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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Experiences And Training Of Early Childhood Education Directors, Rochelle Elaine Nadeau Nov 2025

Experiences And Training Of Early Childhood Education Directors, Rochelle Elaine Nadeau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Colorado, early childhood education (ECE) directors are often not fully prepared to lead and develop high-quality teaching teams, which is integral to offering high-quality programming to children and families in the early years of development. Framed by transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Colorado ECE directors' experiences with training and support, and the resources needed to develop ECE directors to lead high-quality programming . Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 Colorado ECE directors from center-based programs that serve children from birth to 8 years. Thematic analysis using open coding yielded …


Effective Strategies For Business Leaders Of Homeschool Consulting And Testing Services To Attract New Clients And Sustain Operations, Chartel Arnida Amos Nov 2025

Effective Strategies For Business Leaders Of Homeschool Consulting And Testing Services To Attract New Clients And Sustain Operations, Chartel Arnida Amos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders of homeschool consulting and testing services are experiencing a critical challenge in attracting new clients, which threatens their ability to sustain operations. Grounded in the Baldrige excellence framework and the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore effective strategies used by one business leader of a homeschool consulting and testing services organization in North Carolina to attract clients and sustain operations. Data sources included (a) semistructured interviews, (b) organizational archival records and documents, (c) public data such as reports and websites, and (d) literature including peer-reviewed articles and books. Findings …


Experiences And Challenges Of Grades 6-12 Principals And Assistant Principals Supporting Implementation Of Standards-Based Learning, Judith Ann Zeka Nov 2025

Experiences And Challenges Of Grades 6-12 Principals And Assistant Principals Supporting Implementation Of Standards-Based Learning, Judith Ann Zeka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that grades 6-12 principals and assistant principals are unprepared to support teachers’ planning and implementation of standards-based learning in classrooms at mid-size rural school districts in a single midwestern state. Grounded in Senge’s five disciplines of a learning organization, the purpose of this study was to examine grades 6-12 principals’ and assistant principals’ experiences and challenges, the resources needed, and the perceived influence of their leadership in the implementation of standards-based learning in content-area classrooms at the study sites. For this basic qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 principals and two …


Perceptions Of Academic Success Among African American Male High School Graduates In Urban Areas, Anthony Bourne Nov 2025

Perceptions Of Academic Success Among African American Male High School Graduates In Urban Areas, Anthony Bourne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males encounter more severe penalties, academic under-performance, and lower graduation rates compared to their Caucasian male counterparts. Numerous studies have delved into and elucidated the schooling experiences of African American male students from various perspectives, encompassing cultural, structural, racial, community, family, and school viewpoints. However, there remains a scarcity of voices documenting the experiences of African American males who have successfully completed high school in urban settings. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the schooling experiences of African American males who graduated from high schools located in urban settings. The Critical Race Theory and …


Supports And Barriers Experienced By African American Men Aspiring To Become Elementary School Principals, Douglas Handy Nov 2025

Supports And Barriers Experienced By African American Men Aspiring To Become Elementary School Principals, Douglas Handy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American male elementary school principals are rare in diverse public school settings across the United States. The problem investigated was the limited awareness of how African American male elementary principal aspirants experience and understand supports and barriers related to becoming a principal. Guided by Hallinger and Murphy’s instructional leadership theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how African American male elementary school principal aspirants understand the supports and barriers to becoming principals. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with nine participants from a school district in the mid-Atlantic region who were state-certified and had been …


Perceptions Of K–5 Teacher Challenges In Supporting Military-Connected Children Overseas Who Experience Trauma, Lachanda Garrison Nov 2025

Perceptions Of K–5 Teacher Challenges In Supporting Military-Connected Children Overseas Who Experience Trauma, Lachanda Garrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers serving U.S. military-connected students (MCS) overseas regularly address student trauma in the classroom that stems from relocation and separation events due to parents’ or guardians’ military service. The problem addressed in this study was that Grade K–5 teachers struggle to support overseas who experience trauma. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Grade K–5 teachers’ perceptions of the challenges to support MCS overseas who have experienced trauma. The study was guided by three principles from Soma and Allen’s trauma informed model, which emphasizes understanding trauma as an experience, prioritizing social and emotional skill development, and supporting …


