Education Commons^™

Emotional Intelligence And Decision-Making In Higher Education Administrators In Post-Secondary Institutions In Eastern Tennessee, Rachel Ellis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the impact of emotional intelligence on decision-making in higher education administrators. A qualitative research design was used for this study. Data was collected in three phases from the following sources; survey, case study submissions, and open-ended face-to-face interviews. The research data, about emotional intelligence and decision-making, were collected form ten higher education administrators. Constant comparative method was an important part of the data collection process for this study. Range of participant leadership experience was 3-8+ years and participant roles were either, Department Chair, Program Director, Dean, Provost, and President. The findings …

Performances Of An Able, Academic Mind, Caleb Green

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Western culture individualizes issues of public health. This is especially clear in academic life, where the structures of the university disable atypical bodies and minds in order to force them to simultaneously perform the roles of scholar, teacher, and colleague. The university not only fails to accommodate afflicted minds and bodies, it also produces more precarity in the process. This project is a performance ethnography of my time in the academy, starting with my life as an undergraduate being disciplined into academic life, moving toward recruitment for graduate school, and ending with events surrounding the construction of this very project. …

Dis/Ableist Consumption: A Critical Thematic Analysis Of Avowed And Ascribed Neuro-Identities In The Classroom, Shaundi C. Newbolt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the United States, faculty and students are publicly claiming neurodivergent identities and support for the neurodiversity movement. This study uses Collier and Hecht’s cultural identity theories with Lang and Chen’s two-step process, critical thematic analysis (CTA), to examine avowals and ascriptions with four diagnostic terms, ASD, ADHD, bipolar disorder, and dyslexia, of students and professors from Rate My Professors (RMP) with Ritter’s frame of RMP as a phenomenon.

A total of 1,022 posts are analyzed to understand how students resist or re-inscribe popular medical model/deficit discourse in the classroom: student avowals (N = 232), professor avowals (N = 51), …

50-State Higher Education Disability Policy Review 2008-2019: A Content Analysis, Marie Orlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More students with disabilities are present on higher education campuses. This study examines enacted legislation of the 50 United States throughout an 11-year period of students with disabilities in higher education. Racialization of disability and representation in states’ legislation is examined. As the student body expands on higher education campuses, diversity comprehensively racially, ethnically and culturally grows. Four major federal laws: Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 form the state disability legislation backbone applicable to postsecondary students. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 …

Photographs In My Mind, Through Darkness And In Light: An Auto-Criticism Of A University Teacher, Melanie Renee Witt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an auto-criticism, a new qualitative inquiry founded in educational criticism and arts-based research, which describes and analyzes my lived experience as a female university teacher. The purpose of this study is to describe, interpret, evaluate and thematize my experiences with professional stress, pregnancy loss, and self-care. Secondly, it illuminates auto-criticism as a methodology with potential contributions to qualitative research and higher education.

Personal documents, internal artifacts, and external artifacts generated during a challenging period of my life as a university teacher are used as data. Language and photography combine to story my lived experiences and findings.

This …

A Look At Vision: Perspectives Throughout The Organizational Hierarchy Of The Christian University Context, William Kyle Brantley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research supports vision as a central tenet to leadership. Just as important as the content of vision is how it is communicated. However, once a vision is cast, far less is known about how it is communicated throughout the organization and how it influences members throughout the organizational hierarchy. For faith-based organizations like Christian colleges and universities, vision is particularly important as it serves to steer the institution toward a greater realization of its faith-based identity. This study contributes to the empirical research on vision, its communication, and its effect, as both the nature and impact of vision communication within …

Online Ultrasound Programs: Program Directors’ Perspective, Ashley Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on opinions of diagnostic medical sonography program directors concerning online education within an allied health field that is clinically based. Although the study is centered around sonography, the findings can be applied to many online programs with clinical aspects. There was limited information concerning online education within a clinically based healthcare field, therefore the literature review focused on distance or online education in general. The participating program directors used online/distance learning terms interchangeably. The objective of this study was to identify factors that attributed to or hindered the progress of an online program in diagnostic medical sonography. …

Reaching Zero Waste: Determining The Student Perspective On Campus Food Waste., Cassie Anne Parkins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food waste is an ongoing problem in the complex global food system. College campuses are in a unique position to address food waste through reducing it in their own food systems and by encouraging students to develop behaviors to reduce and divert waste from landfills. In this thesis project I seek to understand how students consider food waste and their attitudes and ideas about reducing it. To this end, I observed student behaviors and waste in University of Louisville’s all-you-care-to-eat dining hall and weighed plate waste there. I conducted informational interviews with University and Aramark employees, along with semi-structured interviews …

