Education Commons^™

More Than Athletes: Do Student Athletes Perform Better Academically In Their Respective Competitive Season?, Kristiina Michele Castagnola

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to analyze the grade point averages of student athletes in their competitive season versus their “off” season. This study also provides suggestions to Rowan University on how they can better support their student athlete’s academic success. This research study used surveys and a quantitative data analysis to analyze the grade point averages of the student athletes. The participants in this research study were student athletes that attended Rowan University in the 2021-2022 academic school year and had completed one full academic year. The most significant data collected was that student athletes do not …

Neurodivergent College Students And Therapy Dogs In Higher Education, Georgia Jean Majka

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine neurodivergent students in higher education and their experience with The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program at Rowan University to investigate whether therapy dogs reduce anxiety levels and provide relaxation. In addition, this study provides recommendations for The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy program at Rowan University to promote the program and its purpose on campus. These resources are important when discussing the neurodivergent student population in higher education, which this research study discusses, based on previous research and the results found from this quantitative approach. This study also makes recommendations for Rowan University …

Perceptions Of Tattoos And Piercings In Higher Education, Diane Elizabeth Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to examine the perceptions of faculty and staff at Rowan University towards professionals with visible body modifications (VBM), specifically tattoos and piercings, in higher education. Five main research questions were addressed: (i) What are the attitudes towards professionals with VBM at Rowan University? (ii) How might the display of VBM affect Rowan University’s values and objectives? (iii) How are professionals with VBM perceived by hiring managers at Rowan? (iv) In what ways do perceptions differ across campus units at Rowan University regarding professionals with VBM? (v) What kind of environment does staff and faculty at Rowan University …

Case Study: Reading Multicultural Literature To An Emergent Reader In The Home, Kiyna Twisdale

Theses and Dissertations

This case study was conducted to find what happens when a parent reads multicultural books to their young child at home. The qualitative data collected was used to determine the child’s reactions to the similarities and differences between them and the characters, as well as how multicultural books can be used to address sensitive topics and complex themes in the home. A caregiver, the researcher, collected data from read aloud sessions with her five-year old daughter. After reading seven multicultural books together, the research found that the child was able to make simple and concrete connections with the physical appearance …

Using Literature Circles To Strengthen The Overall Literacy Skills And Reading Performance Of Emergent Bilingual Students, Shannon A. Pruett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of literature circles on strengthening the literacy skills and reading performance of two emergent bilingual students. As guided reading groups help reinforce students’ ability to read, it is key to implement additional instructional strategies that will assist in improving emergent bilingual students’ reading, writing, and language skills. Harvey Daniels (2002) described literature circles as an effective classroom tool in supporting the overall literacy skills of emergent bilingual students: “Young bilingual children, no matter what their linguistic background, are able to have rich discussions if they have regular opportunities to engage …

The Influence Inclusive Literature Circles With Multicultural Literature Has On The Self-Efficacies Of 4th Grade Students With Disabilities, Brianna Norcross

Theses and Dissertations

This study seeks to determine what happens to fourth grade students with disabilities reading self-efficacies when they participate in inclusive literature circles with multicultural literature. The purpose of this teacher research was to investigate strategies to improve reading self-efficacies of students with disabilities, investigating what would happen if students with disabilities were placed heterogeneously with their peers while reading books with characters with disabilities and how that influenced their reading self-efficacies. Four students with a disability were integrated with their general education peers in their inclusive classroom to participate in literature circles for four weeks. The multicultural books were books …

Campus Safety And The Impact Of Emergency Alert Systems, Madelyn Elliott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand the impact emergency alert systems have on campus safety for Rowan University members using a quantitative survey. With a need to examine how universities and campus communities react to emergency scenarios, this study will focus on the reactions of those at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey and how they respond to emergency alerts. Through the research completed, we will look into how community members of Rowan University view their safety on the Glassboro campus, the effectiveness of Rowan’s emergency alert systems, when Rowan sends out the emergency alerts, and how …

Multicultural Mentor Texts In 2nd Grade Writer’S Workshop, Ellen R. Carbonaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the utilization of relevant multicultural mentor texts during writer’s workshop instruction in the second-grade classroom. The specific aim is to understand how students relate these diverse texts to their development of literacy skills. This study is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of culturally relevant education and reader response theory. Upon data triangulation analysis, the following themes were identified: 1. Multicultural Literature Promoted Engagement with Literacy, 2. Multicultural Mentor Texts as a Guide for Writing, and 3. Writing as a Social Practice within the Writer’s Workshop Model. Implications regarding the …

