Education Commons^™

Advisor Perceptions Of Technology In Academic Advising Practices In West Virginia Educator Preparation Programs, Kandice Kaye Rowe

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this research was to gain, from the academic advisor’s perspective, an understanding of what technologies are being used in advising practices, the effectiveness of these technologies, and advisors’ perceptions of quality advising set forth by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to connect academic advisors’ perceptions of the usage of technology while participating in the advising experiences. Through a combination of purposeful and snowballing sampling techniques, academic advisors from fourteen educator preparation programs in West Virginia were chosen to participate in this study. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were …

Empowerment By Design: Classroom Innovation And Inquiry Through Design Thinking And Action Research, Cory Rayala

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly standardized and assessment-driven educational systems are failing to meet the needs of many students, replacing their love of learning with a fear of failure. Importantly, the fear of failure is a common mindset of not only students but also teachers, administrators, and policymakers. This qualitative, action research study is situated in a design thinking/growth mindset conceptual theory that posits that the design thinking process can serve as a meaningful growth mindset opportunity for teachers and students. The prototyping mindset inherent in design thinking may mitigate the fear of failure by focusing on rapid iteration rather than striving for perfection. …

The African American And The California Basic Skills Requirement For Teaching, Willie C. Thomas Ii

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examines why the passing rates of African Americans on the CBEST are the lowest in California at 60%. Madkins (2011) identified licensure testing as a significant reason why African Americans cannot enter the teaching progression. According to Darling-Hammond et al. (2016), California has an ongoing credentialed teacher shortage. An even more significant need is for teachers of color. According to the California Department of Education (2021), 60% of the state’s educator workforce is White, while the state student body, multicultural and multilingual, is only slightly more than 22% White. While licensure testing for teachers is required in all …

Student Loan Debt And First-Generation Community College Students, Sandra A. Fuentes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The rising costs of college attendance and changes in financial aid packages leave students with little option other than to incur a debt of some amount. Unfortunately, colleges often fail to provide adequate financial literacy and student loan information so prospective students planning to attend college can make informed decisions. Student loans may seem attractive in the short term because, unlike other loans, repayment does not begin immediately. However, the accrual of student loan debt leads to long-term financial consequences, including the opportunity to build economic wealth after graduation. Utilizing a basic qualitative research design, I explored first-generation community college …

High School Principals Supporting The Academic Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Toni Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, legislators have created policies to hold school personnel accountable for the academic success of all students. However, many students with disabilities working toward a high school diploma have not demonstrated progress on local or national standardized assessments. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the ways that high school principals in a Mid-Atlantic school district provided leadership practices to support the academic achievement of students with disabilities. Burns and Bass’s transformational leadership theory informed this study. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with eight high school principals and a review of archival test …

Individual Public-School Teachers’ Influence On Technology Implementation, Aletcia Whren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many teachers in the United States, despite access to and demonstrated benefits of instructional technology, are reluctant to integrate these innovations into their teaching. Although public schools spend millions to supply the technology to improve instruction and student academic achievement, teachers often choose not to adopt it. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand better how and why many teachers are reluctant to integrate instructional technology in their classrooms. Guided by cultural historical activity theory, the study occurred in two phases. First, the Concerns-Based Adoption Model Stages of Concern Questionnaire was used to identify a sample of …

Principals’ Transformational Leadership Practices In Increasing Reading Achievement For Ells, Michelle Jeffrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals in public schools are being challenged to improve English language learning (ELL) student achievement through transformational leadership practices. This qualitative study aimed to explore the aspects of transformational leadership that principals use to reduce the disproportionate level in state summative reading assessments between ELL students and their non-ELL peers. The conceptual framework that supported this study was Burns’ theory of transformational leadership. The research question focused on how principals in public school settings employed transformational leadership practices to support a reduction in ELL students’ disproportionate achievement in reading. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data from 10 principals …

Administrative Leaders’ Experiences With Information Communication Technology Platforms And Best Practices In Smart Schools, Byron B. Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Administrative leaders in traditional schools have failed to manage resources, implement best practices, and successfully integrate information communication technology (ICT) platforms into K-12 programs. The purpose of this qualitative, transcendental phenomenological study was to explore and discover the lived experiences of administrative leaders who have been successful in their integration of ICT platforms and best practices in K-12 smart schools. This study was framed by two concepts: (a) building digital capacity in smart schools and (b) ICT platforms integration in smart schools. Both concepts were theoretically grounded in social cognitive theory and system theory. Data were collected in semi structured …

