Transformational Learning Through A Success Coaching Graduate Assistantship Experience: A Qualitative Case Study, Rita Patel Eng

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study examines the impact that graduate assistantships in Success Coaching had on graduate students’ professional practice as they entered their respective employment areas as entry-level professionals. I interviewed a total of 11 participants who were now entry-level working professionals in their respective fields of study, and who had completed at least one semester as a master’s degree graduate assistant in a Success Coaching Center. The qualitative semi-structured interviews focused on graduate student skills, transformational learning, and growth (self-authorship). Participants identified skills that made their transition into the workforce smoother, shared their challenges, and shed light on the transformational growth …

The Impacts Of Learning 2 Breathe On Rumination, Adessa Flack

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The present study examined the impact of Learning2Breathe (L2B), a mindfulness-based stress reduction program developed for use with adolescents on rumination. The program was applied to rumination in college-age men and women. Our experiment utilized a quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 50 undergraduate students that were placed in either the experimental or control group. Data was collected pretest and posttest through a variety of measures including the Rumination Reflection Questionnaire (RRQ) which consisted of a rumination and reflection subscale, and the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). A two-way mixed ANOVA design was used to analyze data. There was no …

Yoga, Stress, And College Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Study, Lori Klein

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

College students have experienced exponential increases in stress and mental health concerns that continued to rise during the global coronavirus pandemic. Yoga is a popular, well-regarded method for improving psychological wellbeing, and this study explored how students’ perceived stress improved during a semester-long introductory yoga course upon returning to in-person instruction after a period of remote learning as a result of coronavirus restrictions. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed method design to first measure perceived stress scores and then compare this data to student-reports of wellbeing. College students (n = 121) enrolled in 8 sections of Yoga 1 completed …

Career Longevity In Student Affairs: Implications For New Professionals From A Qualitative Study, Diane R. D'Arcangelo

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Over the past several decades, the retention of new professionals in student affairs has been a concern. Many newcomers leave the profession before completing five years in the field. This qualitative study explored factors contributing to career longevity in student affairs professionals through semi-structured interviews. I interviewed eight participants working at Mid-Atlantic University for more than five years. The semi-structured interviews were set up with a dual focus. The first half of the interview focused on the participants' experience as new professionals, followed by questions that explored their perspectives on supervising new professionals. Seasoned professionals who remained in the field …

Collaborating In Crisis: A Case Study On The Impact Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Program Providers, Arlene Charles

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Utilizing a mixed methods approach, this case study explores the level of resiliency demonstrated by Georgia Pre-kindergarten providers while navigating the COVID-19 pandemic based on surveys, interviews, and a review of publicly available information. Quantitative methods were used to identify the cases and to further assess organizational resiliency based on fiscal and enrollment indicators. Case study methodology was utilized to compare two Georgia Pre-kindergarten providers with different business types within two counties with vastly different socioeconomic poverty. Although the programs have access to similar resources, the non-profit entity was better prepared to continue serving students than the for-profit entity. The …

The Pandemic Dilemma: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Student-Centered Science Education In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Slavick

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to determine how student-centered instruction shifted and what dilemmas teachers experienced in enacting science instruction as they worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. A modified Draw-A-Science-Teacher-Test was used to examine teachers’ perceived instruction during the Fall of 2019, Fall of 2020, and Fall of 2021. Scores on this modified checklist were compared to determine differences in instruction year-to-year, across grade-bands, and to find trends in instruction concerning student demographics. Interviews were conducted with a subset of teachers in the study to learn more about the dilemmas they faced as their attempted science …

Communicating Effectively: An Exploration Of Communication Methods Between Parents And Teachers With Mixed Methods, Melanie Solano

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study explored the communication preferences of parents and teachers through traditional and new technology-based communication modes. Parents (n = 34) and teachers (n = 6) were selected from a public elementary school in the northeastern United States. Participants were administered Likert-type scales on the perceived connectedness of communication modes, as well as the Parental Academic Support Scale, Importance of Supportive Behaviors Scale, and Satisfaction of Communication Tools Scale. The survey contained four open-ended questions on home-school communication preferences. Survey results indicated that parents (M = 17.61, SD = 4.14) and teachers (M = 18.33, SD = …

United States Leadership And Collaborative Actions Challenges Sars Covid-19, Omar Aldabagh