High School Teachers' Use Of Project-Based Learning To Address Issues Of Equity, Social Justice, And Cultural Relevance, April Serenity Riser Nov 2025

High School Teachers' Use Of Project-Based Learning To Address Issues Of Equity, Social Justice, And Cultural Relevance, April Serenity Riser

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In many educational settings, marginalized populations—African American or Black students, Hispanic students, students in special education programs, and economically disadvantaged students—struggle with traditional assessments, which may create learning gaps. Grounded in Dewey, Vygotsky, and Bruner’s theories, the research problem and purpose of this qualitative single context exploratory case study was to explore high school teachers use of PBL as an innovation to address issues of equity, social justice, and cultural relevance to engage marginalized high school students. Purposeful sampling was utilized to identify 11 high school teachers who employ PBL from multiple campuses in a single school district. Data sources …


Increasing Knowledge And Awareness Of Cultural Competency Among Providers, Veronica Rodriguez Nov 2025

Increasing Knowledge And Awareness Of Cultural Competency Among Providers, Veronica Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In today’s challenging healthcare environment, coupled with increasing global migration, healthcare delivery has become more diverse, and providers must deliver high-quality, patient-centered care across diverse populations. Cultural competency, the ability to understand and effectively interact with patients from diverse backgrounds, is essential for reducing health disparities, improving patient satisfaction, and enhancing health outcomes. However, many providers struggle to integrate these practices into daily care due to limited or inconsistent knowledge on applying these concepts in real-world settings. Thus, the purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine whether an educational intervention focused on cultural competency increased …


Challenges And Successes In Retaining Direct Support Professionals For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In Group Home Settings, Erica Kay Evans Nov 2025

Challenges And Successes In Retaining Direct Support Professionals For People With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities In Group Home Settings, Erica Kay Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Challenges and Successes in Retaining Direct Support Professionals for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Group Home Settings by Erica Kay Evans MA, Walden University, 2016 BA, University of Phoenix, 2013 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University November 2025


Staff Education To Internal Medicine Clinic, Rafael A. Cardona Gonzalez Nov 2025

Staff Education To Internal Medicine Clinic, Rafael A. Cardona Gonzalez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This is a staff education project. The practice problem addressed was the lack of standardized orientation on the electronic health record (EHR) system for rotating students, which impacted documentation quality and workflow efficiency. Prior to the intervention, students received no formal training on the clinic’s EHR system, resulting in documentation errors, workflow disruptions, and dependence on administrative staff. The educational session, tailored to the clinic’s EHR platform, aimed to promote student knowledge and confidence through structured, site-specific training. The practice-focused question was: How does structured education on site-specific EHR use impact knowledge and documentation confidence among rotating medical and nurse …


K–5 Teachers’ Perceptions Toward Implementing An Lgbtqia+-Inclusive Curriculum In New Jersey, Stephanie J. Faille Nov 2025

K–5 Teachers’ Perceptions Toward Implementing An Lgbtqia+-Inclusive Curriculum In New Jersey, Stephanie J. Faille

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is the gap in literature about K–5 teachers’ challenges in implementing an LGBTQIA+-inclusive curriculum in New Jersey. Grounded in Fuller’s concerns of teachers framework and Foucault’s seminal work on the historical treatment of members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K–5 teachers’ challenges in implementing an LGBTQIA+-inclusive curriculum in New Jersey. Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to recruit 11 K–5 teachers who self-identified as having implemented the New Jersey LGBTQIA+-inclusive curriculum. Data collected through semistructured interviews were analyzed using a priori codes in …


Grade 6–8 Teacher Perceptions Regarding Teacher Resiliency Factors In A Northeastern State’S Public Middle Schools, Melanie Totten-Jonas Oct 2025

Grade 6–8 Teacher Perceptions Regarding Teacher Resiliency Factors In A Northeastern State’S Public Middle Schools, Melanie Totten-Jonas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher attrition presents a significant challenge for Northeastern State Middle School Districts (NSMSD), threatening educational stability and student outcomes. This qualitative study examined Grade 6–8 teachers’ perceptions of resilience as a factor influencing their decisions to remain in the teaching profession. Grounded in resilience theory, the study explored how teachers overcame professional challenges and identified supports that promoted retention, addressing a gap in existing research. Using a basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 purposefully selected middle school teachers from NSMSD. Reflexive thematic analysis using open coding revealed five key themes: individual resilience factors, relational supports and collegial …


