Education Commons^™

The Relationship Between Servant Leadership Style And Michigan Public School Superintendents As Measured By Meap Reading And Math Proficiency, Antoinette Pearson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Mentoring As It Relates To Persistence In Associate Degree Nursing Students, Caroline M. Peltz

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Students who are preparing to become registered nurses are more likely to attend community colleges due to the unequal distribution of financial resources to educational systems that have evolved from the impact of globalization. The purpose of this descriptive cross-sectional study was to increase the understanding of mentoring as it relates to the perceived ability to persist among nontraditional students enrolled in associate degree nursing programs at community colleges. This investigation presented a discussion of how student involvement in a mentoring relationship and the domains of mentoring differed by student background characteristics. Additionally, the domains of mentoring and student involvement …

Language Therapy And Academic Achievement In Mathematics: Speech-Language Pathologists' Roles And Perspectives, Rachel Richter

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play an important role in language intervention among school-age children and have the potential to target academic achievement through language therapy. This study explored whether and how SLPs capitalize on language therapy to promote students’ math achievement and discussed SLPs’ practice addressing academic problems that co-occur with language disorders. Ten elementary school SLPs were interviewed to gather their perspectives on the relationship between language disorders and academic achievement. Results indicated that the SLPs acknowledged their responsibility to address academic difficulties and reported addressing academic difficulties presented by students in their caseload. Reading and writing were identified by …

Understanding The International Student Experience, Ayse Begum Aydinol

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Although there are many international students in U.S. higher education institutions, they still experience problems related to social and academic life, as the international student experience is not adequately understood. This may be because of a general lack of awareness relating to the international experience, which can often increase the magnitude of the international students’ problems. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study is to provide an overview of the experiences of international students from their own perspectives. Six international graduate students were interviewed for approximately one hour in order to understand their stories in the U.S. Each participant’s story …

Visual Literacy And The Integration Of Parametric Modeling In The Problem-Based Curriculum, Matthew Benedict Assenmacher

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This quasi-experimental study investigated the application of visual literacy skills in the form of parametric modeling software in relation to traditional forms of sketching. The study included two groups of high school technical design students. The control and experimental groups involved in the study consisted of two randomly selected groups of students. The participants were exposed to eight weeks of technical drawing and parametric modeling instruction prior to the start of the study.

The potential applications of emerging technologies for the purpose of integrating visual literacy into the curriculum are not fully understood. Society is moving towards a more immediate …

Entrepreneurial Transformation Of The School Of Education At One Midwestern Public University: A Case Study, Inna Molitoris

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Globalization and the rapidly changing market cause universities to seek new and creative ways to survive and succeed. The term entrepreneurial university is an ideological umbrella for those higher education institutions that are attempting to fully participate in the social and economic life of society. This qualitative study was aimed to investigate the entrepreneurial transformation at the departments of the School of Education at one Midwestern large public comprehensive university. The researcher sought to better understand the growth of the programs and services at the organization and how entrepreneurial concepts such as entrepreneurial behavior, culture, entrepreneurial products, creativity, innovations, and …

Scientifically Based Reading Research Strategies In The Preschool Classroom: An Investigation Into Quality Early Childhood Reading Practices And Literacy Acquisition In One Northern Michigan Early Reading First Program, Yvonne Donohoe Mccool

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A growing body of research has emerged to support the concept of providing early childhood education as a quality investment for our children, unlocking early potential and creating lasting impacts related to school success and beyond. Several landmark studies indicated that a quality education targeted at our youngest learners has the ability to yield impressive returns academically, economically, and socially. Early childhood education is credited with reducing costs associated with educational remediation, retention, and special education services. More important, early childhood education is associated with the prevention of early learning difficulties and overall improved education outcomes.

