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Full-Text Articles in Education

Teacher Retention: Perceptions Of Teachers And School Administration In Rural Schools In Nebraska, Andrew Offner Jan 2023

Teacher Retention: Perceptions Of Teachers And School Administration In Rural Schools In Nebraska, Andrew Offner

Dissertations and Theses

Teacher retention has become a major challenge for schools over the past several years. Rural school districts have become increasingly short on staff and are struggling to retain the staffs they have. The study had four purposes: (a) to determine teachers' perceptions of the factors leading to their retention, (b) to determine administrators' perceptions of the factors leading to teacher retention, (c) to determine differences in perceptions of teachers and administrators based on personal characteristics, and finally, (d), to determine the differences between teachers' and administrators' perceptions of factors retaining teachers in rural school districts. This quantitative study examined the …


From Mortars To Mortarboards: Military Veterans Transitioning From Active Duty To Higher Education, Joseph Alan Knoer Jan 2023

From Mortars To Mortarboards: Military Veterans Transitioning From Active Duty To Higher Education, Joseph Alan Knoer

Dissertations and Theses

Following the events of September 11, 2001, Student Veterans have emerged as “one of the fastest-growing subpopulations of nontraditional college students” (Schiavone & Gentry, 2014, p. 29). Military veterans transition from active-duty service into higher education and civilian life facing a variety of new challenges and experiences they are unprepared for. The focus of this study was to understand issues veterans face when transitioning from active-duty military service into higher education. Using transition theory, zoom interviews were conducted containing a series of open-ended questions to allow the student-veterans to share their experiences and perceptions of what it means to be …


Micro Credentialing For Teachers: A Case Study In Personalized Professional Development, Brad John Berens Jan 2023

Micro Credentialing For Teachers: A Case Study In Personalized Professional Development, Brad John Berens

Dissertations and Theses

Professional development for teachers must evolve to provide a personalized approach to better meet the needs of the individual. Micro-credentialing is one way to provide teachers with personalized professional development. This case study explores the implementation of a micro-credentialing course in one school district. The district selected a company that provides micro-credential courses nationwide. The theoretical framework for the study is Andragogy, the theory of adult learning (Knowles, 1984). The objective of the study is to determine to what extent micro-credentialing meets the needs of teachers, and to what extent it is effective professional development. Data for this qualitative study …


Establishing A Sense Of Community While Meeting The Needs Of Online Adjunct Instructors, Melissa Weber Jan 2023

Establishing A Sense Of Community While Meeting The Needs Of Online Adjunct Instructors, Melissa Weber

Dissertations and Theses

As online adjunct instructors continue to fill an instructional role and meet the needs of online learners, university leaders need to look for ways for professional development to increase online adjunct instructors’ sense of community and meet their diverse needs. The critical problem of this study recognized that online adjunct instructors have different needs than those of on campus faculty; these needs are not being met by traditional means currently used in university settings. Therefore, the overall goal of this qualitative phenomenological study sought to explore how university leaders could establish a sense of community while meeting the professional development …


Information Technology Security Concerns For University Workforce And Supporting Infrastructure During A Pandemic, Garrett Stevens Jan 2023

Information Technology Security Concerns For University Workforce And Supporting Infrastructure During A Pandemic, Garrett Stevens

Dissertations and Theses

Faculty and staff working from home during the COVID pandemic were presented with new challenges in adapting to emergency remote teaching, as well as new and expanded cyber security threats. Changes to course delivery, remote access from public locations, and the potential of faculty and staff storing confidential educational records on university-issued devices, and potentially personally owned devices, made faculty and staff prime targets of malicious attackers. Information technology departments were challenged to support and secure the remote workforce from new cyber threats to protect their faculty, staff, and students from cyber-attacks. The focus of this study was to identify …


Toward A Typology Of Internationalization Strategy: The Intersection Of External Environments With Universities’ Structures And Cultures, Eric D. Leise Jan 2023

Toward A Typology Of Internationalization Strategy: The Intersection Of External Environments With Universities’ Structures And Cultures, Eric D. Leise

