Education Commons^™

Impactful Programs And Initiatives For Employee Resource Groups That Promote And Sustain Positive Social Determinants Of Health, Lisa Kangas, Maureen Hall, Julie James, Gladys Peters

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leaders’ lack of interest in employee resource groups (ERGs) and related programs can negatively impact an organization’s culture, operational excellence, and employee retention and have detrimental implications for social determinants of health (SDOH). Prioritizing ERG programs and initiatives is essential for organizational success and can positively affect SDOH. This qualitative pragmatic inquiry study identified and explored ERG programs and initiatives that support organizational culture, operational excellence, and employee retention.The research question for this study was: What ERG programs and initiatives support organizational culture, operational excellence, and employee retention? The study included eight DEI leaders …

Exploring Exemplary Leadership Practices Of Elementary Principals, Latoya R. Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is insufficient understanding regarding the educational leadership practices that have enabled one elementary school, out of 23, to achieve continuous school improvement in ELA and mathematics in Grades 3–5 over 3 consecutive academic years. Although all schools in the district implemented a uniform curriculum, the study site consistently increased the percentage of students scoring proficient or above in both subjects during 2022, 2023, and 2024, as measured by the state end-of-grade assessment. This qualitative single-case study explored how an elementary principal in a suburban Georgia district achieved continuous improvement through distinctive leadership practices. Grounded in Kouzes and Posner’s framework …

Understanding Elementary Teachers’ Experiences Implementing Technology In A 1:1 Classroom, Susan Mccurry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The availability of technology resources in elementary classrooms is becoming more commonplace, including environments where every child has a laptop. The problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was that elementary school teachers in kindergarten through the fifth grade struggled to adapt their teaching to the 1:1 technology-based approach at Fennario School District (FSD, a pseudonym), an urban southern elementary schools. The purpose of this study, framed by Magana’s translational, transformative, transcendent, framework for innovation in education, and Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, was to explore elementary school teachers’ successes, challenges, and the resources needed to integrate 1:1 laptop technology in …

Navigating The Employability Landscape: Unanswered Questions For International Students In Southeast Asia, Hengzhi Hu

Higher Learning Research Communications

As Southeast Asia becomes an increasingly popular destination for international students, important questions arise concerning the employability of graduates from this region. This comment article advocates for a comprehensive examination of how effectively Southeast Asian universities equip their international students to navigate both global and home country labor markets. Additionally, this article calls for a critical rethinking of the global recognition and value of qualifications obtained from Southeast Asian higher education providers, which often face challenges in being perceived as on par with those from more established educational hubs and underscores the necessity for comparative research to assess how the …

Generative Ai Use Among University Students Depends On Academic Level And Task, Karen E. Singer-Freeman, Kristi Verbeke, Betsy Barre

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The present study investigated the extent to which AI use and opinions about its use will vary by academic stage and academic task in ways that align with Budwig’s (2013) developmental stages.

Methods: We surveyed 1,259 students from different academic stages (first-year students, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students) at a highly selective private university in the United States.

Results: We found that all students desire institutional AI policies and are concerned about the negative consequences of AI use by themselves and others. There was some evidence of the use of AI in ways that might violate academic integrity. …

Integrating Ai In Academia: A Sem Evaluation Of Research Scholars Usage Intentions On Chatgpt, Sonal Sharma Phd, V. P. Joshith Phd, K Kavitha Med, Anusha Anthony Med

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: In this study, we investigate the intentions of research scholars to use ChatGPT in their academic research endeavors by employing an extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model, the UTAUT2, which examines factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, ethical concerns, and research excellence. By incorporating “research excellence” into the model, we aim to provide insights into artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in academic research settings and contribute to the broader discourse on the future of academic practices.

Method: We conducted a survey among 400 research scholars in Indian higher …

Third To Fifth-Grade Teachers’ Challenges When Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills To English Language Learners In Northern Virginia, Lorraine A. Wickham-Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Third to fifth-grade teachers in a Northern Virginia Title 1 elementary school faced challenges when teaching reading comprehension skills to English language learners (ELLs) which impacted ELLs’ performance on state-mandated tests. Framed by Cummins’s second language acquisition theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore third to fifth-grade teachers’ challenges in teaching reading comprehension skills to ELLs and their suggestions for improved training and resources in a Northern Virginia Title 1 elementary school. Two research questions addressed the teachers’ challenges and suggestions for improved training and resources. Semistructured interviews were used to collect qualitative data from nine, …

A Case Study In Evolving Academic Governance: Democratic Accountability And Academic Capitalism, William C. Schulz, Denise Dezolt

Higher Learning Research Communications

As the higher education market becomes both more competitive and fragmented (as well as controlled through uncertain and changing regulatory regimes), and as those whom the higher education market serves become more discerning as consumers who apply proven customer behaviors within the market, universities must re-evaluate their internal governance systems. Re-evaluation of customer behaviors and governance systems may allow universities to become more inclusive, responsive, and adaptive within an academic capitalism setting.

