Education Commons^™

Design And Development Of An Onboarding Elearning Course Utilizing The Addie Model For A Nonprofit Association, Kortney Peterson

Education Projects

The National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) is a nonprofit association of Black health care executives founded in 1968 for the purpose of promoting the advancement and development of Black health care leaders and elevating the quality of health care services rendered to minority and underserved communities. The NAHSE North Carolina Chapter (NAHSE NC) focuses on building engagement and collaboration with minority groups in health care while ensuring that the chapter membership is both professionally and personally rewarding through professional and educational opportunities, mentoring, scholarships, internships, and community service (NAHSE NC, 2022). The purpose of this project was to …

Leadership Development Of A Nonprofit Organization: Implementation Of Succession Planning, Raven Neal

Education Projects

This project investigated the reasons why the Lambda Nu Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. is struggling with members not running for leadership positions and adequate succession planning. The project presented a leadership academy manual as an intervention to the lack of members stepping up to run for leadership positions. The leadership academy focuses on leadership development through knowledge building, shadowing, and mentoring. The projected outcome of implementing this manual is the members of the Lambda Nu Zeta Chapter would feel competent and confident enough to hold a position and to fulfill its obligations fully. The Lambda Nu …

Enhancing Overall Communication And Onboarding Procedures At Case Management Of The Carolina, Loren Mcneal

Education Projects

Case Management of the Carolina, a young case management organization, serves patients who qualify for community long-term care services. The organization employs less than 10 people but is struggling to retain qualified case managers. Onboarding, communication, and rebranding were some of the surface issues the owner was facing. Tammy Gordon, a previous and experienced case manager, partnered with me to help remedy some of those problems. Survey research and interview research were used to assist in diagnosing the true cause of turnover. Recommendations for new orientation documents were provided to assist with onboarding. Several virtual platforms were recommended to support …

Restructuring The Role Of Faculty In The Advising Process At A Community College, Michael Wayne Mabe

Education Projects

My goal in this project was to restructure the faculty’s role in student advising by developing a faculty-student mentorship program. I focused on three areas within the study: determining the role of faculty as mentors, describing how students would be assigned to faculty, and determining how to train faculty in the new role. I conducted a mixed methods study to gauge faculty views on advising and mentoring. Results showed that faculty supported mentoring of students, which has been shown to improve student academic performance. I recommended that faculty meet with their mentees three times throughout the academic year. Faculty and …

Retaining The Essential During The Great Resignation: Intentional Practices In Improving Employee Engagement Within The Division Of Student Affairs, Candice C. Dew

Education Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic stirred up trends in the higher education industry that impacted many student affairs employees to the point that many had chosen to retire early or transition to another type of industry for employment. This exodus of employees turned into what is now called the Great Resignation. Organizations benefit from employees having pride in what they do, but what happens when they start to feel undervalued or disposable? Employee engagement is a substantial factor that affects workplace retention. Many student affairs employees have either changed their career paths or retired early in the past few years due to …

Recruiting At Satellite Campuses For Trio Student Support Services, Marla Harris

Education Projects

My consultancy project involved working with a Large Urban Community College (LUCC) to develop a recruiting model to assist in expanding their TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program to their satellite campuses. LUCC consists of six campuses, one central campus and five satellite campuses. The TRIO program serves 175 students annually, and at the beginning of this project, all students enrolled in the program attended the central campus location. This is not in line with LUCC’s one college model and values which include being a student-centered institution and providing equitable and inclusive services for all students. This also does not …

Collective Teacher Efficacy, Annie Mcentyre, Stephanie Revis, Helena Vanhorn, Gina Gold

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module (PLM) was designed for those in leadership roles in educational organizations who desire to examine the effect of collective teacher efficacy for school improvement purposes. This module defines collective teacher efficacy as it applies to educational settings and impacts student learning. School leaders will learn research-based conditions and practices that have been found to foster collective efficacy in schools. Collective Teacher Efficacy Professional Learning Module is aligned with the North Carolina Standards for School Executives, Professional Standards for Educational Leaders, and Teacher Leader Model Standards.

View professional learning module.

