Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 59

Full-Text Articles in Education

Female Superintendents’ Perspectives About The Preparation, Experiences, And Challenges Important To Secure A Superintendent Position, Erin Fasel Jan 2023

Female Superintendents’ Perspectives About The Preparation, Experiences, And Challenges Important To Secure A Superintendent Position, Erin Fasel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of female representation and gender imbalance in the superintendent position nationwide has been a focus of scholars for many years. Researchers have demonstrated that females have the experiences, preparations, and expertise necessary but are not securing the superintendent position at the same rate as their male counterparts, causing a disproportionate representation in the superintendent position nationwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of female superintendents on the challenges, preparation, and experiences important for females to succeed in attaining a superintendent position in a large southwestern state. The social cognitive career theory was used to …


First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler Jan 2023

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …


Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney Jan 2023

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers’ perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to obtain primary teachers’ perceptions regarding how instructional components of the WRFP challenged or strengthened their instructional practices with assisting struggling readers gaining proficiency. Engelmann’s theory of instruction, Orton-Gillingham’s approach, and Engestrom’s activity theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Fifteen K-3rd grade teachers who implemented WRFP and …


First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler Jan 2023

First-Generation College Graduates’ Perceptions Of Participating In Required Academic Advising Sessions For Degree Completion, Frances Paige Fowler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many first-generation students enter college underprepared, leading them to face challenges that include failure to persist to degree completion. Empirical literature informs how academic advising programs help students persist to degree completion; however, a literature gap exists related to how regularly required academic advising programs influence students to persist to degree completion. This basic qualitative study provides insight into the perceptions of first-generation college graduates regarding how their regularly required academic advising sessions helped them to persist to degree completion. The conceptual framework is Tinto’s theory of student retention, which addresses students’ academic and social integration. Eight first-generation college graduates …


Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney Jan 2023

Primary Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Wilson Reading Fundations Program For Struggling Readers, Kianga Tene Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers’ perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to obtain primary teachers’ perceptions regarding how instructional components of the WRFP challenged or strengthened their instructional practices with assisting struggling readers gaining proficiency. Engelmann’s theory of instruction, Orton-Gillingham’s approach, and Engestrom’s activity theory were the theoretical frameworks that guided this study. Fifteen K-3rd grade teachers who implemented WRFP and …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar Jan 2023

Teacher And Administrator Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Instructional Coaching, Judith Salazar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching focuses on increasing the effectiveness of instructional practices. However, little is known concerning the perceptions of teachers and administrators regarding the role of instructional coaching related to student performance. This basic qualitative study was conducted to analyze the perceptions of administrators and teachers within one region in Texas. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 participants—eight administrators and eight teachers—using a researcher-designed questionnaire regarding the effectiveness of instructional coaching in addressing achievement gaps among African American, Hispanic, and European American students. Fullan’s coherence framework provided the basis for data analysis. Data collected from the interviews were analyzed and four …


Principals’ And Coaches’ Perspectives On Leadership Practices And Instructional Coaching, Shona Sandlin Jan 2022

Principals’ And Coaches’ Perspectives On Leadership Practices And Instructional Coaching, Shona Sandlin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education reform is the driver for changes in principal leadership practices. Instructional coaching is a common lever used to meet reform mandates but has had inconsistent results. The problem in practice is little is known about how principals use leadership practices to establish effective instructional coaching in their school building. The conceptual framework used in this study was the distributive leadership framework, which was used to analyze how leadership skills are distributed throughout an organization to meet overall goals. In this study, the principals and the instructional coaches were asked to perceive and describe the principal’s leadership practices that influence …


Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Disengagement And Its Role In Low Academic Achievement, Georgia Ross-Holmes Jan 2022

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Disengagement And Its Role In Low Academic Achievement, Georgia Ross-Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisengaged students display boredom, low achievement, and high dropout rates. The problem addressed in this study was the need for a better understanding of teachers’ perceptions about disengaged students, which is essential in developing interventions to support students’ school completion. This basic qualitative study explored teachers’ perceptions of the underlying reasons for student disengagement and explored how teachers perceived the role of disengagement in student academic achievement. The self-system motivational theory lens was the framework used to guide the research and address the research questions, which asked about middle school teachers’ perceptions of the underlying reasons for student disengagement and …


Disciplinary Teacher Perceptions And Challenges Of Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Scarlett Nicole Wetherington Jan 2022

