Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Pre-Service Teachers About Natural Disasters: Coronavirus, Earthquake, Fire, And Flood, Pınar Bozca, Eylem Yalçınkaya Önder

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

This research explores the perceptions of preservice teachers in Turkey in terms of their preparedness for various disasters, including epidemics, earthquakes, fires, and floods, all of which have profound social and economic impacts on education. Using a descriptive survey model, the study examined the responses of 512 preservice teachers at a single university across all levels of their educational program. The survey, conducted digitally due to the pandemic, consisted of 70 questions. Findings reveal inconsistent levels of confidence and readiness across different types of disasters. For instance, while most preservice teachers understand the severity of the coronavirus and are concerned …

Rural Student Learning Experiences In An Online Composition Course At A 2-Year College, Dawn A. Goodwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has revealed that online writing instructors use a variety of instructional methods in class to improve student learning experiences. However, current research has not addressed rural students’ learning experiences with connectivism in an online composition course. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore what, if any, experiences rural students have with connectivism in an online composition course at a 2-year college. Siemens and Downes’s theory of connectivism was the conceptual framework for this study, which is a learning theory that has been applied to instructional strategies in online courses in the new digital era. A basic qualitative …

Communication Characteristics Between Secondary Special And General Education Teachers On Implementation Of Individualized Education Plans, Rylee Daniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As more students consistently access the general education classroom as their least restrictive environment (LRE), the responsibility of Individual Education Plan implementation (IEP) is up to the general and special education teachers. Previous studies indicated that communication characteristics between general and special education teachers lead to miscommunication and inadequate IEP implementation in inclusion classrooms. Systems and ecological theory identified barriers between communication systems. Secondary general and special education teachers described the communication characteristics that lead to inadequate IEP implementation in inclusion classrooms. A basic qualitative research design provided in-depth descriptions of communication characteristics from 31 participants. The study's purpose was …

Teachers’ Use Of Screencast Feedback To Improve Secondary Students’ Writing, Safwa Abdul-Aziz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students struggle with decoding and implementing feedback given to them on writing assignments. Researchers and instructors have used various technologies and strategies to improve students’ uptake of feedback given on written assignments, one of which is a form of video feedback called screencasting. Research has been conducted on students’ perspectives of screencasting feedback at the university level but has been more limited at the secondary level. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore screencast feedback as a strategy to support secondary students in their effort to improve their writing. The feedback triangle by Yang and Carless …

Parents’ Perspectives On Nutrition They Provide For Their Preschool Children, Jamari Chavon Fredenburg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this basic qualitative study is that some parents in the United States do not always provide their young children with the nutrition necessary to support their healthy growth and development and provide the energy to fulfill their potential in school. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of parents of preschool children concerning the nutrition they provide for their preschool children, the challenges they face, and the support they receive from their children’s childcare center in providing the nutrition necessary to help their children achieve healthy growth and development and …

Innovation In Practice: Embracing Multilingualism In An Intensive English Programme, Hengzhi Hu, Lu Zhang

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to delineate and substantiate the adoption of multilingualism within an intensive English programme (IEP) conducted at a public Malaysian university. The target audience comprises international students categorised as English as a Foreign Language learners.

Innovation: A model encompassing multilingualism was formulated and applied in the specific context, involving various stakeholders. While acknowledging the primary purpose of IEPs is to develop English language proficiency, this model transitions from monolingualism to multilingualism by raising participant awareness of multilingualism, adopting translanguaging strategies, encouraging comparisons of different languages, and facilitating target language production that acknowledges the role …

Early Career Nurses’ Perceptions Of Quality And Safety In The Operating Room, Gilda H. Gilbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With an ongoing shortage of operating room nurses, novices may be hired into circulator positions. Over 50 million people will undergo surgery in America this year, and many will be cared for by circulators with less than five years of experience. Little is known about how this burgeoning group of circulators perceive and experience quality and safety. In this qualitative descriptive study, the perceptions of quality and safety were explored in nurses who completed a postgraduate perioperative curriculum embedded with quality and safety competencies. Nurses were viewed through Benner’s characteristics of nurse competence and Bloom's domains of learning framed interpretations …

