Education Commons^™

An Evaluation Of Interprofessional Education: The Medical And Pharmacy Student Experience, Daniel Mickool

All Theses And Dissertations

Interprofessional education (IPE) in health professions continues to garner attention and is widely encouraged in the overall improvement of health care delivery in the U.S. The lack of communication and cross-profession collaboration contributes to errors and lower patient outcomes. As a result, medical education is undergoing transformation as new models are sought to deliver curricula that foster collaboration among health care disciplines. The purpose of this mixed methods program evaluation was to explore pharmacy and medical students’ perceptions of interprofessional learning after a six-week clinical rotation in a family medicine setting, as well as describe student perceptions of patient benefits …

The Influence Of Instructional Coaches On Special Educators’ Skills And Effectiveness, Julie Olsen

All Theses And Dissertations

Instructional coaching has been a practice in public schools since the early 1990’s and began in the area of reading coaching. While coaching has expanded nationally to include other content areas over the years, there is little information regarding the use of Instructional Coaches who are experts in the field of special education. This qualitative study, grounded in Vygotsky’s (1934) sociocultural theory of human learning and Jim Knight’s (2007) partnership theory, examines the ways in which Instructional Coaches influence special educators’ skills/effectiveness and the experiences special educators have with coaching models in a K-8 public school district. Thirteen special educators …

Occupational Therapy Faculty Perspectives On The Use Of Telehealth As A Delivery Method For Healthcare Services, Holly Wasserman

All Theses And Dissertations

The use of telehealth for healthcare delivery is on the rise and is expected to increase due to the expansion of technological advances and the shortage of healthcare professionals to serve rural and remote communities. The use of telehealth by occupational therapists (OT) is relatively new, and it is unknown whether educational programs are adequately preparing OT students to practice in this context or if OT faculty members are adequately trained to deliver this content to their students. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study was to examine how faculty members teaching in a master’s level occupational therapy program …

Social Media In A High School English Class: A Collective Case Study, Angela M. Wells

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative collective case study sought to describe the perceptions and experiences of an 11th-grade English teacher and her students when incorporating social media into the classroom. The teacher introduced social media into four classrooms, wherein the students answered questions and interacted with each other on a discussion board. The teacher’s fifth classroom remained a traditionally taught class, wherein the teacher lectured about class material. After six weeks of instruction, the researcher interviewed the teacher and provided anonymous surveys to the students to determine their perceptions and experiences when incorporating social media into the classroom. The researcher analyzed and coded …

Amalgamating Information Technology With Library Services In The School Environment: A Learning Commons Transformative Model, Alexander Tabor Jones

All Theses And Dissertations

At a private New York City school, a library becomes the nucleus for students and faculty engagement with technology and support. This synthesis of modern technology fused with a traditional source for knowledge emerged a hub of creativity, collaborative activity, and participation known as the Learning Commons (LC).

This study was inspired by the need to explore the teachers’ and staff perceptions of the new LC, or implementation of the Learning Commons Transformative Model (LCTM). The researcher sought to evaluate the newly designed space and the influence it had on teachers’ instruction and subsequent student learning outcomes. This model set …

Coaching Secondary Teachers To Engage Students By Incorporating Storytelling Into Content-Area Instruction, Jane Dearani Calnan

All Theses And Dissertations

Currently, school leaders are being called to action to find ways of improving the literacy achievement of today’s youth in response to the escalating number of students exiting high school unprepared for postsecondary educational programs and the workforce. Literacy coaching, as an embedded professional development model is one effective approach that can provide essential leadership and support for school and district-wide literacy reform. This qualitative single case study considers secondary literacy coaching in situ (in the natural setting) as a professional development model and the extent to which it supports the integration of literacy practices within disciplinary subjects. This study …

Teacher/Student Interpersonal Engagement And Customer Service Principles: A Phenomenological Study, Juanita Takeno

All Theses And Dissertations

The importance of understanding the effects of teacher and student engagement in online learning is especially pertinent to the online teacher and the online student as well as the college as a whole. This qualitative phenomenological study involved discovering if interpersonal online engagement between teacher and student involved those principles used in business customer service. The focus of this phenomenological study is on the lived experience of online students relative to interpersonal engagement – it is about the students’ stories. Accordingly, the questions asked what the participants felt when their teachers were engaged and if the engagement was augmented with …

Elementary Students’ And Teachers’ Perceptions Of Flipped Mathematics Lessons, Susan Grace Edwards Mosher