Teachers’ Perspectives On The Use Of Real-Time Online Assessment Tools In Urban Elementary Schools, Sally Adam Oct 2025

Teachers’ Perspectives On The Use Of Real-Time Online Assessment Tools In Urban Elementary Schools, Sally Adam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student response systems (SRS) and audience response systems (ARS) in the elementary classroom are sometimes used to assess students while keeping them engaged and offering them immediate feedback. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perspectives on challenges of and resources needed to implement SRS and ARS in urban elementary schools in the Northeast United States. The conceptual framework for this study included the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behavior. Semistructured interviews with 12 urban elementary school teachers from the Northeast United States were analyzed using a qualitative data analysis procedure by coding, …


High School Instructional Staff Perspectives On Effective Strategies For Increasing Enrollment In The Career And Technical Education Pathway, Briana O'Brien Oct 2025

High School Instructional Staff Perspectives On Effective Strategies For Increasing Enrollment In The Career And Technical Education Pathway, Briana O'Brien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was the challenges of enrolling students in the career and technical education (CTE) pathway at a northeastern high school, despite local and national commitments to expanding CTE opportunities. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore high school instructional staff perceptions of the challenges in enrolling students in the CTE pathway and the strategies they suggest would increase enrollment. The study was grounded in the conceptual framework of the concerns-based adoption model and the expectancy-value theory, which allowed for an understanding of staff concerns, motivations, and perceptions in relation to student enrollment …


Parents’ Experiences With The Social-Emotional Development Of Toddlers With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Completing Early Intervention, Veronica Bayer Oct 2025

Parents’ Experiences With The Social-Emotional Development Of Toddlers With A Diagnosis Of Autism Spectrum Disorder After Completing Early Intervention, Veronica Bayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The social-emotional development of autistic toddlers is a critical area of concern for parents and early childhood professionals. Parents need to understand how early intervention programs influence this development, as it can significantly impact long-term outcomes for children with autism. Grounded in the DIR (Developmental, Individual-differences, Relationship-based) theory by S. I. Greenspan and S. Wieder, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences parents had with their autistic toddlers’ social-emotional development after completing an early intervention program. The participants comprised of eight parents whose toddlers completed an early intervention program and were later diagnosed with autism. …


Emotional Labor, Dissonance, And Job Satisfaction Among Black Student Affairs Professionals, Joseph Glover Oct 2025

Emotional Labor, Dissonance, And Job Satisfaction Among Black Student Affairs Professionals, Joseph Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black Student Affairs Professionals (SAPros) at predominantly White institutions (PWIs) experience high levels of emotional labor that diminish job satisfaction and increase turnover, threatening workforce diversity and culturally affirming student support. However, limited understanding exists of how emotional labor relates to job satisfaction among Black SAPros at PWIs and whether emotional dissonance mediates this relationship. Grounded in Hochschild’s emotional labor theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between emotional labor scores as measured by the Emotional Labor Scale and job satisfaction scores as measured by the Job Satisfaction Survey and to determine whether emotional …


Experiences Of Northern Ontario Nurse Educators In Adapting Teaching Methods, Julianna Panontin Oct 2025

Experiences Of Northern Ontario Nurse Educators In Adapting Teaching Methods, Julianna Panontin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing education is evolving, requiring educators to adapt teaching methods due to advances in technology, pedagogy, and accreditation standards. In Northern Ontario, geographic and resource limitations make this adaptability critical for ensuring equitable, high-quality education. Guided by Lewin’s change theory, this qualitative phenomenological study examined how Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) nursing educators in Northern Ontario adapted their teaching practices to these evolving demands. Six full-time educators teaching in BScN programs with at least 3 years of recent nursing education experience using synchronous instructional methods participated in semistructured qualitative interviews. Data were analyzed using Saldaña’s coding framework. Four themes …


Community College Students’ Perceptions Of Access And Barriers To Mental Health Supports, Kevin Paul Kuntz Oct 2025