Deconstructing The Standards, Melissa Y. Pollard, Seon S. Sloley

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

The purpose of this Professional Learning Module (PLM) is to improve teacher understanding of academic standard deconstruction. We created this professional learning module to assist educators in better understanding how to deconstruct standards. In this PLM, you will find information about:

1.The need for deconstruction

2.The deconstruction process

3. Identifying learning Targets

4. Using a graphic organizer

5. Common assessments aligned to standards

We hope that both educators and district-level personnel will find this PLM instrumental in the training process of deconstructing standards. In unpacking, repacking, and organizing standards, teachers will develop a better understanding of what the standards are …

Travel Agent Vs. Tour Guide: A Passport To Student Engagement, Alexis Greer, Demia Johnson, Jenee Peace, Christopher Scruggs

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This module is designed for all teachers (elementary, middle, and high) that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through virtual and/or hybrid instruction and are currently teaching in a K-12 setting. This module will provide resources and information related to planning authentic learning tasks and re-engaging students! This module will take you approximately 4 hours to complete. The focus of this module is to provide introductory information, examples of high-yield strategies, and resources for future self-paced inquiry.

View professional learning module.

Blended Learning: Intentional Personalized Instruction For All, Amy W. Fonseca, Andrew Mccully, Amber Tuttle, Sheila Wright

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This Professional Learning Module (PLM) was designed to support educators in learning more about Blended Learning, the related models, and information for implementing this effective, enriched, and student-driven instructional framework. Blended learning serves to combine the traditional instruction and feel of a brick-and-mortar school with online learning. This PLM reviews the four overarching models of Blended Learning: 1) rotation models, 2) the flex model, 3) the a la carte model, and 4) the enriched virtual model. The module also provides examples of Blended Learning for K-12 classrooms and covers The Blended Learning Teacher Competencies to support proper implementation. Educators, administrators, …

Evidence-Based Reading Interventions For Middle And High School Teachers, Brittany Evans, Beverly Hart, Mashonda Surratt

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

Welcome to Evidence-Based Reading Practices. This module is designed to help middle and high school teachers intervene with struggling readers in their regular education classrooms. This module will take you approximately three hours to complete. During that time, you will learn what to do when students are missing the necessary foundational skills to become skilled readers.

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Self-Mentoring: Discovering The Mentor Within, Lisa Savage, Pamela Williams

Instructional Modules for Professional learning Responding to Opportunities and Valuing Educators (IMPROVE)

This professional learning module (PLM) was created to help educators, including classroom teachers, administrators, and instructional support staff learn about self-mentorship. The module will describe the concept of self-mentoring as a process for engaging in self-directed professional and personal growth. Districts may find it beneficial to use this PLM to train educators on how self-mentoring can be used as a leadership development tool for improving their professional and instructional practices.

View professional learning module.

A Program Evaluation Of A Beginning Teacher Support Program In A Small Rural School District In North Carolina, Nicole B. Mcghee

Doctor of Education Dissertations

As beginning teachers face challenges and seek support, many never receive the guidance needed to help them become effective teachers. Lack of support can build obstacles that lead to job dissatisfaction and failure to retain teachers. Nationwide, states have adopted legislation to require induction programs for new teachers to improve teacher retention and student achievement.

This study evaluated the components of a beginning teacher support program in a small rural school district and the perceptions of beginning teacher participants, mentors, and school administrators. In addition, this program evaluation aimed to identifying areas of strength and weaknesses. The analysis of the …

Flattening The Curve: Elements Impacting K-12 Teachers’ Technology Self-Efficacy With Distance Learning During Covid-19, Rochelle Stanley

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine the elements impacting K-12 teachers’ technology self-efficacy while implementing distance learning during a global crisis, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this examination, the gaps in teachers’ technology self-efficacy and learning opportunities may give teachers the assistance needed to hone skills that will enrich student learning within distance learning platforms. It will also provide insight for teacher education programs; school districts; and more specifically, teacher organizations within communities.

An Examination Of Student Perceptions Of Career And Technical Education Teachers' Interpersonal Behaviors And Their Impact On Student Achievement, Gail Gallman

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine career and technical education (CTE) students’ perceptions of CTE teacher interpersonal behaviors and their impact on student achievement. This study is important because teacher-student relationships impact student achievement and CTE struggles with students earning concentrators and/ or completers. Wubbels et al.’s (1985) 48-item student questionnaire of teacher interaction was administered to CTE students enrolled in CTE courses. Descriptive statistics revealed students perceive their teachers as having more leadership, understanding, and helping/friendly behaviors and less uncertain, student responsibility/freedom, admonishing, dissatisfied, and strict behaviors. Due to the small sample size, the nonparametric Spearman’s …

