Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Education Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Theses/Dissertations

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year

Articles 2971 - 3000 of 3736

Full-Text Articles in Education

Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses, Eric D. Williams Jan 2015

Transformational Strategic Choice: The Generational Succession Effect On Small Businesses, Eric D. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Changing workforce demographics, combined with a gap in knowledge and skills between older and younger generations, threatens small business viability. The presence of four generations in the workforce, where 1 in 5 employees are 55 years and older, presents an unprecedented challenge for small business leaders planning for succession with a multigenerational workforce. The purpose of this case study was to explore the effect of Baby Boomers' presence on small business leaders' ability to retain and transfer knowledge to successive generations. Using snowball and purposeful sampling techniques, 36 small business leaders in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area participated. The conceptual …

Go to article

An Outcome Evaluation Of An Evidenced-Based Leadership Framework On Nursing Retention In A Tertiary Medical Center, Robbie Gail Robbie Jan 2015

An Outcome Evaluation Of An Evidenced-Based Leadership Framework On Nursing Retention In A Tertiary Medical Center, Robbie Gail Robbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An evidence-based leadership (EBL) framework is an intervention designed to facilitate organizational changes such as the reduction of nursing turnover and the improvement of nursing job enjoyment. This project provides an overview of the effect of nursing turnover on an organization, presents the components of the EBL framework, and provides an evaluation of the influence of EBL on nursing turnover and job enjoyment. The EBL framework provided a method for reducing variance in leadership skill and behavior by outlining specific methods necessary to reduce inconsistency. The project objective was to determine if the implementation of an EBL framework for 820 …

Go to article

Perceptions Of Parental Involvement Among Rural Parents, Teachers, And Administrators, Sandra Elaine Cheairs Jan 2015

Perceptions Of Parental Involvement Among Rural Parents, Teachers, And Administrators, Sandra Elaine Cheairs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parents, teachers, and administrators have different perceptions of the importance and effects of parental involvement. A rural school district was experiencing low levels of parental involvement; therefore, to address that problem, the purpose of this concurrent mixed methods study was to explore the experiences and ideas of parents, teachers, and administrators related to parental involvement. The theoretical framework was based on Epstein's 6 types of parental involvement: parenting, communicating, volunteering, learning at home, decision making, and collaborating. Data were collected from parents (n=67), teachers (n=4), and administrators (n= 3) from 5 rural elementary schools. Instruments included Epstein's School and Family …

Go to article

Evaluating The Effects Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program On Middle School Bullying, Michelle Marie Kendrick Jan 2015

Evaluating The Effects Of The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program On Middle School Bullying, Michelle Marie Kendrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of bullying, victimization, and the awareness of these activities at a public suburban middle school in Northwest Georgia. The study school implemented the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) in 2009, yet had not evaluated the program to identify whether or not it met its goals after 1 year of implementation. Using a quasiexperimental, goal-free program evaluation, the research questions explored whether or not the OBPP succeeded in reducing the student reported rates of bullying and victimization while also increasing awareness of such activities. A Mann Whitney U test was utilized for analysis due to …

Go to article

Health Care Administration Faculty Perceptions On Competency Education, Graduate Preparedness, And Employer Competency Expectations, Wittney A. Jones Jan 2015

Health Care Administration Faculty Perceptions On Competency Education, Graduate Preparedness, And Employer Competency Expectations, Wittney A. Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care administration programs have transitioned to using the competency approach to better prepare graduates for workplace success. The responsibility of preparing graduates lies with the program faculty, yet little is known about faculty perceptions of the competency approach. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the perceptions of graduate-level health care administration faculty about the competency approach, the approach's effect on graduate preparedness, and employer expectations. Adult learning theory and the theory of self-efficacy were used as the theoretical foundations for the study. Faculty demographics related to personal information, workplace/teaching experience, and program information served as the …

Go to article

Role Ambiguity, Role Strain, Job Dissatisfaction, And Difficulty Transitioning Into Academia Among Nursing Faculty, Paula Stallard Whitehead Jan 2015

Role Ambiguity, Role Strain, Job Dissatisfaction, And Difficulty Transitioning Into Academia Among Nursing Faculty, Paula Stallard Whitehead

