Education Commons^™

Recent High School Graduates' Perspectives On The Practice Of Teacher Empathy As An Approach To Engage Learners, Susanna Michelle Post

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is that recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners have not been explored in an urban school district in a Southern state. Grounded in a conceptual framework that incorporates Kleinfeld’s concept of warm demander pedagogy with Goleman’s emotional intelligence theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore recent high school graduates’ perspectives on how teachers practiced empathy as an approach to engage learners in an urban school district in a Southern state. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 …

Investigating Teachers’ Resistance To Instructional Coach Support In A Southern, Rural U.S. School District, Tukiiya Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Instructional coaching is a strategy designed to support systematic changes in instructional practices and improve student achievement. In the study site district, teachers were required to use instructional coaching as a mandated form of pedagogical support for enhancing teaching practices and improving student achievement. However, prior to this study, 48% of teachers did not seek support from the instructional coaches (ICs) hired to provide this job-embedded professional development. Guided by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perspectives regarding the lack of engagement with ICs and to identify ways to increase …

School-Based Human Service Professionals’ Perceptions Of The Relationships Between Black Families And Southern Schools, Vanessa Faye Barnhill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The experiences that Black parents had in school have been found to influence how they view and interact with schools and the challenges and barriers related to their child’s education attainment. It is important to understand school-based human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with Southern schools and suggestions these professionals have about promoting better communication and understanding with Black families. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to examine school human service professionals’ perceptions about the relationship that Black families have with schools and to gather suggestions about how they could promote communication and …

Hbcu Presidents’ Perceptions About The Unique Financial Challenges Influencing Enrollment, Tiffany Hardy Terrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are important to the educational landscape. The problem that was addressed through this study was the unique financial challenges that influence enrollment at HBCUs. Guided by the conceptual framework of transformational leadership, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore HBCU presidents’ perceptions about the unique financial challenges as well as recommendations on how to overcome these challenges that influence enrollment at their institutions. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five former and three current HBCU presidents who had been in their role for a minimum of 1 year. Using in vivo coding, …

Innovative Strategies To Promote Financial Sustainability In Nonprofit Universities, Frank Koomson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of sustainable funding can negatively affect nonprofit universities’ ability to support students and retain qualified staff. Anchored in the Baldrige Excellence Framework, the purpose of this consulting capstone qualitative single-case study was to identify innovative strategies that nonprofit university business executives use to generate funds to promote financial sustainability. This study is important for nonprofit university executives and higher education decision-makers because effective revenue strategies can strengthen financial sustainability and support long-term organizational viability. The participant was an organizational leader with extensive experience and knowledge of the research phenomenon. Data were collected using a semistructured interview and a …

The Meaning Of The Practicum In Initial Teacher Training. The Educational Value Of Tutoring, María Pilar Sepúlveda-Ruiz, María José Mayorga-Fernández, Elena García-Vila

Higher Learning Research Communications

The theory-practice and practice-theory relationship is a fundamental axis in the learning of trainee teachers; therefore, the practicum must constitute the key element in their university training. The research described in this paper, in which students and teachers from the bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education and primary education programs at the University of Huelva in Spain have participated, has been carried out through a descriptive and interpretative qualitative study focused on case studies. This study highlights the need for greater communication between the work experience centers and the university and between the professionals who tutor the work experience period. …

Internal Quality Enhancement: Case Of A Uae Business School, Valentine Matthews

International Journal of Applied Management and Technology

This paper presents a case study of a quality enhancement process of a small business school in the United Arab Emirates. The research explores this specific quality enhancement process with a focus on why it is implemented by the case institution and how it achieves quality improvement. The case quality enhancement process is an internal institutional approach that deviates from the Scottish Enhancement-Led Institutional Review approach. Articulation of the process is conducted from policy and practice. The articulation provides deeper and clearer understanding of the approach to quality enhancement, how it achieves quality improvements, and the leadership’s justifications for adopting …

High School Teachers’ Perspectives Of Middle School Biomedical Science Career Exploration Programs, Stephanie Gurule-Leyba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Biomedical sciences (BMS) are a common career pathway for U.S. Hispanic high school students interested in pursuing healthcare careers. Little was known about how middle school career exploration programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics motivate Hispanic students to continue pursuing BMS careers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore high school teachers’ perspectives of how middle school BMS career exploration programs can motivate Hispanic students’ interest in BMS careers. The study was grounded in Keller’s attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction motivation model. Thirteen high school BMS teachers, who have taught or are currently teaching the PLTW …

Examining Academics’ Decision-Making Processes And Implementation Challenges Of Blended Learning Models For Future Higher Education, Devrim Akgunduz, Aysegul Kinik Topalsan

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: Blended learning has gained increasing attention in higher education as a hybrid approach that integrates face-to-face and online modalities. This study investigates academics’ decision-making processes and challenges in implementing blended learning models to inform future educational practices.