Perceptions Of K-12 School Principals Regarding The Use Of Exclusionary Discipline Practices, Shalonda W. Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exclusionary discipline practices (EDPs), including suspensions and expulsions, are used in public schools, from kindergarten to 12th grade (K–12). Excessive use of EDP can have a negative impact as students face delays in completion of their academic work. The problem of increasing use of EDPs at a suburban public school district located in a southern state was addressed in this study. Hallinger and Murphy’s instructional leadership model was used to examine the perceptions of K–12 school principals regarding their use of instructional leadership practices to reduce the use of EDPs. Purposeful sampling was used in this basic qualitative study to …

Professional Dispositions And Perceptions Of Principals About Inclusion In Senior Secondary Schools, Desmond Prince, George Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractProviding inclusive education for children with special educational needs and disabilities entails educating these students in general education classrooms. There are no consistent practices or regulations for administering programs for such students in general education classrooms in Sierra Leone. This problem is supported by the lack of literature about administrative inclusive education practices. This basic qualitative study was conducted to explore the professional dispositions, perceptions, and rules or regulations that school principals hold for administering programs for students with special educational needs and disabilities in general education classrooms. The conceptual framework of the study was based on moral leadership and …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Teacher Grit, Technology Self-Efficacy, And Technology Integration, Joshua Jeremiah Shiloh Marsh

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

The use of educational technology applications has grown tremendously in the last decade. Instructors are now equipped with hardware and software applications previously unavailable, such as mobile and interactive technologies. These tools can have tremendous impact on students’ learning and teacher practices. Teachers can improve their assessment capabilities through technology integration, provide better learning opportunities for students with learning disabilities, and promote deeper learning practices. Due to these benefits, budgets at the federal, state, and local levels of the United States now have specific allocations regarding technology-related purchases. Nevertheless, barriers remain regarding the effective integration of technologies in public schools. …

Disappearing Acts: The Declining Numbers Of African American Teachers In Public School Settings, Catherine F. Lewis-Brownfield

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

African American teachers are slowly leaving the classroom, causing an imbalance in the student/teacher ratio (NCES, 2019). According to the National Center for Education Statistics, African American teachers make up 3% in California and 7% nationally. This study sought to understand the reasons for the decline in the number of African American teachers in public school settings. Due to the decline in their numbers, African American students have suffered high dropout rates, low standardized test scores, and low college attendance (Gershenson, Hart, Hyman, Lindsey, & Papageorge, 2017). This qualitative study examined the obstacles current African American teachers face and the …

Reducing Turnover In Higher Education Fundraising Through Interdisciplinary Investments Of Human Capital Management, Clayton Ellis

Graduate Liberal Studies Capstone Projects

In today's modern development profession, the threat of turnover looms over college campuses from creating lasting relationships with donors, leading to repeat gifts. By examining the contributors to turnover, this writing reveals opportunities for fundraising divisions to mitigate this threat by investing in their talent and thus increasing intrinsic value.

Conditional Cash Transfer Program Design: A Case Study Of Parent Educational Attitudes And Experiences In One Honduran Village, Karsen Ward

Senior Theses

In Honduras and other countries globally, there is a large gap to fill in school enrolment and attendance before the Sustainable Development Goal of universal quality education can be achieved. One method that has grown in popularity over the past couple of decades is the use of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs, which serve to incentivize families in the relevant educational area of need. In Honduras, students still need to be encouraged to enroll in and regularly attend school, so this is what is primarily incentivized. The literature review of this paper compiles the takeaways of a variety of existing …

Scholars Programs: An Institutional Enigma, Lindsay Davis

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

The race to recruit high-achieving students to attend colleges and universities continues to intensify. Institutions view these high-achieving students as a benefit given the prestige associated with their enrollment, which impacts everything from rankings to reputation to resources. Some institutions use scholars programs as one means by which to attract high- achieving students to their campuses, but little is known about scholars programs, why they are created, how they operate, or the role they may play in helping to meet broader institutional goals.

