Education Commons^™

Understanding Student Perceptions Of A High School Wellness Center: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Qualitative Study, Devan Audrey Clayton

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents face many challenges at home and at school which impact various areas of their lives, including their academics. Schools have worked to ensure better student mental health outcomes by hiring school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers. School wellness centers can be an additional resource that students utilize to address mental health challenges during their school day. The purpose of this study is to understand adolescent perceptions of a school-based wellness center. Perceptions of populations who utilize the wellness center and those who do not utilize the wellness center were studied within one high school to understand how …

Measuring The Effects Of Selective And Divided Attention Conditions On Language Production: Comparing Across Age Groups For Aphasia Assessment, Emily Mcdonald

Theses and Dissertations

This study was divided into two parts. Study 1 examined the spoken language production of neurologically healthy adults (NHA) in selective and divided attention conditions during a story retell task. NHA participant groups consisted of 21 younger (26–54), 19 older (55–69), and 20 elderly (70–85) adults. Study 2 investigated how the language production of four people with aphasia (PWA) compared to their respective NHA group. All participants retold stories in a silent baseline condition, three background noise conditions (cocktail party, conversation, phone call), and one dual-task condition (tone discrimination). Language production measures (speech rate, disfluent verbalizations, language efficiency, lexical diversity, …

School Leaders’ Understanding And Implementation Of Their School District’S Mission And Vision Statements: A Qualitative Study, Venice P. Daley

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the perspectives of school leaders in a single public school district regarding their purpose in leadership, understanding, and implementation of their school district’s mission and vision statements. Three research questions guided the study:

1. How do Florida’s public school leaders incorporate or implement the district’s mission

and vision statements in their daily practice?

2. How do Florida’s public school leaders incorporate the school district’s vision and

mission statements into their purpose as leaders or roles as educational leaders?

3. How and in what ways do Florida’s public school leaders …

Measuring The Presentation Of Supporting Content For A Set Of Learning Objectives Throughout The States Of An Educational Game Tree, Michael L. Hastriter Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

In an era of evolving warfare, the Department of Defense (DoD) recognizes the value of serious games as immersive tools for teaching critical concepts. This thesis introduces a pioneering framework tailored to enhance learning objectives through the presentation of educational game content. This addresses the unique needs of the DoD and other educators who use games by providing measurements to assess educational games. This researches investigates how instructors might assess games as potential teaching tools. It establishes a five-phase process, providing a framework to assess educational games against predefined learning objectives and informing future game development. This thesis demonstrates games …

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of Leadership Development For College Students In An Army Rotc Program, Joseph O. Gagnon

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the learning behaviors for young leaders from Generation Z is important for the United States Army in their development for future commissioned officers, who are primarily trained in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in select private and public universities across the country. The Army expectation of leaders at every level regardless of rank are to possess and continuously develop six leadership capabilities codified in the Army Leadership Requirements Model (ALRM). The ALRM describes what an Army leader is (i.e., the attributes) and what an Army leader does (i.e., the competencies). The purpose of this study was to understand …

University Students' Wellbeing: A Case Study Of An International Private University In Egypt, Alia Attia

Theses and Dissertations

Wellbeing is a crucial topic that is gaining increasing attention in higher education and should be taken into careful consideration. This is a qualitative case study, using a phenomenological approach, which explores the phenomenon of student wellbeing in an international private university in Egypt. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews with a total of fourteen participants: eight purposefully selected students who have taken part in wellbeing programs, initiatives, or events at the American University in Cairo (AUC), as well as six faculty/staff members, leaders, mentors, or coaches in the field were interviewed. In addition to the interviews, conversations were …

Exploration Of Sustainable Attitudes And Behaviors And The Role Of Planned Behavior Amongst The Auc Community, Natalie Tamer Khairy

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the use of a new Framework that was developed by combining both the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) theory to study the sustainability behaviors of students, faculty, and staff at the American University in Cairo (AUC). The research aims to provide insights into the factors influencing sustainable behaviors and how these factors differ across the three groups. The study used a combination of questions from the sustainability awareness questionnaire (SAQ) and Sulitest that was customized to the cultural context of the target group. The survey was administered to a sample of …

Experiences Of Female Academic Leaders In Higher Education: A Case Study In Cairo, Amina Sabour

Theses and Dissertations

Such as in many contexts, the gender gap in higher education leadership persists universally. Women are still underrepresented despite the contributions they demonstrate in leading higher education institutions. This study aims to contribute to the area of research in this regard by exploring the experiences of female academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt. It specifically highlights the challenges these women face, and how they manage to overcome it. Using a qualitative approach to deeply explore the phenomenon, ten interviews were conducted with female leaders at the American University in Cairo. Looking through the lens of intersectional feminism, under the umbrella of …