Dissertations and Theses

This study explored the influence institutional cultures and structures have on a university’s internationalization strategy. It also accounted for the roles external forces, such as government policies and geopolitics, play in shaping internationalization strategies. The comparative case study between the United States, England, and Sweden were situated within the contextual framework of comprehensive internationalization developed by the American Council on Education (ACE) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Applying neoinstitutionalist theory of isomorphism, the case study revealed three typologies of internationalization strategies: idealist, realist, and pragmatist. The study’s findings provide scholars and practitioners with new tools and insights to right-size …


Identifying Barriers To The Longevity Of Athletic Coaching: A Case Study Of A National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Ross Douma Jan 2023

Identifying Barriers To The Longevity Of Athletic Coaching: A Case Study Of A National Association Of Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Ross Douma

Dissertations and Theses

Significant research regarding longevity existed for many professions. However, very little research was conducted on longevity for small college athletic coaches. This case study sought to identify barriers that affected athletic coaches who served at small colleges in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). Participants in this study were current head athletic coaches in the GPAC with at least 15 years of experience. The research concluded that each of the participants in the study was a transformational leader who desired to impact and influence young people beyond their sport. This study of eight athletic coaches revealed themes pertinent to coaching …


Native American Women Superintendents’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs During The Covid 19 Pandemic, Janet Jeannine Metzger Jan 2022

Native American Women Superintendents’ Self-Efficacy Beliefs During The Covid 19 Pandemic, Janet Jeannine Metzger

Dissertations and Theses

This multiple case study focused on three Native American women superintendents’ self-efficacy beliefs and the impact of the Indigenous culture on their decision making as they led their school district through the Covid 19 pandemic. Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory served as the underpinning theory of this study. The qualitative research design for the study relied on data gathered from individual interviews and written responses to journal prompts. All participants had at least two years of superintendent experience in public school districts during the time of the pandemic. The researcher analyzed the data through open coding/In Vivo coding. The data were …


Female Superintendents And Negotiations: A Phenomenological Study Of The Influence Of Gender In The Midwest, Kathryn R. Blaha Jan 2022

Female Superintendents And Negotiations: A Phenomenological Study Of The Influence Of Gender In The Midwest, Kathryn R. Blaha

Dissertations and Theses

Negotiation is a process wherein decisions are made between parties with different points of view and possibly conflicting interests (Caputo, 2019). Little is known about how women experience negotiation for salary and compensation. Studies associated with gender and negotiations have focused on the process or outcomes of the negotiation. While studies have identified a gender-based earnings gap, how women negotiate for compensation packages at the school superintendent level has not been studied. This qualitative Hermeneutical phenomenological study attempted to understand how female educational superintendents experience negotiations through description and meaning drawn from their lived experiences. By understanding how female school …


Building Administrator Preparation And Readiness To Lead Inclusive Practices For Special Education, Nikki Jo Whiting Jan 2022

Building Administrator Preparation And Readiness To Lead Inclusive Practices For Special Education, Nikki Jo Whiting

Dissertations and Theses

The role of the building administrator as the special education leader of inclusion is one of major importance when supporting students with disabilities. The building administrator may face a multitude of decisions dealing with areas of special education such as eligibility, least restrictive environment, services, discipline, and instruction. Being able to make special education decisions that demonstrate an inclusive focus while maintaining an equitable environment for all students is a challenge faced by many building administrator, regardless of experience. This study aimed to determine the perceptions of building administrators regarding their knowledge for leading inclusive practices for special education. This …


Identifying The Impact Of Online Toolkit Training On Paraprofessionals In Two Rural States, Kyle William Laughlin Jan 2022

Identifying The Impact Of Online Toolkit Training On Paraprofessionals In Two Rural States, Kyle William Laughlin

Dissertations and Theses

The need for more paraprofessionals is growing due to the increasing number of students who are qualifying for specialized educational support. In addition, paraprofessionals have been called upon to provide support in the general education setting in schools. This research study was designed to determine the impact of online paraprofessional training on paraprofessionals’ knowledge and perceived knowledge around supporting students with disabilities. The paraprofessional toolkit was first developed by using survey data and feedback from districts and building administrators, special education and general education teachers, and paraprofessionals. This study helped identify what numerous content areas that resulted in paraprofessionals knowledge …