In this case study, we present a research-based and integrated “Shared, Informed, Stakeholder-Engaged Governance” model. We describe how a large online university developed and implemented a model that …

Experiences Of Post-Secondary Teachers With Using Information And Communication Technologies In Rural Communities, Latonya Shirelle Motley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teaching and learning in the 21st century requires full access and use of digital technologies but this can be challenging in rural areas. Teachers at post-secondary schools in rural communities often have limited access to information and communication technologies (ICT), which restricts their ability to fully serve their rural students. Guided by the theory of the digital divide, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of post-secondary teachers with using ICT in rural areas in the United States. Data for this qualitative study were collected from 44 participant interviews who evaluated their access of digital …

Burnout Theory, Pandemic Teaching And Teacher Efficacy: What Is Lost When Schools Return To “Normal”?, Katy Farber, Penny A. Bishop

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Our qualitative study examined educators’ perceptions of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of burnout theory. Using the three components of burnout as theorized by Maslach and Leiter (2016), we analyzed teachers’ self-reports of emotional exhaustion, cynicism/depersonalization, and reduced sense of professional self-efficacy. We interviewed 16 teachers who taught through the emergency remote-learning phase of the pandemic in March 2020 and remained in the same district when prepandemic practices returned. We conducted semistructured interviews in person and on Zoom with special educators, integrated arts teachers, school counselors, and general classroom teachers. We describe the unanticipated finding that teachers …

The Experiences Of Adolescent Caregivers Of A Parent With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Barbara Thornton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In many families in the United States, minor children fulfill care duties for sick or disabled family members living within the children’s homes. Although there is extensive research and established support systems for adult family caregivers in the context of long-term illness, children in this caregiving role have been largely overlooked, resulting in a lack of support services to meet their unique needs and challenges. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of children who serve as caregivers for parents with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and terminal …

“You Learn To Control What You Can Control”: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Burnout In Rural Pk–12 Administrators Using The Pillar-Integration Process, Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs, Eu Gene Chin, Rollin D. Nordgren

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Teacher burnout is a growing concern among educators and the communities they serve, due to a nationwide shortage of teachers. Burnout of principals and other school administrators, however, is relatively unexamined. This mixed-methods study of pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade (PK-12) administrators in rural Midwestern school districts found that contributors to burnout included safety concerns and student behavior, lack of resources and support, and mandatory assessments of student learning. Factors that mitigated burnout included choosing to protect personal energy, getting support from colleagues and administrators, and making a difference in students’ lives. Forty-three administrators completed a survey adapted from the Maslach …

Gender Differences In Regretted Consensual Sexual Experiences And Problematic Alcohol Use Among First-Year College Students, Shannon Shen, Soyoung Kwon, Sukho Lee

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Regretted sexual behaviors and alcohol use often occur in tandem for college students; however, few studies have examined their interrelationships or the variance across gender. This study tested gender differences in how regretting a consensual sexual experience is related to college students’ alcohol use. One hundred and forty first-year students (63% women, 69% Hispanic) surveyed in 2018 and 2019 reported their sexual behavior and alcohol use (following the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index [RAPI]). Twenty-one percent of men and 16% of women reported a regretted sexual encounter. Interaction effects from regression models revealed that men with sexual regret had a significantly …

Teaching Cultural Awareness To Dental Hygiene Students Through Project Based Learning, Jennifer Fehrenbacher

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

I implemented a cultural awareness project (CAP) to enhance dental hygiene students’ understanding of diverse cultural needs and beliefs related to oral health. This 2-year quality assurance project aimed to assess student perceptions of the CAP.