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Registered nurses with experience in the clinical area entering academia go through a transition that may lead to difficulties such as role ambiguity and role strain when beginning a new job. The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences leading to role ambiguity, role strain, difficulty with role transition, and job dissatisfaction among the faculty at colleges of nursing in the mountain region of Western North Carolina. Guided by Kahn's organizational role theory and Schlossberg's transition theory, research questions investigated the nursing faculty experience of role ambiguity, role strain, difficulty transitioning into academia, and job dissatisfaction. A qualitative …

Go to article

Effect Of Sleep On Vigilance, Short-Term Memory, And Learning In College Students, Ayesha Uddin Jan 2015

Effect Of Sleep On Vigilance, Short-Term Memory, And Learning In College Students, Ayesha Uddin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite years of research supporting a link between sleep and cognitive functioning, little research has focused on the effect of sleep on cognitive factors in the college population. According to the trace reactivation hypothesis, sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation and learning. Cognitivism further indicates that the processing of information is limited when sleep is restricted. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of sleep on vigilance, short-term memory, and learning; an additional goal was to test whether these variables influence grade point average (GPA). Sleep and GPA data were collected using self-report questionnaires. …

Go to article

Exploring Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Jill I. Sorbie Jan 2015

Exploring Teacher Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Jill I. Sorbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although research supports the blended learning methodology as a way to personalize and engage students, research also documents the widespread hesitation among educators when it comes to embracing technology. District leaders believe that such is the case in an upper Midwest school district where all high school students are provided devices, yet these leaders note that few teachers are fully exploiting the tools. Framed by the connectivism and social constructivism theories, this qualitative case study focused on teachers' views of blended learning, its influence on their teaching practices, and how they see it helping students to learn. The guiding research …

Go to article

Retrospective Study Of Trauma Programming And, Domonique La'toya Rice Jan 2015

Retrospective Study Of Trauma Programming And, Domonique La'toya Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In state psychiatric hospitals in the United States, many patients are admitted with a history of trauma. Although trauma-focused interventions are offered within these psychiatric facilities, there remain issues with the higher-than-average length of treatment and rehospitalization rates for patients with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder or for those who are suffering with a history of trauma. This study investigated between group differences for measured levels of attendance and type of group intervention (which included the men's trauma recovery empowerment model, dialectical behavior therapy, and art and healing) on the risk for violence as measured by scores on the …

Go to article

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Achievement Gap Between High-Achieving Students And Below-Basic Students, Helen Anne Iaconelli Jan 2015

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Reading Achievement Gap Between High-Achieving Students And Below-Basic Students, Helen Anne Iaconelli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Atlantic Avenue Elementary School (AAES) experienced reading achievement gaps between high-performing students and below-basic students within the school reading curriculum and balanced literacy framework. Vygotsky's theories of scaffolding and zone of proximal development served as the framework guiding this project, which used a qualitative case study design to explore reading teachers' perceptions of the ways in which they were addressing this reading achievement gap. Individual interviews, classroom observations, and lesson plans were the sources of the qualitative data collected from 6 reading teachers. The data were coded manually using emerging and constant-comparative strategies to identify common themes. The themes that …

Go to article

The Effects Of A K-12 Dual Language Instruction Program On Student College Readiness, Danielle Adair Cortes Jan 2015

The Effects Of A K-12 Dual Language Instruction Program On Student College Readiness, Danielle Adair Cortes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diverse student populations are increasing in local, state, and national settings. There are achievement gaps in college readiness which must be closed between various student demographic groups. It is important for schools to know what methods work best for language acquisition to close the gaps and open postsecondary opportunities for all students. The purpose of this sequential, explanatory, mixed-method, formative program evaluation study was to examine the effects of a dual language (DL) program on improving the college readiness of students. Guided by the framework of learning and second language acquisition, college readiness levels between DL and non-DL students were …

Go to article

Relationships Among Adult Student Performance And Satisfaction Variables For One Campus Of A Career University's Mba Programs, Curtis G. Smith Jan 2015

Relationships Among Adult Student Performance And Satisfaction Variables For One Campus Of A Career University's Mba Programs, Curtis G. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of adult learners has grown significantly since World War II, and workplace environments have expanded to embrace many new areas of expertise and knowledge. The expectations of these learners in terms of the courses offered by career universities have become increasingly diverse. University personnel need to find ways that optimize and align courses offered with those expectations. The purpose of this correlational study was to understand the relationships between outcome variables in adult education programs and students' perceptions of the quality of their educational programs. Five historically tracked variables were examined: program GPA, job placement rate, program completion …

