Education Commons^™

Females In Stem: Self-Efficacy Within Women Who Pursue Stem Majors, Lori Grata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While many efforts have been made within the United States, women are still underrepresented within STEM. Research within this document shows that women and men score similarly on STEM-related standardized tests. The question remains, why are there still large quantities of men outnumbering women in college majors and career fields of STEM? Looking at female STEM self-efficacy and gender role in culture could provide insight to the problem at hand. A survey was given to investigate self-efficacy and students’ STEM backgrounds of undergraduate female students who are currently in a 4-year STEM-related major within one university.

Evaluating Perceptions Of Student Voice And School Membership Of 9th Grade Students And Teachers, Dan Beck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence marks a developmental period of rapid cognitive, emotional, and physical growth where teenagers are tasked with establishing an identity and strong sense of self. Students and parents often report that transition to ninth grade is a formidable social challenge amidst increased academic demands and stress, and some research suggests that females have a more difficult time in the transition to high school than males. Student voice is a range of student opportunities to interact, collaborate, and partner with adults in an exploration of ideas and perspectives. However, student voice opportunities are often only available to a select group of …

Consequences Of Math Anxiety And Stereotype Threat: An Intersectional Perspective, Jennifer E. John Buck

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Individuals with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills are highly valued for their contribution to the U.S. workforce and society. However, women and some people of color enter STEM fields at lesser rates than do White men. Math anxiety and stereotype threat have been found to cause math performance decrements for women and some people of color. Presently, it is not clear how math anxiety and stereotype threat might work together to dually influence math performance and subsequent STEM participation. The current study focuses on a diverse sample of 295 undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to one of …

Fathers' Experiences With Their Premature Infants Or Unhealthy Neonates, Lisa Cummings

Dissertations

Author: Lisa Cummings PhD RN

Fathers’ Experiences with Their Premature Infants or Unhealthy Neonates

Purpose and Background/Significance: Fifteen million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, impacting a multitude of fathers. The importance of an early close father-infant relationship has been identified as central for the development of the child. Fathers influence on a child’s emotional and cognitive development and their physical well-being and health. Many times, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the initial contact environment between a father and his premature infant. Studies have shown that the NICU can be a stressful environment for parents, producing emotional …

Perceptions Of Certified Central Office Administrators Who Choose Not To Apply For The Position Of Superintendent, Felicia Moschella

Educational Studies Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the reasons why certified, qualified central office administrators choose not to become school superintendents. The study investigated factors and conditions that may influence their decision-making. Twenty-two certified central office administrators employed in southeastern, Massachusetts responded to a forty-five-question survey, and four of those participants were also interviewed. This study led to eight findings. A majority of study participants: (1) held a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the superintendent; (2) possessed the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be a superintendent, but have chosen to not ascend to the position; (3) conveyed that becoming a …

Ethnicity And Punishment: A State-Level Investigation On Hispanic Representation In School Discipline, Candace Nicole Fowles

Theses and Dissertations

Racial disproportionality in exclusionary discipline measures among public school students has been well-established for African American youth in the United States. The research literature has included limited and inconsistent research findings providing information on the representation patterns among Hispanic students in school discipline. Previous studies on Hispanic representation in school discipline have established a need for data to be analyzed at the state level. Using a large dataset acquired from the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights - Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) for the 2013-2014 school year, this paper examines if Hispanic students are disproportionally represented in exclusionary …

Fostering Agency In Single-Gender, Middle Level Ela Classrooms: A Descriptive Multiple-Case Study, Jennifer V. Stowe

Theses and Dissertations

Students’ sense of agency or self-efficacy has been linked to student achievement levels (Goodman & Eren, 2013; Johnston, 2004; Skinner, Wellborne, & Connell, 1990). Research has also established that teachers position their students as having agency in the context of the classroom, frequently by the ways that they use language (Johnston, 2004; Paulson & Theado, 2014). However, little, if any, extant research describes teacher language as it relates to agency within the middle level English Language Arts (ELA) classroom. Additionally, studies concerning agency rarely address the ways in which gender may influence the ways in which teachers position their students …

Feminist-Infused Participatory Action Research To Promote Female Students’ Self- Efficacy In Mathematics, Nicole Hreno

