Education Commons^™

Investigation Of The Relationship Between Orientation And Persistence, Kellie A. Ziemak

All Theses And Dissertations

This study sought to understand persistence from a student’s perspective. In the past, student success courses were able to provide students with the opportunity to learn the college-readiness skills essential to student persistence. Developmental education reform in Florida has restructured course requirements, and students can now decide if they want to enroll in a student success course. This leaves colleges exploring alternatives to assist students in gaining the skills they need to be successful in college. This study used Tinto’s student integration theory as a conceptual framework to determine if students thought orientation helped them integrate both socially and academically …

Special Area Teachers’ Perceptions Of Performance Evaluation Feedback And Professional Development Provided, Christy Isaacs

All Theses And Dissertations

There is significant research showing that teachers are motivated to grow intrinsically through the feedback and professional development opportunities they receive from their principals following the evaluation cycle. The quality of this feedback greatly influences their willingness to continuously improve their practices. However, limited research exists on whether special area teachers receive meaningful feedback and professional development opportunities from their principals, who may lack specialized content knowledge, following their evaluations.

The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to explore special area teachers’ perceptions of the feedback and professional development opportunities their principals provided following the evaluation cycle. Participants included …

Effects Of Racial Microaggressions On Black Women’S Work Performance As Government Workers, Samantha-Rae Dickenson

All Theses And Dissertations

This study explored the connection between society’s perception of Black women and their experiences of racial microaggressions in a work environment, and further understand the effect these experiences have on their work performance. Despite federal regulations to eliminate workplace discrimination, there are still racially neutral workplace policies and a lack of inclusion in work environments. Work environments that do not actively account for diversity in formal policies can promote the occurrence of racial microaggressions. Black women’s unique experiences with racial microaggressions may affect their job performance. This study used Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality Theory, and Black Feminist Theory as a …

Perceptions Of Empowered Teacher Leaders, Michael J. Rafferty

All Theses And Dissertations

Teacher Leadership movements over the last 30 years have attempted to create leadership opportunities within and across an organization. The purpose of this mixed method case study was to evaluate the impact of a district’s teacher leadership opportunities to reduce teacher isolation and increase teacher collaboration. This study illustrated how effective teacher leadership initiatives should take Piaget’s idea (1971) of discovery learning and combine it with the concept that teaching and learning are more powerful when they involve social interaction (Bandura, 1987).

A literature review revealed a gap in understanding what systems and structures made collaboration more successful for teacher …

Leadership Effectiveness In Curriculum Adoption For A Kindergarten, Bo Peng

All Theses And Dissertations

This study of leadership effectiveness focused on adoption, implementation, and evaluation of kindergarten curriculum. The researcher evaluated leadership effectiveness through the processes and outcomes of the team’s decision-making. Research questions were: How does the kindergarten leadership team make decisions about adoption of kindergarten curriculum? How does the kindergarten leadership team evaluate the quality of kindergarten curriculum? How does the kindergarten leadership team evaluate student learning in the three curriculum areas of Chinese language, English language and science? How does the curriculum they have adopted align with the CKEG national standards for kindergarten curriculum in China? The program evaluation, guided by …

How Coaching Changes Teaching Practices In Elementary Literacy Instruction, Terrilyn D. L. Cheney

All Theses And Dissertations

Professional development is a major initiative in many school districts in an effort to help teachers improve teaching and learning. Literacy coaches are becoming increasingly prevalent in many elementary school buildings. This study examined the effects literacy coaches have on teaching practices. More specifically, it examined to what degree literacy coaches affect teaching.

Utilizing an electronic survey, 18 elementary classroom teachers participated in providing feedback relative to their enjoyment, new learning, changes in practice, and subsequent changes in student learning that occurred as a result of literacy coaching. Teachers indicated new learning was occurring despite how many years they had …

Decision-Making And Ethics: A Study Of Massachusetts Superintendents, Maryann Perry

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The purpose of this study was to examine the basis on which superintendents made decisions to see if they were using the four ethical frameworks of the multiple ethical paradigms to guide their decision-making. The primary purpose was to comprehend, as portrayed by Shapiro and Stefkovich (2016), which moral frameworks (i.e., justice, care, critique, and the profession) were used, assuming any were actualized by Massachusetts superintendents in decision-making. Superintendents require methods and processes that assist them to probe, “the ethical depths of each situation that calls for a judgment” (Rebore, 2013, p. 31). For this qualitative study, the modification of …