Community College Students’ Perceptions Of Access And Barriers To Mental Health Supports, Kevin Paul Kuntz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this project study was that community college students are graduating at lower rates than the national average, despite the on-campus mental health services in place in the Midwestern United States. Grounded in Tronto’s framework of institutional ethic of care, the purpose of this study was to explore students’ perceptions of their access to and barriers to receiving mental health support in community colleges. For this basic qualitative design, 10 students who attended at least one semester at one community college were interviewed. The semistructured interviews were coded and thematically analyzed with the following themes emerging: Students …


Secondary World Language Teachers’ Perspectives On Gamification-Based Assessments, Taryn Thompson Oct 2025

Secondary World Language Teachers’ Perspectives On Gamification-Based Assessments, Taryn Thompson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that there was a gap in the literature about secondary world language teachers using gamification-based assessments and the influence on student learning. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore teachers’ perspectives on the benefits and challenges of gamification-based assessments. The study was grounded in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, digital game-based language learning, and Krashen’s second language acquisition theory. To secure a sample of 12 participants for this study, purposeful and snowball sampling were employed, wherein potential secondary world language teachers were solicited through …


Influence Of High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Availability On Aggregate Academic Outcome Measures For Washington State High Schools, Jessie A. Tanksley Oct 2025

Influence Of High-Speed Internet Infrastructure Availability On Aggregate Academic Outcome Measures For Washington State High Schools, Jessie A. Tanksley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited research has been conducted about the potential influence of high-speed broadband infrastructure availability in rural and urban communities on high school academic outcome measures in Washington state. Guided by Siemens’s theory of connectivism and van Dijk’s digital divide theory, the purpose of this quasi-experimental, causal-comparative, quantitative study was to determine whether significant differences in high school academic performance, measured by graduation rates and standardized test scores, exist between urban and rural communities with and without access to high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in Washington state. Three research questions were developed to examine differences in graduation rates, 10th-grade English Language Arts …


Novice Teachers’ Perceptions Of In-Person Professional Development On Technological Self-Efficacy, Spencer James Kiper Oct 2025

Novice Teachers’ Perceptions Of In-Person Professional Development On Technological Self-Efficacy, Spencer James Kiper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that prompted this study was the lack of professional development opportunities that address novice K–12 teachers’ technological self-efficacy. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of novice K–12 teachers in a large urban school district in Louisiana regarding professional development opportunities for technological self-efficacy. The conceptual framework for this study was composed of Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy and the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework. Ten novice teachers with fewer than 5 years of teaching experience participated in semistructured interviews. Data analysis procedures included descriptive coding, axial coding, and thematic analysis. Results revealed …


Educational Experiences Of Traditional And Online Learning Graduate Students, Beverly Crawford Williams Oct 2025

Educational Experiences Of Traditional And Online Learning Graduate Students, Beverly Crawford Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how graduate-level human services students who have attended both traditional and online courses describe their educational experiences, particularly in terms of engagement, knowledge application, and peer connections. Semistructured interviews were conducted among 12 graduate-level, human services students who had experience in both learning environments. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation used in the study. Thematic analysis, revealed four major themes describing distinct learning experiences across modalities. First, online and traditional learning involve different forms of engagement. Second, relational engagement in academic environments is important. Third, constraints on engagement across learning …


Experiences Of Early Childhood Professionals Regarding Selective Mutism, Jessica Denise Huffman Oct 2025

Experiences Of Early Childhood Professionals Regarding Selective Mutism, Jessica Denise Huffman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that the experiences of early childhood professionals (ECPs) working with children with selective mutism are unknown. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory of child development, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of ECPs working with children with selective mutism. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 12 ECPs who support children with selective mutism in several districts in southern California. Through open coding, the following themes emerged: ECPs noted (a) limited knowledge about selective mutism; (b) supporting children who have selective mutism is both enjoyable and …


School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Post-Covid-19 Recruiting And Retention Of Special Education Teachers In A Local School District, Framy Diaz Oct 2025

School Leaders’ Perceptions Of Post-Covid-19 Recruiting And Retention Of Special Education Teachers In A Local School District, Framy Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School leaders in a local school district continue to struggle keeping their special education (SPED) positions appropriately staffed. The problem was that the inability to fill these large numbers of vacancies could adversely affect the quality of services SPED students receive and impact school personnel's ability to meet legal IEP compliance requirements. Guided by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s two-way factor theories, the purpose of this qualitative study was to gain the perspectives of school and district leaders regarding difficulties in post-COVID-19 recruiting and retention of SPED teachers. A basic qualitative design was used to capture the insights of …