Higher Education Faculty Perceptions Of Soft Skill Gaps In Components Of Emotional Intelligence Among Recent Community College Graduates, Bryce Timothy Wiley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed by this basic qualitative study was that recent college graduates may lack the soft skills needed for success in the job market. This gap may cause graduates to lack the skills required for employability. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore faculty perceptions of soft skill gaps in components of emotional intelligence—self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills—among recent college graduates. The study was conceptualized through the lens of Goleman’s emotional intelligence theoretical framework. Research questions asked college faculty about their views of soft skill deficits among recent college graduates in self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, …

Principal Instructional Leadership Practices That Improve Middle School Student Academic Achievement, Delarius Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed in this study was that six of twelve middle schools that were formerly rated as unsuccessful by the Georgia Department of Education in English language arts and mathematics performance continued to perform poorly, while the other six improved performance in these areas. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore instructional leadership practices of school leaders who transformed unsuccessful middle schools to achieve successful ratings. Hallinger’s instructional leadership model served as the conceptual framework for this study to inform analysis and data collection. Research questions were focused on middle school leaders’ perceptions of …

Principal Literacy Leadership Perspectives And Practices, Megan Patricia Shay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current elementary data from a large suburban district in the eastern part of the United States demonstrate that less than half of students in Grades 3 through 5 are demonstrating sufficient literacy achievement as measured by state assessments. This problem is of great concern since strong literacy achievement is fundamental to student success in school and preparation for college and career. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of elementary principals from this district on their role and practices as leaders in their students’ literacy achievement. The conceptual framework for this study is Murphy’s model …

Open Educational Resources For Community College Health Career Instruction: Identifying Best Practices For Distance Learning, Marybeth Cregger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem explored in this study is the limited use of Open Educational Resources (OER) by health career community college faculty. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate local community college faculty members’ perceptions about the use of OER in their program classrooms, the barriers to its use, and what resources they need to overcome the barriers. The unified theory of acceptance use and technology (UTAT) pertains to attitude, performance, expectancy, technology self-use efficacy, and facilitating conditions; it will be used as the conceptual framework for this basic qualitative study. This study explored community college faculty perceptions about …

Parents’ Perceptions Of Bullying In A Local Middle School, Clifphene Reid

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying is known to have far-reaching negative implications for students and the school community. One important first step toward successfully preventing and addressing school bullying is to ensure that all members of the school community have a common understanding of the nature of bullying. The problem investigated in this study was the significant disparity between substantiated and unsubstantiated bullying reports made by parents, students, and staff in the local middle school. Given that parents at the local middle school had not received ongoing bullying prevention training, the purpose of this study was to investigate parents’ perceptions of bullying and the …

The Concept Of Leadership During Climatological Crisis: A Comparative Case Study Of Puerto Rico Higher Education, Aniello Alberti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

During times of climatological crisis, leadership is a crucial component of postsecondary education administrators’ arsenal, specifically regarding their ability to execute strategies in action plans aimed at restoring the normal operations of institutions. This comparative case study aimed to examine how strategies in crisis leadership plans were implemented in Puerto Rico's higher education system, focusing on the experiences of key administrators in two higher education units who managed the response to the impacts of the 2017 Hurricane Maria. The conceptual framework for this investigation was grounded in Blanchard and Hersey's situational leadership theory and Bass’s transformational theory. In-depth interviews were …

Leadership Practices And Instructional Strategies To Advance Student Achievement In Title 1 Elementary Schools, Paula Michelle Watson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative single case study aimed to explore how administrative team members perceived their leadership practices and instructional strategies that advance student academic outcomes on annual mathematics and literacy state assessments. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework for data collection and analysis. Three research questions focused on how elementary administrative team members perceived leadership practices to advance student achievement in mathematics and literacy, their perceptions of the effectiveness of the leadership strategies used, and their perceptions of instructional strategies used to advance student achievement in mathematics and literacy. This single case study included the cases of three elementary school administrative …

Understanding How Cte Educators Perceive That Professional Development Supports Educational Practices And Retention, Neyla Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Career and technical education (CTE) educators are inconsistently supported with professional development (PD). The inconsistent support may limit advancing teaching and learning, serving the students, and retaining CTE educators in the field. How supported CTE teachers feel with PD to implement instructional practices that serve students and encourage teachers to remain in the field was explored in this study. A basic qualitative approach was used along with the theoretical foundation of the social cognitive career theory, specifically, the interest and choice model. Semistructured interviews were conducted with ten CTE educators nationwide, and MAXQDA was used for data analysis. The data …