Threads Of Support: Mentoring Of Online Doctoral Students, Debra Lynn Welkley

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Doctoral students in programs throughout the United States express a need for mentoring as an important element in the completion of their degree (Associate Students of the Graduate Division, 2017; Noonan et al., 2007; University of Michigan, 2006). Although there are several studies that explored types of mentor programs and student perceptions of mentoring (Johnson, 2015; Terry & Ghosh, 2015), a review of the literature indicates an examination of doctoral student mentoring from a faculty mentor’s lens had not been examined. This transcendental phenomenological study investigated the lived experiences of faculty who mentor online Ed.D. students. The findings in the …

Graduate Nurse Perceptions Of Effectiveness Of Prelicensure Education On Medication Administration, Renee M. Mielke

All Theses And Dissertations

This cross-sectional descriptive survey examined nurse graduates’ perceptions of the efficacy of their educational experiences in preparing them to administer medications safely. Situated cognition provided organization for the study design and analysis. Data were obtained from a cohort of nursing graduates from a community college in south central Michigan using a two-step online and paper survey method. Respondents included 24 nurse graduates from the college of study. Data analysis from the researcher-designed survey revealed learning environments, activities and tools considered to be realistic to nursing practice are considered more effective for learning safe medication practices. Graduate respondents may feel effectively …

Higher Education Mergers: Challenges Blending Organizational Culture And The Influence Of Leaders, Amy A. Maison

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore, identify, and describe the challenges two-year college administrators face when blending the organizational culture of two or more institutions as a result of an involuntary, single sector merger. This phenomenological qualitative study drew findings from interviews with 12 individuals who have experienced a merger, are currently in leadership or faculty positions, and work for the Technical College System of Georgia. Using Moustakas’s (1994) model of transcendental phenomenology and the open systems theory, the researcher sought to uncover the human experience of a higher education merger. As a result of the data analysis, …

Through Their Eyes: A Phenomenological Analysis Of Perceived Leadership In Special Purpose Private Schools, Reva L. Mathieu

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The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions and experiences of leaders and followers within a special purpose private school during on-going crisis events to better understand demonstrated behaviors, values, and characteristics of leaders. The study site was the state of Maine, USA. The participants completed a survey and semi-structured interview. Four leaders and eight followers participated in the study from four schools and two agencies. A survey asked participants to prioritize leadership characteristics in the areas of relationships, operational style, and personal qualities; and to describe the five most challenging crisis experiences they have encountered working in their …

Millennial Male Associate Degree Of Nursing Students: Perceived Motivators, Benefits And Barriers, Daniela Brink

All Theses And Dissertations

There is a severe nursing shortage in the United States which affects the delivery of healthcare. The reasons for the nursing shortage are many and complex including the national movement toward healthcare reform, an aging population making greater demands on an already stressed healthcare system, and stereotypical attitudes about the work of nursing in general. While men comprise approximately half of the population, men represent only 9.6% of the nursing profession. As millennials are the current emerging workforce, this problem of a nursing shortage could be addressed by increasing the diversity of the nursing workforce to include more men from …

Understanding The Relationship Between Cultural Wellness And Academic Achievement On Standing Rock Reservation, Derek A. Stewart

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Academic achievement concerns are common among reservation schools in North and South Dakota and elicit numerous questions regarding how to address these concerns to improve educational outcomes for Native American students. This study examined the relationship between cultural wellness integration, based on the Medicine Wheel model, and the following academic achievement measures: standardized achievement tests, attendance, graduation rates, and behavioral disciplinary referrals. The specific research questions that guided this study are: 1) Using a Medicine Wheel model, how are schools on Standing Rock Reservation integrating cultural wellness? 2) How do cultural wellness integration practices relate to academic achievement in schools …

Addressing And Assessing Social-Emotional Learning Standards: An Educator’S Perspective, Naomi J. Stahl

All Theses And Dissertations

This qualitative study considers the results of a needs assessment survey conducted at the Cranberry Elementary School in Cranberry, Massachusetts. Fifteen early childhood educators responded to questions involving social-emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom, specifically relating to the Massachusetts Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning, and Approaches to Play and Learning. A thorough literature review revealed a gap in the literature regarding teachers’ experiences implementing SEL programs.