School Leaders And Strategies To Address Teacher Shortages In A Rural School District, Phaniki Antwanette Jenkins Oct 2025

School Leaders And Strategies To Address Teacher Shortages In A Rural School District, Phaniki Antwanette Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed was that education administrators struggle to reduce teacher shortages in rural public school districts in the Southeastern United States. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was three-fold: to understand what experiences education administrators had concerning teacher shortages, what practices they used to address shortages, and what strategies they deemed most helpful. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 state-certified administrators with at least 3 years’ experience in their role in one rural public school district in the Southeastern United States. Open and axial coding were used to support thematic analysis. Administrative experiences …


Teacher Perspectives On Challenges To Close The Reading Achievement Gap For African American Students, Miriam Aliyya Moore Oct 2025

Teacher Perspectives On Challenges To Close The Reading Achievement Gap For African American Students, Miriam Aliyya Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that African American students score lower than White students in reading across grade levels, demonstrating a gap in teaching practice in early childhood education. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives on challenges to increase African American students’ level of reading proficiency and what they believed they needed to close the African American-White student achievement gap in reading. The conceptual framework was Ladson-Billings’s culturally relevant pedagogy. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 kindergarten through third grade teachers who were currently teaching reading to African American students …


Teachers’ Perspectives Of Student Engagement In Online Learning Communities, Reynaldo Sanchez, Jr Sep 2025

Teachers’ Perspectives Of Student Engagement In Online Learning Communities, Reynaldo Sanchez, Jr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that although current literature has highlighted the importance of student digital learning communities (DLCs), there was limited information about how middle school teachers provide guidance to students and successfully build and monitor DLCs to foster student engagement and academic success in online education settings. Framed by Mishra and Koehler’s technological pedagogical content knowledge model, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore middle school teachers' perspectives of their role in student DLCs and instructional elements needed to guide students, build and monitor DLCs, and foster engagement and academic success. Semistructured interviews were …


Caregiver Perspectives About Implementing Educational Goals For Children Of Incarcerated Parents In A Head Start Program, Alissa Jane Stark Sep 2025

Caregiver Perspectives About Implementing Educational Goals For Children Of Incarcerated Parents In A Head Start Program, Alissa Jane Stark

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that caregivers of children with incarcerated parents inconsistently implement the mandated educational goals developed through the Head Start program. Grounded in Bowen’s family systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore caregiver’s perspectives on implementing Head Start Educational goals for children of incarcerated parents and their views on the resources or training needed to support these goals. For this case study, 12 former caregivers from a Head Start program in a women’s correctional facility in Oregon were interviewed. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed thematically with the …


Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Aggressive Behavior And In-School Suspension, Martha Baker Sep 2025

Preschool Teachers’ Perspectives Regarding Children’S Aggressive Behavior And In-School Suspension, Martha Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggressive behavior can lead preschool students to be suspended in and out of school. The problem in this study was the high rate of in-school suspension (ISS) among preschool students in response to child aggressive behavior. Informed by Harvey’s domain model of social reasoning and social information processing, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of preschool teachers working in childcare centers in one city in Texas regarding children’s aggressive behavior that may lead to ISS as a response to that behavior. Four research questions probed how preschool teachers describe the level of choice exercised by …


Service Learning And Association To Social Responsibility And The Process Of Cultural Competence In Nursing Practice, Helene Kay Hegge Sep 2025

Service Learning And Association To Social Responsibility And The Process Of Cultural Competence In Nursing Practice, Helene Kay Hegge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Service Learning and Association to Social Responsibility and the Process of Cultural Competence in Nursing Practice by Helene Hegge MSN, Walden University, 2011 BSN, Mount Marty University, 1986 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Nursing Walden University August 2025 Cultural competence and social responsibility are essential qualities of baccalaureate-prepared nurses. Cultural competence and social responsibility can occur in nursing students following their service learning (SL) experience and remain to influence practice as a professional nurse. The purpose of this basic qualitative study using 18 individual interviews of nurses who participated in …