Education Commons^™

College And Career Readiness Effects On Minority Male College Retention, Naquiyah Lashawn Hodges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The continuously low college retention and low degree attainment of African American and Hispanic men is a generational and decades-long hindrance to the elevation of these marginalized communities in the United States and the state of Texas. In Texas, the last 3 years’ worth of data has proven college-readiness rates of African American and Hispanic college students were significantly lower by large margins than White students in English language arts, math, and both subjects by large margins. Consistent low college retention rates of minority men produce a need to conduct further research of how this phenomenon affects minority men …

Disability Services As Related To Higher Education Leadership: An Exploratory Study, Tara Wade Franklin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past three decades, the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions has increased, yet their completion rates remain lower than those of students without disabilities. This mixed methods exploratory study investigates the role of provost leadership in supporting disability services and understanding the needs of students with disabilities in higher education. The study focuses on Texas higher education institutions, examining the relationships between provosts and directors of disability services. The researcher collected data through esurveys and open-ended questions of 16 participants, primarily directors of disability services. Quantitative analysis of Likert scale items explored domains such as leadership, …

Using Cultural Contextual Story-Based Lessons To Teach Emergent Literacy Skills, Elizabeth Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate and determine the effectiveness of teaching an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher to use a task analysis comprising story-based lessons with cultural contextual literature to promote emergent literacy skills for a middle school-aged Hispanic ELL student with an intellectual disability (ID). Using a single-case multiple probes across skill sets design, one student with an ID and an ELL teacher participated in this study. The student was taught by the ELL teacher using story-based lessons with cultural contextual literature to promote emergent literacy skills. Results indicated a functional relation between story-based lessons with …

The Perspectives And Experiences Of Arabic Mothers About Families’ Home And School Engagement, Fatimah Ahmed Rubayyi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the rise in the rank of Arabic students in schools in the United States (U.S.), this qualitative study was designed to investigate the perspective of Arabic mothers in the U.S. regarding their experiences of involvement with their children’s schools. The approach includes a convenience sample of eight Arabic mothers. Through virtual focus groups, individual interviews, and concept maps the eight Arabic mothers shared their experiences and perceptions of what their children's primary schools and early childhood education programs are doing to involve them. Additionally, the study explored participants' recommendations for schools regarding family involvement for other Arabic families …

The Experiences Of Questbridge Scholars At Elite Universities, Karla J. Leybold

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examined the experiences of QuestBridge Scholars attending three different elite universities that enroll more students from the top income quintile than from the lowest three income quintiles combined. The universities attended by participants in this study are among the few that are both need-blind and that fully meet students’ demonstrated financial need through grant and scholarship aid. Additionally, these universities have acceptance rates of no more than 10%. The QuestBridge organization’s mission is to match high-achieving, low-income students with elite institutions.

Data from participants were collected through an audio and video recorded interview using a semi-structured …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Experiences Of Undergraduate Students Who Participated In The Ronald E. Mcnair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, Alexandria C. Craft

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of former McNair Program participants at a regional postsecondary institution in northeast Tennessee. More specifically, the study examined how past participants of a McNair Program perceived their program experiences related to their post-undergraduate educational endeavors and career pursuits. Although research has been conducted on McNair Programs, no research has been conducted on the lived experiences of individuals who participated in a McNair Program in northeast Tennessee within the last two decades, and little to no research has been conducted to identify the program components that former participants believe …

Navigating New Frontiers: A Narrative Of Cte Administrators Leading Rural Innovation, Claire Bass

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public school districts play a pivotal role in the well-being of rural communities. To help mitigate the impact of labor market trends, societal shifts, and the skilled labor shortage, rural schools are in the initial stages of expanding innovative career pathways. As such, career and technical education (CTE) administrators serve their rural communities by facilitating robust career pathways to support local labor markets. Due to a skilled labor shortage, a declining labor force participation rate, and a rapidly evolving labor market, there is a lack of qualified and certified personnel to fill industry jobs (Davis et al., 2022). School districts …

Covid 19 And Classroom Instruction: A Comparison Of Synchronous In-Person And Virtual Student Learning, Jason Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ex-post facto quantitative study was to compare English Language Arts (ELA) and math Tennessee Compressive Assessment Program (TCAP) scores of students in grades four through eight who attended school virtually or in-person during the 2020-2021 school year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the school district in this study allowed parents to choose to send their children to traditional in-person classes or attend school virtually. In-person and virtual students engaged synchronous classroom instruction through Google Meets. All virtual students were instructed by the teachers they would have had if their parents had chosen to send them for …

An Examination Of Early Childhood Leadership In Public Elementary Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Wesam Alshahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As state-funded Pre-K programs in elementary schools continue to grow, elementary principals are increasingly responsible for supporting, supervising, and leading these programs. Therefore, examining elementary principals' early childhood leadership competencies and the factors influencing them may help understand and improve their experiences as early childhood education (ECE) leaders. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study examined the ECE leadership of Tennessee public elementary school principals in two phases.