The results revealed information about the current understanding and potential for improvement in implementing those standards. Five themes emerged from the data: Interest Level, High Level of Comfort, Assessment, Time, …

Teacher Satisfaction And Staff Morale In International Schools, Kevin Frank Yoshihara

All Theses And Dissertations

Staff morale and professional satisfaction may have a profound effect on staff retention in international schools. Current literature concerning teacher staff morale and job satisfaction has considered the topic from the perspective of teachers working in their home countries. Expatriate international school teachers live and work in foreign countries, often away from their families and relatives, and little research on this experience could be located. The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was to determine the factors that contribute to staff morale and influence teacher job satisfaction within international schools. As the economic and intangible costs of a …

Educator Recruitment In International Schools: The Administrator’S View, Jeffrey Wilusz

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In this study, the researcher examined the strategies and tactics that international school leaders use when engaging in the recruitment of international school educators. The study included 89 international school leaders who took part in an online survey regarding various aspects of the recruiting process and 20 international school leaders who took part in a Skype interview to discuss further the process of recruitment. Qualitative inductive content analysis was used to code and theme the data that resulted from the anonymous online surveys and Skype interviews. Five main themes emerged from the data, and these themes described crucial components of …

Transformational Leadership In The Special Education Classroom And Its Impact On Student Connectedness, Stephen Taylor Burnham Jr.

All Theses And Dissertations

The study of leadership is often relegated to the political or business world. As it pertains to the field of education, often it is thought of as something that happens outside the classroom walls. This study has broken that barrier by focusing on the classroom and the ways leadership skills manifest themselves in that environment. Transformational leadership as defined by Burns (1978) and Bass (1999) was chosen as the leadership style for this study because it is widely accepted in the literature as a leadership style which is adept at increasing connections between leaders and followers. Increasing levels of school …

The Mandatory Accreditation Of Emergency Medical Services Paramedic Programs In The United States: A Workforce Perspective, Tamantha Anne Cumbie

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the mandatory accreditation of paramedic initial education programs on the paramedic workforce while looking through the lens of professionalization theory and occupational closure. The study included a non-probability convenience expert sampling of the state EMS Director in each of the 48 contiguous states and yielded an 80.85% return rate. The online survey utilized dichotomous and multi-option variables and included skip logic questioning with open text boxes to allow the respondent to add explanations in their own words. The survey contained three parts, including the demographics of the leaders, workforce staffing, and …

Creating Job Security And Retaining Employees Among Different Generations In The Public Sector, Kenneth R. Sisneros

All Theses And Dissertations

There is a need to train and retain the 85 million Generation Yers and 35 million Generation Xers within and entering the workforce to fill the Baby Boomers’ vacant positions, as 52 million of them continue to exit the workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). The Baby Boomer generation is exiting the workforce with extensive institutional knowledge gained through years of experience within the public sector. Without the transfer of their experience and knowledge to younger generations, a loss of organizational knowledge will occur, adversely affecting organizations’ productivity and wasting taxpayer funds. Therefore, though Generation Xers may fill some vacancies, …

Social And Emotional Learning And Support For Students Living In Rural Communities, Kristen Schebell

All Theses And Dissertations

Some schools have started implementing programs to assist with social and emotional development in students. Social and emotional skills include the ability to get along well with others, manage one’s emotions, and self-motivate; all of which impact the academic performance and behaviors of students (Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg, 2004). Unfortunately, many schools are lacking the additional supports needed, such as school counselors and social workers, to implement social and emotional learning programs or to provide social and emotional support to students (Education Week Research Center, 2015).

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social and …

A Study Of Urban Principals’ Perceptions Of Technology Implementation And Stem Program Sustainability, David D. Colter

All Theses And Dissertations

STEM careers are becoming more prominent in today’s workforce. The platform of today’s industries derives from science, technology, engineering, and math, the study of which ultimately provides students and stakeholders with the foundation to function in a globally diverse society. Due to the recent budget shortfalls, the existence of STEM programs within this Texas Urban School District was threatened. District principals were directed to review their respective budgets to determine where potential cuts could be made. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the perceptions of urban district principals regarding technology implementation and identify recommendations for the …

An Exploration Of The Impact Of Instructional Coaching, Cindy Ramdial-Budhai

All Theses And Dissertations

Florida public school teachers, in compliance with No Child Left Behind Act (2001), seek to teach through mastery of Florida State Standards. Literacy coaches support teachers to ensure students master these standards. Research about the impact of instructional coaches at the elementary and middle school levels exists, but research is limited about the impact of coaching at the high school level. This mixed-methods study was influenced by the idea of scaffolding connected to the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky,1978), tracking progress during mastery learning (Slavin, 1987), and the teaching map of instructional strategies (Marzano, 2017). Participants in this study included …

The Persistence Of Community College Students: A Single Site Case Study, Michael K. Blanchard

