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Academic Integrity: A Correlational Study Of Private Christian College Students' Religiosity And The Propensity To Cheat, Linda Williams May 2018

Academic Integrity: A Correlational Study Of Private Christian College Students' Religiosity And The Propensity To Cheat, Linda Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Creating a campus culture of academic integrity is a target aimed for by colleges across the nation. A religiosity level and academic dishonesty survey was administered for a predictive correlational study investigating religiosity levels and the propensity to cheat as they relate to students on the campuses of large, medium, and small private Christian college campuses in the southeastern United States. These factors were further tested to determine if they align with the determinants of behavior identified with the theory of planned behavior and self-efficacy. A volunteer response sample was utilized from the answers received by way of the online …


A Causal Comparative Study Of Ninth Grade Academy As An Answer To Unsuccessful Eighth Grade To Ninth Grade Transition, Ursula Dionne Martin May 2018

A Causal Comparative Study Of Ninth Grade Academy As An Answer To Unsuccessful Eighth Grade To Ninth Grade Transition, Ursula Dionne Martin

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the traditional ninth-grade classroom or the ninth-grade academy would have the greatest impact on retention rates and discipline referrals to administration of students transitioning into high school. The data in this causal-comparative research was secondary data collected from the counselors and administrators of the four schools that participated in this research study. The data was evaluated using an independent samples t-test. The results of this study did not indicate the need for transition programs based on the predicted significant statistical difference in the retention rates and in the Group A and …


Understanding High School Students' Motivation And Amotivation To Read In And Outside Of School: A Phenomenology, Matthew Deibler May 2018

Understanding High School Students' Motivation And Amotivation To Read In And Outside Of School: A Phenomenology, Matthew Deibler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the motivation and amotivation to read of 9th-12th grade adolescents in a large semi-urban high school in southwestern North Carolina. The principal theory guiding this study is Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 1991, 1994, 2000) as it explicates three universal human needs underpinning adolescent motivation to read. This investigation was guided by the following principal research question: How do high school students in southern North Carolina describe their motivation to read? General education high school students (n=12), balanced for gender, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, and initial reading motivation, were observed, …


Student Transition Into Kindergarten: A Case Study Of The Reggio Emilia Approach, Joan Stephens May 2018

Student Transition Into Kindergarten: A Case Study Of The Reggio Emilia Approach, Joan Stephens

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to arrive at a better understanding of what teachers contribute to the unique issues of student transition from a Reggio Emilia approach preschool into kindergarten. Transition was defined as “. . . reciprocal organization activities and cooperation (vertical connection), one of the aims of which was to connect with families (horizontal connection)” (Ahtola et al., 2016, p. 169). The central question of the research is; what do Reggio Emilia approach schoolteachers contribute to transition? Vygotsky’s (1978) social constructivist theory involved the “actual relations between individuals” (p. 57), and social constructivist theory, along …


A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Females In Advanced Placement Courses In Southern California High Schools, Laura Mackenzie May 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Hispanic Females In Advanced Placement Courses In Southern California High Schools, Laura Mackenzie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This transcendental phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of Southern California, Hispanic female high school graduates who were enrolled in AP courses while in high school. The life experiences for Hispanic women have been largely ignored by the literature, with much of the research on Hispanics primarily focused on the achievement gap, dropout rates, or giftedness. Although they may excel academically, many high-achieving Hispanic women do not reach their full potential. Often high-achieving Hispanic females find it difficult to reconcile the discrepancy between the culture, familial expectations and roles, and their own personal ambitions. The following four research questions framed …


A Phenomenological Study Of Female Stem Majors Who Have Decided To Become Educators, Porcia Richardson-Spears May 2018

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

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

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


The Impact Of Computer-Based Programs On Middle School Math Achievement, Kenyatta Gilmore May 2018

The Impact Of Computer-Based Programs On Middle School Math Achievement, Kenyatta Gilmore

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this correlation research study was to investigate the impact of computer-based learning on middle school math achievement of at-risk students. The participants for this study were drawn from a convenience sample of 83 middle school students located in southeastern Georgia. At-risk middle school students were achieving below their grade equivalent and failing to meet local and state proficiency standards. Computer-based instruction was implemented as an intervention to increase student achievement in mathematics. The study used a pretest-posttest control group design and used SPSS software to conduct the statistical analyses using an ANCOVA and t-test. The results indicated …