All Theses And Dissertations

Flipped learning is a pedagogical model that allows more time for students to engage in active learning in the classroom because direct instruction is moved to video and watched outside of class time. Although many studies have shown the effectiveness of this strategy, previous perceptional studies have primarily focused on flipped learning through the lens of high school students and adult learners. This study was designed to explore elementary students’ and teachers’ perceptions of flipped learning in mathematics. A descriptive qualitative case study was conducted in a suburban elementary school in North Carolina. Three fifth grade teachers and fifteen of …

Implementing Meaningful And Sustainable Project Based Learning Pedagogy, Jasmeen Philen

All Theses And Dissertations

The traditional model of PK-12 education, with increased emphasis on preparing students for standardized assessments, challenges educators striving to keep students engaged in learning. Project-Based Learning (PBL), a growing teaching methodology, is designed to address the challenge of disengagement by making learning meaningful and more engaging. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to document teachers’ perceptions and understandings of Project Based Learning (PBL) in a K-12 international school in Asia in an effort to address the on-going debates about the effectiveness of its implementation. Conceptually, this case study was framed using significant aspects of the constructivist theory, while …

Psychiatric Clinicians’ Perspectives On Continuing Education (Ce) Programming In Rural Maine, Charles Michael Wakeling

All Theses And Dissertations

There are a variety of barriers that psychiatric clinicians face when attempting to attend continuing education programming. The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological research study was to explore continuing education practices within the health care industry, specifically mental health care, with a focus on psychiatric clinicians’ perspectives on continuing education programming in rural Maine. For the purposes of this research study, mental health care was inclusive of behavioral health care and substance abuse treatment. This study defined the term “psychiatric clinician” to be inclusive of social workers, counselors, and therapists. The participant pool was comprised of 37 psychiatric clinicians employed …

Relationship Of Block Scheduling To Student Achievement And Learning Activities, Kevin C. Roberts Jr.

All Theses And Dissertations

Increasingly over the last several decades, school districts turn to their schedules as tools to be leveraged to increase student achievement or to better deliver their educational program. Throughout the late 20th Century and early 21st Century, the exploration of the schedule as a tool for learning quickly turned to action as great movement was made to block scheduling from the traditional schedule. As quickly as action was taken to implement block scheduling, questions arose regarding its impact on student achievement. These questions have attempted to be addressed through a significant body of research conducted over the last twenty-five years. …

The Influences Of Teacher Self-Reflection Practices While Interacting With Families, Nena M. Cunningham

All Theses And Dissertations

Self-reflection in early childhood education is one reform effort that has taken hold in the education community. This study shares some of the findings of a qualitative study that explored how five teachers identified and implemented strategies of self-reflection, and how these strategies informed their practice. The purpose of this study was to better understand self-reflection and how it influences interactions with families. The theoretical framework originates in the works of Touchpoints® and Bandura, and applies a theoretical framework to give voice to the teachers within the context of their community action program. Four themes were culled from the data …

Out Of Sync: Analyzing The Paradoxical Impact Of Synchronous Learning In Distance Education, Benjamin David Luce

All Theses And Dissertations

Modern forms of distance education provide students and instructors with the ability to access their online experiences without being limited by time or place. Though this quality is convenient for many, the predominantly asynchronous nature of online learning creates transactional distance that challenges the depth of engagement between instructors and students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of technology-assisted synchronous transactional interventions on the social construction of knowledge created between instructors and their students in distance education. Research was conducted through a series of interviews with instructors who have used synchronous methods within their online …

Best Practices In Online Pedagogy: A Pearson Correlation Analysis Between Teaching Evaluation Scores And Transactional Distance Scores In Online Graduate Courses, William Angrove

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover how four universally recognized best practices in online pedagogy affected teaching evaluation scores in online graduate courses. The four best practices in online pedagogy are: Course Organization and Presentation, Learning Objectives and Assessments, Instructor-Student Interpersonal Interaction, and the Appropriate Use of Video or Multimedia. The researcher modified these best practices from the Jaggars and Xu (2016) Online Course Quality Rubric. The study utilized Dr. Michael G. Moore’s (1973) theory of transactional distance to understand the relationship between teaching evaluation scores and transactional distance. University instructional designers assessed and …

The Effects Of Teachers’ Self-Efficacy & A Positive Learning Environment On Marginal Students In Mainstream High School Settings, Renée E. Thompson

All Theses And Dissertations

Research from data and anecdotal research from high school students informs us that many traditional high schools are not able to meet the academic, as well as the social and emotional needs of all students, particularly marginal students. The purpose of this research study was to determine how high schools may support marginal students in achieving success by the implementation of teacher self-efficacy and a positive classroom environment. In addition, the research will articulate the critical role of teachers and how their impact shapes the future of their students. The research questions posed will identify what interventions and strategies teachers …

Teacher Preferences On Technology Use Using The Iteach Implementation Model: A Case Study In A Tanzanian Private School, Julia Keegan

All Theses And Dissertations

To advance both transformative school leadership skills and the use of ICT integration in this school, while aiming to enhance positive school change, this study used the iTEaCH (ICT-Technogogy-and-Collegiality) Implementation Model proposed by Choy (2013) to investigate, quantitatively, teacher perceptions of ICT use in a case study school in Tanzania. The iTEaCH Implementation Model provides focus on teachers’ choice of technology use, desire for technology use, pedagogy perceptions, and collegiality to identify gaps that might be used to inform teachers and school leaders of technology provision, professional development, and collegial support needs in the school.