Exploratory Learning Activities In The Physics Classroom: Contrasting Cases Versus A Rich Dataset., Campbell Rightmyer Bego

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In exploratory learning, students engage in an exploration activity on a new topic prior to instruction. This inversion of the traditional tell-then-practice order has been shown to benefit learning outcomes, especially conceptual knowledge and preparation for future learning, but not always. In three studies, the current work examines whether the type of exploration activity impacts learning mechanisms and outcomes, on the topic of gravitational field in undergraduate physics classrooms. Activities using either contrasting cases (CC) or a rich dataset (RD) are compared in two instructional orders, explore-first (EF) and instruct-first (IF). Learning outcomes measured procedural knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and performance …

Queering Black Greek-Lettered Fraternities, Masculinity And Manhood : A Queer Of Color Critique Of Institutionality In Higher Education., Antron Demel Mahoney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing heavily on Roderick Ferguson’s (2012) theory of institutionality, this dissertation constructs a counter-historical genealogy of racialized gender in higher education and U.S. society through the formation of black Greek-lettered fraternities. Ferguson argues that with the insurgence of minority resistance globally and domestically during the mid-twentieth century, hegemonic power took a new form. Instead of rejecting minority difference, power’s new network attempted to work through and with minority difference in an effort to absorb and restrict these radical formations within state, capital and academy frameworks—producing narrow or one-dimensional minority subjectivities. Established at the turn of the twentieth century, black Greek-lettered …

Students With Disabilities In Higher Education And Implementation Of Section 504: A Historical-Comparative Analysis, Midge Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by programs or activities receiving or benefiting from federal assistance (Rehabilitation Act, 1973). Specifically, Subpart E of the rules and regulations for Section 504 addresses postsecondary educational services and prohibits discrimination in the areas of recruitment and admissions, academic and athletic programs and activities, student evaluations, housing, financial aid, counseling, and career planning and placement.

Using a historical-comparative research method, the purpose of this study was to identify, analyze and compare cases of case law and Office of Civil Rights decisions since 1973 that have shaped …

An Economic Analysis Of Student Loan Default, Arianna Castonguay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cumulative student loan debt in the United States has now surpassed $1.5 trillion. Moreover, since the turn of the century, cohort default rates of these loans have steadily risen across all types of institutions. The latest data from the U.S. Department of Education shows 10.8 percent of borrowers who entered repayment in fiscal year 2015 have defaulted within three years. In turn, the first chapter of this paper summarizes student loan policies as well as trends in debt and default. Furthermore, it highlights the consequences of high student debt and default for individual borrowers and the economy. Results show evidence …

Apply Now!: Utilizing Application Date To Predict College Enrollment, Jennifer Leigh Phillips

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using Perna’s (2006) college choice model as the conceptual framework, the researcher utilized two data analyses to complete this study. First, multiple regressions were performed on three groups of variables: entrance examination, core high school gpa, and cumulative high school gpa; gender, ethnicity, and residency; and first-generation status and Mississippi congressional district. Second, a chi square test was completed to discover how likely it is that a student’s application date is related to the acceptance rate (likelihood of acceptance) and yield rate (likelihood of matriculating) of the University of Mississippi freshman class.

The Relationship Between Participation In The Emerging Scholars Program And Academic Performance At Mississippi Valley State University, La Shon Fluker Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Developmental education is an important component of student success especially in postsecondary education because of the number of underprepared students. This document examines the academic performance of students who participated in the Emerging Scholars Program a developmental education program of first-time freshmen who began their college career at Mississippi Valley State University during the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 academic years by analyzing demographic characteristics including gender and race and academic characteristics such as High School Grade Point Average (HSGPA) ACT Composite Scores and college term grade point averages (GPAs). Through a quantitative study a comparison of term GPAs of the …

African American Students In Physical Therapy: Enhancing Diversity, Melanie H. Lauderdale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African Americans are motivated by early exposure to the profession and future expectations for their personal career path including stability work-life balance and helping others. The elimination of barriers such as finances lack of support and cultural microaggressions influences their career path. Following statistical analysis of admissions data conclusions were made that the current admissions criteria does not successfully predict first year success for any students including African American students. Lastly African American physical therapy graduates from UMMC reported excitement upon admission concerns over quotas lack of African American faculty students and physical therapists and the presence of microaggressions while …