Theses and Dissertations

Prompted by the manifestations of decreased levels of mathematical self-efficacy among the female students in my district, the purpose of this study was to investigate the source of self-efficacy development that was most influential among our female students and engage in praxis to combat these gender inequities. Grounded in critical feminist theory, I engaged six teacher-researchers in participatory action research through qualitative methodologies. Using questionnaires to examine the worldviews of our female students, the emergent study was guided by these voices which were previously silenced. The interventions employed were a direct result of the females’ expressed mathematical experiences, leading us …

The Lost Boys: An Exploration Of The Male Gender Gap And Its Causes, Derek Swart

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects

The male gender gap refers to a discrepancy between achievement and investment levels of male and female students. Demonstrated through a variety of metrics such as graduation rates, grade point average, enrollment in Advanced Placement courses, special education identification, and behavioral intervention, male students demonstrate lower levels of academic success than female students. Factors influencing this gap appear to include social factors such as male disinclination to orient peer relationships around academic topics, internal factors such as lower measured time spent on study or homework in males, and different academic expectations for males and females from their teachers. This project …

Socioeconomic Status's Impact On The Experience Of Loneliness, Tessa Samuels

Sociology & Anthropology Theses

Loneliness is a feeling that is nearly universal, yet some people are more vulnerable to prolonged exposures of the experience of loneliness. Due to the subjective nature of loneliness, there is minimal literature on loneliness without the variable of social isolation (Hawkley et al. 2008, Ryan et al. 2008, Kearns et al. 2015, Lee and Ishii-Kuntz 1987) or social capital (Benner and Wang 2014, Andersson 1998, Ryan et al. 2008, Kearns et al. 2015) involved. There are numerous variables that impact loneliness. One must consider age — there has been solid gerontology research that reveals that elderly people are less …

A Comparative Study Of Student Engagement Among Stem Majors At Women’S Colleges And Coeducational Institutions, Julie A. Mazur

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Women’s colleges are currently struggling to remain solvent and germane to today’s higher education landscape. Despite the struggles, women’s colleges have provided inimitable, valuable, and engaging experiences for the students who enroll at these traditionally small, liberal arts focused institutions. As the small number of women entering STEM majors and, in turn, STEM fields continues to be an issue, women’s colleges may be able to provide an engaging, distinctive experience for women who choose to pursue these majors as compared to coeducational institutions. Women continue to be underrepresented minorities in many STEM majors including but not limited to: physics, math, …

Exploring Gender Roles And Gender Equality Within The Evangelical Church, Christopher Bishop

Education (PhD) Dissertations

This research aims to facilitate better understanding of perceptions of gender roles and gender equality among members of the Evangelical Church and to determine whether these perceptions differ by gender. The evangelical community’s ideologies and values have come to shape social and political dialogues within the United States. A key component of the faith is understanding the role each member plays within his or her family unit and community at large. The evangelical faith’s organizational structure and ideologies are informed by a patriarchal model that’s placed women at internal and structural odds, based on research exploring evangelically informed organizations. However, …

Full Of Pride: Improving Latino Engagement And Retention In Usd's Lgbt+ Community, Miguel Rios

M.A. in Higher Education Leadership: Action Research Projects

The purpose of my study was to examine and implement strategies that would get gay Latino students at USD to engage more with the LGBT+ community on campus. Using McNiff’s action research method, I researched how I can work effectively with USD’s LGBT+ community to create a more diverse community that enhances the involvement of Latino students. My findings indicate that Latino students choose to explore their LGBT+ identity through other identity-based organizations and that a stronger need for community building is critical to enhance the involvement of Latino students within the LGBT+ community.

Teaching Gender In Early Childhood Education: A Non-Binary Approach, Sarah Hodson

Honors Projects

The focus of this document is to provide professionals in the field of education an overview of gender development in early childhood education and how to teach students about gender in early childhood settings. The current research on gender development supports the notion that gender is socially constructed from birth, but not directly linked to biological sex. Next, a list of high-quality children’s literature is included; the literature addresses concepts surrounding gender development, identity, and expression in developmentally-appropriate ways. Lastly, several of the children’s books are utilized in sample lesson plans and materials for educators to use as they teach …

A Study Of Kindergarten Through Eighth-Grade Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Impact Gender Plays On Students Involved In Divorce, Amanda Lukefahr

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study examined the perceptions of kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers on the impact gender had on the academics and behavioral performance of students from divorced settings. The researcher electronically contacted 332 kindergarten through eighth-grade educators from Mid-Missouri. Out of the 332 teachers, 84 chose to complete the on-line survey, Perceptions of Children of Divorce, consisting of 34 Likert-scale items and four open-ended questions. Based on the findings, the researcher determined kindergarten through eighth-grade teachers perceived the gender of the child from a divorced situation influenced the academics and behavioral performance. In addition, teachers perceived there to be more behavioral …