Methods: An exploratory case study design was employed. Data were obtained from academics representing multiple faculties who participated in a professional development program on technological approaches and learning models. Participants completed the Blended Learning Sub-Model Preparation Form, which was analyzed to identify preferences and challenges in adopting blended learning.

Results: Findings reveal a clear preference for sub-models such as the flipped classroom, …

Third-Grade Teachers’ Experiences When Implementing Technology Tools To Enhance Literacy Instruction, Sherry Ann Kim Marie Meeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that third-grade teachers had challenges fostering students’ use of technology during instruction to increase literacy proficiency at rural schools in the western Caribbean. Grounded in Siemens’s connectivism theory, the purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of third-grade teachers when using technology to improve students’ literacy proficiency levels. Data were collected from 14 third-grade teachers from regional primary schools who had in-depth knowledge about integrating technology into third-grade instruction. Thematic analysis using open coding yielded six themes: teachers (1) believe technology plays an important role in preparing third-grade students …

Teachers' Experiences Implementing Play-Based Learning Practices In Prekindergarten–Kindergarten Classrooms, Atiana T. Carroll

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that prekindergarten and kindergarten (PK-K) teachers in one large southern U.S. school district were not implementing play-based learning (PBL) practices despite the well-documented benefits of PBL in early childhood education. Guided by Knowles’s adult learning theory and Kolb’s experiential learning theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore PK-K teachers’ experiences with implementing PBL and to identify what teachers need to embed PBL practices in PK-K classrooms. Semistructured interviews were conducted with nine PK-K teachers, and thematic analysis was applied to identify key patterns. Four themes emerged from the analysis: …

Lived Experiences Of Autonomy, Competence, And Relatedness To Commitment Among Middle School Teachers, Chandra Garlington-Hughes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining middle school teachers has become increasingly challenging due to factors such as burnout, limited leadership support, and high job demands. School administrators need to understand these factors as a key indicator contributing to elevated attrition rates. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of middle school teachers regarding work-related autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how these psychological needs contribute to their long-term commitment to the profession. Self-determination theory and Dahlberg’s reflective lifeworld research approach grounded this study. The participants were 11 U.S. middle school teachers with 5 or more years of professional …

Medical-Surgical Nurses’ Perceptions On Incivility In A Hospital Setting, Monsurat Atinuke Mohammed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incivility in nursing has become a chronic issue that harms nurses, patients, teams, and organizations. Individuals often feel belittled, which contributes to frequent job dissatisfaction and resignation, ultimately resulting in financial losses for an organization. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study, guided by Johnson’s behavioral model, was to explore nurses’ perceptions about incivility in a medical-surgical hospital setting. Ten semistructured audio-recorded interviews were conducted with registered nurses recruited through a professional organization. The data were manually transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Saldana’s approach. Results indicated four themes: (a) workplace culture and interpersonal dynamics, (b) need for support and mentorship, …

Black Women’S Critical And Racial Literacy Practices In Higher Education, Cherita Harrell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was the limited understanding of how Black female college students experienced critical and racial literacy practices within college-level reading and writing courses, particularly within dominant literacy frameworks that privileged White, Eurocentric norms of language, knowledge, expression, and representation. Grounded in Luke’s critical literacy and Sealey-Ruiz’s racial literacy frameworks, the purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how Black female college students described their experiences in reading and writing courses, including how dominant literacy frameworks influenced their engagement in ways that limited expression, created barriers to participation, and shaped their academic experiences and personal …

Perceptions Of High School Graduates And Educators Regarding A Mathematics Intervention For College And Career Readiness, Annie Elizabeth Carpenter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that, from 2017 through 2024, over 68% of 11th-grade students consistently did not meet the college- and career-readiness American College Test standards benchmark in mathematics at Midwest High School (MHS, a pseudonym), which used the Kendall Hunt Illustrative Mathematics (KHIM) curriculum. Guided by Bruner’s theory of instruction and KHIM’s structural components, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate high school graduates’ and non-administrative educators’ perceptions about learning and teaching with the KHIM curriculum and explore non-administrative educators’ suggestions for enhancements and evolutions to the curriculum at MHS. Semistructured interviews were …