In the quantitative phase, statewide surveys were used to collect data from 67 principals. The survey comprised 51 items assessing nine ECE leadership competencies, synthesized from statements of leading ECE and elementary education …

A Comparison Of Student Academic Variables In Mixed Teaching Methods And Traditionally Taught Biology Courses At Participating Community Colleges In Tennessee, Elesha Goodfriend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to compare academic variables from students participating in mixed teaching methods/course revitalization biology courses to those in traditional courses at two community colleges in Tennessee. A two-group comparison design using archived data was used, which evaluated differences in final grades, exam scores, and homework completion as indicators of the academic success between an urban institution and a rural college. A power analysis was performed using G*Power software to provide the needed sample size, indicating a size of 176. There were 227 students in the active teaching lecture classrooms, and 198 students in the …

The Effects Of Text-Based Gaming On Reading Comprehension For Students With Intellectual Disability, Faith Ihrig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, reading comprehension and reading engagement have decreased in the United States. Our world is also becoming increasingly technological, and a large percentage of individuals in the United States, specifically children, are playing video games. There are increasing amounts of video games that target educational skills, such as reading and math, and video games that have been created strictly for entertainment. This study examined the potential effects of playing text-based video games on the comprehension and engagement of 6-8 grade students with intellectual disabilities. A Multiple Baseline Across Participants single case design was used to measure the …

Design And Validation Of A Test For Teachers: Measuring Knowledge Of Trauma, Jennifer B. Bilbrey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research and interest in trauma-informed pedagogy have grown substantially. Trauma-informed pedagogy includes knowledge of trauma symptoms, associated behaviors, and environmental and instructional trauma-informed strategies. Various scales measure attitudes and experiences with trauma-informed practices; however, the literature suggests a lack of validated tests measuring teachers' knowledge of trauma. Reliable and valid tests measuring knowledge are critical when determining the professional development needs of both pre-service and in-service teachers. This multi-phase study aimed to fulfill this need by creating the Teachers’ Knowledge of Trauma (TKOT) test. With the guidance of literature and qualitative data from eight early childhood professional peers, a 50-item …

The Perceptions Of Black Teachers Regarding The Work Environment In Predominately White Schools P-12, Rhonda Lankford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of Black teachers in predominately White P-12 schools, and focused on examining the external and internal challenges that Black teachers face who work in predominately White schools. Voices are sometimes ignored or muted in a society dominated by the majority White culture. This study will allow readers to experience the narratives of Black educators who work in these environments. The educators selected for this study were purposefully chosen from predominately White school districts. The researcher interviewed each subject in a semi-structured interview environment to gather data. Results of interviews lead to the emergence of …

Internship Experiences For Aspiring Educational Leaders: Student Understanding And Effectiveness, Adam Douglas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate East Tennessee State University alumni's perceptions of the effectiveness of internship experiences as students learned the PSEL and TILS standards and the role of mentor support as they prepared for principalship. The participants obtained their administrative license and worked currently with an administrative license that is current in the state they reside. This research focused on the perception of the PESL and TILS standards, the effectiveness of the 540-hour internship experience, and the value of the site based and university mentor as the participants completed their activities in multiple settings.

Findings supported …

No Tolerance For Zero Tolerance: Teacher Perceptions Of Restorative Practices, Meghann Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The original design of zero-tolerance policies was meant to support school safety through an anti-drug and violence campaign but in the years following their implementation, school districts have employed them repeatedly without merit. Exclusionary practices have become controversial, leading to high rates of recidivism, imbalanced implementation toward minority groups, and the loss of learning while suspended or expelled. Just as effective educators respond and intervene to instructional practices that are not proving successful, an overhaul of disciplinary practices was necessary for academic and emotional health. Restorative practices have emerged in recent years as an alternative process to the antiquated system …