Go to article

A Phenomenological Study Of High School Teachers' Motivation As Related To Teacher Performance Management, Richard Hugh Wildman Jan 2015

A Phenomenological Study Of High School Teachers' Motivation As Related To Teacher Performance Management, Richard Hugh Wildman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher motivation factors prominently in the sustainable development of educational institutions, and relate to self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and retention. Prior motivational research in education has addressed factors relating to teacher motivation, but there is a dearth of research into the impact of performance management on motivation. This phenomenological study examined the lived experiences of 5 teachers in relation to the performance management process in the selected school. The project study was guided by Bandura's social cognitive theory, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, and Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. In-depth, semistructured interviews were used to extract the essence of the lived experiences as expressed …

Go to article

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Heterogeneously Grouped Inclusion Students At Southeast High School, James Paul Ferry Jan 2015

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of Heterogeneously Grouped Inclusion Students At Southeast High School, James Paul Ferry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion education led to academically-homogeneous grouping of students at southeast high school. Administratively, the decision was made to increase rigor, inclusion students would be grouped heterogeneously in senior economics classes. Guided by Dewey's pragmatic theory, the purpose of this sequential, explanatory, mixed method study was to investigate whether a significant difference exists in the course passing rates, end-of-course test (EOCT) scores, and graduation rates between inclusion students in heterogeneous classes and those in homogeneous classes and how participants perceived the grouping. Archival data (N = 42) on student instructional grouping, passing rates, EOCT scores, and graduation rates were analyzed using …

Go to article

Recent Graduates' Perspective On The Efficacy Of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Experiences, Holli Sowerby Jan 2015

Recent Graduates' Perspective On The Efficacy Of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Experiences, Holli Sowerby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It has become progressively difficult to find suitable clinical placement for nursing students. To help meet this need, local schools of nursing are turning to high-fidelity simulation manikins to substitute for clinical experience. There is a lack of research that explores recently graduated nurses' perceptions about the efficacy of simulation experiences. Guided by the constructivist theory, this qualitative case study identified how recent RN graduates viewed simulation experiences and whether associate's-degree RN program graduates and bachelor's-program RN graduates viewed simulation differently. Nine recent graduates participated in individual face-to-face interviews. The data were coded and grouped into 5 major themes in …

Go to article

Community College Instructors' Perceptions And Use Of Feedback, Janeth Martin Walker Franklin Jan 2015

Community College Instructors' Perceptions And Use Of Feedback, Janeth Martin Walker Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many community college students, especially those who are required to take developmental education courses, do not complete course and degree goals. Research shows that constructive feedback practices used by instructors improve academic achievement while destructive feedback practices diminish student learning. Using a constructivist framework, the purpose of this qualitative, instrumental case study was to understand how faculty who teach developmental education and entry level college courses perceive and use feedback in a large urban community college in the Southwestern United States. Data were collected through 17 in-depth, face-to-face interviews and written feedback examples submitted by the faculty members. Interview transcripts …

Go to article

Use Of Traditional 3-Hour Lectures In Preparing Students For The Childbearing Clinical Setting, Teresa Pohle Jan 2015

Use Of Traditional 3-Hour Lectures In Preparing Students For The Childbearing Clinical Setting, Teresa Pohle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following completion of a 4-year nursing program, some graduates have difficulty applying theories learned in the classroom to the clinical environment. This difficulty results in healthcare employers providing additional in-house training to ensure graduates' ability to safely care for their patients. The purpose of this research was to explore how traditional lecture methods have prepared students for the clinical environment. Based on a constructivist theoretical framework, a case study design was used to examine students' learning of theories delivered by traditional lecture methods. The research questions focused on student activities in the classroom and clinical setting, teaching strategies, critical thinking …

Go to article

Second Chance For School Dropouts In Kenya Through Adult Education, Lombo Lombo Jan 2015

