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Full-Text Articles in Education

Overcoming The Challenges Of Retaining Novice Teachers In A County Public School By Ernst Albert, Ernst Albert Jan 2017

Overcoming The Challenges Of Retaining Novice Teachers In A County Public School By Ernst Albert, Ernst Albert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining novice teachers in a Northeast Florida county public school is an ongoing challenge. Research indicates that 14% of new teachers will leave the field within 5 years. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the major factors that contributed to this unique group of novice teachers' decisions to continue to teach at the school during their first 5 years in the field. The societal model served as the conceptual framework for this study of factors affecting teacher turnover, with emphasis on teacher and school characteristics in relation to teacher attrition. Data collected from 9 interviews and an …


College Faculty Members' Perceptions Of Students' Writing Abilities, Deborah Bellamy Jan 2017

College Faculty Members' Perceptions Of Students' Writing Abilities, Deborah Bellamy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The college open door policy initiated in the 1960s made access to higher education available for more students in the United States. People who were once excluded from enrolling in college now have an opportunity to earn a college degree. Some first-time students, significantly underprepared in writing, have been required to enroll in developmental or remedial writing courses before entering college-level English despite research indicating that taking noncredit courses increases the time for college completion and the cost of college, while also reducing the likelihood of completion. This illustrative case study, guided by the constructivist approach to instruction, was designed …


Relationship Between Admission Criteria And Program Completion In A Radiation Therapy Program, Adrienne Mae Dougherty Jan 2017

Relationship Between Admission Criteria And Program Completion In A Radiation Therapy Program, Adrienne Mae Dougherty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor completion rates in the radiation therapy associate's degree program offered through a community college did not meet the standards set by the college and damaged the program's reputation. The relationship between admission criteria and program completion was not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any relationships between the admission criteria (GPA in prerequisite courses, interview scores, writing sample scores, and preadmission testing scores) and students' completion of a radiation therapy associate's degree program. This correlational study used 2 stages of Tinto's retention theory: (a) recruitment and admission to college and (b) pre-entry assessment …


Higher Education Support Services And Graduation Rates Of Structured Education Program Students, Seth Hepner Jan 2017

Higher Education Support Services And Graduation Rates Of Structured Education Program Students, Seth Hepner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 1st-year retention rate of the Structured Education Program (SEP) is 90%, yet the 6-year graduation rate of SEP students is 29%. The gap between SEP 1st-year retention and graduation rates is the problem that this study addressed. The low graduation rate of SEP students is an important issue because graduation rates are used to measure the quality of higher education institutions. The purpose of this study was to understand the low graduation rates of SEP students. Tinto's retention theory, which seeks to explain dropouts from higher education institutions, was the main framework of the study. The study's research questions …


The Effect Of Health Literacy In Low Estimated Glomerular Filtration And Diabetes, Nicklett Johnston Johnston Jan 2017

The Effect Of Health Literacy In Low Estimated Glomerular Filtration And Diabetes, Nicklett Johnston Johnston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy is widespread, but its potential is not recognized. By not recognizing health literacy, patients have the burden of coping with diabetes with renal complications without full knowledge of their responsibility to their health. The focus of the project was to assess participants with diabetes with low health literacy and low mean glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The project goal was achieved by the assessment of the participants' health literacy and eGFR before and after education for their diabetes, then assessed to determine if teaching the participants would improve their health literacy, lab values, and overall health. Participants were recruited …


Elementary Teacher Knowledge Of And Practices For Teaching Reading To African American Students, Camille Jacqueline Little Jan 2017

Elementary Teacher Knowledge Of And Practices For Teaching Reading To African American Students, Camille Jacqueline Little

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

State standardized tests results indicated that between 2012 and 2016, fewer African American students at a rural, Title I elementary school met state standards in reading compared with other racial/ethnic groups of students. A gap in practice existed because the school and district had not conducted studies to understand teacher knowledge and practice as they related to teaching reading to African American students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to address the problem and gap in practice by exploring elementary teacher knowledge and understanding of the learning needs in reading among African American students. Tomlinson's theory of differentiated …


Losing New Graduate Bedside Nurses, A Practice Improvement Initiative, Beverly Elaine Miller Jan 2017

Losing New Graduate Bedside Nurses, A Practice Improvement Initiative, Beverly Elaine Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New graduate nurses (NGNs) at bedside are faced with numerous challenges, which prompt them to leave jobs in their first year. The transition from being a student to competent nurse requires a NGN to have the necessary skills and experience. Subsequently, hospitals continue to face shortages of staff because of high turnover and low retention levels. Nonetheless, evidence from reviewed literature has indicated that the use of residency programs can increase NGNs' stay at bedside, improve retention, reduce costs of operations, and return employees' turnover. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to identify the likelihood of NGNs remaining …