Childcare Teachers’ Perspectives Of State-Required Training And Available Professional Development, Christina L. Kastl

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem affecting Oklahoma’s child care teachers is that the required state trainings and available professional development (PD) are not meeting their needs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to obtain child care teachers’ perspectives of the state’s required training and available PD. The theoretical foundation of this study was based on project-based learning (PBL) theory. The PBL theory supports active in-class learning that allows teachers to continually learn new concepts for their students and provides in-class training and coaching. Three research questions guided the study: What are early child care teachers’ perspectives of the Oklahoma-mandated training. What are …

Teachers’ And School Directors’ Perspectives On Standardizing A Learning Management System For Blended Learning, Alfredo Felipe Rivera-Mejías

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The introduction of standardized learning management systems (LMSs) for blended learning (BL) in K–12 education in Puerto Rico signifies a pivotal shift towards enhancing educational environments with technology. This qualitative study was conducted to understand the perspectives of teachers and school directors on the LMS adoption process. Grounded in the concerns-based adoption model as its conceptual framework, the study aimed to elucidate the stages of concern and levels of use among educational stakeholders, shedding light on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities that technology integration brings to schools. Employing semistructured interviews with a selection of seven teachers and school directors, this …

Secondary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development In An Urban School District In Liberia, Moses Blonkanjay Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to the low academic performance of Liberian students, in 2013, the president of Liberia declared that the education sector needed to be overhauled. Consequently, the education minister launched a nationwide professional development (PD) program. Despite the PD initiatives, academic performance in an urban school district (USD, a pseudonym) has not improved. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Liberian secondary teachers' perceptions on the strength, weakness, and recommended improvements of the PD at USD. The theoretical framework that guided the study was Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. The key research questions were focused on the secondary school teachers’ …

Primary School Teachers’ Perspectives On Parent-Teacher Engagement In A Rural Title I Charter School District In The Southeast, Deena K. Eberhardt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children learn more effectively when parent-teacher engagement is high and home-school communication and collaboration are optimal. The problem addressed in this study was a lack of parent-teacher engagement in two Title I primary schools within a charter school system located in a rural area of the Southeast. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore primary teachers’ perspectives on parent-teacher engagement in a rural Title I charter school system in the Southeast. Epstein’s parental involvement model and Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory formed the conceptual framework. Research questions focused on teachers’ perspectives on parent-teacher engagement and strategies encourage this. …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Early Educator Retention And Within-Year Turnover, Elizabeth Ann Dupin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) programs are experiencing high turnover, resulting in lower teacher retention rates. High turnover hinders program quality, creates financial strain, and adversely affects program sustainability. Despite efforts to increase educator retention, a rural midwestern ECEC program’s administrative team continues to experience declining retention and high within-year turnover. This study aims to explore early educators’ perceptions of the organizational factors that contribute to teacher retention and within-year turnover in the selected ECEC site. The research study explores organizational factors using Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation. The qualitative data collected from current and previous early educators employed …

Democratic Education As Expressed In Practice: An Integrative Literature Review, Rachel L. Wadham, Lynnette Christensen, Heather Leary

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Despite a strong theoretical foundation, teachers’ pedagogical practices that represent the principles of democratic educational theory are not holistically understood. This qualitative integrative literature review provides a more complete view of the practices used by those who define themselves as democratic educators. By analyzing and integrating existing literature on classroom practice this review discusses four pedagogical approaches that engage democratic educational practices including inquiry, artistic, oral, and student-centered methods.

Parents’ Perspectives Of Their Typically Developing Or Special Needs Child’S Inclusive, Barbara Ann Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was the focus of this study is that many parents, both children who are typically developing and those who have special needs, are unsure of the benefits of inclusive preschool classrooms. This study is important because it enhanced understanding of how parents make informed decisions about what is educationally best for their children and how they interpret the challenges and benefits of inclusive education for their children. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of parents of typically developing students and parents of students with special needs enrolled in an inclusive preschool classroom …

Effect Of Virtual Learning On Middle School English And Mathematics Scores, Charlotte Schlamp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