Second Chance For School Dropouts In Kenya Through Adult Education, Lombo Lombo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most Kenyan high school dropouts do not have a school reentry option, and without a high school diploma, they lack access to tertiary or higher education institutions for training and career development. This case study was an investigation of how an adult learning center in Kenya educated high school dropouts and helped them to gain access to vocational training or higher education. The research questions addressed the pedagogy, learning experiences, and curriculum of the Baraka Adult Learning Center (BALC) and also focused on how the BALC met students' aspirations, needs, and goals based on the perceptions of teachers and adult …

Go to article

A Program Designed To Address Academic Failure Due To Alcohol Abuse, Frank James Plateroti Jan 2015

A Program Designed To Address Academic Failure Due To Alcohol Abuse, Frank James Plateroti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of alcohol and binge drinking at a local rural college campus in the Northeast United States and the lack of an effective long-term academic intervention program to address the problem. The purpose of this research study was to determine the prevalence of the problem of the alcohol abuse problem and to develop a long-term program that would respond to the problem of repeat alcohol offenders. Guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, which holds that transformational learning causes changes in a learner that significantly shift the pattern of a learner’s future experiences, this study examined …

Go to article

Analysis Of An Early Intervention Reading Program For First Grade Students, Elizabeth Nicole Matthews Jan 2015

Analysis Of An Early Intervention Reading Program For First Grade Students, Elizabeth Nicole Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor early literacy performance in public elementary schools has been a concern for many years. To that end, the purpose of this study was to examine an Early Intervention Program (EIP) in a public school. First grade students at the participating elementary school struggled with reading skills and were not meeting the grade standards of the local school district. In order to remedy this problem, the school implemented early support to provide struggling students with specific and targeted small group reading instruction. This quantitative program evaluation was intended to explore the effect of the EIP used at the participating elementary …

Go to article

Extended Instruction In Business Courses To Enhance Student Achievement In Math, Lessie Mcnabb Houseworth Jan 2015

Extended Instruction In Business Courses To Enhance Student Achievement In Math, Lessie Mcnabb Houseworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor achievement on standardized math tests negatively impacts high school graduation rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate if math instruction in business classes could improve student achievement in math. As supported by constructivist theory, the students in this study were encouraged to use prior knowledge and experiences to make new connections between math concepts and business applications. The key research question examined if there was a significant increase in the standardized mathematics test scores of students enrolled in business classes with extended mathematics instruction compared to the standardized test scores of students not enrolled in business …

Go to article

Resilience Among Immigrant Adult Learners: Experiences In Postsecondary Education--A Mixed-Methods Study, Sandra Lee Samuels Jan 2015

Resilience Among Immigrant Adult Learners: Experiences In Postsecondary Education--A Mixed-Methods Study, Sandra Lee Samuels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A human being's resilience refers to his or her abilities to combine internal and/or external resources effectively in response to significant contextual challenges in order to best succeed in a given environment. As such, this concept is vital across the lifespan and has been widely researched. However, few researchers to date have studied resilience as it relates to adult learners, and, significantly, those with immigrant status. Immigrant adult learners are facing compounded risks, which create challenges in various societies to identify this group's unique needs and/or to fully understand their experiences in diverse contexts, such as the Cayman Islands. Informed …

Go to article

Motivating Higher Education Faculty For Technology Integration: A Private College's Approach, Jacinth Coultman Jan 2015

Motivating Higher Education Faculty For Technology Integration: A Private College's Approach, Jacinth Coultman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some faculty in higher education are not embracing technology in their face-to-face classes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe faculty members' techniques for improving the technological integration within the curriculum at an urban college. This study investigated the incorporation of professional development activities within the college structure to determine if these mandated requirements resulted in enhanced technology use. Interview and observation data on technology integration practices were collected from 15 faculty members who taught within 5 departments of an urban college for 5 or more years. A combination of open and axial topic and …

Go to article

White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students, Karen Marie Spader Jan 2015

White Novice Teachers' Perceptions Regarding Their Preparation For Teaching Culturally Diverse Students, Karen Marie Spader

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a Midwestern university, White novice teachers struggled to be prepared to implement culturally responsive pedagogy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore White novice teachers' perceptions about how their higher education classroom experiences had equipped them for teaching a culturally diverse population of students. The theoretical/conceptual frameworks of this study were White identity development theory, a multicultural education framework, culturally relevant pedagogy, and the motivational framework for culturally responsive teaching. Data were collected by interviewing 8 White novice teachers to convey their perceptions of teaching culturally diverse classrooms and how these perceptions influenced their behaviors. Data were …