Program Evaluation Of A Competency-Based Online Model In Higher Education, Karen Digiacomo Jan 2017

Program Evaluation Of A Competency-Based Online Model In Higher Education, Karen Digiacomo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In order to serve its nontraditional students, a university piloted a competency-based program as alternative method for its students to earn college credit. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to conduct a summative program evaluation to determine if the program was successful in order to make decisions about program revision and expansion. The conceptual framework for the study was grounded in Knowles's adult learning theory and Bandura's social learning theory as they relate to adult learners being self-directed and self-motivated to complete their educational goals. The pilot program involved 60 students taking 12 different courses over 3 semesters. Quantitative …


Effect Of Contemplative Pedagogy On The Ecoliteracy Of Undergraduate Public State University Students, Michael Vincent Lees Jan 2017

Effect Of Contemplative Pedagogy On The Ecoliteracy Of Undergraduate Public State University Students, Michael Vincent Lees

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undergraduate students lack the opportunity and environment to contemplate and develop ecoliteracy skills that serve to integrate subject matter into their everyday experiences. Ecoliteracy is grounded in Capra's web of life theoretical framework and represents students' capacities to read world systems objectively with their head, heart, hands, and spirit. Contemplative pedagogy provides educators with exercises that give students time to reflect on the integration of learning. Ecoliteracy and contemplative pedagogy research has shown little quantitative data pertaining to how contemplative pedagogy affects undergraduate student ecoliteracy. To address that gap, this causal-comparative study measured the use of contemplative pedagogy exercises relative …


Nursing Informatics Competency Program, Kristina Ann Dunn Jan 2017

Nursing Informatics Competency Program, Kristina Ann Dunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, C Hospital lacks a standardized nursing informatics competency program to validate nurses' skills and knowledge in using electronic medical records (EMRs). At the study locale, the organization is about to embark on the implementation of a new, more comprehensive EMR system. All departments will be required to use the new EMR, unlike the current policy that allows some areas to still document on paper. The Institute of Medicine, National League of Nursing, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing support and recommend that information technology be an essential core competency for nurses. Evidence of the need for nursing informatic …


Teachers' Perceptions In Developing Robust Vocabulary Instruction At An American International School, Cathleen S. M. Lee Jan 2017

Teachers' Perceptions In Developing Robust Vocabulary Instruction At An American International School, Cathleen S. M. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At an international school in Taiwan, English learners have struggled to meet the U.S. national average in vocabulary on standardized testing instruments. This problem has become more significant since 2009. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study on successful vocabulary teachers to determine their perceptions of effective teaching. Knowles' andragogy, Brookfield's self-directed, experiential learning, and Vygotsky's social constructivist framework provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teachers' perceptions of why they were successful in teaching vocabulary in English. The study site had access to quantitative data regarding previous standardized testing results; …


University Professors' And Department Directors' Perceptions Regarding Support For Freshman Academic Performance, Karen Sauer Jan 2017

University Professors' And Department Directors' Perceptions Regarding Support For Freshman Academic Performance, Karen Sauer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Chile, 50% of students who enroll in Chilean colleges do not graduate, negatively impacting their families' economic situations as well as national development. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions held by math, English, and general education professors regarding the support provided to freshman students in a program at 1 campus of a private Chilean university. Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory emphasizing internal and external motivations and social constructivism theory emphasizing development as a process comprised the conceptual framework. Both theories provide meaningful understanding of the drivers that support …


Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder, College Students, And Identity, Jeanne Vandenberg Jan 2017

Attention Deficity Hyperactivity Disorder, College Students, And Identity, Jeanne Vandenberg

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a growing societal problem that has been increasing among college students. Previous research on this population is limited and even fewer studies focus on women. The purpose of this quantitative study is to understand the developmental task of ego identity status for female college students with and without a diagnosis of ADHD based on Erikson's psychosocial theory. The study used the Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status (OMEIS) to measure identity diffusion, foreclosure, moratorium, and achievement status as a means to assess identity status in female college students. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, independent …


Awareness And Understanding Of A College Active Shooter Crisis Plan, Christopher Brian Williams Jan 2017

Awareness And Understanding Of A College Active Shooter Crisis Plan, Christopher Brian Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gun violence on college campuses has gained the attention of campus leaders, leading to an active shooter policy and procedure development and implementation. There was little awareness within the campus leadership of a college in the Southeast United States on the college's active shooter policy and procedures. Guided by Coomb's crisis management plan model, the purpose of this case study was to explore how information was provided to students, faculty, and staff regarding how to respond to an active shooter on campus. Purposeful sampling was used to identify 16 participants (6 students, 5 faculty, and 5 administrator/staff) who were interviewed …


Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Coteaching, Geeta Gupta Kadakia Jan 2017

