of The Charleston Clemente Program, Mariane A. Doyle

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

There is an economic gap that favors adults who have higher levels of educational attainment (United States Department of Labor, 2010). With more than 9.3 million Americans over the age of 25 facing unemployment as of June 2012 and over 79% or 7.4 million of those unemployed Americans having attained less than a Bachelor’s degree (U.S. Department of Labor, 2012), the current need for college access measures and programs that address the adult population is an imperative one.

The Charleston Clemente Program provides a tuition-free course in the Humanities to economically-disadvantaged adult students for a total of two-semesters. Along with …

Exploring How Chinese Students With Master Degree Locate A Career Placement, Xiaoqian Ma

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

This qualitative research study recruited ten subjects and explored how these ten Chinese students with master degree located their positions of employment successfully in the United States after they graduated. The research stated different perspectives of job searching methods, difficulties in the application process, preparation before graduation, visa limitations, and suggestions for the upcoming future graduates. The researcher conducted and scheduled ten interviews individually and all research subjects were asked the same questions in the interviews.

Advisor: Miles T. Bryant

The Role Of General Education In The Development Of Ethical Reasoning In College Students: A Qualitative Study On The Faculty Perspective, Deborah J. Erie

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

Historically, colleges and universities saw their purpose as educating individuals to be productive, civic-minded individuals. General education was the curricular structure used to provide students with the skills and knowledge that promoted moral and ethical behavior. As societal forces changed the complexion of higher education, the singular purpose of a college education also changed.

There has been extensive research on the ethical and moral development of college students, but little research on the faculty role in the development of ethical reasoning in college students through general education coursework. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the attitudes of …

Leading The Charge: A Multiple Case Study Of Presidential Perceptions Of Essential Leadership Characteristics For The 21st Century Community College, B Jeanne Bonner

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

Leadership of 21^st century community colleges is more demanding today than at any other time. Community colleges are faced with an array of challenges previously unimagined, generally resulting from the impact of concurrent socio-economic changes, competing demands from various college constituencies, growing complexity of the leadership role of the community college president, and increasing competition for scarce resources in the face of the continuing decline of funding support. Thus, the leadership role of the community college president has never been more difficult, nor more critical.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership skills and …

Middle School Teachers And Principals Perspectives On Technology, Mark Majeski

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

In this study, the researcher endeavored to examine Morris County, New Jersey,middle school teacher and principal perspectives on the use of technology in their classrooms and schools. Specifically, this study examined teacher engagement, implementation and limitations related to the use of technology with middle school students.

This study used a mixed method approach to determine educator perspectives on technology use. The questions in the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study were correlated to the research questions as well as to selected national technology standards to substantiate the relationship between the data being collected and the research questions. The research …

The Nature And Predictive Validity Of A Benchmark Assessment Program In An American Indian School District, Beverly R. Payne

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

This mixed methods study explored the nature of a benchmark assessment program and how well the benchmark assessments predicted End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) test scores in an American Indian school district. Five major themes were identified and used to develop a Dimensions of Benchmark Assessment Program Effectiveness model: Professional Development, Assessment Literacy, Data Literacy, Instructional Practice, and Program Effectiveness. The study found that Professional Development, Data Literacy, and overall Program Effectiveness were strengths of the district’s benchmark assessment program. Assessment Literacy and Instructional Practice were found to be weaker areas of the district’s program. Benchmark assessment scores correlated strongly …

Personality And Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment: A Quantitative Study Of Personality Typeology And Persistence In Formal Sorority Recruitment Practices, Laura Roof

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

Since the inception of Greek life in the late 18th century, the organizations involved have gained attention for both their positive and negative contributions to society. One particular aspect of Greek life that has not always received positive attention, is formal sorority recruitment, which is the main method used by sororities to obtain to new members. In light of this negative attention, this study aims to investigate a positive characteristic of Formal Sorority Recruitment; the type of person or personality it takes to successfully complete the formal recruitment process.