Leading Department Causes Of Acculturative Stress Among International Students At A South Jersey Public Institution, Meagan Kathleen Mcferren

Theses and Dissertations

The study in this paper was conducted at Rowan University, a South Jersey public institution founded in 1923. The purpose of this study was to collect data regarding various university departments that might cause and affect acculturative stress in international students and determine which area has the greatest impact on the students’ stress levels at the university. During the 2022-23 academic year, I distributed an anonymous online survey to the majority of Rowan international and domestic students, both undergraduate and graduate, to better understand their perspectives of specific campus resources and departments. In this paper, I state my questions as …

Representation In Higher Education: Does Representation Matter To Black And Hispanic Students, James Wright

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to investigate if there is a correlation between minority students retention and encountering, whether through teaching a course or having an advisor, minority faculty. Moreover, the study investigated how the minority students felt on a predominantly white campus. The subjects included were freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior students who resided on-campus at Rowan University. The students data and information will be collected via an online survey. The findings of the data will consider the attitudes of minority students and if they feel that their experience would be different if they had more minority faculty …

Using Dual-Language Texts To Support Literacy For Emergent Bilingual Students, Amanda Dranchak

Theses and Dissertations

This paper provides a qualitative account of how linguistically inclusive curriculums can enhance literacy instruction. The specific aim of this study is to explore the impact on literacy instruction of emergent bilingual students when the curriculum includes dual-language texts. Methods of data collection include student interviews, text discussions, student work, and student self-assessments. The findings show that the dual language literature positively affected the emergent bilingual students. Students enjoyed increased levels of engagement and a high level of confidence in their reading abilities. The research demonstrates the value of a culturally and linguistically inclusive instructional environment. With the inclusion of …

The Effects That Spaces And Places Of Campus Have On Undergraduate Students, Ashley Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Student sense of belonging on campus is changing post COVID-19 pandemic, and this is because the way students utilize spaces on campus has evolved. Facilities on campus can impact the way students feel they belong based on how the spaces are set up and where students go in between classes (Samura, 2018). This study investigated the relationship between providing accessible, specific physical spaces and the participants' perception of student belonging. Undergraduate students enrolled full time at Rowan University were interviewed to collect data, and a qualitative research approach was used to analyze the data. Results conclude that there is a …

Exploring New Jersey’S Middle And High School Health Educators’ Decision-Making On Sti Content And Instruction: A Qualitative Collective Case Study, Brianne Siderio

Theses and Dissertations

STIs in youth in New Jersey is a growing concern. According to New Jersey’ Public Health Data Resource (2020), the total number of STIs in youth from age 15-24 totals 19,698. The current STIs-related sex education programs vary widely in New Jersey in terms of scope, the accuracy of content, emphasis, and effectiveness (Thrive New Jersey Coalition, 2019). Therefore, students may have quite different levels of awareness on the prevention of STIs. The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to explore the Θ (theta) (Stake, 1995) of the “why” and “how” of health educators’ decisions in designing STI …

Student Engagement Through Programming At Four-Year Institutions, Sydney Hartman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to quantitatively examine the ways in which student engagement is utilized on the Glassboro campus at Rowan University and how it has impacted the overall development of undergraduate students enrolled in the Fall of 2022 and Spring of 2023. Utilizing Qualtrics, a 14-question survey was distributed to all enrolled students starting in December of 2022 and ending in February of 2023. This survey contained questions that surveyed the population demographically and asked how frequent they attend various programs on-campus. The survey data was then analyzed to better understand students’ perceptions of the current programming …

Exploring Self-Authorship Development Among First-Generation Latinx College Undergraduates Who Participate In A Summer Bridge Program, Alexis Manuel Delgado

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to explore self-authorship theory through the insights and experiences of first-generation Latinx undergraduate students who completed a summer bridge program. This qualitative critical single case study focused on participants' unique experiences during a state-funded summer bridge program at a public 4-year institution in New Jersey. This study found how participants summer experiences offered students the opportunity to begin to question, rethink, and reshape their own beliefs, values, or knowledge. Findings from this study suggest that students' experiences during the summer elicited a form of dissonance that helped them develop confidence, empathy, college culture …

Coach Leadership Counts And Civic Mindedness Matters, Sarah L. Sharpe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this sequential exploratory study was to investigate how New Jersey public high school coaches who self-report transformational leadership traits may potentially influence the development of civic mindedness in their respective student-athletes. Three main research questions were posed regarding coaches’ transformational leadership practices, their roles in the development of students’ civic mindedness, and connections between the two. It was posited that the behavior of coaches can have a significant effect on the student-athletes that participate on their teams. The theoretical lens of transformational leadership permeates this research. A mixed-methods approach was utilized. Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Practices Inventory …