Go to article

The Effects Of Public Prekindergarten Participation On Kindergarteners' Early Literacy And Reading Skills, Brenda Coley Jan 2015

The Effects Of Public Prekindergarten Participation On Kindergarteners' Early Literacy And Reading Skills, Brenda Coley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High quality prekindergarten programs that provide students with core academic skills have been found to increase subsequent student reading achievement. However, students across the United States continue to show deficiencies in reading skills, a problem which may stem from a lack of participation in early childhood education. The study district offered a prekindergarten program, but the impact on later reading achievement was unknown. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effects of a prekindergarten program on the subsequent reading skills of kindergarten students. The constructivist learning theories of Whitehurst, Lonigan, Piaget, and Vygotsky provided foundation. Research questions …

Go to article

Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler Jan 2015

Educators' Perceptions Of A 21st Century Digital Literacy Framework, Stephen Spengler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of literacy has expanded to include understanding and effective utilization of information, media, and technology. The Children's Internet Protection Act requires school districts to teach proper online use and behavior. The lack of a technology requirement in a rural, public school district in Northeastern Pennsylvania that meets the needs of 21st century learners and the conditions of the Children's Internet Protection Act was the rationale for the development of this project study. The study's conceptual framework stemmed from theories related to new literacies, multimodality, computer education practices, and millennial learners. The research questions examined educators' perceptions of topics …

Go to article

Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tracey Jane Siegel Jan 2015

Assessment Practices At An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Tracey Jane Siegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing programs have traditionally used teacher-developed multiple-choice (MCQ) examinations to prepare students for licensure. Researchers have determined that poorly constructed MCQ tests used as formative and summative evaluations may penalize nursing students and impact progression and retention in nursing programs. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to examine issues related to the use of teacher-developed MCQ examinations as the only method of student assessment in the theory component of nursing courses. The National League for Nursing Core Competencies for Nurse Educators and the revised Bloom's Taxonomy were used as the conceptual frameworks for this study. The Director of …

Go to article

Principals' Perceptions Of The Bully Busters Program In Combating Cyberbullying In Elementary Schools, Sheila Ann Cuffy Jan 2015

Principals' Perceptions Of The Bully Busters Program In Combating Cyberbullying In Elementary Schools, Sheila Ann Cuffy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over time and with both the increasing ubiquitousness of the Internet and children's technological knowledge at young ages, cyberbullying has grown more widespread and acts of bullying have become more intense. However, little is known about the effectiveness of different antibullying programs for decreasing cyberbullying behaviors. This study addressed that gap in the literature by exploring one elementary school's use of the Bully Busters program for combating cyberbullying. The decision-making model was used as the conceptual framework for this qualitative interview study. Participants were 3 principals from 3 schools using the program. Data were gathered from the participants via interviews …

Go to article

College Retention Connections With Multiple Influencing Factors, Jamie Esther Mccracken Jan 2015

College Retention Connections With Multiple Influencing Factors, Jamie Esther Mccracken

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are many challenges associated with student retention. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) has focused on determining the factors affecting student retention across its campus and distance course delivery formats in order to improve student retention. The purpose in this study was to explore the extent to which age, course delivery, technical ability, and financial background determine retention at SMWC. Retention and attrition models of Tinto and Walleri laid the foundation of this study. Qualitative data on technical ability were collected from 69 students who responded to the survey instrument on Survey Monkey. Quantitative data on retention, age, course delivery, and …

Go to article

Placing Students In Eighth Grade Mathematics: A Case Study Of The Decision-Making Process, Donald Joseph Davis Jan 2015

Placing Students In Eighth Grade Mathematics: A Case Study Of The Decision-Making Process, Donald Joseph Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Algebra 1 is considered an essential course to master in order to understand the concepts of higher-order mathematics, and the California accountability system designates this course for completion in 8th grade. In Shelton County, however, placement of 8th graders in this course is based on feeder school, rather than student ability, resulting in inequitable access. The purpose of this case study was to examine the experiences of administrators who place individual students in mathematics courses and the factors that influence their placement decisions. The conceptual framework for the study was administrative theory as related to processes of effective decision making. …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last