Education Commons^™

Elementary Teacher Experiences With English Language Learners With Special Education Needs In New York, Colleen Ann Cahill

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aimed to understand teacher experiences working with English language learners (ELL) with or suspected of having a learning disability. This study also addressed the current problem of ELL students concurrently being under and over classified as needing special education services. This study explored the experiences of elementary school teachers in the state of New York. The participants were from different school districts within New York State. The participants all had experience teaching students who were designated ELL who were currently in the process of response to intervention (RTI) or had already been referred and classified as having …

Parental Understanding Of Special Education Legislation And Case Law, Advocacy, And Perceptions Of The Iep Process For Children With Autism, Rachel Treshan

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the legal statutes in place that mandate parental participation in the individualized education program (IEP) process, the decision-making process is mainly dominated by educators. In addition, information on parental perceptions of IEP meetings is limited, especially in regard to parents of children with autism. Parental understanding of special education legislation and case law, advocacy, and perceptions of the IEP process for children with autism was explored in this study. Using a generic qualitative approach, 11 parents of children ages 3 to 13 years old with autism were interviewed via Zoom to develop an understanding of their experiences. Data were …

The Experiences Of Cohort Membership In An Alternative Certification Program, Roxanne Marie Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Employing and retaining teachers has been a rising problem affecting employment at school districts. Nationwide school districts have noted high instances of teacher shortages and are finding it more difficult to fill positions with traditionally trained teachers. In the 2019-2020 school year, at a local district in South Florida, it was assessed that 56% of new teachers to the district were of a noneducation background or career changers.

Retention of this subgroup of teachers is pertinent to reducing teacher attrition, specifically within the school districts that most frequently employ them. Certificate expiration, due to not completing their certification requirements within …

Misunderstood: A Phenomenological Study On Intersectionality And The Lived Experiences Of Black Millennial Student Affairs Professionals At Pwis, Emily P. Dixon

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to further understand the lived experiences of Black millennial student affairs professionals navigating and advancing through a predominately white institution in the southern United States. This phenomenological study, framed by critical race theory and intersectionality, sought to ultimately use these lived experiences to advocate for change. A review of the literature highlighted the needs, values, and experiences of Black Millennials based on both identities, the experiences of working in student affairs/higher education with these experiences, and the need for intentional diversity efforts by higher educational institutions.

The researcher interviewed nine participants to learn more about …

A Training Intervention For Middle School Teachers On Culturally Relevant Instruction And Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies, Vivian Yakpo Newton

Theses and Dissertations

A Training Intervention for Middle School Teachers on Culturally Relevant Instruction and Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies.

Vivian Yakpo Newton, 2020: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice.

Keywords: Culturally Relevant Education, Cultural Diversity, Classroom Environment, Middle School Teachers, Cultural Awareness This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effectiveness of the Middle School Teacher Training Intervention on the application of culturally relevant instruction and classroom management instructions by teachers in a Title I middle school in the southeastern United States.

This school lacked culturally relevant instruction and behavior management, despite …

Challenges Teachers Encounter When Integrating Technology In A Culturally, Linguistically, And Diverse High School, Eliana Rodriguez Molina

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers often encounter challenges when integrating technology into a classroom that has a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student population. These challenges have existed as teachers are not adequately trained to integrate technology when working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. Additionally, challenges arise when students do not have technological skills.

This qualitative study examined how high school teachers with a high CLD student population integrated technology into daily instructions and the challenges they encounter when implementing it. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the researcher collected data through eight individual teacher interviews via Zoom.

During the data analysis, five general …

Parental Involvement In At-Risk Students’ Academic Affairs Versus The Athletic Arena In Low-Performing Schools In South Florida, Antrell L. Dirden

Theses and Dissertations

The researcher designed a qualitative case study to delve further into the lack of consistent parental involvement and academic support in low-performing schools in South Florida with at-risk African American students, most especially when compared to the support in the athletic arena by those same parents. Educators and leaders in the field of education agree that the same effort and energy displayed in support of the athletic aspirations of their child should be equal or even greater in the academic success of the same students. Research questions focused on perceived challenges that prevent consistent parental involvement in academics over athletics, …

An Audience Analysis Of The Effectiveness Of A Speech: A Blueprint For Planning Successful Motivational Speeches, Robert Gerald Lawrie

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide specific information as to how a person can become a better motivational speaker. The current literature on the topic of effective public speaking, especially in light of this growing trend in the nation and around the world is outdated, cumbersome, or inadequate. Even though there is an abundance of material on the topic of public speaking, most of it has not included empirical evidence concerning what characteristics of the speaker might affect an audience’s perceptions about the effectiveness of the speech.