Am I In The Right Place?: Writing Center Consultations As Socioacademic Integrative Experiences For Community College Transfer Students, Rachel E. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community college transfer students experience unique pressures and challenges and studies have revealed the need to critically investigate the transfer receptivity of resources and services available at four year receiving institutions. Studies have also shown that blending social and academic integrative techniques in programs and services targeting transfers students are more effective for increasing retention and persistence than exclusively social or academic efforts. The overall purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine writing center consultations at two regional campuses serving community college transfer at a large university in relationship to socioacademic integration. The results of this study revealed …

The Racialization Of Relationships Between Higher Education Institutions And Cities: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Changing North Denver, Sabrina Carolina Sideris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Universities help shape the physical contours and the social fabric of cities. Historical forms of racial domination repeat themselves, reproducing spatial subordination. In the Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea neighborhoods in North Denver, residents who are mostly low-income immigrant families have in the past faced housing discrimination; air, water, and soil pollution; environmental racism; highway construction and expansion; school dilapidation; and social, political, and economic neglect for over five decades (Doeppers, 1967; Cram, 2013; EPA, 2019). As the City of Denver turns its attention to these three neighborhoods, re-investment could result in improved quality of life. Colorado State University (CSU), two …

Assembling A Hispanic-Serving Institution: A Campus Landscape Analysis Of A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Brenda Lee Jimenez Sifuentez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Post-secondary educational spaces are often thought of as a backdrop to where education takes place. Architectural designs are seen as neutral sites; however, higher education institutions are sites of ideological production and therefore, fundamental exercises of power (Ford, 2017). The study of campus landscapes is relevant to uncovering and illuminating larger social issues of (in)equality in higher education. Literature regarding campus landscapes is scarce and this study seeks to demonstrate how the study of campus landscapes is both materially "real" and socially constructed. This study takes place at a four-year institution of higher education that has received the Hispanic Serving …

African American Students In Physical Therapy: Enhancing Diversity, Kimberly Renee Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African Americans are motivated by early exposure to the profession and future expectations for their personal career path including stability work-life balance and helping others. The elimination of barriers such as finances lack of support and cultural microaggressions influences their career path. Following statistical analysis of admissions data conclusions were made that the current admissions criteria does not successfully predict first year success for any students including African American students. Lastly African American physical therapy graduates from UMMC reported excitement upon admission concerns over quotas lack of African American faculty students and physical therapists and the presence of microaggressions while …

African American Students In Physical Therapy: Enhancing Diversity, Sherry T. Colson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African Americans are motivated by early exposure to the profession and future expectations for their personal career path including stability work-life balance and helping others. The elimination of barriers such as finances lack of support and cultural microaggressions influences their career path. Following statistical analysis of admissions data conclusions were made that the current admissions criteria does not successfully predict first year success for any students including African American students. Lastly African American physical therapy graduates from UMMC reported excitement upon admission concerns over quotas lack of African American faculty students and physical therapists and the presence of microaggressions while …

The Organizational Structures Of Instructional Design Teams In Higher Education: A Multiple Case Study, Jason Drysdale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated how organizational structures influence leadership over online learning initiatives for dedicated instructional designers in higher education. A qualitative research method was used for within-case analyses for 3 individual universities and a comparative case analysis of all 3 studied institutions. Purposive sampling was used to identify each university that participated and operated within 1 of 3 organizational structure profiles. Data were collected through document analysis and semistructured interviews with participants in 3 key roles at each institution: dedicated instructional designer, online faculty member, and online learning administrator. The organizational structure that most positively influenced the ability for dedicated …

Student Engagement In Post-Soviet Higher Education: Coping With Academic Quality Problems., J. L. Mettille

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the experiences of administrators, instructional faculty, and students within a post-Soviet higher education institution in the Kyrgyz Republic using qualitative field research and case study methods. This study identifies the perceived potential of Western benchmarks of effective educational practice to evince positive change in the institution as well as their propriety and relevance in this context. In addition, the propositions underlying the student engagement construct and overarching the benchmarks are evaluated based upon participant responses and classroom observation data. Twenty higher education practitioners and twenty students participated in semi-structured interviews preceding and following seven classroom observations. The …

An Assessment Of The Factors That Increase The Likeliness Of Hispanic Students To Attend Higher Education In Northeast Tennessee, Denise Chavez Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