Two cohorts of 23 junior students each participated. I collected data via post-project surveys adapted from the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) instrument after obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval and consent. Both cohorts (n = 23 each) demonstrated positive perceptions of the CAP, with mean scores of 4.9 and 4.8, respectively (p = .024). These data suggest that the CAP …

Perspectives Regarding Creating A Community Of Inquiry In Online Versions Of Lab Courses, Yuna Buhrman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic shut down science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college labs due to the restricted physical access to resources. The problem that was addressed in this study was that there is a lack of understanding of how the three presences of the community of inquiry were implemented by STEM lab instructors when developing online lab courses during emergency remote teaching (ERT). The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of college STEM lab instructors regarding social, teaching, and cognitive presences in online versions of their lab courses during ERT. Data were collected using semistructured interviews …

Maintaining Number Sense Mastery In Urban Primary Grades, Colese Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that urban kindergarten to third grade students demonstrated decreased levels of number sense mastery on state-mandated assessments as they matriculated across grade levels. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore school-based educators’ perceptions on what they believe are the reasons urban students demonstrated decreased levels of number sense mastery, and to identify what improvements are needed to support teachers in determining students’ zone of proximal development (ZPD) while scaffolding students towards number sense mastery. The conceptual framework comprised Bruner’s theory of instruction and Vygotsky’s ZPD. A purposeful sample of six …

Sustainability Of Private Historically Black Colleges Or Universities, Herbert A. Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, private Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have been declining in enrollment, revenues, and profitability, and many have closed permanently. The problem, which is important to HBCU leaders, is the lack effective strategies for sustainability. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this pragmatic inquiry research project was to explore the successful strategies some successful HBCU leaders have used to increase enrollment and maintain profitability for sustainability. Data were collected through personal interviews and publicly available documents or documents provided by participants. Yin’s 5-step process was used for data analysis, which …

Faculty Implementation Of Online Teaching Practices Learned In A Professional Development Course, Laurie Ann Pendleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was the low implementation rate of practices learned during professional development courses which can limit positive student outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the challenges online faculty encounter when implementing teaching practices learned in an online PD course in effective online teaching practices and to better understand the characteristics of the practices they were able to implement. Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory grounded the study. In this basic qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 12 participants who recently completed the course and responded to an …

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Lack Of Social Skills Needed For Success In Preschool And Kindergarten, Janet S. Grigg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was many preschool students in the United States lack the social skills needed to be successful in kindergarten. The study’s purpose was to explore preschool teachers’ perspective regarding some children’s lack of social skills needed for success in kindergarten and the efforts teachers made to promote development of these skills. Using Flavell’s theoretical framework of metacognition and cognitive monitoring, 2 research questions were developed to address teachers’ perspectives and efforts to improve children’s social skills. Twelve preschool teachers from Louisiana with one to twenty years of experience in early childhood were interviewed via Zoom, …

Teachers’ Experiences With Researched-Based Programs And Strategies To Help Struggling Readers In Grades 6–8, Ebony Camille Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem in this qualitative study was that adolescent students in Grades 6–8 in a rural district in the southeastern United States were struggling with reading and had inadequate reading comprehension achievement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate how teachers implemented researched-based practices of reading intervention programs and the strategies they deemed beneficial to use while aiding struggling students. Marzano’s nine instructional strategies were used to frame the study. The 12 participants were reading teachers, interventionists, and specialists. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using thematic analysis with open and axial coding. The …

Using Microsoft Teams Class Notebook E-Portfolios As A Reflective Tool In Education For Sustainable Development Business Writing: Learners’ Perspectives, Mona Abdelfattah

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objective

This study investigates the efficacy of Microsoft Teams Class Notebook ePortfolios as a reflective tool in business writing courses. This study addresses gaps in the literature regarding ePortfolio use in business writing courses in F2F classes, focusing on student perceptions, its impact on writing skills, the convenience of the MS Teams Class Notebook, and how it fosters critical thinking regarding their learning which is one of the important goals of Education for sustainable development (ESD).

Methods

The iterative cross-sectional study was conducted over 13 weeks at a private college in Oman with 60 undergraduate students in two business writing …

Challenges K-12 School Administrators Encounter Supporting The Cultural And Academic Needs Of African American Male Students, Geneda L. Kearney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that students with educational support aligned to their cultural and academic needs have better outcomes. K-12 school administrators were challenged to support African American male students’ cultural and academic needs. Guided by cultural mismatch theory and critical race theory, this basic qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of K-12 administrators concerning the cultural and academic needs to support African American male students. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with eight K-12 school administrators having at least 2 years of experience in administration in a southeastern public school district in the United States. Thematic analysis of interview data …