The researcher adopted an audience analysis framework to examine the variables that …

A Qualitative Study Of African American Middle School Students’ Perception Of Low Student-Teacher Racial Match On Their Educational Experience, Tai Lynn Swift

Theses and Dissertations

The problem that will be explored within this research is that many African American students lack the opportunity to be taught by African American teachers. Research shows that students taught by teachers with whom they identify as having similar or the same experiences may result in meaningful learning for the student. Given, African American teachers represent only 18% of all teachers, there is not an abundance of African American teachers within the school system to serve as role models for African American students.

The literature review explored included critical race theory and highlighted how race in education does not yield …

Therapists' Perspectives On Aiding Individuals To Maintain Social Connection While Struggling With Health Concerns, Shari Howington-Carlin

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore therapists’ perspectives on aiding individuals to maintain social connection while struggling with health concerns. Social relationships support physical and psychological well-being, yet individuals struggling with physical or mental health issues often have difficulty maintaining their relationships. Therapists, as health professionals, often discuss physical as well as emotional health concerns with their patients, including components of physiological and psychological heath care. Emerging neuroscience is aiding in understanding how research in this field supports early intervention for health outcomes around healthy social and family relationships during chronic disease or illness onset.The researcher conducted a phenomenological …

The Effects Of Same-Sex Parental Relationships On Teenagers, Denise A. Daniels

Theses and Dissertations

Having same-sex parents is often linked with negative effects to the well-being of children into their adult years. The reported experiences from teenagers with same-sex parents and the stressors they experience are next to nonexistent. For this study, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted to understand how teenagers age 13-16 make meaning of their same-sex parents’ relationship and the stressors they experience.

The theoretical framework for this study was based on the collaborative language system (CLS) of Anderson and Goolishian. The researcher investigated the perceptions of four teenaged participants regarding their relationships with their same-sex parents and how they coped …

Exploring The Aftermath Of Cyber And Traditional Bullying Victimization Of Adolescent’S Mental Health And Academic Success, Latasha L. Young

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in the research study was that cyber bullying and traditional bullying continued to increase at the research site during the past 4 years. The purpose of the study was to determine the influences of mental health services that were designed to decrease the negative effects of both cyber and traditional bullying on adolescent clients’ health and academic performance. This applied dissertation was designed to examine the experiences of cyber and traditional bullying victimization of adolescents’ mental health and academic success, within a large southern state in the United States, to provide practical solutions to address the concerns …

The Effects Of New Teacher Induction Programs On New Teacher Retention In Urban School Districts, Lisa Maria Smith-Sherrod

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effect of new teacher inductions programs on new teacher retention in urban school districts. Teachers are leaving urban school districts at alarming rates. The expectation that every student will receive a quality educational experience is becoming increasingly less common for the neediest students, who are often minorities in rural or urban settings, or who have special needs (Snodgrass, 2018). Urban school districts and institutions of higher education need to determine strategies that will retain highly effective educators in the field. This applied dissertation was designed to provide insight into how to improve …

An Examination Of African Americans’ Fear Of Police Among Generation Z, James Jones

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the level of fear Generation Z-African Americans have of police. The population for this research consisted of African Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 and resided in the United States of America. From this population, a sample size of 105 participants were constructed for the study. The research compared the level of fear Blacks have of police when grouped by age, gender, education level, region of the country, and community of residence. Random sampling was used for participant selection, and a series of non-parametric ANOVAs (i.e., Kruskal-Wallis tests) were conducted …

Gender Disparity In Studying Chemistry, Carlo Semerzier

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine if there is a difference between students’ gender, ethnicity, and age and their performance in General Chemistry I at a Christian University in Florida. Many scientific studies reveal the existence of a gender performance gap in chemistry: women mostly underperform men. Certain factors reported by researchers and cited in this study that might contribute to this gap include self-efficacy, math ability, prior conceptual knowledge in chemistry, attitude toward chemistry, spatial ability, discrimination, learning styles, and exam types.