This exploratory study examines scholars programs through the lens of organizational decision-making literature in the context of …

The Impact Of Principal Preparation On Student Outcomes, Tanya Shelton

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the role of principal preparation on first-year principals' ability to positively impact student outcomes. The study sought to understand key learning experiences that contributed to first-year principals' success upon completion of their preparation program. Using the case study method for this qualitative research study, I interviewed first-year principals to gather data on their perceptions of the learning experiences that led to their success. The research question that guided my qualitative research study was: How does one district-led principal preparation program in a large urban city increase first-year principals' capacity to effectively lead …

A Phenomenological Inquiry Exploring Parental Involvement At Alternative Schools In Eastern North Carolina, Irv Glenn Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the perceptions of caregivers and teachers regarding parental involvement at alternative schools in Eastern North Carolina. The lack of parental involvement at some schools is a systemic issue that involves continued efforts by school staff to include caregivers in promoting student success. The difficulties of engaging parents of alternative students result in little interaction between caregivers and educators. It is essential to understand how caregivers and educators perceive parental involvement and assess the quality of parental participation in an alternative educational setting. A qualitative research method was chosen to comprehensively examine …

Attitudes And Actions Of Genetic Counseling Program Directors Regarding Standards For Accreditation Of Genetic Counseling Training Programs, Ben Newsum

Human Genetics Theses

Academic accreditation is a common feature of higher education, with a moderate body of literature. Previous studies largely focus on factors that are crucial to the implementation or acceptance of standards. This study explored how education standards of genetic counseling are perceived and interacted with by program directors. We performed semi-structured interviews with current program directors, assistant directors, and associate directors to gain insight into their perspectives on current accreditation standards and the standards’ revision process. Interview transcripts were analyzed via thematic analysis to identify common themes related to program directors’ perceptions of the standards and accreditation as a whole. …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Participation Of Black Students And Education Abroad, Stephen Ryan Hammock

Theses and Dissertations

The participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs has been significantly compared to their White peers. The purpose of this concurrent mixed methods research study was to examine the participation rate of Black higher education students in education abroad programs by exploring student perceptions relative to barriers and motivations, utilizing the Cultural Approach as the conceptual framework, specifically the economic, social, and intellectual cultural spheres of influence. A web-based questionnaire with quantitative and qualitative items was completed by 248 Black participants and 206 White participants. The quantitative data were analyzed using two logistic regressions, and the …

Differences In Education In Urban And Rural Areas, Jacob Shreve

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research project examines the educational differences and disparities of urban and rural schools in Ohio. The focus school districts are Switzerland of Ohio Local and Akron Public Schools. Demographic information from each of the focus school districts is examined and compared to the outcomes of the schools to determine if factors such as poverty inhibit student learning. Data and statistics, published research, and personal experience will be used to make connections between the school districts, their students, their environment, and their learning. Differences in educational quality, opportunities, and funding will also be discussed.

A Survey Of Clinical Research Education And Perceptions Among Research Staff Within An Urban Hospital Setting, Francesca Picotte

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Health centers are uniquely positioned to address the growing need for uniform clinical research training, which leads to scientific advances in improving overall population health outcomes. This study surveyed 44 clinical research professionals for their current baseline of research competency and perceptions, within a single medical campus in Michigan, to obtain the current baseline of education research competency for the suggested development and implementation of a future clinical research training curriculum. Clinical study coordinators and senior staff physicians accounted for 50% (22) of the survey respondents. Most of the participants 93% (41) reported that the primary source of their research …

Urban School District Principals’ Perceptions Of Job Satisfaction, Darcy Lynn Woodcock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Principals in urban school districts directly and indirectly affect school communitiesthrough student achievement, teacher retention, and school climate. When a high-quality school principal leaves a school, it can negatively affect these areas due to the interruption of progress toward school improvement goals to increase student achievement. Seeking to address this issue, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of job satisfaction among urban school district principals. The conceptual framework was Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory. The key research question concerned investigating the perceptions of job satisfaction among urban school district principals. Qualitative data were collected via virtual, …

Student Retention At The Community College Level, Davia Debisha Ramgeet

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student retention has been a serious issue for many community colleges globally for several decades. In a community college in Jamaica, persistence rates have been steadily declining within the last several years. The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ experiences with the pre-college program that was designed to prepare students to enter and successfully complete college undergraduate programs. Astin’s conceptual framework on involvement was used for this qualitative project study. Key questions for this study included what in-class experiences and what student support services students participating in the pre-college program perceived to be most useful to their college …