On the foundation of …

The Relationship Between Organizational Culture And The Implementation Of Response To Intervention In One Elementary School, Lynn M. Methner

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between organizational culture and the implementation of Response to Intervention in one elementary school. It examined issues corresponding to change within a system, with particular attention to those relating to school culture. An ethnographic approach was used to gather data, including the collection of artifacts, observations, and interviews. This study found that the implementation of RTI presents numerous organizational, school culture, and leadership challenges. At the organizational level, RTI affects the entire district by changing the instructional focus to include early intervening services and the process by which students are found eligible for special education. …

The Southeast Michigan Stewardship Coalition: A Deep Design Of Eco-Democratic Reform That Is Situational, Local, And In Support Of Living Systems, John J. Lupinacci

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Education can have a tremendous impact on how we, as humans, understand and relate to each other and the larger environmental systems to which we belong. In efforts to address the role of education in alleviating and eliminating social suffering and environmental degradation in many of the worlds’ diverse communities, the purpose of this critical ethnographic case study is to qualitatively examine the design of an intermediary organization within the context of eco-democratic reform.
The study involved observation, interviewing, and analysis that included personal narrative accounts from 12 key members in the organization and their thick descriptions of the design …

Public Perceptions On Lgbt Issues In Modern Vietnam, Yen Hoang Ha

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper examines the history, culture, and policies in Vietnam as fundamentals for an analysis on one of the most emerging topics in the modern Vietnamese society: the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community. I have collected data from opinions and comments on different means of social media as representation of public opinion toward LGBT, which seem to most expressed in three aspects: lack of knowledge, stereotype, and prejudice; the categorization and labeling as Third World; and advocacy for LGBT equality. With the quite strict tradition and high stress on family ties, the challenge for the members of this …

Perceived Expectations Of Roles In Training And Maintenance Of Augmentative And Alternative Communication Devices, Kathlene Talladay

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are invaluable tools for people who have difficulties communicating verbally. However, advancements in technology accentuate the need for training to utilize devices effectively. This qualitative research study examined the perceptions and experiences of parents and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) regarding the training in and maintenance of AAC devices. Previous literature reveals the commonality that parents encounter difficulties in learning AAC technologies, as well as updating their child’s devices. Interviews were conducted with parents of children with autism, as well as SLPs, to better understand their expectations concerning who is responsible for assuming specific roles in …

The Lived Experience Of African American Nurses Who Attended Predominantly White University Baccalaureate Programs: Characteristics Of Success And Resilience, Carmen A. Stokes

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the lived experiences of successful African-American nurses who attended baccalaureate programs at predominantly White universities (PWUs). Only 5.4% of the national registered nurse workforce is identified as African American; yet African-American citizens account for approximately 12.9% of the United States' population, and 24% of all enrollments in nursing programs nationwide is composed of African-American students. Past nursing education research has almost exclusively focused on the deficits of African-American students. This dissertation study focuses on a gap in the literature because it addresses the strengths and attributes of those African-American students who succeed, thereby contributing to an …

The Relationship Between The Boehm And Aimsweb On Kindergarten Student Achievement In One Northern Michigan Intermediate School District, Emily O'Hearn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Kindergarten students are asked to perform at a level formerly expected of first grade students and are expected to be well on their way to reading (Bassard & Boehm, 2007). With tight school budgets, site leaders must choose wisely about allocation of resources and determine the most effective means of helping students, especially those struggling in the area of reading. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine what relationship, if any, exists between the Boehm test and AIMSweb Test of Early Literacy (TEL) administered to kindergarten students during the 2010-2011 school year.