Experiencing Success: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Successful Remedial Mathematics Students, Kyle Ireland May 2018

Experiencing Success: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Of Successful Remedial Mathematics Students, Kyle Ireland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to describe how students experience success in mathematics remediation at a four-year private institution in the central United States. Success in a remedial mathematics course was defined as one’s completion of a required remedial mathematics course having earned an overall grade of 90% or higher. The theories guiding this study were achievement goal theory and expectancy-value theory grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory. This theoretical framework provided a motivational framework for student success in a post-secondary, remedial mathematics course based on individual goals for completing the task, student self-efficacy beliefs, and the …


A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Pre-Service Teachers, Rosetta Riddle May 2018

A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Grit And Self-Efficacy Beliefs Among Pre-Service Teachers, Rosetta Riddle

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between the personality trait of grit and self-efficacy levels. The predictor variable of grit to the criterion variable of self-efficacy for pre-service teachers enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a Mid-Atlantic university was studied. Investigating connections between motivation and resilience that might result in self-efficacious behaviors was the focus of the study. The study was important because although some research studies existed regarding content specific self-efficacy of pre-service teachers, limited research had been conducted regarding self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service teachers based on school level. This was a …


Shared Advocacy: A Multiple-Case Examination Of Practices Supporting Postsecondary Students With Learning And Attention Differences, Julie Mcnair May 2018

Shared Advocacy: A Multiple-Case Examination Of Practices Supporting Postsecondary Students With Learning And Attention Differences, Julie Mcnair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This multiple-case study examined the practices of academic support providers who offered supplemental services for students with learning or attention differences at postsecondary institutions. Students with learning or attention differences transitioning to postsecondary institutions may need assistance developing self-advocacy through practice. The study employed self-determination theory and positive psychology (Deci & Ryan, 2002; Seligman, 2011), asking the central research question, "How do academic support providers at postsecondary institutions offer shared-advocacy, promoting intrinsic motivation through accommodative intervention strategies for students with learning disabilities and/or ADHD?" Previously unheard perspectives of academic support providers at five postsecondary institutions presented these insights. Analysis occurred …


Breaking The Cycle: An Ethnographic Study On Hispanic Mothers In Family Drug Court, Rhonda Tyler May 2018

Breaking The Cycle: An Ethnographic Study On Hispanic Mothers In Family Drug Court, Rhonda Tyler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this critical ethnographic study was to understand the phenomena of generational substance abuse of Hispanic mothers. By participating in family drug court (FDC), a therapeutic judicial program, rather than incarceration, mothers have a greater opportunity to address their substance abuse issues (Brown, 2010). Motivated to restore their domestic structures, FDC often allows them to address their substance abuse issues and regain custody of their children, who are usually in family or state’s care (Choi, 2012). In this study, generational substance abuse will be generally defined as those women who are FDC participants and have lost custody of …


Student Reading Practice: A Choice For Teachers, A Chance For Students, A Holistic Multiple Case Study, Laurel Sviatko May 2018

Student Reading Practice: A Choice For Teachers, A Chance For Students, A Holistic Multiple Case Study, Laurel Sviatko

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Due to increased demand for reading achievement nationwide, middle school English/Language Arts (ELA) teachers need instructional practices to promote literacy. Student reading practice (SRP) is supported by research as such an instructional reading practice. The purpose of this holistic multiple case study was to explain how and why middle school ELA teachers choose to use SRP to promote students’ literacy at four middle schools in Virginia in light of heightened demands for reading achievement. The theories framing this study were socio-cultural learning theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and choice theory (Glasser, 1998). The design was a qualitative, holistic multiple case study of …


Participation In A Traditional Mentorship Program: A Multiple Case Study Of Alternatively Certified Teachers, Kimberly Thompson May 2018