Does Family Income Determine A Children Future Educational Attainment Level?, Diaisha T. Richards

Applied Economics Theses

Family income and education have been a major concern in a variety of researches, and as a topic in society. These two components are a major concern because they are known to be key elements in determining future success for an individual. Various studies investigated the significance, correlations and impacts these two factors have on one another. It is common for the amount of family income obtained to determine how much education one will receive in the future. This study focuses on testing the hypothesis that family income determines how much education a child will receive in the future. By …

Breaking Gender Barriers Through Literature In The Elementary And Pre-School Classroom, Bonnie J. Frieden, Jenna G. Laffin

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The following research assesses how reading and discussing stories that counter gender stereotypes can increase cooperation and decrease conflict between primary- and elementary-aged students of different genders, as well as to expand students’ conceptions of self and others beyond traditional gender expectations. The six-week study involved 50 participants total, 21 between the ages of 3 and 6 and 29 between the ages of 6 and 9 at two separate Montessori public charter schools in Minnesota. Each participant completed an activity pre- and post-intervention concerning the feminine and masculine traits that they would choose to describe themselves and those that could …

African-American Christian Female Missionaries In Nyasaland, Congo, And Liberia: Perpetuation And Resistance At The Intersections Of Blackness, Gender, Disability, And Christianity, Karen Yvette Dace

Doctoral Dissertations

Events are taking place in the United States today regarding blackness, gender, disability, and Christianity, and the perceived place of those with black and brown bodies. Current efforts have focused on blackness and gender, blackness and disability, gender and disability, and disability and Christianity; but there has not been concerted efforts focusing on the historical intersections of blackness, gender, disability, and Christianity and how these intersections help in understanding the contemporary black social movement and the climate in which we now live.

The purpose of this qualitative study sought to understand the narratives of Christian mission agencies and how African-American …

Gender And Organizational Citizenship Behavior In Library Technology: Mixed Methods Study, Sharon Whitfield

Theses and Dissertations

Academic librarianship continues to be a feminized profession, yet there are specializations within the profession that tend to be gender segregated, such as library technology. In this mixed methods study, women technology librarians' behaviors are examined through the gendered lens of organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), which are discretionary, voluntary acts that are outside an employee's job description (Organ, 1988), but help shape the organizational culture and facilitate organizational functioning (Podsakoff & MacKenzie, 1997). This mixed methods study uses a survey to inform the extent of differences in organizational citizenship behaviors between men and women, and interviews to provide new insight …

Student Connectedness And Academic Achievement: A Quantitative Study Of Career And Technical Education Students, Kern Mcginley

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The focus of this correlational study in an Alaskan career and technical (CTE) school environment was to explore the research question that guided this study: In a large urban school district of Alaska, with a diverse student population, what is the relationship between the CTE student connectedness level and academic achievement levels? Participants included 132 high school students, Grades 10 through 12. Additional research questions were developed to examine the strength of the relationship between student connectedness and academic achievement by gender and ethnicity. Data were collected using an online survey with a combination of demographic questions and Goodenow’s (1993b) …

Feminism And School Leadership: A Qualitative Study Utilizing Effective Women Principals' Self-Perceptions To Determine What Makes Them Successful, Christina Maria Sylvester

Dissertations

Women are underrepresented in a variety of fields, including educational leadership. Upon assuming leadership roles, women often struggle to effectively lead due to a pervasive context of sexism and genderism in the workplace. Schools are not immune to this phenomenon. Since women comprise approximately 50% of the population, it seems logical that they should assume a comparable percentage of leadership roles in education, but this is not the case. Beyond parity, it is important that there are not only more women leaders in educational administration but also that those women in leadership roles are supported within a context that enables …

A Pilot Study Of The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma Among Prisoners And The Types Of Crimes Committed By Those Prisoners, Kathleen M. Schaefer

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to examine the stories of childhood trauma of prisoners, the relationship between childhood traumas among prisoners, and the types of crimes committed by those prisoners as adults. Semi-structured interview data and field notes were collected from 24 post-conviction adult felony offenders between the ages of 18 and 65 who experienced at least one type of childhood trauma. The data were analyzed using Rosenthal and Fischer-Rosenthal’s (2004) analysis of narrative data.

