Education Commons^™

The Vanguard Of Racially Reconstituting Higher Education Black Student Campus Activism: #Standwithus!, Marcellus James Davis

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This study researched the current role of black student campus activism in a Midwestern, predominantly white institution (PWI). The researcher employed Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework and qualitative methodology to amalgamate 10 black student narratives about their participation or nonparticipation in Black Student Campus Activism (BSCA). The researcher found that BSCA is active at this PWI, as it shows up in various forms, such as sit-ins, teaching and awareness of peers, social media organizing, and participation in the campuses black student organizations. The development of black students’ racial identities and critical racial-consciousness development (or being “woke”) enhanced participants involvement in …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Chinese Immersion Programs In Minnesota, Xinming Ren

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of the study was to gain information from parents who had enrolled their child/children in selected Chinese language immersion programs during 2016-2017 school year in Minnesota. The study aimed to explore parents’ motivations and perceptions of Chinese immersion programs in Minnesota. By exploring parents’ perceptions, the Chinese immersion programs’ strengths and potential improvements were identified. The findings of the study were shared with Chinese immersion programs’ administrators, teachers, and parents to improve their awareness about Chinese immersion programs in Minnesota. The findings of the study were used to supplement the gap in the literature related to parents’ perceptions …

Athletic Identity, Identity Foreclosure, And Career Maturity Of A Ncaa Division Ii Female Student-Athlete, Paula U'Ren

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

Abstract

National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and Division II (DII) athletics provide an opportunity for student-athletes to complete at a highly competitive level, at smaller regionalize institutions (50.8% of institutions with less than 2,500 students) (NCAA, 2017). There are approximately 300 NCAA DII institutions that participate in 24 conferences throughout the United States of America. NCAA DII athletics philosophy supports a “balanced and inclusive approach” that promotes an opportunity for student-athletes to have a greater opportunity to access championships and promotes preparation for student-athletes for life beyond graduation. This is done through monitored time commitment, limiting class absences due to …

Healthcare Student Collegiate Honors Decision-Making: A Grounded Theory, Brenda Frie

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This qualitative study explored high aptitude healthcare students’ decision-making surrounding collegiate honors program participation. The topic of decision-making was relevant; according the National Collegiate Honors Council (2014-2015) the mean four-year honors program completion rate is less than 50% . The primary research question explored how students’ values, knowledge, and experiences influenced decisions to participate in a collegiate honors program. Twenty-five students’ were interviewed representing ten different healthcare professions. The transcribed narratives were analyzed using a constructivist grounded theory method. The result was a model, grounded in the data, which identified the factors associated with decisions to join, decline or drop …

An Examination Of Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding The Implementation Of Professional Learning Communities In Central Minnesota Public Elementary Schools, Patricia Held

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The focus of this research is in the area of professional learning community (PLC) implementation in public elementary schools in central Minnesota. Such a study is important in order to ascertain the perceptions of elementary teachers in the successful implementation of PLCs in their schools. While there is research describing the perceptions of school district administrators in actualizing professional learning communities in their districts, there was no research found describing the perceptions of public elementary school teachers in central Minnesota regarding their participation in PLCs. The research approach adopted in this dissertation included a quantitative study utilizing an online survey …

Mcf-Togo - Thistledew Camp. A Historical Analysis Examining A Specialized Juvenile Residential Correctional Program., Anne Chelin-Anderson

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

This is an historical analysis of a specialized residential Minnesota youth program, Thistledew Camp, governed by the Minnesota Department of Corrections and approved by Minnesota Department of Education. This program served at risk youth ages 13-17 (age 18 if they had a birthday while at the camp) who were court ordered to the program because of behaviors, truancy, or probationary violations. Additionally, some students were placed in the facility by social services or their families because they were chemically dependent youth in need of addiction counseling services. The students assigned, or court ordered to the Thistledew Camp facility, were taught …

Bullying In The Workplace: Are Principals, Assistant Principals And Licensed Administrators Confident Identifying And Addressing Adult Bullying?, Emily Rustman

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) defined bullying as a, “repeated, health-harming mistreatment by one or more people of an employee by means of verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, humiliation, work interference, sabotage, exploitation of a known vulnerability, or a combination of any of all of these” (2013, WBI U.S. National Survey). According to a 2010 WBI national survey, “An estimated 54 million Americans report being bullied at work” (2013, WBI).