Using a slightly modified version …

Technology-Based Family Education In Asl/English Bilingual Schools For The Deaf, Myriah L. Dixon

All Theses And Dissertations

More research on how ASL/English bilingual schools for the deaf educate hearing families to apply bilingual education methodology at home is warranted. Given the rising use of technology in schools, its role within these family education programs was the primary focus. Thirty-two participants from 22 different schools completed an online, researcher-developed survey. Follow-up, online interviews were conducted with 7 participants, and artifacts were collected from 10 schools. Qualitative and quantitative descriptions express the study’s results based on technology used as an informational and influential tool, counseling and coping tool, diversity tool, and program evaluation tool. Schools are using multiple forms …

Transformative Technology: Staff Perceptions, Attitudes, And Behaviors Related To The Use Of Learning Management Transformative Technologies, Misty Mcbrierty

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined how the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of staff relate to the effective use of transformative learning management technologies to support personalized/customized learning. Additionally, this study sought to understand the stories of individuals using the learning management system Empower as staff transformed to a personalized/customized culture. The conceptual framework focused on the disruptive technology necessary for personalized/customized learning.

Fifteen participants engaged in open-ended interviews, observations, sharing of artifacts, and the data was analyzed through coding transcripts into themes and summary concepts. The goal of the research was to analyze teacher experiences and perceptions using Empower to …

The Mathematical Disposition Of Middle School Students: An Examination Of Students’ Self-Concept Of Ability In Mathematics, Katrina Leigh Hall

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to answer the following research questions via the lens of social-constructivism: How do middle school students describe their self-concept of ability in math? What teacher/classroom interventions are recognized by students as having an impact on their self-concept of ability? This study specifically addressed the utilization of student voice and the need to recognize self-concept of ability as a separate academic domain in research. The purposeful sampling for this case study consisted of 10 eighth-grade middle school students who participated in both an online survey and a semi-structured interview. The major themes …

Evaluating College Biology Laboratory Accommodations For Students With Blindness And Visual Impairments, Barbara Rae Heard

All Theses And Dissertations

Studies show that active participation in science laboratory activities promotes student learning. However, students with blindness and visual impairments (BVI) often confront obstacles to active participation in the required activities of the college biology laboratory. Legislation requires institutions of higher education to provide accommodations for students with disabilities, yet the institutions must also maintain the academic integrity of their courses and programs. While college biology instructors provide specific accommodations, such as tactile models and audible devices, to enable active participation by students with BVI, they do so without research-supported guidelines for best practices. This mixed methods study sought to evaluate …

An Evaluation Of College Students’ Use Of Social Media In Nutrition Education For Lifestyle Behavior Changes, Cassandra Crawford-Ciglar

All Theses And Dissertations

Behavior change is a process. College students routinely have poor eating habits during a time of life that can negatively impact health outcomes for the adult years. While knowledge of nutrition is essential to promote health and wellness, other components are required to change behavior. Specifically, nutrition education must be paired with behavior change skills or goal setting strategies in order for a change to occur. In a college classroom setting, many examples of such strategies already exist. Literature supports evidence that interventions combining social media and behavior change techniques incorporating online social networks may be effective. The purpose of …

The Case For Explicit, Skills-Based Resilience Building Instruction, Michael B. Maschi

All Theses And Dissertations

The study of resilience in young children has captured the attention of many researchers over the last twenty years. A number of research questions about resilience have focused on the definition and use of the term, conditions under which resilience is likely to develop in children, the characteristics/traits associated with resilience, and how to best teach resilience. While there have been considerable advances in the ways that we think about and teach resilience, there is still much debate about how and when to teach resilience (Ashdown & Bernard, 2012). In addition, the procedures and methods used to provide scholarly explanations …

Addressing Student School Refusal Through Effective School, Family And Community-Based Interventions, Robert G. Lyons