Emergency Preparedness And Response Protocol In South Dakota Public Schools, George A. Seiler Jan 2022

Emergency Preparedness And Response Protocol In South Dakota Public Schools, George A. Seiler

Dissertations and Theses

Providing a safe and secure learning environment is one of the most important components of being a superintendent. This quantitative study examined school superintendent perceptions of safety and the importance of four emergency crisis components, prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery in the state of South Dakota. The study was included 147 school public school districts in South Dakota and two school districts were excluded because they were only K-8 school districts. The study also investigated the relationship of school size and its affect on school safety based on superintendent perceptions of the four components of emergency crisis plans. The results …


Supporting Teachers Through Standardized Testing: Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Erica Neeves Dec 2021

Supporting Teachers Through Standardized Testing: Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Erica Neeves

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, standardized assessment has played a major role in the American school system. Standardized testing, sometimes referred to as high-stakes testing, is a measure to ensure accountability and equity. One standardized test, the NWEA MAP assessment, is used to measure growth and proficiency. When students complete the assessment, they receive a Rasch UnIT (RIT) score and a prediction of growth for the next time they take the assessment, as well as a projection of whether or not they are on track for that expected growth (NWEA, 2021). The purpose of this study was to explore teacher perceptions of …


Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Insights From Middle School Teachers, Julie Hatling Dec 2021

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Insights From Middle School Teachers, Julie Hatling

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout their careers, teachers seek professional growth opportunities to continually improve their craft. This quest has resulted in various learning experiences for teachers that have impacted their practice in differing ways. Bayar (2014) writes that schools traditionally provide training for teachers, professional development (PD), to help in-service teachers grow as professionals. To gain further insight into the topic of teacher PD, this narrative inquiry sought to obtain a better understanding of PD based on teachers’ perceptions of their past PD experiences and how those experiences impacted their professional practice. This study was guided by a central question and sub-questions. The …


Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle Mar 2018

Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle

School of Education Research Center

USD’s yearlong Teacher Residency Program involves teacher candidates in a full year of teaching experience incorporated into their four-year program. This report examines the effect of two semesters of student teaching over a traditional one-semester model on teacher candidates’ confidence in culturally responsive pedagogy. Students reported much greater preparedness both to design and to implement instruction that incorporates students’ readiness, background, and culture, among other factors.


Supportive Residency Instructors: University Of South Dakota’S Teacher Residency Program, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle Jan 2018

Supportive Residency Instructors: University Of South Dakota’S Teacher Residency Program, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle

School of Education Research Center

USD’s yearlong Teacher Residency Program involves teacher candidates in a full year of teaching experience incorporated into their four-year program. Residency instructors serve as coaches and mediators when issues arise, but they also provide timely instruction on such topics as classroom management, educational assessment, and others. Students in the residency program strongly agree that USD’s residency instructors support their instructional growth, assist them in overcoming challenging situations, and provide support and feedback to succeed.


Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Instructional Technology, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle Dec 2017

Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Instructional Technology, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle

School of Education Research Center

USD’s yearlong Teacher Residency Program involves teacher candidates in a full year of teaching experience incorporated into their four-year program. This report examines the impact of the added semester of teaching experience on teacher candidates’ confidence to intentionally integrate technology with content and pedagogy. USD’s teach candidates indicated much greater confidence after a year-long residency than after a traditional single-semester student teaching experience.


Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Classroom Management, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle Dec 2017

Usd Teacher Residency Program Impact: Classroom Management, Ben Schaap, Amy Schweinle, Karen J. Kindle

School of Education Research Center

USD’s yearlong Teacher Residency Program involves teacher candidates in a full year of teaching experience incorporated into their four-year program. This report examines the effect of two semesters of student teaching over a traditional one-semester model. Students’ confidence in classroom management greatly increased with the added semester.