New Jersey Community Colleges: Is There A Relationship Between Part Time Faculty And Student Success?, Gerald Maxmilian Slusher

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing number of part time instructors in the community college professorate combined with low student retention and graduation rates makes research into part time faculty and student success highly germane. My dissertation investigated if higher ratios of adjunct faculty were related to student retention, certificate/degree attainment, and transfer without a credential while accounting for institutional, student body, and county characteristics. The dissertation was limited to New Jersey community colleges to eliminate differences in state policies. The sector was examined over 12 academic years yielding 228 data points arrayed into three panel models to run 12 regressions.

Using results from …

Rowan University Full-Time Instructors’ Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Neurodiversity And Neurodivergent Undergraduate Students, Serena Powell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use quantitative research methods to better understand the knowledge and attitudes that full-time instructors of undergraduate students at Rowan University have regarding the concept of neurodiversity and neurodivergent students. The sample consisted of 97 full-time instructors of undergraduate students at Rowan University. Participants completed an online survey about their knowledge and feelings regarding the concept of neurodiversity, participation in neurodiversity-related professional development, knowledge and attitudes regarding neurodivergent students and accommodations, and knowledge of support resources on campus. Overall, the findings showed that full-time instructors of undergraduate students at Rowan University have high levels …

The Effects Of Scientific Inquiry On The Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Students Regarding Teaching Science As Inquiry, Jaclyn M. Todd

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the course, Scientific Inquiry, significantly increased the self-efficacy beliefs of its students. According to Bandura (1977), an increase in self-efficacy could increase the likelihood that teachers implement scientific inquiry in their classrooms. I explored self-efficacy in an effort to address the overarching problem, an overall inconsistency of inquiry teaching in classrooms. There are numerous benefits associated with the implementation of scientific inquiry in today's classrooms. A key question then to investigate was whether the experience students gain by taking the course Scientific Inquiry can alter student self-efficacy beliefs which could increase …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Use And Implementation Of Online Learning In Secondary Career And Technical Education Programs, Jared C. Morris

Theses and Dissertations

The Covid-19 pandemic fundamentally altered the course of education and this is no more evident than in the world of Career and Technical Education (CTE). When the education world was thrust into the remote learning environment, CTE instructors were forced to discover ways to provide students in their programs with high-quality learning experiences without the ability to conduct the hands-on learning experiences that are the hallmark of CTE programs. As we have moved into an endemic stage, a significant opportunity exists in finding ways to create improved methods of instruction in CTE programs that provide students with enhance learning experiences …

Evolving Literacy Practices In The Vocational-Technical High School Classroom: How Critical Literacy Frameworks Enhance Learning And Increase Student Reading Success In Cte, Alice A. Infranco

Theses and Dissertations

This paper provides a qualitative account of how Critical Literacy instruction fosters reading growth in vocational-technical school settings. This study examines how critical literacy enriches learning outcomes within Career and Technical Education (CTE). The findings are that Critical Literacy skills are necessary for all readers because they positively affect student engagement and participation in learning, especially if presented in a way that allows students to have an active role in their learning. Examples of how to integrate Critical Literacy instruction into CTE classrooms are presented and discussed. These instructional practices go beyond traditional reading comprehension skills. The conclusion is that …

Integrating Multiliteracies In A Third Grade Classroom To Enhance Student Engagement And Motivation, Rebecca K. Mcdonough

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to investigate the growth in student motivation and engagement through a multiliteracy lens. The specific aim is to explore what happens when a traditional writing unit is replaced with a multiliteracy writing unit that utilizes multimodal components. The students demonstrated changes in how they perceived themselves as writers and how they viewed writing in general. The implications for teaching writing with a multiliteracy approach is also discussed.

