Education Commons^™

The Influence Of Nature Relatedness On Decision Making Regarding Mate Selection In College-Educated Young Adults, Nicole Lynn Kras

Educational Studies Dissertations

Research to date has mainly focused on the influence of nature relatedness on a person’s subjective well-being (Nisbet, 2011) and as a predictor of happiness (Zelenski & Nisbet, 2014). There are few, if any, studies that look at the influence of nature relatedness on mate selection. The research question is Does nature relatedness influence mate selection in college-educated adults between the ages of 25 and 40? A secondary goal of this study is to begin to describe the role of the natural environment in the lives of college-educated young adults. Through a modified snowball sampling technique using electronic mail and …

A Mirror Of Recognition: How The Empathetic Relationship Between Dusty Springfield And Her Not-Straight Fans Facilitates Their Identity Development, Nancy J. Young

Educational Studies Dissertations

This multi-case qualitative study explores the phenomenon of identity development of not-straight (more traditionally labeled as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and/or queer) fans through their attachment to British popular singer Dusty Springfield as a fan-object. A purposefully selected sample of four fans, aged 21-45, two male and two female, from the United Kingdom and the United States, were interviewed. The interdisciplinary conceptual framework of the study combines the fields of identity development, fan studies, and psychological theories related to projection.

The themes that emerge from the data suggest that Dusty Springfield’s emotional music draws the listener into fandom and that the …

Creating A Learning Environment To Increase Early Adolescent Motivation: A Dissertation, Mark Logan

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study focuses on early adolescent motivation in school. It is an inquiry that seeks to understand the factors that contribute to students’ engagement in their learning through student and teacher perceptions. I examined significant research often cited as impacting motivation, including early adolescent development, middle school structures, transitions, student/teacher relationships, and parental involvement. I surveyed 345 sixth grade students on their perceptions of their own learning, thoughts, and behaviors. Participating students attended schools with various middle school age configurations, including K-8, K-12, 5-8, and 6-8. Schools represented public and charter public schools and were located in urban, suburban, and …

Authority, Leadership, And Peacemaking: The Role Of The Diasporas: A Pilot Study Of A Group Relations Conference: A Dissertation, Tracy Wallach

Educational Studies Dissertations

Research suggests that conflicts are much more likely to re-ignite in societies which have large Diaspora communities in the United States. This study examines the role of American Jewish, Arab, and other Middle Eastern Diaspora communities in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and addresses the generally neglected role of trauma and emotions in perpetuating conflict.

The project employed group relations conference methodology to conduct the inquiry. A group relations lens allows one to look at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at multiple levels: on the psychological level (looking at issues of trauma, identity, collective narrative, emotions and unconscious processes); on the social level (looking …

Care, Culture, And Education Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Care And Culture: Implications For Practice, Pauline Rita Wright

Educational Studies Dissertations

Today's nurses work and live in a multicultural society where they encounter patients whose backgrounds are different from theirs, and who need care from nurses who are both proficient in their work and knowledgeable about the role that culture plays in patient treatment. In this study, 45 student nurses enrolled in a baccalaureate program at a northeastern urban college completed a survey about their perceptions of care and culture including their relevance and application to the practice of nursing. Findings based on qualitative analyses indicated that parents and family were instrumental in students' learning about care and a combination of …

Hearing Whiteness, Seeing Race: Women Leaders Give Visibility To Their White Identity: A Dissertation, Ann Moritz

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study investigates what it means for women leaders to identify as White. The purpose is to examine a sense of racial identity and how that identity affects a sense of self as a leader. Twelve women answered questions from a designed interview protocol in two settings that occurred approximately four weeks apart.

Relational Fathering: How Fathering Sons Affects Men's Relational Growth And Development: A Dissertation, Carol Watson-Philips

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore how fathering sons impacts men's relational growth and development. This qualitative study examines the meaning fathers make of their experience and describes their process of growth and development in connection with their sons. Twenty, mostly middle-class fathers, ages thirty-three to forty-six with sons ranging from one year to twelve years, were interviewed. Relational-Cultural Theory provides a theoretical framework. A grounded theory approach, a constructivist lens, and feminist analysis and research methods are employed. The data reveal that the fathers' connection with their sons and their perceptions of their sons' unconditional love …

Finding Voice: Exploring Possibilities Of Healing In Conversations On An Event Of Collective Mass Violence Between Self And Other - An Interaction Between Indian And Pakistani Youth On The 1947 Partition: A Dissertation, Meenakshi Chhabra

Educational Studies Dissertations

Are there alternatives to using violence between groups that have a history of collective mass violence between them? This is the underlying concern motivating the study: This concern is guided by my personal experience as a third generation Indian, growing up on stories of the 1947 India-Pakistan partition. The 1947 Partition was an event of collective mass violence between Hindus and Muslims. The two countries have since been "enemies." Despite the death and displacement of millions across the border, the event of partition, has been largely kept outside the public discourse. All that remains are personal stories of brutality about …

What Archetypes Of Representation Do Children Between The Ages Of Four And Seven Employ When Creating Route Maps Of Familiar Interior Spaces?, Christine G. Price

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study investigated the symbols of representation young children choose to incorporate when they draw route maps of familiar interior spaces, based on the premise that development of map-making skills might unfold in much the same stage-like manner as the development of the ability to draw the human figure. In this investigation, children between the ages of 4 and 7 enrolled in a small independent elementary school were each asked to draw a map showing the route a person unfamiliar to the school would take to travel from the child's classroom to the school gymnasium. Strategies during map-making were noted; …