Disciplinary Teacher Perceptions And Challenges Of Literacy Instruction For English Language Learners, Scarlett Nicole Wetherington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disciplinary teachers who teach mathematics, science, and social studies are challenged to embed literacy instruction into their disciplines for the growing population of English language learners (ELLs). In a rural middle school in the Southern region of the United States, disciplinary teachers are struggling to embed literacy instruction to support ELLs to meet grade-level achievement standards. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perceptions about the challenges of using literacy strategies to teach ELLs in the disciplinary classroom. The conceptual framework for this study included Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning. The key research questions of this …


Perceptions Of Novice Teachers Applying Differentiated Instruction In Heterogeneous Elementary Classrooms, Jessica Ann Meadows Jan 2021

Perceptions Of Novice Teachers Applying Differentiated Instruction In Heterogeneous Elementary Classrooms, Jessica Ann Meadows

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differentiated instruction (DI) is an effective approach to maximize students' academic success in diverse elementary classrooms. But a current concern in educational research is an insufficient understanding of how novice elementary teachers perceive and apply DI to support student success, especially as student diversity continues to increase, creating challenges to meeting students' needs. Novice teachers are expected to positively influence student learning through their teaching methods at the same level as experienced teachers. Yet, it is unclear how they use DI to do so. The purpose of this study was to provide a deep understanding of how novice teachers perceive …


Perceptions Of Midwestern Msn Nps Of The Dnp Degree, Margaret Gallagher Jan 2021

Perceptions Of Midwestern Msn Nps Of The Dnp Degree, Margaret Gallagher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strong professional forces have emerged within healthcare with expectations for a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree for nurse practitioner (NP) practice. While NP contribution to societal healthcare is evident, most of these frontline workers are still only masters’ prepared nurses (MSN). A problem exists in that their views of the DNP have been minimally studied. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of Midwestern MSN NPs of the DNP. The study was supported by the self-determination theory (SDT) proposing that motivation for goal achievement was driven by perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards, which set priorities …


Instructional Leadership Practices Of Middle School Principals Regarding Students With Learning Disabilities, Sharon Dixson Jan 2021

Instructional Leadership Practices Of Middle School Principals Regarding Students With Learning Disabilities, Sharon Dixson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA problem existed among middle school principals in that they appeared to inconsistently apply instructional leadership practices while supporting their teachers teaching students with learning disabilities. How the principals perceived these inconsistencies and the possible effects on practice was not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of middle school principals regarding their instructional leadership practices to consistently support teachers who teach students with learning disabilities. The conceptual framework comprised the instructional leadership theory of Murphy, Hallinger, Weil, and Mitman. The research question addressed the perceptions of middle school principals regarding their instructional leadership practices …


Parental Perceptions Of Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Students In The Educational Process, Robin Waltman Jan 2021

Parental Perceptions Of Inclusion Of Autism Spectrum Disorder Students In The Educational Process, Robin Waltman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex biological disorder that encompasses a wide range of symptoms and varies in degree of severity. Parents and caregivers rely on programs offered by school districts that encourage parental participation in the educational process and have differing views on inclusion in educational decisions. The purpose of the current study was to ascertain the views of parents of children with ASD regarding their inclusion in the educational process. The research question addressed the lived experiences and perceptions of parents of students with and ASD regarding their inclusion in the educational process. A case study methodology …


Pk–12 District Administrator Perceptions About Career Readiness And Workforce Preparation Programs And Activities In Schools, Shawn Lee Dilly Jan 2021

Pk–12 District Administrator Perceptions About Career Readiness And Workforce Preparation Programs And Activities In Schools, Shawn Lee Dilly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of student career preparedness has increased the number of youths facing negative personal, economic, and social implications and have led to increased calls for public education to find solutions. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore West Virginia district administrators’ perceptions about career readiness and workforce programs. Underpinning the study’s conceptual framework was educational leadership. The two research questions focused on district administrator perceptions about the value and importance and the barriers, limitations, and successes of career readiness and workforce programs. A qualitative survey and semistructured interview were employed to provide data for an iterative, …


Developing Innovative Support Structures In Higher Education Institutions: A Student Perspective, Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe, Musa Ngibe May 2020

Developing Innovative Support Structures In Higher Education Institutions: A Student Perspective, Mxolisi Walter Ntoyakhe, Musa Ngibe

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Higher education institutions have been obliged to work extremely hard to ensure their sustainability and growth to meet the ever-increasing demands of university students, parents, and stakeholders. Universities have been under great pressure to remain competitive with a great deal of emphasis placed on being innovative, building auxiliary structures, and acquiring qualified academics. The concept of service delivery of academic departments in universities of technology has received minimal attention. This study explored student expectations and perceptions of service quality provided by academic support departments with the intention of enhancing the level of student satisfaction and experience. A quantitative research approach …