Exploring Purpose, Practices, And Impacts Of Non-Formal Education In Egypt, Mariam Hussien Sayed Abdelhamid

Theses and Dissertations

This research explores non-formal education in Egypt, analyzing its alignment or divergence with prevalent human capital and modernization discourses. Using a narrative approach, the study explores the practices of four organizations that offer non-formal education opportunities in greater Cairo: San3a Tech, Wataneya Society, Alwan wa Awtar, and AlAthar Lina. The study explores the narration of 9 educators and 10 learners from these organizations to understand from educators’ perspectives how they design their experiences and its relation to the culture and needs of the targeted audience. It also looks at what kind of impact do these experiences have on the learners. …

Improving Post-Secondary Credential Attainment: A Case Study Of Action Research In A Workforce Development Context, Peter James Selden

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand what environmental, structural, group dynamic, programmatic, intermediate measure, or outcome measure factors influence the effectiveness of action research being used to improve postsecondary credential attainment for the Tulsa Talent Hub team. This case study focused on the perceptions of those team members that were involved in an action research or community-based participatory research project in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was facilitated by a team of individuals from Impact Tulsa. The researcher examined how each member that was interviewed perceived overall impact and effectiveness of the action research process used. Through qualitative analysis, the …

Making Sense Of English Placement And Its Effect On Emergent Multilingual Students At An Emerging Hsi: A Critical Discourse Analysis, Samantha Glassford

Theses and Dissertations

Language acquisition support for Emergent Multilingual, or EML, students in community colleges across the United States does not receive as much attention in research as it does in K-12 schools and universities, despite the growing number of EML students enrolling in community colleges. With 25% of community college students being from immigrant backgrounds, these colleges - HSIs and EHSIs in particular - support for English language acquisition will need more attention and funding. The purpose of this study was to explore the sensemaking that occurred after the interruption of Guided Self-Placement, as well as the discourses present at an EHSI …

Students' Perceptions Of Non-Native Arabic And Native Arabic Teachers, Mohamed Firgany

Theses and Dissertations

Educators teach Millions of Arabic language learners worldwide, most of whom are not native speakers. Despite their efforts in teaching, developing educational materials, and significant contributions to scientific research, there is a lack of research on them within the context of the Arabic language.

In this project, I explore students' perceptions of teaching practices for native-speaker teachers (NSTs) and non-native-speaker teachers (NNSTs), along with the advantages and disadvantages associated with each. Additionally, I aim to understand the impact of certain variables such as gender, age, nationality, language proficiency, and the purpose of studying on these perceptions.

Through 173 survey responses …

Self-Assessment As A Learning Tool In Efl Writing Classrooms: Perceptions Of Egyptian Teachers And Adult Learners, Hazim Abdelaziz

Theses and Dissertations

The principal aim of this study is to examine the perceptions of adult Egyptian EFL learners and Egyptian EFL teachers on the use of self-assessment as an assessment-for-learning tool in adult EFL courses offered at a private language institution in Cairo, Egypt. It is centered around three main areas of investigation pertaining to the perceptions of adult Egyptian EFL learners and Egyptian EFL teachers on the usefulness of self-assessment, the challenges they face when using self-assessment in adult EFL writing classes, and the affordances that should be given to both groups to ensure the successful application of self-assessment in EFL …

Third Mission Accelerator Labs (Tmals): An Exploratory Study On The Strategic Evolution Of Sustainability In University-Business Incubators (Ubis), Abdalla Hassanein

Theses and Dissertations

Globally, higher education institutions (HEIs) are devoting rising resources in order to remain competitive, impactful and attractive within the ever-changing socio-economic developments and to well position and communicate their value among their stakeholders (Lafuente-Ruiz-de-Sabando, et al. 2018). Students today want to do more than just get a degree; they want to create businesses, develop new markets, and start social movements (Kay et al., 2010). Under the open innovation model, universities' third mission (TM) includes deeper linkages and engagements with the private and public sectors, emphasizing the development of entrepreneurial mindsets, skills, and incubation services to encourage new business ventures, in …

Student Perceptions Of Icc Development And The Reasons For It During Casa@Auc, Stephen Wright

Theses and Dissertations

Research has described how studying abroad has become a major goal in the Arabic world, focusing on understanding the ideas and way of life of another culture and people. Study abroad programs increase students' “Intercultural communicative competence” as indicated by researchers like Maharaja (2018) and Lee and Song (2019). The current study is a case study involving three participants. It focuses on students' perceptions of the influence of the CASA@AUC study abroad program on their intercultural communicative competence (ICC) as reflected by ACTFL performance indicators they are capable of executing. Results of the study indicate that they have reached advanced …