Experiences Of Black Women In Black Colleges Voluntarily Seeking Psychiatric Services, Linda Jarvis Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black Americans face significant barriers to psychiatric services including a lack of access to culturally competent care. Mental illnesses continue to be the leading causes of disability in the United States. This qualitative phenomenological study, guided by the health belief model, explored the experiences of Black women in Black colleges who voluntarily seek psychiatric services. My study addressed a gap in understanding the facilitators and barriers for Black women voluntarily seeking mental health services. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with nine participants who were Black women attending Black colleges who voluntarily sought psychiatric services. Data analysis was accomplished using …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives On The Challenges Of Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Karen Denise Buchanan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives on the Challenges of Teaching Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder by Karen D. Buchanan Ed.S. Mercer University 2017 MA, Mercer University, 2016 BA, Mercer University, 2012 AS Georgia Perimeter College, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Education Walden University August 2025

Research Integrity In The Era Of Generative Artificial Intelligence, Andrea Wilson, Cheryl Burleigh

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Protecting research integrity is crucial for maintaining trust in the scholarly record. Historically, threats to research integrity stemmed from deliberate human actions, such as data manipulation and misrepresentation. Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly prevalent in higher education and is capable of generating research data and scholarly papers almost instantly. The immediate production of research data challenges traditional standards of academic rigor and integrity. The purpose of this study was to explore the role and impact of GAI on research integrity and the scholarly record, emphasizing the need for robust safeguards. For this study, we submitted Likert-type survey questions to …

Alternatively Certified Early Childhood Special Education Teachers' Perspectives On Remaining In The Classroom, Sena Victoria Ann Belgard Dever

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alternative teacher certification programs are used nationwide to address the critical teacher shortage in special education. There is a gap in knowledge regarding the challenges that early childhood special education teachers experience, which make them leave the profession at twice the rate of general education teachers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore alternatively certified early childhood special education teachers’ perspectives on remaining in their teaching positions and the support they need to continue teaching. The study framework was comprised of Day and Gu’s teacher resilience theory. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 prekindergarten to …

K-8, Private, Midwestern School Principals And Their Experiences Of Work Demand, Emily Madden Roth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is increasing job demands and insufficient job resources plaguing K-8 principals across the nation. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate K-8 principals’ perceptions of increased work demands and their influence on excessive stress, burnout, and turnover in a private, Midwestern school district. Bakker and Demerouti’s job demands-resources theory served as the theoretical foundation for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 principals from the same district. Participant responses were analyzed through several rounds of coding, which led to the emergence of the following six themes: …

Teacher Perceptions On The Low Enrollment Of Students Of Color In High School Computer Science, Wiley J. Cruse, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rapid evolution of computer science (CS) as an integral part of K-12 public education in the United States has highlighted significant equity and diversity issues. Guided by critical race theory and community cultural wealth, this basic qualitative study explored high school CS teachers’ perceptions of the challenges and opportunities related to recruiting, retaining, and ensuring the success of students of color. Thematic analysis of data collected using semistructured interviews with 12 high school CS teachers revealed key challenges, including curriculum rigidity, funding inequities, and lack of administrative support. Participants reported that systemic barriers limit access to CS education for …

The Power Of Storytelling: Creatively Facilitating Conceptual Change In The Classroom, Mackenzie S. Rose, Marcus Johnson

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Conceptual knowledge encompasses understanding the interrelationships among multiple pieces of information. Misconceptions of these interrelationships illustrate the need for effective educational strategies to facilitate conceptual change, with the goal of facilitating changes in learner understanding to appropriate, accurate, and complete concepts. Strategies, such as refutation texts, have proven effective in addressing science misconceptions, yet there is a prominent gap in research on conceptual change in nonscience subjects and the use of storytelling to facilitate such change. Storytelling, presented in a range of educational subjects, invites learners to engage in social discourses and problem-solving exercises. Prompted by classroom storytelling practices, creativity, …

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Independent Play As Part Of Their Daily Schedule, Christina L. Saunders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that independent child-led play is essential to children’s cognitive and social development. The problem that was the focus of this study was that many preschool teachers do not include independent play in their daily schedules. Guided by Gray’s theory of play, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore preschool teachers’ perspectives regarding independent play as part of their daily schedule and the challenges they encounter or anticipate in incorporating it. A basic qualitative design with interviews guided data collection with 10 lead preschool teachers who worked with children ages 3 to 5 in independently funded preschools …