A Case Study Of School Turnaround: How Leadership Behavior, Professional Learning, And Efficacy Building Can Impact Student Performance, Winter Goodson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of school turnaround through an examination of educator perceptions of the implementation of Voelkel’s (2014) framework for professional learning communities (PLCs), collective efficacy, and transformational leadership, which provided the theoretical framework for the study. This study explored the processes that take place in one of the previously lowest-performing elementary schools in the state to explore the patterns of behavior and beliefs of the team engaged in the work of turnaround. During this study, 19 educators completed a 25-question survey instrument with a 5-point Likert scale that measured the aforementioned constructs …

Armored Vulnerability: Stories Of Leader Resilience Among Black Female Principals, Nichole R. Ijames

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The study employed a qualitative phenomenological design in its exploration of leader resilience, as shared through the lived experiences of 10 Black female principals. Semi-structured interviews were used to capture and examine Black women’s perceptions of how they have grown from the challenges they have experienced in the principalship. The study capitalized on the power of stories to amplify the voices and perspectives of this marginalized group of leaders. Their stories of resilience hold significance in improving our understanding of how to better provide culturally responsive leadership development for Black female principals. Findings from the study revealed five dominant themes …

The Importance Of Mentorship, Sponsorship, And Politics For Women Of Color Who Aspire To The Superintendency And Other School Leadership Roles, Cicily Mccrimmon

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if mentorship and sponsorship could help identify the potential political pitfalls or “hidden rules” of senior-level leadership to increase the identification, recruitment, and retention of minority women, specifically African American women in the role of superintendent or executive at the school and district level. This phenomenological study explored how leadership expectations for women of color have changed over time; however, the narratives illustrate that perceptions related to women of color in senior-level leadership have largely remained unchanged. The absence of the narrative for minority women in leadership, including the limited number serving …

Instructional Coach Feedback: Investigating The Impact, Anna Coats

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study was conducted to investigate the impact the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and coaching style of an instructional coach has on middle grades teacher instructional practices. The results of this study can be used to inform school leaders, administrators, and instructional coaches on methods for improving instructional coaching practices. The study was conducted utilizing a survey instrument and interviews. The survey indicated the instructional coaches have a role in developing instructional practices, though the qualitative data indicated possibility of greater impact than in current practice. Interview participants identified opportunities for a greater impact, such as incorporating timely, balanced, …

Third- Through Fifth-Grade Males And The Reading Gap: Factors That Aid In The Reading Gap In Relation To Their Female Counterparts, Tina Alexander

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The study was designed to provide key factors that impact male reading gaps in relation to females using a quantitative approach. K-5 teachers and reading specialists were given a survey on reading and how it pertains to males and reading. The surveys consisted of the importance of reading, reading efficacy, reading avoidance, reading challenges, recognition for reading, social reasons for reading, reading curiosity, reading for grades, compliance, and competition in reading. I analyzed the perceptions of K-5 teachers and reading specialists as they relate to males and their reading gaps in relation to female students in a small school district. …

Parent Engagement In A Rural School System In Eastern North Carolina: Investigating Strategies That Will Increase The Engagement Of High-Poverty Families In Rural Districts, Lutashia Dove

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Parent engagement continues to be problematic in schools. Although many schools have attempted to implement parent engagement programs, there are still significant challenges recruiting parents to engage with the school. Numerous studies have proven a strong relationship between parent involvement and student academic outcomes. Despite the vast research on parent engagement, schools continue to struggle with developing a parent engagement program inclusive of all stakeholders. The purpose of this study was to investigate strategies to increase parent engagement in small, rural elementary schools and a 6-12 high school in eastern North Carolina. The participants in this study were parents/guardians, teachers, …

A Program Evaluation Of A Social-Emotional Alternative Learning Program, Patricia Horton-Albritton

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The names of the participants and the school district used in this program evaluation are pseudonyms to protect the participant’s identity. This program evaluation was from the perceptions of the parent/guardian and faculty of the Garnett County School District (GCSD) K-8 Alternative Learning Program. The study focused on the middle school program. The school district received the AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resilience Education) grant from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). GCSD used part of the grant funds to strategically implement programs to support students who attend the alternative …

Developing Effective Professional Learning Communities At Target Elementary School, Bianca S. White-Jeffries