The purpose of this study was to determine if quality professional development or training had been provided to Minnesota principals, assistant principals, and licensed administrators related to identifying and addressing workplace …

The Presence Of Correlates Of Effective Schools In Select Minnesota Charter Schools With Longevity, Frank Herman

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

Minnesota enacted the nation’s first charter public school law in 1991. Since that time, the charter school movement has grown in Minnesota and across the United States. In Minnesota alone there are 165 charter schools operating according to the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools in the school year 2016-2017. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools (NAPCS) reported that there were more than 6,700 public charter schools enrolling about 2.9 million student nationally in the 2015-16 school year.

Since state statute defines charter schools as public schools funded by the state of Minnesota, and represent taxpayer investment, there is …

Satisfaction Levels Of Central Minnesota Parents Regarding The School Instruction Of Their Dyslexic Children, Kelly Haws

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Statement of the Problem According to Washburn, Joshi and Cantrell (2011) reading disabilities, such as dyslexia, affect 15-20% of the general population. Educational leadership requires school administrators to educate all students, regardless of their learning styles. With dyslexia affecting an estimated 15-20% of the school population (Washburn et al., 2011), it would be reasonable to assume that students with dyslexia are being underdiagnosed, and therefore underserved. Consequentially, potential revenue may be lost by public schools whose parents are choosing to enroll their child in the private sector because of past or perceived dissatisfaction in the public school’s ability to meet …

A Case Study Of The Implementation Of Activate, An Executive Function Intervention Program, Randal Smasal

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The purpose of this case study was to explore how three elementary schools located in the eastern region of the United States of America implemented the ACTIVATE executive function intervention program. The researcher investigated the practices used in these schools, the perceived benefits for children, the barriers to implementation and recommendations for schools initiating an implementation of this program. The case study format provided for the collection of responses, perspectives and insights through semi-structured interviews from seven individual educators most responsible for implementation of the program. Transcripts were coded for themes and frequency counts of the data were gathered. Analysis …

Development Of A Valid And Reliable Job Performance Formative Feedback Instrument For High School Activities Directors, David M. Wedin

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

The problem of the study was to develop and test for validity and reliability, a 20-item, 360-degree formative feedback instrument for assessing the performance of high school activities directors. Data were collected from coaches, extra-curricular advisors, licensed staff members, non-licensed staff members, and administrators regarding activities directors’ performances. Contributing high schools in the state of Minnesota participated in the study during the spring of 2017. A standard statistical item analysis was completed to calculate basic descriptive statistics and a Cronbach’s (1951) alpha to determine reliability. In addition, a pilot test and content analysis of the items was conducted to determine …

How Demographic And Professional Characteristics Affect Faculty Attitudes Regarding Assessment Of Student Learning, Angela Erickson-Grussing

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

The attitudes of faculty members regarding the assessment of student learning is a topic that has garnered much attention in recent years, predominantly since the ‘assessment movement’ (Walvoord, 2004) gained strength in the 1990s. While much research has been conducted to investigate attitudinal trends, relatively little investigation has uncovered what factors contribute to varying attitudes among faculty members, especially when it comes to assessment. This study investigated the relationship between personal, demographic, and professional characteristics of individual faculty members and their attitudes regarding student assessment. Specifically, teaching faculty members at a private, undergraduate, liberal arts institution in the Midwestern United …

The Value Of Standards Based Teacher Evaluation: Perceptions Of Tenured Elementary Teachers In A Metropolitan School District, Bryan Bass