This quantitative research study used retrospective data from 113 students from eight sections (2016-2019) of a …

Exploring Academic Leadership In Higher Education Through The Lens Of Leader-To-Member Exchange (Lmx) Theory, Dequies A. Lanier

Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological study focused on Exploring Academic Leadership in Higher Education Through The Lens of Leader-to-Member Exchange (LMX) Theory, Dequies A. Lanier, 2020: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: communication, leadership development, higher education, leader-member exchange, organizational leadership This applied dissertation was designed to explore the communication between higher education leaders and faculty at the department level in the United States at a southeastern higher education institution. The study sought to explore (a) the communication relationship between leaders and followers; (b) commitment to the organization; and (c) suggested communication …

The Role Of Social Media In Human Trafficking Victimization, Alicia Marie Terwilliger

Theses and Dissertations

Human trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, and receipt of people. Humans are one of the only global commodities that can be sold and used repeatedly (Jones et al., 2007), helping to make trafficking a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide. There are several types of trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, organ harvesting, and sexual exploitation. Often, trafficking includes threats, the use of force, coercion, abduction, and fraud for exploitation, labor, harvested organs, or sex. Human trafficking occurs domestically and across international borders, with over 45 million victims globally (Bonilla & Mo, 2019). Every state in the United States is affected …

Literacy Development Practices For English Learners With Interrupted Formal Education, Javier Francisco Oaxaca

Theses and Dissertations

English language learners (ELLs) are a diverse student group that continues to grow within schools all throughout the United States and those students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE) continue to lag behind their peers in academic achievement, particularly in literacy. Although there have been several studies to explore this complex phenomenon, a gap in the research continues to exist on specific conditions needed for academic success for SLIFE such as beginning/basic literacy instruction in secondary educational contexts. The purpose of this research study was to determine the extent to which teachers’ perception and knowledge of basic literacy skills …

A Strategic Plan To Increase Equitable Practices In A Pacific Northwest School District, Nancy Lee Reisner

Theses and Dissertations

This strategic research project was designed to provide a plan to support global implementation of equitable practices in a school district in the Pacific Northwest. Using results of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis, internal and external factors were analyzed to score each item to identify areas that could be addressed to improve the overall function of the organization. Grounded in cultural relevancy theory and social justice theory, the problem of implementation of equitable practice with fidelity throughout the district was identified and addressed.

Key factors impacting the implementation of equitable practices identified were teacher training, leadership structure, …

Teaching Strategies Leading To Success In Self-Contained Classrooms, Sonja Michelle Robinson-Madden

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation addressed the strategies used in self-contained classrooms that lead to the success of students with intellectual disabilities in Jamaica. The study was prompted by the poor performance of primary schools in teaching delivery as evidenced in the National Inspectorate Report. The views of successful teachers were collated in order to provide meaningful research data that can be used to improve the effectiveness of teachers regarding their teaching strategies and engagement of their students in the teaching-learning process. In addition, the research findings may be used to inform policies regarding the education of special needs students who are …

Percepción Del Director Escolar Sobre El Liderazgo Servidor En Las Escuelas Cinco Estrellas En Arecibo, Puerto Rico, Enrique Antonio Cordero Soto

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de la investigación fue Indagar la percepción de los directores escolares de las escuelas cinco estrellas sobre el liderazgo servidor. Los mismos tendrán una evaluación sobre su liderazgo en sus entornos escolares y si ellos son partes de sus logros, tanto en lo administrativo, clima escolar y aprovechamiento académico de los estudiantes. Los propósitos del estudio fueron determinar si existía una relación entre su liderazgo como directores escolares y el líder servidor, el reconocimiento de las cualidades y ventajas sobre el liderazgo de servicio y como relaciona el impacto de servicio en la clasificación de las escuelas y …

A Qualitative Examination Of Student Threat Assessment In Nassau County, New York, Christopher J. Cleary

Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement agencies and school systems face the critically important task of preventing attacks of targeted school violence and providing safe environments for students, faculty, and staff. The tragic results of past school shooting incidents have caused law enforcement agencies to work collaboratively with educators to develop strategies to reduce violent attacks.