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Coteaching, Geeta Gupta Kadakia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to the low passing rate of its students with disabilities, administrators at a small urban elementary school in south Texas implemented coteaching. Guided by Nonaka and Takeuchi's collaborative learning framework, this qualitative instrumental case study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative teaching in the elementary education setting. Data collection consisted of a group interview and classroom observations with a purposeful sample of 4 general education teachers and 2 special education teachers of Grades 3-5 math and language arts who were coteaching at the time of the study. Teachers' perceptions regarding the effects of their professional relationship …


Teaching Abroad And Implementing Culturally Appropriate Instructional Practices, Denise Ryan Mason Jan 2017

Teaching Abroad And Implementing Culturally Appropriate Instructional Practices, Denise Ryan Mason

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increasingly diverse population of the United States is reflected in classrooms across the country. Teachers often struggle with understanding students' cultural differences in the classroom and therefore also struggle with implementing culturally appropriate instructional strategies. The results of this study provide educational leaders with a viable option to enhance intercultural competence for implementing culturally appropriate instructional practices through the experiences gained in teaching abroad programs like Apufram International. This exploratory case study investigated how teaching experiences abroad contributed to implementing culturally diverse instruction in multicultural classroom settings. The multicultural educational theory of Banks was the theoretical framework used for …


Critical Soft Skills To Achieve Success In The Workplace, Gloria A. Meeks Jan 2017

Critical Soft Skills To Achieve Success In The Workplace, Gloria A. Meeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this study was a problem identified by human resources directors and managers in a medium sized community in the southeast of the United States. The problem was that some college graduates are not equipped with the necessary soft skills to be successful in the workforce. Executive directors and human resources managers brought this problem to the attention of the career center directors in the community. Goleman's theory of emotional intelligence was the theoretical framework to ground this study. This study involved purposeful sampling to select 9 human resources directors from local companies. To investigate soft skills in …


Perceptions And Attitudes Of General And Special Education Teachers Toward Collaborative Teaching, Garletta D. Robinson Jan 2017

Perceptions And Attitudes Of General And Special Education Teachers Toward Collaborative Teaching, Garletta D. Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a Georgia middle school, general and special education teachers expressed concerns about the challenges of working collaboratively in the inclusive classroom. Effective teacher collaboration is pivotal to ensure academic success of all students. The purpose of this qualitative bounded instrumental case study was to explore middle school teachers' perceptions and attitudes toward shared teacher collaboration in inclusion classrooms. Lave and Wenger's situated learning theory was the conceptual framework. Purposeful sampling was used to select 4 general and 4 special education teachers who worked in middle school coteaching classrooms. Face-to-face interviews and teacher lesson plans were the data sources. Data …


An Analysis Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying At The Elementary School Level, Tiffany Wilson Thomas Jan 2017

An Analysis Of Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying At The Elementary School Level, Tiffany Wilson Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers in elementary schools are often faced with countless disruptive bullying behaviors, which cause them to lose valuable classroom instruction time. In addition, bullying victims have shown a decline in academic success as compared to students who are not bullied. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore teachers' understanding and awareness of bullying behaviors and policies at the elementary school level, particularly in an elementary school in a southeastern state that has experienced large increases in student disruptive behavior over the past 2 school years. Bandura's social cognitive theory served as the conceptual framework. Semi-structured interview …


Examining The Integration Of Technology In The Early Childhood Classroom, Kerri Lynn Willmann Jan 2017

Examining The Integration Of Technology In The Early Childhood Classroom, Kerri Lynn Willmann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reading achievement scores in the United States are low and educators need more strategies to support young students in literacy. It is important to identify the technologies and implementation strategies that educators find beneficial for literacy instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate perspectives on instructional technology and literacy strategies intended to promote student-centered learning opportunities. The conceptual framework was Bloom's mastery learning, Bransford's anchored instruction, and Piaget's constructivist theory. Each theorist encouraged exploration and hands-on interactive learning opportunities. The research questions addressed how teachers perceive the implementation of technology tools to enhance literary performance and engagement …


Senior Students' Experiences, Perspectives, And Attitudes Of Technological Competencies In Nursing Education, Patricia C. Bennett Jan 2017

Senior Students' Experiences, Perspectives, And Attitudes Of Technological Competencies In Nursing Education, Patricia C. Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technological standards appear to be needed in undergraduate nursing education, as existing research has yet to establish technological standards for undergraduate nursing students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of senior nursing students with respect to their perceptions regarding exposure to and abilities gained in the areas of information management, information literacy, and computer literacy. The framework of the study was based on Bandura's theory of self-efficacy and the Dreyfus model of skills acquisition. Using a phenomenological approach, in-depth face-to-face interviews were used with a purposive sample to collect data about the technological competencies …


Relationship Between Active Learning Methodologies And Community College Students' Stem Course Grades, Cherish Christina Lesko Jan 2017