Challenges And Supports Of Principals’ Implementation Of Social-Emotional Learning, Nikomar Mosley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School districts throughout the United States are increasingly implementing social and emotional learning (SEL). The problem addressed in this study is that K-12 principals are struggling with the mandated implementation of SEL at Northeastern School District (NSD), a large, diverse urban school district. Guided by the collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning competency and implementation frameworks, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore K-12 principals’ experiences with the mandated implementation of SEL at NSD. For this basic qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 principals. Through thematic analysis, the following themes emerged: (a) SEL is not …

Faculty Readiness And Ethical Perceptions Of Artificial Intelligence Integration In Higher Education Teaching And Assessment, Ayesha Afzal, Shahid Rafiq, Aisha Sami

Higher Learning Research Communications

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies presents both transformative opportunities and complex challenges for higher education, particularly in teaching and assessment. This study examines the readiness of faculty members in Pakistani universities to integrate AI tools into pedagogical and evaluative practices, alongside their ethical perceptions of AI use in academic contexts. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 faculty members across diverse disciplines and institutions. Thematic analysis, guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, and Rest’s Four-Component Model of ethical decision making, revealed four interrelated themes: (1) …

Exploring The Role Of Higher Education Leaders In Quality Culture Development: A Mixed Methods Study, Eshetu Mandefro, Tesfaye Semela, Ashebir Bezabhi

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: In higher education institutions (HEIs), building a strong quality culture (QC) is essential to ensure the quality of education provided. QC integrates organizational, managerial, and psychological elements that shape how quality is understood and improved in HEIs. This study explores how leaders at the departmental and faculty levels navigate and contribute to quality culture development (QCD).

Methods: We employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. A total of 1,029 academics completed questionnaires, and 33 leaders at the departmental and faculty levels were interviewed at three public universities in Ethiopia.

Results: The findings reveal that leadership roles at the departmental and …

Differences And Changes In Cross-Cultural Sensitivity Of German And Japanese Students Before And After Short-Term Exchange Programs, Kazumasa Nakagawa, Yuko Takahashi, Melanie Zwiorek

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Since 2012, a Japanese and a German university have conducted exchange programs. This study examined the effects of a short-term exchange program in 2023, focusing on intercultural sensitivity. Nine Japanese students and nine German students completed a 24-item Intercultural Sensitivity Scale before and after the program using a 5-point Likert scale. We performed cross-tabulations and analyzed differences between countries and pre- and post-program changes using chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests. The results suggest that even a short-term exchange enhanced Japanese students’ confidence in intercultural interactions and encouraged German students to reflect on their own culture. However, Japanese students showed lower …

Perspectives Of Early Childhood Degree Students, Mentors, And Faculty On Quality Field Experiences, Carmen Cook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a need for high-quality practice-based field experiences as a component of early childhood teacher preparation programs. This need had been deemed critical and was prioritized by both national and local organizations in a Midwest state. Little research had focused on the quality of field experiences. Guided by Dewey’s progressive education and Vygotsky’s social cultural theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of students, mentor teachers, and faculty on what constitutes high-quality field experiences and what components of the field experience are most important. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 early childhood degree …

Upper Elementary Teachers' Experiences In Teaching Narrative Writing In Title I Classrooms, Courteney O. Manning

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study is that third through fifth grade students continue to score below district expectations on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System in narrative writing. Guided by the Ofsted inspection framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand the experiences of upper elementary teachers teaching writing in Title I classrooms. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 participants who taught upper elementary grades. Through thematic coding, four themes emerged outlining (a) the instructional success teachers experienced teaching narrative writing, (b) the instructional challenges of teaching narrative writing, (c) teachers’ beliefs about …

Educator Retention And Director Practices In Early Childhood Education Settings, Katherine Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education (ECE) educators leave their profession at a rate 14% higher than K-12 educators, resulting in multisystemic issues that affect children, families, staff, and the ECE industry. Research has shown a connection between leadership practices and ECE educator turnover intentions; however, there is limited research on the relationship between the servant-leadership (SL) practices of ECE directors and ECE educators’ turnover intentions. Grounded in Greenleaf’s theory of servant-leadership, the purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the relationship between ECE director SL practices and its seven dimensions, measured using the SL scale, and ECE educator turnover intentions, measured …