Participation In A Traditional Mentorship Program: A Multiple Case Study Of Alternatively Certified Teachers, Kimberly Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this multiple case study was to understand the impact of a traditional mentorship program on 13 alternatively certified teachers in a suburban school district in the southeastern part of the state of Virginia. This research utilized a qualitative multiple case study design. Guiding this qualitative study were Knowles’ adult and Mezirow’s transformative learning theories. Knowles’ (1970) theory projects the idea of using experiential learning to construct one’s own meanings, while Mezirow’s (1995) theory advances the idea of humans constructing new ideas and meanings based on new perspectives. The central research question guiding this study was: How did …


The Impact Of Traditional And Departmentalized Classroom Instructional Settings On Fifth Grade Students' Reading Achievement, Shakera Chennis May 2018

The Impact Of Traditional And Departmentalized Classroom Instructional Settings On Fifth Grade Students' Reading Achievement, Shakera Chennis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative casual-comparative research was to provide educators data pertaining to reading and the influence of classroom instructional setting on reading test scores. This study investigated if learning in a departmentalized instructional setting had a subsequent positive effect on fifth grade students’ reading achievement as measured by the 2015 Virginia Standards of Learning Assessment, as opposed to fifth grade students who were exposed to a traditional instructional setting. Data was collected from the accountability office of the selected school district. Fifth grade students in a departmentalized or traditional regular education classroom participated in this study. The convenience …


A Phenomenological Study Examining The Journey Of Identity Development For Internationally Adopted Adolescents In The United States, Susan Schrank May 2018

A Phenomenological Study Examining The Journey Of Identity Development For Internationally Adopted Adolescents In The United States, Susan Schrank

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the perspectives of young adults who were internationally adopted to the United States during their adolescent years and to describe the experiences that contributed to their identity development. Erikson’s psychosocial development theory guided this study as it examined the relationships, roles, and values that humans commit to during the critical period of adolescence. Social identity theory furthered insight as to how individuals have defined themselves and their social categorization within groups, while the multiple dimensions of identity model helped define the key categories, themes, and contextual influences that have contributed …


A Multiple Case Study Of The Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Creation, Implementation, And Sustaining Of School Emergency Management Plans, Robert Lopez Apr 2018

A Multiple Case Study Of The Interagency Relationship Between School Administrators And Law Enforcement Personnel In The Creation, Implementation, And Sustaining Of School Emergency Management Plans, Robert Lopez

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to examine how the interorganizational relationship between school administrators and law enforcement personnel in the Midwest, South, and Southwest regions of the United States with diverse cultures, missions, and objectives to collaborate to create, implement, and sustain emergency management readiness. The theoretical concept that guided this study involved interorganizational theories as they relate to two or more organizations working together toward a common goal. This study used purposeful sampling of 12 participants from three school districts from the states of Alabama, New Mexico, and Illinois. A within-case and cross-case analysis along …


The Effects Of Social-Connectedness And Self-Esteem On The Resiliency Of Homeschool Students, Nicole Jones Apr 2018

The Effects Of Social-Connectedness And Self-Esteem On The Resiliency Of Homeschool Students, Nicole Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this bivariate regression study was to determine if social-connectedness and self-esteem are good predictors of resiliency in homeschool students. Within the study, two research questions were asked: (1) How accurately can resiliency, as measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, be predicted by social-connectedness, as measured by Lee and Robbins Social Connectedness Scale, in homeschooled students? (2) How accurately can resiliency, as measured by the Child and Youth Resilience Measure, be predicted by self-esteem, as measured by Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, in homeschooled students? To best address these questions, a quantitative approach was used to determine if …


Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards Apr 2018

Kentuckian Middle School Students' Self-Efficacy And Their Participation In Physical Sports: A Correlation Study, Alissa Richards

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Self-efficacy is well known as one of the most effective methods to raise student academic achievement (Hattie, 2007). Known as the “I think I can” phenomenon, extensive research is presented concerning the impact of self-efficacy as the predictor to achievement. Likewise, participation in physical sports is known for its impact on academic achievement, as well as social and emotional health. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the presence of a statistically significant relationship between the level of participation in physical sports activities and the middle school students’ self-efficacy. A convenience sample of 69 seventh and eighth grade …


The Effect Of Social Skills Instruction On Seventh-Grade Students Taking A Language Arts Class, Donna Smith Apr 2018