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Abstract

The authorization of federal legislation including the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (Public Law 107-110) and the United States Department of Education, 2009 Race to The Top (RTTT) (Pubic Law 111-5) federal grant stimulus spurred an increase in state accountability systems that focused on reform and innovation. Specifically, these federal statutes focused on a “renewed emphasis on state-level teacher evaluation policy” (Maslow & Kelley, 2012, p. 601). This enhanced focus on accountability for student achievement among teachers and principals has contributed to school districts attempting to design effective teacher evaluation systems that promote and encourage a culture …

Female Student Affairs Professionals And Work-Life Balance, Debra K. Deminck

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how mothers, working as mid-level student affairs professionals, perceive and navigate their dual roles at work and in the home. This study asked the following: how does the participant’s sense of identity, relational style, adaptive style, and drive and motivation shape her work-life balance decisions and practices? What personal strategies are these working mothers using as they respond to the demands of the dual roles of professional and parent? Using a basic qualitative research design, I explored the work-life experiences of eight female student affairs professionals through participant interviews. Data …

Transitioning Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders From High School To The Workforce: A Literature Review, Katie L. Karnik

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Transitioning Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders from High School to the Workforce: A Literature Review

Students In Foster Care At Risk Of School Failure: Addressing Multiple Needs, Dawn R. Segermark

Culminating Projects in Special Education

This paper examines the research literature on the school performance of students in foster care, and the implications for special education teachers in providing services for these vulnerable students. Students in foster care fall behind their peers on every measure of school success: academic achievement scores, behavioral referrals and disciplinary actions, identification as special education students, grade retention and graduation rates. Factors that contribute to school failure for foster students include multiple school transfers, attending low-performing schools, disrupted attendance, unmet need for mental health services, unsatisfactory communication between school and child welfare professionals, and high rates of poverty among foster …

Lgbtq Mid-Level Administrators Of Color In Student Affairs: Experiences Of Support And Resilience, Saby Leimomi Labor

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

Existing literature provides an insufficient understanding of the lived experiences of LGBTQ Student Affairs Mid-Level Administrators and particularly from a strengths-based approach. This study applied a life story interview approach to the exploration of the support and resilience experiences of mid-level Student Affairs administrators who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirit and/or queer (LGTBTTQ) and a person of color or indigenous (POCI), using a theoretical framework comprised of the ecological systems approach (Bronfenbrenner, 1979), queer theory (Jagose, 1996; Plummer, 2005; Watson, 2005) and intersectionality (Collins, 1998; Crenshaw, 1991; McCall, 2005). Findings of this study include a wide range …

Teaching Social Skills To Students With Autism, Shylla Webb

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Teaching Social Skills to Students with Autism

Mindfulness Strategies And Childhood Trauma, Jennifer Peterson

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Although many interventions and treatment options are available to aid youth who display patterns of emotional or behavioral dysfunction as a result of trauma, researchers are discovering the effectiveness of “mindfulness” techniques to help young people cope with these symptoms. Mindfulness is the ability to experience the present moment without judgement and the techniques involve training in attending to present-moment experiences such as breath, sounds, and movements (Berceli & Napoli, 2007). Mindfulness is a useful tool for regulating emotions by increasing awareness and developing flexibility and adaptability in responding to one’s emotional experiences (Berceli & Napoli, 2007). The purpose of …

Experiences Of Bangladeshi Undergraduate International Students’ Studying In The United States, Kristy Modrow

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This qualitative research explored the experiences and needs of undergraduate Bangladeshi international students studying in the United States. The purpose of this research was to understand the needs of undergraduate Bangladeshi international students so college campuses could best serve this population. Eleven undergraduate Bangladeshi international students at an Upper Midwest regional comprehensive university participated in this qualitative research study. This researched showed that while studying in the United States undergraduate Bangladeshi students experience academic stressors such as: academic performance expectations, classroom norms, student relationships with professors, student to student relationships. They also experience sociocultural stressors such as: culture shock, social …