State assessment test scores in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics had continued to decline in a southern state in the United States over the last few years. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the difference in middle school ELA and mathematics test scores between students receiving instruction in virtual and face-to-face environments for 5 years. The study, grounded in the theoretical framework of opportunity to learn, investigated the difference in middle school ELA and mathematics test scores between students receiving instruction virtually and students receiving instruction in face-to-face (FTF) environments for one year. This quantitative, ex …

Challenges Faced By Early Childhood Teachers (K-2) As Schools Emerge From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Julie Christine Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have studied stress and burnout in the field of education for decades. The problem addressed in this study was that early childhood (EC) teachers of kindergarten through second grade in a large, northeastern, suburban public school district have returned to in-person instruction with many challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the personal and professional challenges experienced by EC teachers and investigate the support they need to remain in the classroom. Jennings and Greenberg’s prosocial classroom model was the conceptual framework of the study. Two research questions explored the challenges …

The Lived Experience Of New Graduates Transitioning Through The Nclex, Kristie Lynn Harrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Every year, thousands of seemingly qualified nursing candidates are unsuccessful at taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Given the ongoing nursing shortage and instability in healthcare personnel created by COVID-19, it is important to ensure that all qualified candidates enter practice promptly. Research related to the lived experience of the graduate nurse is limited. The purpose of this qualitative study was to extend the current understanding of graduate nurses’ experience in graduating from nursing school and preparing to take the NCLEX. This study is a thematic analysis of the graduate nurses’ lived experience as they transition from school to …

Evaluating The Qualitative Aspects Of A Community College Academic Success Program, Joselito Dacillo Coquilla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College academic success programs (ASP) frequently include both quantitative and qualitative key performance indicators (KPI). While the quantitative KPIs are typically programmed for evaluation within an ASP’s implementation, evaluating qualitative KPIs is resource intensive and therefore, sometimes overlooked. The problem addressed by this study was the need to evaluate the qualitative KPIs in a large community college system’s 2016 ASP (2016-2020). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to conduct a summative evaluation to determine the extent to which the college achieved its ASP’s qualitative KPI objectives from the perspectives of students. The study was guided by Tinto’s involvement …

Effects Of 3d Visualization Tables On Students’ Learning Outcomes In Gross Anatomy, Jorge Eduardo Sarmiento

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher learning institutions teaching gross anatomy are implementing 3D technology, such as the Anatomage Table, to supplement cadaveric dissection. However, the literature is scant about the effects of introducing 3D technologies on students’ learning outcomes in the study of gross anatomy. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the difference in written exam scores and laboratory exam scores between Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students who participated in gross anatomy instruction using Anatomage Table technology for one semester and PT students who participated in gross anatomy with traditional only instruction at a local university. The study was guided …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Challenges In Instructing Students With Dyslexia And Recommendations For Improvement, Lainie Barbieri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this study was that, despite professional development (PD) training, elementary teachers at a school district in the western United States are challenged in instructing students with dyslexia. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of the challenges of instructing students with dyslexia and recommendations to improve teacher training to work with students with dyslexia in the study school district. Guskey’s model of the five critical levels of PD evaluation theory informed this study. The research questions explored elementary teachers’ perceptions of the challenges of instructing students with dyslexia and recommendations for …

Assessing Barriers To Upward Mobility In The Cape Fear Region, Sabrina T. Cherry, Christopher R. Prentice

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Researchers explore upward mobility to better understand how economic and employment factors drive or undermine social justice and equity in the United States. This scholarship can inform activists and researchers seeking to design solutions that help overcome systemic challenges to upward mobility. Therefore, as an interdisciplinary team of scholars in a public university, we collaborated with community partners to conduct a case study in which we assessed the barriers to—and the drivers of—upward mobility in a medium-sized city in Southeastern North Carolina. We conducted key informant interviews and focus groups with a cross-section of local residents to learn about their …

The Effects Of Academic Counseling On Undergraduate Student Degree Completion At A Northwestern State University, James Mccuistion

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is the declining student degree completion rate for a public state baccalaureate institution in a northwestern state over the six-year period of 2014 to 2020. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if completion of an undergraduate degree within six years could be predicted by the number of advising sessions a student had during degree completion. A student retention model created by Amara Atif, Deborah Richards, & Ayse Bilgin and NACADA’s academic advising core competencies model served as the framework, where student-institutional interactions through best practices in academic counseling can …