Factors Influencing Student Persistence Through Undergraduate Degree Completion: A Case Study Of The Social Engagement Of Black Students At A Private Historically Black College And University., Kayla Siddell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative exploratory single-case study examined the social engagement strategies utilized by one HBCU and the influences of these strategies on Black undergraduate students' sense of belonging and social engagement, which have been found to support and improve student persistence. Previous research on Black undergraduate students' social engagement and persistence has been primarily conducted at predominately White institutions (PWIs), with few studies explicitly focusing on social engagement and persistence at HBCUs. The site selected for this study was an HBCU under the pseudonym Fillmore State University (FSU). A qualitative exploratory case study was utilized as this methodology allowed the researcher …

Balancing Wellness And Leadership: Exploring Black Women Administrators’ Subjective Well-Being, Resilience, And Radical Self-Care In Higher Education, Lashae Grottis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leaders in higher education experience high and unrealistic demands for their skills, time, and energy, causing stress, competing priorities, burnout, compromised health, and attrition. However, unlike other racial and gender groups, Black women higher education administrators experienced these challenges more intensely. As a result of chronic stress associated with being undervalued and overworked, discriminatory and unwelcoming workplaces, and intersectional biases, Black women leaders are leaving higher education workplaces. Despite the link between gendered racism and unwellness, little is known about the problem from a positive leadership perspective. This study addressed the lack of knowledge of the wellness strategies Black women …

Best Practices In Professional Learning Communities That Influence Teacher Self-Efficacy, Silian Molly Hornsby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined best practices in professional learning communities (PLCs) that influence teacher self-efficacy. Participants were primary and intermediate teachers and teacher leaders from a large suburban elementary school in Texas. Participants had to have at least 1 year of teaching and PLC experience. The semistructured teacher and teacher-leader interviews were recorded and transcribed in real time using Otter.ai software. After members checked the transcription, the transcription was uploaded into the NVivo software for coding and identifying common themes. The findings were separated into themes based on the study’s research questions. Research question 1 explored what teachers and …

The Impact Of Gratitude On Academic Advisor Job Satisfaction, Alexandria M. Widener

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic advisors face high job demands and have among the highest turnover rates in higher education. Gratitude may have a positive impact on job satisfaction, but it has not been studied in this population. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to understand how dispositional gratitude at work, expression of gratitude at work, and receipt of gratitude at work predict job satisfaction in academic advisors. Academic advisors who were members of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising, served in a full-time role at an institution of higher education in the United States, had worked a minimum of 6 …

Harnessing The Power Of Cliftonstrengths®: How Multinational Corporations Can Use Deep-Level Diversity To Enhance Organizational Inclusion, Trapper Kay Pace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explicitly investigated how multinational corporations can enhance workplace inclusion through the novel use of the CliftonStrengths® assessment as a dimension of deep-level diversity. The study gleaned insights from employees’ perspectives, employing a constructivist grounded theory approach to explicate their experiences in rich qualitative narratives. Through open-ended surveys and intensive interviews, participants were selected using purposeful sampling to ensure meaningful data collection from the study organizations’ three global regions. The researcher conducted the analysis systematically through the constant comparison of data utilizing the NVivo14 software to assist in constructing codes, themes, and a theoretical schema. Results highlighted the significance …

Resiliency, Mindset, And Academic Performance: A College Athlete's Perspective, Trisha C. Giacomazzi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this qualitative case study was the low graduation rates self-reported by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics institutions when compared to the general student population at a small Christian university in the Southern United States. In this study, I sought to acquire a deeper understanding of the degree to which an athlete’s mindset and psychological resilience influenced their perseverance and academic achievement on their path toward graduation. Utilizing semistructured interviews as the primary data collection method, I used purposive, convenience, and snowball selection methods to enlist a total of 10 participants from a pool of 52 …

The Correlational Effects Of Academic And Demographic Factors On Nursing Students’ Attrition, Progression, And Completion At A University College Of Nursing, Adebusola A. Obafemi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High United States nursing student attrition rates have attracted political, organizational, and social interest for numerous reasons. This attrition places financial burdens on the students, results in revenue loss for the college, and exacerbates the existing nursing shortage. Students' success in a nursing program is crucial for nurses to practice nursing. The purpose of this retrospective study was to explore the effects of academic performance and demographic/categorical factors on nursing students' progression and completion at a University College of Nursing in the Southern United States. The target population consisted of students enrolled at the University College of Nursing from January …

Community College Engineering Degree Partnerships With 4-Year Universities, Jeffrey Mark Stear