The Effect Of Social Skills Instruction On Seventh-Grade Students Taking A Language Arts Class, Donna Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

mplementing programs in social skills development will affect academic achievement among children who are Grade 7 students. A quantitative study was conducted using a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent control-group design to determine if direct instruction in social skills has an impact upon academic achievement and social skills development. Participants were 128 students drawn from six intact classes of seventh grade students from a rural middle school in West Georgia. Participants completed a pretest and posttests, the Social Skills Improvement System- Rating Scale. During the treatment period, the treatment group received social skills instruction through stories from William J. Bennett’s The Book …


Understanding The Lived Experiences Of University Students Who Self-Identify As Cyberbullies: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Osborne Apr 2018

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of University Students Who Self-Identify As Cyberbullies: A Phenomenological Study, Christine Osborne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of university students, aged 18 to 50, in a suburban Atlanta university who have self-identified as perpetrators of cyberbullying. The three research questions that guided this study sought to determine how students perceive their cyberbullying behavior impacts their peers, how students explain their motivation to cyberbully their peers, and how their experiences led to perpetrating acts of cyberbullying. Experiences were examined that may be contributing factors for cyberbullying. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the concept of moral disengagement of cyberbullies was examined through the research questions as well. …


A Phenomenological Study Of African American College Students' Experiences With College Readiness, Rachel Strang Apr 2018

A Phenomenological Study Of African American College Students' Experiences With College Readiness, Rachel Strang

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology was to understand how African American college students at mid-Atlantic 4-year public universities experience college readiness their freshman year. Using Schlossberg’s (1981) transition theory, this study has attempted to answer the central research question: How do African American students in mid-Atlantic 4-year institutions describe their college readiness experiences? Sub-questions sought to address the students’ experiences moving in to their freshman year and continued through the stages of the transition theory. These questions explored how they were able to successfully transition into their second year based upon their individual situation, self, supports, and strategies, also …


An Investigation Of Assessment, Equal Opportunity, And Educational Equity In Conservative Evangelical Schools, Joseph Scifo Apr 2018

An Investigation Of Assessment, Equal Opportunity, And Educational Equity In Conservative Evangelical Schools, Joseph Scifo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose for this ex post facto, causal comparative study was to use a three-tiered investigation; each tier was related to the investigation of equity and student achievement. Based on the literature, there is little to no research about the relationship between equity in conservative Evangelical Christian schools and student achievement. The data used in this study was drawn from conservative Evangelical schools. The research focus was on schools which are members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) in the Mid-America/Ohio River Valley Region. The participant schools were divided into different tiers and categories, in accordance with the …


The Effect Of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences And Mentoring Structures On Student Self-Efficacy, Kyle Harris Apr 2018

The Effect Of Undergraduate Biology Research Experiences And Mentoring Structures On Student Self-Efficacy, Kyle Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Collaborative inquiry within undergraduate research experiences (UREs) is an effective curriculum tool to support student growth. This study seeks to understand how collaborative inquiry within undergraduate biology student experiences are affected within faculty mentored experiences and non-mentored experiences at a large private southeastern university. Undergraduate biology students engaged in UREs (faculty as mentor and non-mentor experiences) were examined for statistically significant differences in student self-efficacy. Self-efficacy was measured in three subcomponents (thinking and working like a scientist, scientific self-efficacy, and scientific identity) from student responses obtained in an online survey. Responses were analyzed using a nonparametric equivalent of a t …


Students' Perceptions Of School Connectedness At A Freshman Academy, La'keisha Newsome Apr 2018

Students' Perceptions Of School Connectedness At A Freshman Academy, La'keisha Newsome

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate impact students’ perceptions of school connectedness at a freshman academy located on a middle school campus in southeast Alabama. The research questions focused on school leadership, teacher–student relationships, and school climate. Hirschi’s social bonding theory provided a framework to understand the association between socialization and social learning by focusing on an individual’s bond to social institutions. Social bond has an impact on perception, emotional well-being, and academic achievement. Data collection included student interviews, a school connectedness survey, and focus group interviews of …


Comparing Active Duty And Transitional Military Veteran Students' Evaluation Of Online Distance Higher Education Learning Environments, Sherry Crissman Apr 2018