The purpose of this exploratory quantitative research study is to explore …

Who You Know And How To Go: The Impact Of Social Capital On Higher Education Access For Black Males, Morgan E. St. John

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

This qualitative case study explores the relationship between social capital, or the social networks in a young man’s life, and access into and persistence in higher education for a group of six Black, male, upperclassmen students at Heartland University. Heartland University is a predominantly White, four-year institution in the Midwest region of the United States. The literature review discusses reasons for the steadily declining rate of males choosing to pursue a college education, particularly young Black men, whom have been referred to as an “endangered species” in society (Johnson, Farrell, & Stoloff, 2000). Providing a framework of social capital theory, …

How College/University Administrators Handle The Disgruntled Parent, Loreal E. Robertson

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

This qualitative study explored how student affairs and academic affairs professionals communicate with parents of undergraduate students who attend MidPointe University (MPU). The literature review indicates that there has been little research conducted on the nature of the interaction between college and university administrators and parents. Available research studies indicate that administrators communicate with parents with more frequency than expected, considering the past findings. Millennial students are sheltered, pressured, unique, and are overly involved (Howe & Strauss, 2007; Elam, Stratton & Gibson, 2007). Parents of today’s students are making an extra effort to be involved in the lives of their …

The Relationship Of The Implementation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports To Improve Academic Achievement, Brenda L. Tracy

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

The foundation for PBiS and its practices is that academic achievement and social behaviors are connected. It becomes difficult for students to learn when the student is spending more time in discipline-related interactions than in those related to learning academic content. School administrators and teachers have become increasingly frustrated with the impact of poor student behavior on academic achievement in their schools. The situation leads to the public perception that student behavior is out of control. Isolated situations of violence (e.g., school shootings) contribute to the perception. Teachers continually struggle to master classroom management strategies that are proactive, preventative in …

Terry L. Fairfield: A Portraiture Of Nonprofit Leadership In Educational Fundraising, Stephanie R. Davis

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

The purpose of this qualitative study was to create a narrative of Terry L. Fairfield’s leadership legacy at the University of Nebraska Foundation. Using the educational research methodology of Portraiture, this biographical sketch analyzed personal and professional events in Fairfield’s life and chronicled notable achievements, as well as the strife involved in securing financial support for the University of Nebraska system through means of philanthropy and private gifts. Exploring these experiences share and extend knowledge on his personal and professional history. As the financial health of colleges and universities continue to dwindle, both leadership in fundraising and the reliance on …

The Legislative Purposes And Intent Of The Common Levy In Nebraska’S Learning Community, Matthew L. Blomstedt

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

The purpose of this historical study was to establish the purposes and intent of the common levy in Nebraska’s learning community. The development of this unique regional educational structure consisting of eleven school districts in the Omaha, Nebraska metropolitan area is central to the study. The research detailed the context of the decisions made by the Nebraska Legislature to establish and implement the learning community law from 2005 and 2012. Specifically, the study focused on the establishment of a regional tax base, the common levy, as a response to boundary and finance instability that persisted in the Omaha area. The …

Fulfilling An Institutional And Public Good Mission: A Case Study Of Access, Renee F. Batman

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

Access to higher education has been and remains a critical issue, yet research typically focuses on students and programs which may overlook the role of the faculty. Through an in-depth case study, the perspectives of tenured and tenure-track faculty at a predominately White, Midwestern land-grant, research institution are described as they relate to issues of student access to higher education. The context of the case was instrumental in understanding faculty perspectives of access and centered on the fundamental notion of education as public good and its association with institutional history and mission. The findings suggest that faculty members uphold the …

Success Informs Success: Experiences Of Persisting First-Generation College Males, Taylor Weichman

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

This research focuses on the experiences of first-generation college males who have successfully persisted into their second year of college. The experiences of a first-generation student have been described as “a constant battle.” The students in this study have overcome the many challenges ascribed to them as first-generation college students, and persisted into their second year of college. Exploring the experiences of these men through their eyes allowed the research to examine the challenges and supports that the men themselves identify as important to their first year experience. This information has implications for future practice involving first-generation students, with the …

A Qualitative Study To Examine The Relationships Of First-Year Student Residents And Their Resident Peer Assistants At A Four Year Private University, Janet P. Goodman

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

This research study investigated the characteristics of a positive resident to resident peer assistant relationship. At Nebraska Wesleyan University, resident peer assistants “are trained students dedicated to giving their peers personal and academic guidance” (Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2011, sect. Peer Assistants). Peer Assistants work to “organize social and educational programming on their floors and in their buildings. They coordinate social activities and enforce community standards, university policies and state laws” (Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2011, sect. Peer Assistants). Two Residential Education Coordinators at Nebraska Wesleyan University recommended residents they believed had a highly interactive relationship with their resident peer assistants for …