“What Factors Cause African American Males To Persist Or Depart Before The End Of Their Second Year Of College?”, Rickey Dornell Thompson Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate how African American male students persist through or depart before the end of the second year of their college journey. African American male students tend to drop out of college after their first year and sometimes after their first semester of college. There were several variables and themes that emerged in this study. The dependent variable is the persistence of African American males through their second year of college. The mediating variables, that aimed to explain the relationship between the dependent and independent variables were extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation. The …

Determining The More Effective Behavior Analytic Intervention For Children With Autism Who Exhibit Pica Behaviors, Jennifer J. Lanham

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Determining the More Effective Behavior Analytic Intervention for Children With Autism Who Exhibit Pica Behaviors. Jennifer J. Lanham, 2024: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice. Keywords: autism, pica, eating disorders, intervention, applied behavior analysis

This dissertation was designed to determine which behavior analytic intervention was more effective in the treatment and reduction of mouthing non-nutritive substances in children diagnosed with autism. This study included four participants in an A-B-A reversal design with a component analysis across four intervention phases. The study participants were enrolled in a center-based treatment environment …

Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams In Middle School Classrooms With English Language Learners: Effects And Perceptions, Emily Joy Warburton

Theses and Dissertations

English language learners (ELL) and Latinx students are at an increased risk of difficulties that can lead to problem behaviors at school. Effective classroom management strategies may help these students remain on task despite these challenges, but teachers often feel they lack training in classroom management strategies. Class-wide Function-related Intervention Teams in Middle School (CW-FIT MS) is a research-based classroom management intervention that has helped teachers increase their students' on-task behavior through group contingency, reward, and praise. We investigated the efficacy of CW-FIT MS in classrooms with high proportions of Latinx ELL students. One middle school English teacher and her …

Foreign-Born Black Males: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Their Persistence In Higher Education, Eliezer Marcellus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the academic and social integration experiences of foreign-born Black male students who persist at a four-year research institution. Research has shown that foreign-born Black males do not self-identify, and, as a result, their experiences in higher education have been grouped in with the persistent experiences of native-born Black males (Nesbett, 2002; Williams, 2005). This phenomenological study examines the lived experience of foreign-born Black males in higher education. Ten face-to-face interviews were conducted in order to describe the essence of this phenomenon. The findings from this study revealed five themes that explained the …

A Case Study Of The Implementation Of The New Clery Act Guidelines, Eunice Adigun

Theses and Dissertations

The Clery Act requires all higher education institutions participating in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose campus crimes by submitting an Annual Security Report by October 1st of every year. In October 2020, the U.S. Department of Education replaced the 265-page Clery Act guidelines for administrators with a 13-page Appendix with specific changes to geographical locations to include in the report, eliminated the definition of crimes, and limited individuals designated as Campus Security Authority to those with direct responsibilities over student affairs. This case study examined how campus security officers implement the new Clery Act guidelines in crime …

Ripe Spoils, Yan Cynthia Chen

Theses and Dissertations

Chen’s practice primarily focus on sculptures and installation. She explores the interplay between the idea of nature and the constructed environment, by examining how language informs what we know. The central thesis, "Ripe Spoils", employs citrus fruits as symbols for bodily experiences and personal identity, investigating their cultural and historical significance. Her sculptures summon the qualities and embedded meanings in materials like paper pulp and clay, wax and citrus fruits, often resulting in abstracted forms evocative of the human body. This thesis paper and exhibition reflect on themes like mortality and the essence of self.

Chinese-English Dictionary Enable Select Search …

The Exploration Of Faculty-Student Mentoring For First-Generation Community College Students, Mariana Torres

Theses and Dissertations

Retention, persistence, and academic achievement for first-generation students have become increasingly prevalent with increasing access to higher education. Beyond access, the most discernible challenge relates to their identity as a first-generation college student and the lack of mentorship from their parents in navigating the college experience. While research promotes the positive impact of faculty-student mentoring programs for the success of the traditional student, more work is needed to analyze the effects on first-generation community college students. The purpose of the present study was to investigate if there was a relationship between faculty-student mentoring and student success, as defined by persistence, …

Ameliorating School Experience With Restorative Practices, Faith Thompson-Lee

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental study was to explore the association between school success after the tier-one introduction of a three-tiered restorative practices program. To understand school success, student factors were examined using middle school data from a suburban school district located outside of a large metropolitan city in the northeastern part of the United States. These factors included achievement (Final GPA), attendance (Absences), and suspensions (In-school and Out-of-school) across racial groups. Separate multiple regressions were conducted for each school success factor on racial group for the 2021-2022 and the 2022-2023 school years. By this time, all district staff …