Administrators’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Learning Communities As Replacements For Traditional Professional Development, Antwonette Woodlon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional learning communities (PLCs) positively influence students’ and teachers’ success. Yet, traditional professional development, involving passive learning, is still widely used. The problem addressed in this qualitative case study is little is known about administrators’ perceptions about PLCs as replacements for traditional forms of professional development (PD). Administrators’ and teachers’ perceptions of PLCs should be explored to learn more about why PLCs are underutilized in schools, despite their proven effectiveness. The primary conceptual framework used for this study was Knowles’ adult learning theory supported by Contextual learning theory. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit eight participants – four administrators and …

Factors Influencing K–12 Female Educators’ Decisions Not To Apply For The Superintendency, Tiawana Giles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDespite holding 75% of certified positions in K–12 schools in the United States, women hold just 24% of public school superintendent positions. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an understanding of why female principals and central office personnel attained superintendent credentials and have not yet applied for a superintendent position. The conceptual framework for the study was feminist standpoint theory, which is often used to guide research regarding the knowledge and understanding of marginalized groups. Two research questions were used to explore why female K–12 principals attained their superintendent license and why they decided not to …

General And Special Educators’ Perceptions Of Transition For Students With Disabilities, Doris Louise Rouson Butler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with disabilities (SWDs) require a transition process to support high school graduation and continuation to higher education or the workforce. In a rural district in a southern state, the problem investigated was only 37% of SWDs were graduating from high schools in the target district, compared to 79.9% of students without disabilities, which suggested that the transition design and implementation did not support SWDs’ needs. Using a transition-focused conceptual framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the perceptions of educators regarding the design and implementation of the transition process for SWDs at the high schools …

Relationship Between Criminal Behavior And High School Equivalency Program Completion, Lashawnda Cabey - Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High School Equivalency (HSE) Programs operate in response to the national increase in high school dropout rates. These alternative learning methods are attractive to nontraditional high school students because they are designed to accommodate students who are unable to complete their high school diploma via the traditional classroom setting. However, even though these programs continue to thrive in many communities, many students are still unsuccessful at completing these programs. Therefore, there is a need to research the possible factors that prevent students from earning the equivalent of a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED) via these programs. Grounded …

Elementary School Principals’ Perceptions Regarding Instructional Leadership Practices Supporting Character Education, Dawn Angela Engle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem addressed in this project study was that principals at the elementary schools under study had been inconsistent in applying instructional leadership practices (ILP) supporting character education (CE). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of elementary school principals regarding ILP to support CE. The instructional leadership model was the conceptual framework guiding the study. The research question asked what practices elementary school principals implement to support CE in their schools. A basic qualitative research design with purposive sampling was used to select elementary school principals who were state-certified and administrators for at least 2 years. …

Training And Experience As Predictors Of Principals’ Efficacy For Inclusive Education Implementation, Courtney Lynch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Federal inclusion law requires that school administrators provide an equitable and legally compliant inclusive education for all students. Previous research has shown that successful program delivery is not possible without efficacious school leadership. Prior studies have also revealed that principals’ self-efficacy judgments are directly influenced by contextual and personal factors. Limited research-based inquiries have explored which factors contribute to administrator confidence as it relates to successfully implementing inclusive educational programs in particular. Grounded in social cognitive theory, the purpose of this nonexperimental, survey-based, quantitative study was to assess the extent to which facets of elementary school principals’ educational background, experience, …

Effective Strategies For Recruiting African American Males Into Teacher Education Programs, Fredrick Wellington Snodgrass

Online Theses and Dissertations

In today’s society, the teaching workforce should be more diverse. However, it still consists of majority white females. From a survey reported by Education Week in 2017-2018, the teaching workforce consisted of 79.2% white teachers. The same data reported that the teaching workforce consists of 7% African-Americans (Will, 2020). From that 7% of African-Americans, African-American males consists of 2% of the teaching workforce (Bell, 2017). Some school districts are seeking to attract more minority teachers to reflect their student demographics. In 2018, data reported from statista.com shows the following student demographics in K-12 public schools across the U.S.: 47% White, …