Data in this research were collected …

Understanding Lactation Consultants' Evaluation Of Oral Mechanism Function And Dysphagia In Nursing Neonates, Elizabeth Louise Howard

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Infants with dysphagia are at increased risk for poor health and nutritional outcomes (Arvedson, 2008) if improperly diagnosed or managed. Communication between multidisciplinary team members is imperative for transition from screening to intervention. An overlap in scope of practice may exist between lactation consultants (LCs) and speech-language pathologists (SLPs). In order to facilitate multidisciplinary understanding and communication, this study was designed to understand how LCs evaluate oral mechanism function and dysphagia in breastfeeding neonates as well as their understanding of the role of SLPs in the management of dysphagia in neonates through a comparative multi-case, summative qualitative study. Participants described …

Principals' Decision Making In Discipline Policy Implementation: The Lutheran Schools' Perspective, Katherine Jane Brandon

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This quantitative study examines the relationship of philosophical beliefs of administrators of Lutheran schools and the influence of those beliefs on discipline decision-making styles, job satisfaction, and other factors. The study patterns the survey work from William Perry (1999) and other theorists regarding philosophy and ethics. A theoretical framework postulates a positive relationship of objectivist philosophy with directed decision-making style and interpretivist philosophy with participative decision-making style.

The administrators from two Lutheran education organization’s listserves, through invitation, participated in the qualitative online survey. The investigation uses path analysis, factor analysis, and regressions to explore survey and descriptive data. Some contextual …

An Exploration Of Preservice Teachers' Multicultural Self-Efficacy And Awareness Of White Privilege, Angela Paige Jefferson

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Currently, in the United States there is incongruence between student demographics in public schools and the characteristics of American K-12 teachers. More specifically, there are growing numbers of students of color, while the majority of teachers are White, middle-class females. Given the increasing pluralism in U.S. schools, it is imperative that teachers have multicultural self-efficacy as well as an awareness of White privilege in order to be prepared to teach in a culturally competent manner. Educators and students must be prepared to live and work effectively in a social system as well as a global environment where they will need …

Collaborative Communities: The Relationship Between Parental-Involvement And School Culture, Sabin P. Duncan

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

During this time when schools are publicly ranked according to their students’ achievement on standardized exams, when many of the lower-ranked schools are concentrated in urban, low-income, and high-minority populated communities, and when those same schools receive the least amount of state-funding per-pupil, this study is born from the inspiration to further advocate the development of a school improvement strategy that can have a beneficial impact on a school’s culture and a small demand on that school’s budget. This study seeks to learn of the relationship between parental involvement and school culture. It evolves from personal inspiration to professional legitimacy …

The Organizational Realities Of Student Affairs: A Political Perspective, Jeremiah B. Shinn

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the organizational functions of studentaffairs at Indiana University and to understand the nature of the conflict between studentaffairs and the larger organization. This study utilized the case-study research design. Much of the data collected and analyzed during this case study were of a historical nature. Both primary and secondary sources were utilized. The conceptual framework that informed this study and that this study served to advance is drawn from classic organization theory, specifically contingency theory, which argues that there is no one best way to organize (Galbraith, 1973; Parsons, 1960; Scott, 2003; …

An Examination Of Elementary School Leadership Seen Through The Lens Of Complexity Theory, Carole L. Benedict

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The knowledge era has been described as a time when new information will be developing through a lens of globalization and technology. Many organizational theorists are thinking of leadership that abandons age-old bureaucratic practices and enables the organization to meet its goals. Through the lens of complexity theory, schools are seen as organizations that are constantly adapting to environmental change. Leadership for such organizations is seen as moving away from command and control and toward democratic, person-centered relational styles. The primary goals for this research were to identify the leader behaviors of elementary school principals who effectively lead for change …

An Examination Of The Relationship Between Personal/Professional Experiences And Training Of School Psychologists And Their Attitudes Toward The Education Of Gifted Students, Angela Louise Spaniolo-Depouw

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A resurgence of interest in gifted students and gifted education highlights the importance of examining attitudes of school psychologists related to the identification and programming for gifted students. This study explored the relationships between professional experiences, personal experiences, demographics, and previous training and the attitudes of school psychologists toward gifted students and gifted education.

A sample of 125 state-certified school psychologists in Michigan participated in a two-part, web-based survey, which provided descriptive data and measured attitudes toward gifted students and their education. Data were analyzed using a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics.

Seven findings were notable in this study: …