Developing Purpose In College: A Mixed Methods Study To Investigate How First-Year And Senior Students Developed Purpose At A Large Research Midwestern University, Laura J. Coombs

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

The purpose of this convergent mixed methods study was to investigate how students develop purpose at a large research Midwestern University. More specifically, this study assessed how students developed their sense of purpose in college, according to both first-year students and senior students.
The central research question for this study was: how do students develop purpose in college? More specifically, how do first-year students compare with senior college students when developing purpose in college? The Developing Purpose Inventory (DPI), created by William Barratt, was utilized to determine how students were developing purpose in college, according to Arthur Chickering’s student development …

Expectations V. Reality: A Study About Chinese Students' Expectations And Experiences At A Midwestern University In America, Sarah J. Barg

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

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to add to the research regarding the expectations and experiences of Chinese students studying at an American university. In doing so, this study sought to examine newly arriving Chinese students’ expectations of what their experience would be like compared to the reality of what their experiences actually were while attending Midwestern State University (MSU). Ten participants participated in two semi-structured interviews. The first set of interviews explored what Chinese students expected their experience studying at MSU to be like. The following interview explored the actual experiences the Chinese students had while studying at …

Student Perceptions Of First-Year Experience: A Comparison Of Participants And Non-Participants In A Learning Community Program And Their First-Year Experiences, Jordan D. Black

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

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to better understand first-year experiences from a student perspective, while comparing two different student groups: learning community participants and non-learning community participants. First-year experiences studied were defined through intentional conversations with administrators and students to better understand what experiences were believed to be common at the institution studied. An online survey was then administered to determine the perceived value of experiences, followed by interviews with selected participants to better understand their perspectives. The results demonstrated that although there were differences between the perceptions of experiences between the two samples, the reasoning behind the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Mid-Career Female Student Affairs Administrators' Experiences Navigating The Career Labyrinth Including Obstacles In Catholic Higher Education, Michele Starzyk

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

While the role of women in the Catholic Church has been a topic of much discussion, there has also been a call for the Church to partner with the laity. However, women who choose to work in Catholic co-educational, male sponsored higher education institutions may find a gendered organizational culture to embrace. Little research has been done in regards to the experience women have navigating the career labyrinth at mid-career while employed at Catholic institutions.

This study attempted to answer the grand tour question of what meaning do mid-career female student affairs professionals make of navigating the career labyrinth, including …

Older Undergraduate English Majors And Their Self-Described Value Of English, Joseph W. Price

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

The purpose of this multiple case study was to develop an understanding of what older nontraditional undergraduate English majors voiced as the challenges, attributes, and promises concerning their choice of that academic major.

Ten participants took part in this study; these were students enrolled during the Spring 2012 semester as English majors at an urban state university in the Midwest. Data from ten interviews were analyzed using a combination of structural and verses coding. Thirteen themes surfaced that cut across cases and questions and offered insight and explanation to the research question and sub questions. These included (in alphabetical order): …

First To Second Year Retention Based On Financial Aid Package: A Quantitative Study, Emily E. Carpenter

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

Retention in higher education continues to be a constant issue for administrators. The university studied for this research is one that intends to expand its current undergraduate body by more than 25% by 2017. To do this, the chancellor of the institution has claimed that increasing the retention rate is vital. As shown in many studies, if an institution can retain students into their sophomore year they are more likely to graduate them within a 6-year period. This study specifically analyzes 1,328 equity aid eligible resident students from the 2011-2012 academic year to the 2012 fall semester. A student is …

Influences On Student Attitudes: An Examination Of Ten Selected Influence Areas That Impact Community College Students’ Attitudes Towards Postsecondary Education And Student Outcomes, Luke A. Stobel

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

The purpose of this study was to examine different selected influence areas that may have an impact on a community college student’s attitudes towards their education. The study was first examined in relation to existing research regarding influences that can affect, positively or negatively, a student’s attitude towards education, the courses and type of institution that they select, and ultimately in their decision to pursue higher education in general. Ten different selected influence areas were chosen and aspects of each area were examined to provide insight into influences that may impact student attitudes towards education and ultimately student outcomes. Some …