The Effect Of Lgbt Resource Centers On Student Success & Engagement, Kristopher A. Oliveira

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

This quantitative study was developed to determine whether involvement in a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Resource Center had a measureable impact on the success, engagement, and retention of LGBTQ students at St. Cloud State University. Success included academic completion and grade point average (GPA); engagement included the number of times and type of participation in the LGBT Resource Center; and retention was measured by the student’s self-reported intention of returning to the university. An online survey was sent to all students (undergraduate and graduate) at St. Cloud State University in the spring semester of 2017. Approximately 500 …

Comprehension Strategies For Middle School Students With Learning Disabilities, Kevin A. Justen

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Comprehension Strategies for Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities

Finding Voice: A History Of The Minnesota Two-Year College Faculty Union, Shawn E. Mueske

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

A comprehensive history of the Minnesota two-year college faculty union was compiled with emphasis placed upon union organization, leadership, activities, events, faculty satisfaction levels, and relationship to national education labor movements. The Hirschman exit, voice, and loyalty theory provided the conceptual framework of the project. Total faculty satisfaction was determined by the combination of academic, working conditions, and governance factors experienced in the profession. Faculty satisfaction was influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors coupled with a procedural and distributive justice evaluation. When total satisfaction dropped to unacceptable levels faculty faced a dilemma. Highly dissatisfied faculty either exited the profession/institution or …

The Use Of Principal Professional Learning Communities By Secondary Principals In Minnesota, Nicole K. Rittenour

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

Principals in Minnesota are required to remain current in knowledge of leadership for relicensure and evaluation purposes. One method used by Minnesota principals to increase their leadership capacity using the latest teaching and learning research strategies, is the professional learning community (PLC). Limited research is available on principals’ professional learning communities in Minnesota and the challenges to participate in them. The study provides an examination of principal professional learning communities and how Minnesota school district principals use collaboration to increase their knowledge in the field of administration.

Barth (1985b) suggested “the principal is the head learner . . . and …

The Effectiveness Of The Picture Exchange Communication System For Children Who Have Autism, Lauren Kaduk

Culminating Projects in Special Education

The effectiveness of the picture exchange communication system for children who have autism.

The Impact Of Choice On Students With Disabilities, Justin T. Kelly

Culminating Projects in Special Education

A comprehensive research of the impact of choice on students with disabilities.

Evidence-Based Interventions For Elementary Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders, Virginia J. Voigt-Zabinski

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Evidence-based Interventions for Elementary Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

Perceived Effects Of Peer Observation On Collaboration Between Teachers At A Minnesota High School, Jacob O. Klingelhutz

Culminating Projects in Education Administration and Leadership

This study examined teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of a newly implemented peer observation program in a central Minnesota High School. The two research questions for this study were: (1) To what extent do teachers perceive the overall effectiveness of participating in a peer observation process? and (2) To what extent do teachers perceive the overall quality of their professional interactions, communications, feedback, or discussions [with or from or by] peers as a result of participating in this process? A mixed-methods approach was used to gather data in the form of survey and interview responses. A 28-item questionnaire was developed, …

Self-Regulated Strategy Development For High School Students With Emotional/Behavioral Disorders, Bobby R. Schwark

Culminating Projects in Special Education

Self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) is one of the most promising strategies for improving the quality of student writing. The SRSD model has been a successful tool for increasing writing skills for over 20 years, and is demonstrated to be effective for high school students with EBD.

Students' Performance On Institutional Learning Outcomes, Cheryl R. Norman

Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration

In response to increased attention within higher education to develop essential learning outcomes, faculty and administrators have worked to measure students’ performance in relation to these outcomes. Students’ learning is often measured through standardized tests or students’ perception of their learning, rather than authentic learning that is connected to the curriculum. This study incorporated results from one institution’s involvement in the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) project to assess learning outcomes using the Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) rubrics. The learning outcomes assessed included critical thinking, quantitative literacy, and written communication. The purpose of this …