Educators Of Color’S Perceptions On The Influence Of Induction Practices, Malia Oshiro Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this this study is the low retention of educators of color despite increased funding and resources aimed at supporting early career teachers in Washington State public schools. Elfers et al. noted that in Washington State over the course of 4 periods of time, early career educators of color are more likely to leave the profession than their White counterparts. Grounded in Holtom et al.’s job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore educators of color’s perceptions about the usefulness of induction practices as it relates to their professional needs and career retention. …

Faculty Perceptions About The Challenges Of Declining Enrollment In A Caribbean University, Courtney Palmer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The precipitous decline in enrollment is a concerning aspect of higher education. The problem addressed in this study was that faculty members at a local university on a Caribbean island have faced an approximate 44% reduction in student enrollment over the past six years. Guided by the new learning compact framework (NLC), the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore industrial technology lecturers' perceptions from one Caribbean Island university about the challenges they experience from declining enrollment and examine their suggestions to improve enrollment. Twelve lecturers with tertiary-level teaching experience at the institution were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. …

Understanding Interventions For Generational Trauma From The Experienced Counselors’ Perspective, Christina Ann Cartagena

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healing generational trauma involves counselors’ understanding and recognizing the symptoms of unhealthy coping mechanisms in adults who witnessed adverse emotional reactions as children. Generational trauma occurs when generations have trouble building healthy relationships and pass unhealthy coping mechanisms to future generations. There has been a reported increase in youth and adults seeking mental health services for generational trauma. The problem was that there was insufficient information about how counselors recognize and respond to the symptoms of generational trauma or what treatment methods or modalities to use to support patients. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the …

Improving Staff Knowledge Regarding Fall Prevention Guidelines In An Acute Care Setting, Opeyemi Adebayo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was a staff education initiative aimed at addressing gaps in the implementation of evidence-based fall prevention practices among nursing staff in an acute care hospital setting. Despite the availability of established fall prevention guidelines, inconsistent staff adherence to protocols continues to place patients at risk. This project was guided by the practice-focused question: Does nursing staff education on fall prevention guidelines improve nursing knowledge as compared to pre- to post-education? The purpose of the project was to develop a comprehensive resource to enhance nursing staff's knowledge of fall prevention guidelines. The Johns Hopkins evidence-based …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Experiences Establishing Positive School-Home Relationships, Jayme Michelle Doyle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in this study was that at Windland Elementary School (WES; pseudonym) early childhood teachers experienced a 16% decrease in parent satisfaction with the school's ability to eliminate or reduce barriers to parent engagement. Framed by six types of activities that encompass family engagement from Epstein et al., the purpose of this study was to explore early childhood teachers' experiences in establishing and maintaining school-home relationships at WES. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 Kindergarten through Grade 3 teachers who had at least 3 years’ teaching experience at WES. Thematic analysis using open coding yielded four key …

Challenges To Completion Of Workforce Adult Education Classes Among New Americans, Damon Grew Peter Syphers-Wilkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem which was addressed through this study was New American groups face challenges in the completion of workforce adult education classes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore New Americans’ challenges, needs, and cultural challenges to complete workforce adult education classes. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were Knowles’ model of andragogy and Wlodkowski and Ginsberg’s motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching. Freire’s pedagogy of hope can inform future research focused on strengthening the model of andragogy and the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching. For this phenomenological design, 10 semistructured telephone interviews were conducted with …

Middle School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Integrating Technology Into Facilitating Learning In Georgia, Monia Gibbs Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that middle school teachers in Georgia Middle School Districts (GMSD, a pseudonym) face challenges integrating technology into their teaching. Guided by Mishra and Koehler’s technological pedagogical content knowledge framework, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore teachers' perceptions of successes, challenges, and support needed to effectively integrate technology into their teaching at GMSD. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 middle school teachers who were purposively selected by emailing all GMSD teachers. Through Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, the following themes emerged: GMSD teachers have (1) no …

Use Of Innovative Methods In The Creation Of Testing And Assessment Materials For Future Computer Science Teachers, Gulzhan Mazhibayeva, Serik Kenesbayev, Salamat Idrissov, Indira Salgozha, Zhanel Akhmetova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives:This study aims to examine the effectiveness for future computer science teachers of employing innovative methods when creating innovative testing and assessment materials.

Methods:The methodology for this study involved analyzing survey data using statistical methods, such as descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression, and factor analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative methods in computer science education. Additionally, this study incorporated virtual labs, learning management systems, interactive quizzes, and artificial intelligence–based assessment tools to enhance learning outcomes and student engagement. We collected survey responses for this study from 56 student participants. We then developed a …