Formerly Incarcerated Students Returning To School, Robert Earl Gaines Jan 2020

Formerly Incarcerated Students Returning To School, Robert Earl Gaines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formerly incarcerated Grade 10'€“12 students in an urban high school in the Southern United States were dropping out at an elevated rate from August 2010 through May 2017. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to gain an understanding of teacher, parent, and academic advisor perceptions of the challenges experienced by Grade 10'€“12 students who had been incarcerated and then returned to a traditional school environment and support services and resources needed to assist with these challenges. Hirschi's social control theory guided this study, which describes 4 elements missing from individuals participating in criminal activity: attachment, commitment, involvement, and …


Psychological Consequences Of Mandated School Security Response Training, Shelise Tillman Jan 2020

Psychological Consequences Of Mandated School Security Response Training, Shelise Tillman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mandated active shooter drills are necessary for students, especially in high school districts, where active shooter events are more prevalent. As a result, high school administrators and teachers face numerous implementation challenges and consequences that may threaten the student learning environment’s psychological balance. Guided by DeVos’s theory of school safety integration and crisis preparedness and three aspects of policy recommendations, this qualitative case study was designed to explore the challenges and perceptions of a high school administrator and teachers’ regarding implementing mandated active shooter drills while supporting the student’s psychological, social, emotional, and physical health. Through semi-structured interviews, one administrator …


Instructional Strategies For English Language Learners In Elementary Classrooms, Jiji P. Olds Jan 2020

Instructional Strategies For English Language Learners In Elementary Classrooms, Jiji P. Olds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an Eastern U.S. school district, little is understood about how elementary general education teachers apply instructional strategies for English Language Learners (ELLs) in the classroom and which strategies they perceive support academic achievement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary general education teachers' reported application of ELL instructional strategies and their perceptions of how those strategies support ELL academic achievement. The study's conceptual framework consisted of Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, which infers that learning is a social process guided by interactions with one's environment, people, and culture. Also framing this study was Krashan's second language acquisition …


Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of How Principal Motivational Leadership Practices Influence School Climate, Emily Harber Williams Jan 2020

Principal And Teacher Perceptions Of How Principal Motivational Leadership Practices Influence School Climate, Emily Harber Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that school leadership influences the success of student outcomes through school climate. However, little is known about how principals and teachers perceive principals’ motivational leadership practices and how these leadership practices influence school climate. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of seventh and eighth grade principal and teacher perceptions of principal motivational leadership practices influence on school climate. This study was based upon Sullivan’s motivational language theory and Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory by way of the utilization of the conceptual framework on charismatic leadership. The research questions focused on principal and …


Administrators’ Roles And Practices In The Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions, Frances Correa-Phelps Jan 2020

Administrators’ Roles And Practices In The Implementation Of Positive Behavioral Interventions, Frances Correa-Phelps

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive behavior intervention support is a behavioral approach that was implemented in the early 2000s across the United States to assist educators in addressing the behavioral concerns of students with special needs. Since its implementation, it has been used to assist students at all levels with emotional and behavioral needs to achieve academic success in over 20,000 schools. However, there was a reported lack of administrative support and insufficient understanding regarding administrators’ roles in the process. The purpose of this basic interpretive qualitative study was to examine administrators’ roles and decision-making practices in implementation of the behavioral intervention approach across …


Understanding The Effects Of Mathematics Professional Development On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Mathematics, Mike Flynn Jan 2020

Understanding The Effects Of Mathematics Professional Development On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Mathematics, Mike Flynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Negative mathematics perceptions may affect how teachers teach the subject, how much time they spend on the subject, and how well they teach it. The problem that grounded this study was that although anecdotal evidence showed that teachers’ experience with professional development (PD) courses in mathematics teaching improved their perceptions of mathematics, there was a lack of data regarding how PD affects changes in teachers’ perceptions. The study purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of what elements of a PD course have the greatest effect on improving teachers’ perceptions of mathematics. Piaget’s constructivist and Vygotsky’s socio-constructivism theories made up …


Teachers' Perceptions Of Toxic Stress And Classroom Practices They Use With Young Children, Pamela Joyce Waddell Jan 2020

Teachers' Perceptions Of Toxic Stress And Classroom Practices They Use With Young Children, Pamela Joyce Waddell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractYoung children experiencing toxic stress has negative consequences on their development. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of toxic stress in young children and the classroom practices used to assist students experiencing toxic stress from two rural early childhood centers in an eastern state in the United States. The conceptual framework for this qualitative research included Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of human development, social constructivist theory, and information from The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. The research questions explored teachers' perceptions of toxic stress in young children and classroom practices being used in …


Charter School Principals Perceived Self-Efficacy Implementing The Every Student Succeeds Act, Christina Renee Hamilton Jan 2020