The Impact Of Teacher Development, Student Self-Efficacy, And Student Access And Effort On Fourth-Grade Math Achievement, Steven Borst

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of self-efficacy, students’ effort and access to educational resources, and teachers’ development on the achievement of elementary school students in mathematics. Using the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) restricted data set, this study determined if and how these three aspects individually and in combination affected performance on the fourth-grade NAEP math assessment. The NAEP is referred to as The Nation’s Report Card, guiding educational practice and policy through the assessment of a large, diverse sample from the entire United States (NAEP, 2013a). This non-experimental study addresses the issues of declining test scores in …

Leadership In Two-Way Dual Language Programs: Administrative Decision Making In Elementary Two-Way Dual Language Programs, Ana R. Martínez-Fuentes

Theses and Dissertations

With an increase of English language learners in public schools across the United States, the importance of addressing the needs of students who require language access in their home language has resulted in an increase in the implementation of dual language programs. This increase continues to challenge educators to provide effective programs that provide quality instruction for English language learners. This has prompted schools to offer a two-way dual language program as an educational bilingual option to assist in meeting the needs of emergent bilingual students. In this qualitative case study, the researcher explored the extent to which school principals’ …

Teachers’ Perspective On Social-Emotional Learning Through The Responsive Classroom Approach For Elementary Students During A Traumatic Event, Sheena Burke

Theses and Dissertations

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has become a significant concern for schools across the United States and abroad, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research suggests that school support is necessary for students to succeed academically and emotionally. In recognition of this need, the New York State Education Department mandated schools to implement a SEL program that focuses on developing self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making skills. Many SEL programs have been researched to determine their effectiveness in affecting students’ overall well-being. This phenomenological study used interviews with K–6 Responsive Classroom teachers in the Tri-State Area to determine the benefits of …

Dual Enrollment Re-Imagined: A Narrative Study Examining How Black Students Perceive The Experience Of Participating In A Dual Enrollment Program At A Predominately Black Institution In A Central Brooklyn Community, Jamell S. Brady

Theses and Dissertations

The application of educational equity has increasingly become a topic of discussion in the American higher education systems; thus, affecting so many of our key stakeholders and institutions. Educational research has addressed the need for educational equity in a plethora of ways. An in-depth analysis of strategies, and methodologies may prove more effective than others. College access programming is a successful tool, proven to assist students to successfully navigate the transition from high school to college. Dual enrollment programming is a positive predictor for college access and post-secondary credentials. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study examines how Black students …

The Influence Of Computational Thinking On New York State Geometry Regents Proficiency Rates, Joseph Crifo

Theses and Dissertations

The present study was conducted to determine how implementing computational thinking (via a proxy in AP Computer Science Principles) into a school’s curriculum impacted student proficiency rates on the New York State Geometry Regents. Recent research has suggested that computational thinking is a skill that transcends specific content areas and can influence student learning outcomes across multiple disciplines. By equipping students with these skills, each individual’s zone of proximal development may increase, leading to increased learning efficiency. Given the rise of technology and the need for computational literacy, schools are looking to implement courses to help students develop these skills. …

A Phenomenological Study Investigating The Impact Of Parents' Attitudes Toward Science Upon Their Adult Childrens' Pursuit Of A Science Degree From A Suburban Community College In New York, Kevin Costa

Theses and Dissertations

This interpretative qualitative study delves into adult children's experiences pursuing science degrees, exploring how parental attitudes influence their persistence in higher education. Conducted at a suburban New York community college, the research employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis through questionnaires, interviews, and artifact analysis. Findings reveal that parental encouragement positively motivates participants, while financial stability and familial experiences significantly impact academic decisions. Participants perceive their parents' attitudes toward learning as mostly positive, shaping their own educational orientations. The study extends Bowen's theory by illustrating how parental attitudes contribute to perceptions of employment and financial stability. Additionally, Bandura's social learning theory underscores the …

Backpack To Laptop: First-Generation Students’ Journey To Career Self- Efficacy And Professional Realization, Thierry Thesatus

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry is to explore how first-generation community college students perceive major and career goals, the factors that impact career decision-making and the development of key employability skills. It is important to understand how to develop or promote programs that can help expose students to various career paths, broaden their career options, and develop competitive candidates for future employment. Colleges, especially community colleges, in the Unites States have continued to evolve to include workforce development as central to their mission and vision (O’Banion, 2022). Thus, as institutions continue to explore career and identify resources to …