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Abstract

The Coronavirus known as the COVID-19 pandemic has set people at massive risk with all different dimensions of dilemmas and issues; The United States has put efforts to control the virus's spread by focusing on a strategy to reduce the impact. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between public policy and public health. However, the current data have shown the U.S. is continuing to struggle to respond to the pandemic. This study aims to analyze the role of leadership behavior, disaster preparedness and response programs, and collective actions toward COVID-19 in crisis response. This virus's nature includes treatment …

Perceptions And Use Of Digital Technology By Educators Who Support Students With Disabilities In Public Schools: A Mixed Methods Study, Tammy Thompson-Cooke

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this explanatory, sequential, mixed-method study was to examine the perceptions and use of digital technology by educators supporting the needs of students with disabilities attending K-12 classrooms and any correlation between the assistive technology (AT) knowledge, skills, and needs of K-12 educators within Pennsylvania. Technology has become ubiquitous and has emerged in schools as a means for students to interact with academic content. The provision of 1:1 devices was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which created opportunities for educators to discover innovative features that made learning more accessible to all students. Results indicated educators recognized AT as …

Intermediate Elementary Teachers’ Perception And Use Of A Learning Management System In Supporting Effective Teaching And Learning: A Mixed Methods Study, Jennifer Southmayd

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Teachers in K-12 public schools have found themselves immersed in educational technology amidst a global pandemic that has shifted the landscape of instructional delivery. This study targeted intermediate elementary (3-5) teachers’ acceptance of an LMS as a central hub for student learning. While there is a volume of research to support the efficacy of an LMS at the secondary level and in higher education, there is minimal research to show its value-added in supporting intermediate learners at the elementary level. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study inquired to capture teachers’ perceptions and use of an LMS to support student learning. …

Trauma-Informed Educational Practices In The Middle School Classroom During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Loralynne Yost

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This collective case study used a mixed methods approach to examine how Trauma-Informed Educational Practices (TIEP) manifest in the middle school classroom. This study is important due to the trauma students experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teacher participants had district training in trauma-informed practices prior to this study.

Teacher participants took an initial survey to capture their conceptualization and perceived usage of the TIEP in the classroom. Teachers then used TIEP in their classrooms for two weeks. Teachers kept a checklist of which of the TIEP they used each day and commented on the context for the use of the …

Ecological Development Of Purpose Among Graduating College Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Alexis Mccarthy

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This mixed methods study explored ecological purpose development among graduating college students at a large, public university in the Mid-Atlantic, focusing on the influence of college and familial contexts. Using Bronfenbrenner and Morris’ (2007) Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model as a framework, I undertook an explanatory sequential design (Creswell & Plano Clark 2017), assigning more weight to qualitative results (quan à QUAL). I collected quantitative survey data from 110 graduating students a college of liberal arts (consisting of Art and Design, Communication and Media, English, History, Languages and Cultures, Philosophy, Theatre and Dance, and Women’s and Gender Studies majors) and then purposefully …

Checking The Box: Evaluating Professional Development Evaluations, Cristin Young

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This mixed-methods study aimed to examine questionnaires as an evaluation tool for professional development. The study measures the extent to which questionnaires reflect teachers' reactions to and learning in professional development sessions, how teachers view the use of questionnaires to evaluate these sessions, and how to improve that evaluation process. Data from a district-mandated professional development evaluation questionnaire was collected and analyzed from a sample of 825 teachers. Their experiences completing the questionnaires were measured by collecting survey and focus group data. The theories of satisficing and andragogy were used to frame the data analysis. I find that questionnaires do …

The Emotional Labor Of Special Educators: A Mixed Methods Study, Erika Thomas

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This mixed methods study specifically answered the questions (1) How much and what kind of emotional labor do special educators do? and (2) What are the lived experiences of special education teachers as they relate to emotional labor, mental health, wellbeing, and retention? I used the Brotheridge and Lee Emotional Labor Scale to survey 55 special education teachers employed in public education in a mid-Atlantic County and conducted semi-structured interviews with four of the survey participants. Prior literature had found that teachers reported engaging in emotional labor with students; while true of survey respondents, through the qualitative interviews, I found …

Exploring The Tensions Between Teacher Beliefs About Integrating Technology: A Case Study, Monica Frank

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This single case study examines teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward technology integration during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study focuses on how teachers’ beliefs have shifted since schools pivoted to virtual learning in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many schools continuing some form of virtual learning, such as a hybrid model. The single case study design incorporated a survey instrument and semi-formal interviews during the two-phase study. The 20-question survey collected data on the participants’ demographics, teachers’ knowledge of technology integration, and their beliefs and perspectives on technology integration’s impact on student learning. The study participants …