Support For Alternative Route (Ar) Teachers In The New Jersey Public School System, Ashanti N. Holley

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the researcher explored the perceptions that New Jersey content specialized, alternate route (AR) teachers had about the support provided to them by those in their educational support system (administrators, mentors, peers, students, parents, and others) in their first five years of service. Thirteen (N=13) female individuals participated in a qualitative research design study. The researcher interviewed this selected group of participants to answer two inter-related research questions: 1) To what extent do the alternative route, content specialized, female teachers perceive support from their educational support environment; and 2) To what extent do the alternative route, content specialized, …

Middle School Teacher Methods For Cultivating Student Autonomy: A Plc Case Study During Covid-19, Denis Ryan Lafferty

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this PLC-informed qualitative interview case study was to explore middle school teacher methods for cultivating student autonomy and the rationale behind their instructional choices. Here, student autonomy was defined as learners taking ownership of their academic performance and scholastic responsibilities (Holec, 1981). The unforeseen emergence of COVID-19 impacted the format of this study and provided a rare opportunity for a six-week, nine-member professional learning community (PLC) focusing on the topic of student autonomy. A survey questionnaire, PLC transcripts, and 30-minute semi-structured qualitative exit interviews underwent thematic coding analysis to place teacher responses in the context of predominant …

High School Principal's Perception And Experience With Student Voice And Youth-Adult Partnerships, James D. Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

High school principals can foster student voice (SV) and youth-adult partnerships (YAP) while leading their students towards being engaged and informed citizens in our democracy. It is critical to understand the advantages and opportunities high school principals have in listening to and partnering with their students. It is also critical to understand the challenges facing high school principals in their journey towards SV and YAP. A qualitative multicase study of 10 high school principals from across the nation was used to understand the perception and experiences of high school principals in the area of SV and YAP. In addition, this …

Transitioning To A One Stop Student Services Center At A Community College: A Mixed Methods Approach To Analyzing Student Satisfaction With Advising Services, Heather M. Keith

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory, sequential mixed methods study was to understand and explore students' perceptions of advising services before, during, and after an institution has transitioned to a One Stop Student Services Center. The research compared pre-existing data obtained from the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory results between the years of 2014, 2016, and 2018 to student interviews conducted in spring of 2021. The reason that this method was chosen is because the researcher wanted to understand more why students rated their academic advising experience as they had when they responded to the RNL-SSI. Overall, students expressed increased …

Collegiate Recovery Programs Serving As An Opportunity For Student Affairs, Marium Waqar

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) at Rowan University and the effects it had on the recovery student population. The study was designed to ask questions that would yield results about the effectiveness of the current CRP on Rowan's campus. Previous research indicates a need for more awareness about CRPs, and professionals in higher education need to be knowledgeable about students in recovery and their invisible disability. Findings suggest some Rowan students in recovery do not feel supported on campus, but many of them are not even aware of the resources that …

Meeting Them At "Tha" Crossroads: Examining General Education Teachers' Knowledge And Understanding Of Reaching And Teaching Black Boys With Disabilities, Benita Kluttz-Drye

Theses and Dissertations

Black boys with disabilities struggle in general education classrooms throughout the United States and face challenges and barriers regarding access, success, and equity. Educators must better understand how these students learn and create equitable opportunities by leveraging students' cultures, strengths, and knowledge. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods research study is to examine teachers' knowledge and understanding of enacting culturally responsive tenets. Four theoretical frameworks are used: Culturally Responsive Teaching (Gay, 2002b, 2018), Ethic of Care (Noddings, 2012), Differentiated Instruction (Tomlinson et al., 2003; Tomlinson, 2017), and Disability Studies and Critical Race Theory (Annamma et al., 2013). The …

Tutoring In A Liminal Space: Writing Center Tutors' Understandings And Applications Of Translingual And Anti-Racist Practices, Sharada Krishnamurthy

Theses and Dissertations

Despite presenting themselves as supportive, student-centered spaces that help writers and writing at all levels, writing centers, due to their monolingual bias and adherence to "standard" American English (SAE) norms, fail to support and include the language practices of all students, in particular, students of color (Grimm, 2009; Greenfield, 2019; Salem, 2014). To address this problem, the Midlantic writing center embarked on transforming their writing center to a more inclusive and socially just space. This ethno-case study, informed by translanguaging as a critical theory and pedagogy, explored the Midlantic writing center tutors' understanding of translingual and anti-racist practices, and their …

Combat On And Off The Battlefield: A Mixed Methods Study Exploring How New Jersey Air And Army National Guard Undergraduates Persist Academically Through Crisis, Ariel J. Gilbert

Theses and Dissertations

New Jersey Air and Army National Guard (NJAANG) undergraduate students endure multiple transitions throughout their academic career. In 2020, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic caused numerous activations and manning demands for the NJAANG population, further stressing coping methods. Using the follow-up, explanatory sequential mixed methods research design and Schlossberg's Transition Theory, I explored the academic persistence of the NJAANG undergraduate student population to better understand how and why NJAANG undergraduate students were able to persist through the heightened number of transitions during the COVID-19 health crisis. As an often-invisible group on campus, this study uncovered that NJANNG students were best …