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasing the number of STEM professionals and reducing inequities in STEM are national priorities. Community colleges are important to address these concerns because they represent a higher percentage of underrepresented minority (URM) and women students. However, students starting 4-year STEM degrees in community college have had a lower completion rate. Partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities have the potential to improve success for community college students, but more research is necessary. The purpose of this ex post facto, quantitative, correlational study was to determine the relationships among participation in different types of partnerships between community colleges and 4-year universities, …

An Exploration Of The Role Of Alternative Certification Programs In Teacher Preparedness, Bianca Dugas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alternative certification programs (ACPs) recently gained popularity due to their brevity and appeal to second-career candidates. However, research shows that alternatively certified teachers often need more pedagogical skills than traditionally certified teachers, leading to the possibility of experiencing challenges their first year as an educator. To address this problem, the role of ACPs in teacher preparation was investigated to identify ways to close the gaps and provide ongoing support to alternatively certified teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the preparedness of teachers based on their experiences in their ACPs. The study was framed within Malcolm Knowles’s adult …

A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring The Perceptions Of New Teacher Induction Supports, Tonya P. Dixon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem of novice teachers leaving the profession in the first few years of their career represented a global issue and an increased attrition rate. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the perceptions of novice U.S. teachers and effective systemic supports provided to new teachers through the lens of social capital. For this study, the intangible components of social capital emerged through the development and fostering of mentoring relationships in an induction program. The methodology used was a qualitative descriptive study using a survey, interviews, and thematic analysis of the survey and interview data collected. The …

Examining Black Faculty Retention In Predominantly White Institutions, Jacqueline Wykeshia Jonea Brazile

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of Black faculty at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) in southeastern Florida. The aim was to uncover the unique challenges influencing the retention of Black faculty in these settings and to identify supportive mechanisms enhancing their tenure and job satisfaction. Data collection involved semistructured interviews with Black faculty at Florida PWIs, employing snowball sampling for participant recruitment. Thematic analysis interpreted the data. The study contributes to the literature by suggesting strategies for PWIs to improve Black faculty retention and to promote inclusive and supportive environments. The literature review reveals the underrepresentation and disparities of Black …

Exploring A Potential Preparedness Gap Between Undergraduate Ministry Programs And Real-Life Ministry In The Southern Baptist Convention, Barton D. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract The aim of this multicase study dissertation research was to examine the experiences, perceptions, and feelings of pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention who completed their undergraduate degrees from a Southern Baptist Convention higher education institution. Participants of the study had 3–10 years of full-time church ministry experience in local Southern Baptist Convention affiliated churches and had not yet attended graduate school or seminary. These qualifiers were placed on the selection process to allow the discovery of a possible gap between the pastor’s higher education experience and the practical ministry training required for their first local church ministry. Two …

The Influence Of The Principalship In Retaining Novice Teachers, Casey Whittle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study was to understand novice teachers’ perspectives of principal behaviors that keep them employed in a North Texas school district. A purposive sample of 12 novice secondary teachers and six secondary principals participated in semistructured interviews. The individual interviews were recorded and transcribed. In vivo coding and structural coding were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study confirmed that participants in the study believed certain behaviors of secondary principals influenced novice teacher retention. Novice teacher participants expressed a need to trust their principal and fit into the principal’s vision and …

Childhood Discipline Disparities For African American And Latinx Students, Cierra Townsend

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

African American and Latinx students are disproportionality impacted by punitive discipline models including suspensions, detention, and expulsions. This disproportionality removes students from the education setting creating adverse social emotional, academic, and economic outcomes. Students who are suspended and expelled are more likely to have contact with the juvenile justice system and or to be pushed out of school into alternative settings. Therefore, punitive discipline leads to increased school-based pathways to the juvenile justice system (SPJJ), also known as the school the prison pipeline (STPP). Despite knowledge of these adverse outcomes, schools continue to utilize punitive discipline practices. School psychologists are …

Assessment Of Method Effects Of Keying And Wording In Instruments: A Mixed-Methods Explanatory Sequential Study, Lin Ma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents an innovative approach to examining the keying method, wording method, and construct validity on psychometric instruments. By employing a mixed methods explanatory sequential design, the effects of keying and wording in two psychometric assessments were examined and validated. Those two self-report psychometric assessments were the Effortful Control assessment (Ellis & Rothbart, 2001) and the Grit assessment (Duckworth & Quinn, 2009). Moreover, the quantitative phase utilized structural equation modeling to analyze 2,104 students’ responses and assess the construct of keying and wording. Various hypothetical models were investigated and evaluated. The reliability of each construct in each method was …