Numerous examples from previous school shooting incidents show that shooters exhibited certain warning signs before the attack, and those signs went unaddressed. The student threat assessment process was developed to help educators and law enforcement members recognize the warning signs and take preemptive action before violence occurs. Threat …

Response Interruption And Redirection (Rird) As A Treatment For Vocal Stereotypy In Children Who Are Dually Diagnosed With Autism And Down Syndrome, Stacy Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals who are dually diagnosed with Down Syndrome (DS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) frequently engage in vocal stereotypy that can interfere with learning, impede socially appropriate behavior, and disrupt others. Response interruption and redirection (RIRD) is an intervention that blocks and redirects stereotypy to reduce behavior. Studies on RIRD, while varied in their overall approach, have overwhelmingly been shown to be effective in clinical settings for children with ASD. There are few studies that have evaluated this procedure in more natural settings and with other diagnoses. Given that ASD is prevalent in those with DS and that stereotypy is …

The Impact Of Training Teachers In Multiple-Intelligences Instructional Strategies, Mary R. Massey

Theses and Dissertations

This research study outlined a professional-development program for training preschool teachers in Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. The program then continued training in practical applications of the theory for instructional use in the classroom. The preschool director and teachers’ perceptions and experiences were documented and provided the data to assess the impact of the training on the instructional strategies demonstrated in the classrooms. Attention was paid to any impact on classroom management, teacher morale, and cohesive instructional vision throughout the school.

The data from this study revealed that the years of experience of the teachers proved to be the …

Employee Perceptions Related To Specific Work Processes Within The Crime Control Model Known As The Stratified Model, Robert William Steinkraus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure employee perceptions of satisfaction as they relate to specific work processes and products within the Stratified Model. The Stratified Model is a crime-reduction model that was developed and gradually implemented first within the Port St. Lucie Police Department between 2004-2011. The full implementation of this crime-reduction model occurred in 2012. The Port St. Lucie Police department has since achieved greater reductions of the overall crime rate than other cities in Florida consisting of similar populations. In 2019, Port St. Lucie had the 7th largest population in Florida.

Currently, it is unknown how …

A Training Intervention For Middle School Teachers On Culturally Relevant Instruction And Culturally Relevant Classroom Management Strategies, Vivian Yakpo Newton

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effectiveness of the Middle School Teacher Training Intervention on the application of culturally relevant instruction and classroom management instructions by teachers in a Title I middle school in the southeastern United States. This school lacked culturally relevant instruction and behavior management, despite its teachers having undergone the training program. It also had significant identifiable gaps in the academic achievement of its students, which raised questions about the efficacy and inclusivity in its educational environment. The lack of cultural competence of middle school teachers and administrators contributes to the suboptimal performance of students …

The Relationship Of Authentic Leadership And Growth, Retention, And Productivity, Michael B. Horwitz

Theses and Dissertations

Leadership has been heralded a critical component for the achievement of successful organizational outcomes. Recent financial, social, psychological, and environmental challenges that are being faced on a global scale have raised the call for new and effective leadership. Researchers and practitioners have expressed the need for the development of good leaders. Authentic leadership (AL) has been described as the root theory of all other forms of positive leadership and offers a way to describe and develop more effective leadership and drive veritable sustained superior performance.

Authentic leaders are proposed to have greater self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors, seeking to develop …

Perceptions, Attitudes, And Experiences Of A High-Performing High School Successful In Increasing Graduation Rates, Nikita Michelle Mccaskill

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation study was designed to assess a high-performing high school’s dropout prevention program that increased graduation rates and decreased dropout rates among high school students. The high-performing high school was chosen because the target site achieved a 90% or higher graduation rate over 5 school years. Four of 19 high schools within the target school district achieved less than a 90% graduation rate. The purpose of this case study was to describe the attitudes, perceptions, and experiences of teachers, guidance counselors, and school-based administrators at a high-performing high school within the target school district—inclusive of a time frame …

Social Emotional Learning: A Case For Success, Lindsey M. Agoglia

Theses and Dissertations

By performing a quantitative research study, this applied dissertation was designed to ascertain the difference between students’ self-efficacy who have been exposed to a curriculum that integrated social emotional learning (SEL) skills and those students who have not. Bandura’s social cognitive theory was used as the theoretical framework to demonstrate how SEL increases self-efficacy and motivation, which increases academic success. At the time of the study, one school (control school) was not implementing a SEL skills curriculum, while the other school (experimental school) was integrating Personalization for Academic and Social Emotional Learning (PASL), a social emotional learning strategy curriculum into …

Retaining Employees In Public Sector Organizations, Marlon Javier Rivera

Theses and Dissertations

This research study focused on the attrition rate among employees at a large public sector organization within a large state in the southeastern United States. The study identified factors contributing to the problem and identify possible solutions to minimize or alleviate the problem. The literature identified motivation as one of the factors largely contributing to increasing attrition rates.

Motivation has become a rather slow-paced factor in this large public sector organization and was reflected in work performance and productivity (Director, 2019). Cooperation between departments and individuals of higher positions tended to be deficient and communication was minimal (Director, personal communication, …