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This explanatory design was used to develop and implement effective Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) at Target Elementary School (TES). The theoretical framework for this study began with the assumption that there was a direct link between PLCs, student data, and self-efficacy of educator collaboration. It should be the goal of every educator to provide a quality education for each student. When educators collaborate to provide success in each classroom, various goals can be met within each site. Several instruments were used to develop and implement professional collaboration. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected to determine the effectiveness of the current …

A Weighted Individual Performance-Based Assessment For Middle School Orchestral Strings: Establishing Validity And Reliability, Kevin Ward

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The study established the validity and reliability of a weighted individual performance-based assessment tool within the utility scope of middle school orchestral strings. The following research questions guided this study:

1. What specific string-playing behaviors and corresponding criteria validate a weighted individual performance-based assessment tool for middle school orchestral strings?

2. What are the psychometric properties of the weighted individual performance-based assessment tool in authentic situations?

For Research Question 1, the expert panel and I were able to 100% mutually agree on 10 string-playing behaviors: tempo, rhythm, tone, pitch, intonation, technique, bowing, dynamics, phrasing, and posture that created the DISAT. …

Career And Technical Education: Developing A Well-Equipped Workforce, Grant Tharpe

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Evidence today suggests there is a skills gap among employable young adults. This study was based on a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program evaluation that was conducted in a rural school district in North Carolina. The study examined the perceptions of the program by CTE High School teachers, CTE Community College instructors, CTE local employers, and CTE program graduates. The focus was the overall functioning of the program and its ability to form students who are college and career ready through attainment of important future ready attributes. The study was conducted through a mixed methods approach. Data were collected …

Staying Power: Examining Factors That Influence Educators’ Decisions To Remain In Special Education, Jill Douds

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This mixed methods study was designed to examine the factors that experienced special education teachers report as being influential in their decision to remain in the field of special education. The study collected data using surveys and interviews with experienced special education teachers to gather their perspectives and identify common themes that supported their desire and motivation to remain in the field. Results indicated that relationships with, and advocacy for, students and colleagues were the strongest factors in their motivation to stay in special education.

Teacher Perceptions On The Impact Of Changes In Educational Practices And Student Learning For A Covid-19 Post-Pandemic Classroom: A Mixed Methods Study, Laine Smith

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted educational practices around the world, changed the instructional interface of the classroom and impacted student learning. The purpose of this research study was to identify teacher perceptions of this change, understand how teachers addressed those changes in the classroom, and determine what teachers saw as the next best steps to address student learning disparities going forward.

A mixed methods approach was used to conduct this research. Participants who completed the survey and/or mini focus groups were teachers in County X during the 2019-2022 school years. A thematic analysis was conducted for each mini focus group, quantitative …

Shift In Education: The Impact Of Covid-19 On Face-To-Face And Virtual Learning, Donya Jones

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to investigate the impact COVID-19 had on teachers’ instructional practices, technology preparedness, and social and emotional well-being. The results of this study can be used to inform school leaders, administrators, and teachers about methods to support teachers who teach during a worldwide crisis. The study was conducted utilizing a survey instrument and interviews. The survey and interviews indicated that COVID-19 affected teachers who taught virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey and interview participants identified supports that teachers needed to have in order to successfully teach virtually during a pandemic, such as technology, professional development …

Career And Technical Education High School Internships: A Program Evaluation Of The Effect Internships Have On The Education And Career Choices Of Students, Randal Hylemon

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The study evaluated the effectiveness of career and technical education internships during high school and gave the administration some insights that can guide the program forward. A key component of the program’s effectiveness is the impact the program has on the overall education and career choices of students involved in career and technical education (CTE). This formative program evaluation collected qualitative data by surveying students who had participated in internships while attending each of the high schools located in a school district in the western part of North Carolina to gain information regarding how their internships affected their educational path …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Brain-Based Learning And The Implementation Of Physical Brain Breaks As A Classroom Management Strategy, Tiffany C. Neal

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to better understand educators' perspectives of physical brain breaks at middle schools located in the northwestern part of North Carolina as it relates to the brain-based learning theory. This study is important because it helps to bridge the gap between the educational and neuroscience fields by providing teachers’ perspectives about using physical brain breaks, issues implementing them, and the importance of relationships with educational stakeholders. After submitting the survey, participants were asked to share their contact information to show their willingness to participate in a focus group with their peers to answer 10 questions …