Comparing Active Duty And Transitional Military Veteran Students' Evaluation Of Online Distance Higher Education Learning Environments, Sherry Crissman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Active duty service members’ participation in non-traditional higher education designed for veterans and other non-traditional adults can be uniquely impacted by their unpredictable military schedules, geographic instability, and frequently limited access to technology needed to complete course requirements while in remote areas. The purpose of this study was to examine whether active duty undergraduates differed significantly regarding their attitudes toward distance learning and their perceptions of the distance learning environment compared to veterans and non-traditional adults. This causal comparative study examined adult students’ perceptions after participating in 200-level undergraduate education delivered online at a private four-year institution based on their …


Academic Achievement With Cooperative Learning Using Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Groups, Patricia Wyman Apr 2018

Academic Achievement With Cooperative Learning Using Homogeneous And Heterogeneous Groups, Patricia Wyman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cooperative learning is a proven teaching strategy that teachers have been using for over 40 years. Teachers often group students heterogeneously so that students that are lower achieving are learning from higher achieving students and higher achieving students support and solidify their learning by restating and re-teaching to their lower achieving partners. The purpose of this study was to test homogeneous and heterogeneous grouping while using cooperative learning teaching structure. This dissertation aimed to answer the question, should students be grouped homogeneously or heterogeneously while participating in cooperative learning. The research design for this study was quantitative, quasi-experimental. A convenience …


High Academic Achievement For Adolescents In Blended And Stepfamilies: A Heuristic Inquiry, Vernette Gilbreath Apr 2018

High Academic Achievement For Adolescents In Blended And Stepfamilies: A Heuristic Inquiry, Vernette Gilbreath

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this heuristic study is to understand the lived experiences (i.e., values, attitudes, and practices) of 10 biological parents in blended and stepfamilies in which at least one child experienced high academic achievement at the middle school and high school level. Building on dynamic systems theory and educational resilience theory as theoretical underpinnings, this qualitative study seeks to answer the following central research question: What are the values, practices, and attitudes experienced by biological parents in blended and stepfamily units that contribute to high academic achievement for adolescents in these families? Participants living in the Southeastern area of …


Characteristics Necessary For Teacher Success In A Classroom For Students With Emotional Disabilities, Cheryl Bowers Apr 2018

Characteristics Necessary For Teacher Success In A Classroom For Students With Emotional Disabilities, Cheryl Bowers

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this collective case study was to describe the characteristics necessary for teacher success in a classroom for students with emotional disabilities (ED) through the perceptions of teachers of students with ED, administrators, and behavior specialists in South District. Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory guided this study as it explains the mutual influence among cognitive, environment, and behavior factors for teachers. A rich description of the perceived characteristics necessary for teacher success in an ED classroom was created thereby answering the central question of the study: What characteristics does a person need to be a successful teacher in …


Factors That Contribute To Job Satisfaction And Teacher Retention In Title I Versus Non-Title I Elementary Schools, Janice Tolliver Mar 2018

Factors That Contribute To Job Satisfaction And Teacher Retention In Title I Versus Non-Title I Elementary Schools, Janice Tolliver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The public school systems in the United States are facing a major teacher shortage in the near future due to the fact that teachers are leaving the profession by the thousands each year. It is imperative that this trend is stopped and reversed to ensure that quality teachers remain in schools. The current study employed a causal-comparative design to determine if working conditions in Title I schools versus non-Title I schools were associated with teacher job satisfaction and teacher retention using the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (NC TWC) Survey. The qualifications of the selected participants were that they were …


The Effect Of Two-Way Immersion On Students' Attitudes Toward Education, Other Cultures, And Self-Esteem, Jonathan Pedrone Mar 2018

The Effect Of Two-Way Immersion On Students' Attitudes Toward Education, Other Cultures, And Self-Esteem, Jonathan Pedrone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research compared students who participated in a two-way French/English immersion program to students who participated in an English-only program to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in their perceptions of: (a) education, (b) attitudes towards other cultures, and (c) self-esteem. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to identify the differences in attitudes toward education, other cultures, and self-esteem between students enrolled in a two-way French/English immersion program and those enrolled in a traditional English-only program to test the theory of linguistic interdependence. This study is important because English language learners are the fastest growing subpopulation …