A Qualitative Study Examining The Leadership Of The Executive Board Of The Black Ministerial Alliance Of Greater Boston, Joanne Lynn Allen-Willoughby

Educational Studies Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine leadership in the faith-based community from the perspective of six members of the Executive Board of the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston. Using portraiture methodology the research qualitatively examined leadership through the lived experiences of four male, and two female members of the board by: • defining leadership. • examining the role of the Black Church as an institution. • investigating the personal and professional influences that affect leadership. • examining the role the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston as an organization has on ones leadership. • determining what, in …

Meaning Making And Positive Development With Adolescent Girls: Using The Arts, Community, Reflections, And Service, J. Eva Nagel

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study explores the essential factors needed in adolescent youth programs, which intend to promote resilience, well being, and meaning making as a part of the healthy development of adolescent girls. The research explores the role of the arts, community building, mentoring, service, and reflection on this development. The context is Side by Side, a summer leadership development program. In a qualitative case study approach, the data is organized primarily from the written and spoken words of seven young women who participated in the program .

Portraits Of Leadership: Relationships Among Gender, Age, And Creativity, Diane Caton Desrosiers

Educational Studies Dissertations

This Portraits of Leadership research focuses on using children's artwork to study girls' perceptions of leadership. 244 school age children were asked to draw their image of a leader and to write descriptions of why they chose this person as a leader. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to determine the relationships among gender, age, and creativity and choice of leader in drawing and written descriptions. Results indicate that, though both girls and boys chose males as leaders more often than females, girls' portraits conformed to the literature regarding gender roles and traditional leadership styles. Implications are suggested for educational …

A Case Study In Museum Change: Power, Authority And Community Connected Exhibitions, Marilyn Cathy Solvay, Ph.D.

Educational Studies Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation is a study of museum change and examines the power of objects along with the authority of traditional exhibitions and the development of community-connected exhibitions. Community-connected exhibitions are explored to provide insight into reshaping the museum organization into a multicultural institution.

Method: A case study of a community-connected exhibition, "Becoming Americans: The Shapiro Story: 1898-1928," was conducted at Strawberry Banke, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, an outdoor history museum. Interviews were held with 25+ project participants: museum staff project team members, Shapiro family members, community members at large, and representatives from other community cultural institutions. This qualitative research project …

Information Literacy: An Issue Of Equity For New Majority Students, Lana Webb Jackman

Educational Studies Dissertations

Educating over 49% of those who attend higher education, public colleges and universities must assume a more dynamic leadership role during this societal transformation if New Majority students are to develop the intellectual skills required to compete effectively in today's marketplace. By adopting an information literacy culture, public higher education can foster the intellectual empowerment needed by New Majority students to evolve into competent life-long learners and contributors to American life and the world at large.

Including Elders' Voices: A Model For Gerontology Curriculum Design In Higher Education, Marilyn Rose Gelish-Gugliucci

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study has proposed a new model for gerontology curriculum design. The model involves elders at two levels: designing gerontology courses/programs and participating in the students' learning experiences… The proposed curriculum model is framed within progressive and confluent curriculum ideologies: thereby, supporting experiential learning, personal growth, integration of attitudes, feelings, emotions, and relevance.

Narrating Gender: Children's Responses To Gender Roles Depicted In Orally Told Folk Tales And Other Traditional Stories, Robin Ann Mello

Educational Studies Dissertations

This qualitative investigation was based on grounded and feminist methodology and examined the reactions of ten fourth grade students to the gender roles depicted in orally told folk tales. Data consisted of surveys, writing samples, and interviews, collected in both mixed and single gender groups. Data were transcribed and coded using open and axial procedures. This study finds that heroes were valued for their aggression, strength, and warrior status while heroines were appreciated for their intelligence, caring, and endurance. Boys highly valued warrior like behavior. Girls, on the other hand, had a difficult time equating the value of 'gender bending' …

The Role And Impact Of Leaders' Mental Models In Effecting Planned Transformational Change, Stephen C. Rathmill

Educational Studies Dissertations

Presidents and CEOs play a critical role in leading their organizations through planned transformational change (PTC) and generally, do not do it very well. This may, in part, be a result of leaders not closely examining and challenging their thinking about PTC and their role in leading it. Leaders' mental models determine what and how they think about their organizations, employees, transformational change and what their leadership means and how their mental models determine their actions and behaviors in planning and implementing PTC. By examining and challenging their mental models, leaders may gain insights into alternative ways of leading and …

Gender And Leadership: Men And Women's Stories, Barbara A. Karanian

Educational Studies Dissertations

This study investigates gender and leadership.

Midlife Experience Of Contemporary Women Views Along The Midway, Paula Deangelis Panchuck

Educational Studies Dissertations

Examines the experience of midlife and the expectations of midlife and aging of 22 Caucasian, African American, Latina, Chinese, and Asian-Indian midlife women, ages 40 to 60, who differ in sexual orientation, income, employment, marital and parenting status. Influenced by social and family expectations for women in their early years, most women expected midlife would include husband, home and family. The women describe midlife as positive and fulfilling, disclaim the relevance of "midlife crisis" to their lives and report higher levels of self-confidence, self-reliance and self-understanding. Tempered by an awareness of imperfect circumstances in their lives and compassion for their …