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the factors causing school refusal and in-turn diagnose a school-based intervention designed to retain students. This study specifically addressed the use of a teacher mentor intervention for school refusal students as a means of improving attendance, academics, social and emotional well being and improve their overall mindset about school. The focus group for this study was 15 general education sophomore students enrolled in a resiliency program at a large suburban Massachusetts high school. These students selected for the resiliency intervention program met the following criteria: a) all participants are sophomores; …

Expanding Interprofessional Learning Opportunities: How Dental Hygiene Administrators And Faculty Perceive Interprofessional Education, Cristina Casa

All Theses And Dissertations

The health care system has undergone transformation, implementing an interprofessional approach to patient care. Professionals have formed collaborative practice groups that effectively respond to the intricacies of today’s medical industry. Dental hygienists are underemployed in these teams. This has a direct effect on dental hygiene academia because education is the basis for practice. Interprofessional education (IPE) has been proposed as the strategy to adequately address this issue; however, many dental hygiene programs do not focus on shared teaching and learning.

This mixed methodology study documented the perspectives of dental hygiene administrators and faculty at higher education institutions in the Northeast …

Middle School Teachers’ Perspectives On Promoting Effective Technology Integration, Yona Andrew Rose

All Theses And Dissertations

Technology integration reforms in education have increased in number and expectation throughout schools across the United States. Some instructors have experienced barriers with skill sets, attitudes, professional development opportunities, and collaboration time which have impacted their ability to model good practices. Pictures of qualified, confident teachers integrating technology into their classrooms with regularity and fidelity are unclear. Existing literature was reviewed regarding methods of increasing teacher comfort and knowledge related to technology integration so that the 21st Century Skills of critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication can be addressed in public schools. This research study explored what middle school teachers …

Online Learning And Academic Support Centers: How Synchronous Support Opportunities Affect Graduate Students’ Interaction With The Content, Henri Joseph Moser

All Theses And Dissertations

This study analyzed the effects of live academic support sessions on online graduate students’ interaction with the course content. This was accomplished through qualitative methods of data collection and analysis. In-depth interviews with eight purposely selected online graduate students provided the textual data. Through a systematic framework analysis of the data garnered through interview, it was found that students did perceive the live interactions as being especially effective in improving their interactions with the course content. Students partially attribute the effectiveness to connections made between the students and university stakeholders. This study also revealed that students recognize initial student distress …

Mooc Phenomenon: Building An Effective And Sustainable Program, Michelle M. Chan

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines critical processes of building an effective MOOC in the community college environment in support of workforce development education for those who are interested in exploring different careers or to improve upon existing skill sets and development/remedial education for incoming students. Five participants from community colleges were selected to participate in this study. They were identified as a purposive sample of community colleges that offer MOOCs and use different learning management systems that support MOOCs. Themes that emerged from interviews were: unanticipated global enrollment in MOOCs designed for local and regional audiences, challenges of designing and …

Faculty Members’ Perceptions Regarding The Role Of Assessment In Developmental Writing Courses, Doreen Danielson

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore teaching faculty members’ perceptions regarding how they design and implement writing assessments to evaluate Student Learning Outcomes in developmental English/writing courses. The study identified teaching faculty members’ pedagogical beliefs about the purposes of writing assessment and instructors’ attention to Student Learning Outcomes when designing assessment plans in developmental English/writing courses at a California community college. Using Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological approach, the study drew data from interviews with full-time faculty members at a Central Valley community college in California. Focusing on the participants’ experiences and perceptions about the purposes of assessment in developmental …

What Professional Development Practices Support The Successful Integration Of Technology Within A Standards-Based Educational (Sbe) System, Richard A. Green

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between K-12 teachers’ current technology skill level, their self-efficacy as teachers, and their attitude toward changes required to integrate 21st-century technologies into their classrooms. Twenty-five members of the teaching staff from a rural School Department in Maine participated. This study describes the following: (a) What is the relationship between teachers’ current skills/ability using technology and their attitude towards integrating 21st-century technologies in the classroom? (b) What is the relationship between teachers’ current self-efficacy towards using technology, and their capacity towards integrating 21st-century technologies in the classroom? and (c) What …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Achievement And Engagement In The Transition To High School, Laura Aguada-Hallberg

All Theses And Dissertations

This study sought to examine the extent that social-emotional learning of teachers and students impacts students’ transition from middle school to high school. Existing research indicates that by implementing specific transition programs for freshmen, the dropout rate is greatly reduced, academic achievement increases, and the ability to transition to life after high school improves. Crucial to any transition program is staffing these programs with teachers who understand their own social-emotional learning and make relationships with students a priority. The study answered four research questions: 1) what elements and characteristics of freshmen transition programs (specifically, summer bridge and freshman orientation) do …