All Theses And Dissertations

Only 22% of all students who enroll in community colleges complete an associate degree within three years, and only 16% of students at urban community colleges earn a degree in the same time frame. Community college administrators recognize that a majority of their student population desires to earn a degree, but many lack the knowledge, skills, and support to complete college. The purpose of this single site qualitative case study was to understand how community college students perceive wraparound services and how these services impact students’ persistence. Deil-Amen (2011) was used as the theoretical underpinning for this study. The setting …

Effects Of A Faculty Training Program On Knowledge And Awareness Of Student Concussion And Academic Performance, Christina M. Finn

All Theses And Dissertations

Concussion and the cumulative effects of repetitive head injury are a growing health concern (Ahmed & Hall, 2017). Although a major emphasis throughout the literature related to concussion is on ‘return to play’, there is a growing body of literature focused on safe return to school following concussion. However, many educators and school personnel are unaware of the potential impact of concussion on academic performance or how to implement return to learn procedures following concussion (Dreer, Crowley, Cash, O’Neill, & Cox, 2016; Wing, Amanullah, Jacobs, Clark, & Merritt, 2015). Although college students may face unique challenges when returning to school …

The Knowledge And Perceptions Of Generational Cohorts Of K-5 Elementary Educators Who Use Technology For Teaching And Learning, Zachary A. Fodor

All Theses And Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions and knowledge of generational cohorts (Baby Boomer, Generation X, and/or Millennials) of elementary (K-5) educators regarding the use of technology for teaching and learning. The remarkable pace of the transition to digital-age learning environments has made it challenging for schools to build sustainable, program-wide systems for the purposeful use of educational technology during instruction (Stevens & South, 2016). This underscores the need for schools to prepare staff from every generational cohort to be confident, experienced, and ready to lead with technology in their classrooms (Stevens & South, 2016). The first research question was how do …

Understanding Disinterest: How Online Undergraduate Students Perceive And Respond To Disengaged Faculty Members, Blake Clifford

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The purpose of this interpretative, qualitative study was to discover reasons students participating in asynchronous online undergraduate courses perceive faculty as disinterested, the significance of this perception, and how students respond to disinterested faculty. Online education continues to evolve and change how students learn and how online undergraduate students perceive and respond to faculty members. With these changes, understanding which elements influence and impact the success of online undergraduate students becomes more complex. The distinctive social context of virtual learning environments often contributes to online students characterizing faculty as disengaged. Online students often have limited opportunities to interact directly with …

Mathematics Instruction In Pre-Service Undergraduate Programs In The State Of Maine, Jessica Cefalo Osich

All Theses And Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate elementary pre-service teacher preparation in mathematics offered in undergraduate education programs in the state of Maine. The research questions were: How many mathematics courses are undergraduate programs requiring pre-service teachers to take for their baccalaureate education? Within the courses that are required, how many are mathematical content courses, and how many are mathematical pedagogical courses? How does a knowledgeable informant characterize the quality of elementary pre-service teacher preparation in mathematics at their institutions? And, how do faculty evaluate student-teacher competence in math preparation? The conceptual framework was based on three core ideas: …

Examining Online Delivered Orientation To Online Learning Association With Community College Student Success, Kelly White

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The purpose of this research was to discover if there is an association between student completion of an online delivered orientation (OLO) to online learning and the student success factors of end of course grades and course completion. This study was conducted because course completion rates in online courses are unacceptably low. Educational institution administration, state and federal agencies have all taken an interest in student completion and retention rates. Discovering ways to improve the situation is gaining support. There are many factors which may influence student grades and completion rates. This study focused on the factor of an online …

Personalization And Increased Engagement Through Extended Learning Opportunities, Jennifer L. Crawford

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This qualitative intrinsic case study of a bounded system examined student perceptions of their experiences with the Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) program at Hillsboro-Deering High School. The study data derived from interviews with nine individuals who had participated in the ELO program. The study participants were both current students and alumni. The study explored the ELO program as a means of personalization and engaging students in their learning. Five main themes emerged from the data: Personal Interest, Relationships, Motivation, Self-directed and Self-paced, and Program Awareness. The study shows that students valued their experiences in the ELO program and felt that …

Offering Preceptor Incentives In Nurse Practitioner Education, Pamela Smith

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Recruitment and retention of clinical preceptors for Nurse Practitioner (NP) students is a challenge for coordinators of NP academic programs. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore what incentives and benefits are offered to clinical preceptors of NP students in accredited NP academic programs across the United States. An online questionnaire was emailed one time to a convenience sample of program coordinators of 333 universities and colleges in the U.S. that offer NP programs. Fifty-four individuals responded (16% response rate) to the survey, and the data were reported quantitatively. Text from additional comments was analyzed and interpreted using …