Charter School Principals Perceived Self-Efficacy Implementing The Every Student Succeeds Act, Christina Renee Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Charter school principals have existed in the U.S. public school system for more than 30 years, and the number has grown dramatically in Southern California over the past decade. Like other principals, charter school principals are responsible for implementing the provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). Yet, charter school principals perceptions of self-efficacy are not well enough understood to determine their effective implementation of ESSA. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and describe the self-efficacy of charter school principals who implemented the multiple accountability measures of ESSA in Southern California. The theoretical framework …


Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching In An Inclusive Classroom, Maya Johnstone Jan 2020

Teachers' Perceptions Of Teaching In An Inclusive Classroom, Maya Johnstone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Classroom teachers often experience feelings of ineffectiveness and struggle to meet the needs of students in the inclusion classroom setting within the local school district. Guided by Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate elementary teachers’ perceptions of their confidence to teach in the inclusive classroom. Semistructured interviews with a purposeful sample of 7 elementary inclusion teachers (3 general education teachers; 4 special education teachers) from the local district were conducted. Data analysis using open and axial coding revealed 7 emergent themes: (a) need for inclusion-specific professional development and training on differentiated instruction, (b) …


Perceptions Of English Teachers About Professional Development For Evidence-Based Writing Practices, Julie Nicole Bollich Jan 2020

Perceptions Of English Teachers About Professional Development For Evidence-Based Writing Practices, Julie Nicole Bollich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Writing teachers in a southern school district have not consistently implemented evidence-based practices (EBPs) in writing instruction as indicated by students not meeting proficiency levels on state and campus writing assessments. Despite professional development (PD) provided to writing teachers, writing assessment scores remained lower than state level scores between 2012 and 2019 at the target campus. Teachers’ perceptions of their competence related to the implementation of writing strategies in the classroom, their perceptions of how district and campus PD supported their skill development, and their efficacy in designing and implementing lesson plans focused on teaching writing strategies were explored in …


Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Emily Elliott Jan 2020

Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Student And Faculty Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Emily Elliott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to the demand for baccalaureate-educated nurses, nursing schools offer an accelerated baccalaureate of science in nursing (BSN). The problem is nursing programs have used blended learning approaches, but it is unclear whether and in what ways accelerated BSN students benefit from this learning design. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how faculty and students perceived the benefits and challenges of an accelerated BSN program utilizing a blended learning format. Knowles’s adult learning theory served as the conceptual framework through which interview data were analyzed. Participants included 6 faculty and 7 students from 1 school …


Low Adoption Of Digital Technology Among Indigenous People In Guyana, Volda Elliott Jan 2020

Low Adoption Of Digital Technology Among Indigenous People In Guyana, Volda Elliott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Training is a vital component for crystallizing acceptable technological classroom practices. Still, Indigenous Amerindian preservice teachers needed first to acquire the skills and overcome the technological barriers to better prepare learners beyond the classroom. Even though internet access would allow Indigenous Amerindians in Guyana to develop technology literacy skills and access educational resources, Indigenous preservice teachers have a low rate of technology adoption in the classroom. The purpose of this basic qualitative study is to discover the perceptions of Indigenous Amerindian preservice teachers about the adoption of digital technology in the classroom. Rogers’s diffusion of innovation theory and David and …


Perceptions Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Instructional Leadership To Support Music Teachers, Erick Cuthbert Willie Jan 2020

Perceptions Of K-12 School Principals Regarding Instructional Leadership To Support Music Teachers, Erick Cuthbert Willie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

K-12 school principals, as instructional leaders, are critical to supporting music teachers. The problem addressed in this project study was that principals have been inconsistently applying instructional leadership to support music teachers to remain in the teaching profession. The purpose of this basic qualitative research design study was to understand how principals applied instructional leadership practices to support music teachers in order to retain them. The conceptual framework was the instructional leadership model of Hallinger and Murphy, which defines three main dimensions of instructional leadership: (a) the school mission, (b) the instructional program, and (c) the school climate. The research …


School Counselors' Lived Experiences Supporting Students With Mental Health Concerns, Linda F. Peterson Jan 2019

School Counselors' Lived Experiences Supporting Students With Mental Health Concerns, Linda F. Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in schools is a growing concern for many school counselors, educators and communities. School counselors are in key roles in the school setting to support students with mental health concerns. This research was done to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of school counselors supporting students with mental health diagnoses. This hermeneutic phenomenology research used n=4 participants school counselors and each has worked in their field for over 6 years. Additionally, each participant worked in the same school building for a minimum of 3 years or more. Semi structured interviews were used to collect …