The analysis revealed that the severity of childhood trauma may be linked with aggressive behavior, which may result in criminal activity such as crimes …

The Impact Of Alcohol Consumption On Academic Success And Athletic Identity In Collegiate Student-Athletes, Zoe E. Arnold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Upon entering college in the United States, students are exposed to alcohol and, relatedly, the potentially dangerous experiences and effects that come with consuming alcohol. This is especially true for collegiate student-athletes, who have been found to have the highest consumption rate among student groups on campus. The purpose of the study was to understand the relationship between how student-athletes at a focus university, a Division I member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, experience alcohol consumption, how their consumption affects their academic grade point average (GPA), and how athletic identity plays a role in their experiences. While the research …

Gender Representation In Art Pedagogy: A Survey Of Student Knowledge And Attitudes Around Gender Balance In Art Education, Julia S. White

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study explores the issue of unequal representation of women artists in the art-world (museums, galleries, auctions and texts) as well as in Studio Art, Art Education and Art-Historical pedagogy. This study examines how student knowledge and attitudes are impacted by the lack of exposure to art made by women. The problem of unequal representation of women in the arts was verified and examined in the literature review. The literature review explored feminist pedagogy as an educational method. The review made evident the unequal representation of women in visual Art History and the relative exclusion of women role models in …

Not All Scholars, But Gentlemen: The Making Of Virginian Manhood At St. Christopher's School, 1911-1969, Katelyn Frazer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through close study of St. Christopher’s School—an all-boys’ school in Richmond, Virginia—during its first fifty years, this thesis historicizes upper-class white masculinity in Virginia during the first half of the twentieth century. The school’s founder, Churchill Gibson Chamberlayne, linked the Lost Cause myth with other movements in education at the time, especially Muscular Christianity and the country day school movement. By looking at how students and administrators at St. Christopher’s made and remade traditions surrounding notions of masculinity, in addition to more muted manifestations of gender at the school, illuminate the existence of a gender hierarchy even before gender integration. …

The Perception Of Female Leadership: Impact Of Gender And Leader's Qualification On Leader's Effectiveness, Ala'a Fahad Al-Shakha

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how gender and years of working with a female leader influence the gendered perception of female leadership effectiveness in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. This study compared male and female leaders’ perception of female leadership effectiveness as well as highlighted the relationship between leader’s gender, experience working with a female leader and perceived female leadership effectiveness. To answer the research questions, four hypothesized models were proposed (simple direct model, mediation model, moderation model, and mediation moderation model). Data was collected from administrated leaders, who hold a position in five public universes located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with …

The Prediction And Relationship Between Age, Ethnicity, Gender, And Quality Of Life Using Self-Efficacy Scores Among Stroke Survivors, Sabrina Angela Thornton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stroke is a serious illness that requires urgent attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether age, ethnicity, gender, and quality of life predict self-efficacy scores in stroke survivors. The theoretical foundation of the study was the social cognitive theory of perceived self-efficacy that was developed by Bandura. There were 4 specific research questions investigated. A correlational research design was used to sample 115 stroke survivors from several Arkansas rehabilitation facilities who completed a pilot study, demographic form, QOL rating scale, and the Daily Living Self-Efficacy Scale (DLSES). Stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied to identify the independent …

Persistence Of Undergraduate Women In Stem Through Timsi, Heather L. Henderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

There is a need to increase the persistence of women in science careers. This study focuses on undergraduate women majoring in or interested in science. Despite interest early on in their academic careers, women are leaving STEM at higher rates than other fields. Through the framework of the Tripartite Integration Model of Social Influence (TIMSI), this study explores psychosocial factors leading to integration in science careers. 484 undergraduate women from 9 universities in the Colorado/Wyoming Front Range and the Carolinas were recruited into this study and surveyed through 8 waves of data collection. A model building process was performed using …

A Public Health Perspective Of The Higher Education Experiences Of Women Studying Nursing: A Hermeneutic Inquiry Into Commencement And Progression, Lesley Jane Andrew

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

While student retention is a central goal across higher education, the projected shortage in the Australian health workforce has intensified its importance to undergraduate nursing.

Nursing degrees attract a higher proportion of mature-age women students than ever before. More are therefore beginning university at life stage characterised by marriage (or co-habitation) and traditional family structures. Nursing retention strategies require an understanding of the unique university experiences of these women, however, this is missing in the nursing literature. This study is the first to explore the experiences of these women students, doing so from the perspective of Bachelor of Science (Nursing) …