From 2000 to 2014 the number of Hispanics grew 230%, representing an 8.6% of the national's youth (Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2016). Although the population is growing, the educational attainment does not reflect this growth. This research tries to identify what factors influence individuals' decision to pursue higher education in rural Tennessee. Intrinsic (grit, hardiness, and motivation to lead) and extrinsic factors (Status in the U.S., caregivers’ education, involvement in high school and others) were explored. Sixty-six complete responses were submitted to our online survey. Hypothesis testing with Pearson chi-square, difference of means (ANOVA and two sample t-test), and correlational …

Developmental Mathematics: A Quantitative Investigation Of Instructor Classification As Related To Student Success, Brittany A. Fish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine what type of predictive power exists between an instructor’s employment classification, student gender, student race, and first-generation status on a student’s academic success in developmental mathematics, as measured by final semester grades at a regionally comprehensive state university in Texas between fall 2013 and spring 2017. Data were collected from the institution under study and the sample population included 1932 unique student observations. The data collected in this study were analyzed through a binary logistic regression model to determine whether an instructor’s employment classification, student gender, student race, and first-generation status …

Muslim International Student And Higher Education: A Qualitative Study Of Students' Experiences Against A Backdrop Of Islamophobia, Donna M. Seppy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

International student enrollment at institutions of higher education in the United States continues to rise. Despite political and social tensions, students from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) nations continue to enroll in record numbers, yet there is minimal literature focused on the experiences of this sub-group of international students.

This qualitative study sought to understand the lived-experiences and perceived needs of Muslim International students from Middle East and North Africa nations enrolled in an institution of higher education in the northeast United States. This study employed a phenomenological approach to discovery aimed to develop new understandings of their …

Institutional Processes To Determine Community Engagement Impact : A Collective Case Study., Amanda Marie Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, collective case study is designed to examine the processes by which urban, metropolitan institutions determine the impact their community engagement has within the local community. The study addresses the lack of research on community engagement at the institutional level, the processes that track and coordinate engagement, as well as the perspectives of community partners in this work. Research is more developed regarding individual engagement activities and student learning outcomes than it is to institutional accountability structures or community impact. Studies that center the institution as the unit of analysis are needed to address these limitations in research and …

Higher Education Student Debt & Tuition Costs, K. Harrison Maloy Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

U.S. higher education tuition costs have risen at nearly double the rate of inflation over the past forty years. In 2012, student loan delinquency rose to 12% and surpassed credit card delinquency rates as the top category of consumer debt delinquency. Meanwhile, recently enacted federal policies advocate for increased higher education accessibility, affordability and attainability, but simultaneously promote educational institutions to increase spending with funds fueled by student debt. The growth of $136.8 billion in student loan delinquency has triggered decreasing participation in non-student debt markets by people with student loan debt. Fortunately, Americans continue to enroll in colleges at …

Understanding Why Women Stay: Examining Persistence Factors Of Women Majoring In Science And Technology Programs In Public Ethiopian Universities Using A Mixed Methods Design, Meseret Hailu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amongst African nations, Ethiopia is a unique case in many respects. The country has the second largest population on the continent, is currently experiencing an economic boom, and is a relatively stable nation in the geopolitically volatile "Horn of Africa" region. In the past two decades, the higher education sector in Ethiopia has experienced rapid growth, as evidenced by an increase in both student enrollment and the number of universities. Amongst the various types of higher education institutions, public universities are especially important because they receive the greatest financial support from the Ministry of Education. Moreover, science and technology programs …

Online Learning In Biology: An Investigation Into Designing Online Learning Resources, William Ford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As technology continues to advance, many instructors are incorporating online activities into their courses. While online learning has several benefits, there is still debate on how instructors can best develop and utilize these resources in their classroom. This study is split into two smaller projects that both aim to provide further insights on how to develop online activities that target undergraduate biology students. The first project revealed that elaborative feedback in a phylogenetic activity was more useful for students who had some exposure to phylogenetics prior to completing the activity. The results of the second project revealed that the appearance …

At The Intersection Of Politics And Higher Education: Policy, Power, And Governing Boards In Oklahoma, Kirk Rodden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study examined the perceptions of members of Oklahoma public higher education governing boards and legislators concerning higher education governance. The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding among the participants as to the role governing boards should play in the system. The population for the study comprised 142 members of the Oklahoma Legislature and 107 members of 15 Oklahoma public higher education governing boards. The principal investigator used a web-based survey development company to design, collect, and store survey responses.

Results from the study were examined using independent samples t tests and one-way ANOVAs. From …