Relationship Between Active Learning Methodologies And Community College Students' Stem Course Grades, Cherish Christina Lesko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Active learning methodologies (ALM) are associated with student success, but little research on this topic has been pursued at the community college level. At a local community college, students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses exhibited lower than average grades. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of ALM predicted STEM course grades while controlling for academic discipline, course level, and class size. The theoretical framework was Vygotsky's social constructivism. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were performed on data collected through an anonymous survey of 74 instructors of 272 courses during the 2016 …


The Effect Of Ged Candidate Race And Motivation Factors On Exam Outcomes, Kathi L. Middleton Jan 2017

The Effect Of Ged Candidate Race And Motivation Factors On Exam Outcomes, Kathi L. Middleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Earning a General Educational Development (GED) credential can have positive results in a student's life including higher wages and better job opportunities. The 2014 version of the GED exam changed the format from a paper-based test to a computer-based test. This change coincided with a 35% decline in the pass rate indicating not all students are prepared to pass the new computer-based test (CBT). The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the influence of a candidate's race and reason for taking the exam on the pass or fail outcome of the new computer-based GED exam. The study used …


The Gap Between Engineering Education And Postgraduate Preparedness, Abdulla Farah Warsame Jan 2017

The Gap Between Engineering Education And Postgraduate Preparedness, Abdulla Farah Warsame

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Engineering students entering the workforce often struggle to meet the competency expectations of their employers. Guided by constructivist theory, the purpose of this case study was to understand engineers' experiences of engineering education, deficiencies in practical skills, and the self-learning methods they employed to advance their technical and professional competencies. Working engineers were asked about their experiences overcoming practical skill deficiencies and bridging the gap between education and practice. Interviews with 15 chemical, civil, mechanical, and electrical engineers were analyzed by coding for common statements and identifying themes. Firsthand experiences of the participants captured 3 themes: overall perceptions of engineering …


History Teachers' Perspectives Of Time Constraints, Engagement, And Relevance In The Curriculum, Christy Mimie Davis Jan 2017

History Teachers' Perspectives Of Time Constraints, Engagement, And Relevance In The Curriculum, Christy Mimie Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the last 20 years, many state school administrators have reduced social studies instructional time in favor of time dedicated to reading or math skills due to the pressure of standardized testing. The purpose of this qualitative case study, which was based on constructivist theories about learning and schema theory, was to analyze teachers' perspectives on teaching history lessons, in terms of engagement and relevance, while working within new time constraints. Purposeful sampling was used to select 6 teachers for interviews; all had experience teaching social studies courses at the upper elementary and middle levels in a public school district …


Relationship Between Educational Leisure Motivation And Recovery From Mental Illness Among Members Of Clubhouse International, Dianna Rene Pearce Jan 2017

Relationship Between Educational Leisure Motivation And Recovery From Mental Illness Among Members Of Clubhouse International, Dianna Rene Pearce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) exhibit low motivation to participate in educational leisure activities at Clubhouses accredited by Clubhouse International (CI). This correlational study examined the relationship between each of 4 motives, intellectual, social, competence-mastery, and stimulus-avoidance, to engage in leisure activities, and the perception of recovery from SMI. Knowles's theory of andragogy supported the concept of informal self-directed learning, which occurs with leisure activities. Literature indicates that participating in leisure activities such as those offered at Clubhouses aids in the recovery from SMI. Quantitative data were collected from a convenience sample of 75 individuals at 4 CI clubhouses …


College Instructors' Experiences Transitioning To Inverted Classroom Instruction, Glenda Maria Brown Jan 2017

College Instructors' Experiences Transitioning To Inverted Classroom Instruction, Glenda Maria Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lecture methods in higher education continue to be the most often used form of lesson delivery, although they seem to be less effective in promoting adult students' learning and engagement. Many higher education instructors have incorporated inverted classroom (IC) methods to increase student engagement and learning. The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to gain an understanding of college instructors' decision-making processes and experiences transitioning from lecture-based instruction to IC and the factors attributed to that transition. Knowles's andragogy theory, Kolb's experiential learning theory, and Rogers's diffusion of innovations provided the conceptual framework for the study. Eight college-level instructors …


Music Teachers' Perceptions Of Targeted Professional Development, Julie Meadows Jan 2017

Music Teachers' Perceptions Of Targeted Professional Development, Julie Meadows

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The fundamental purpose of teacher professional development programs is to improve instructional effectiveness and increase student learning. However, the target district offered no programs that focused on helping teachers develop strategies to meet state standards in music education. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate elementary and middle school music educators' perceptions regarding the need for targeted professional development programs. Self-determination theory served as the foundation for this study. Research questions concerned participants' views of the impact of district professional development programs on their competency in enhancing students' musical skills and their decision-making and connectedness with other …


Women In Stem: The Effect Of Undergraduate Research On Persistence, Jodi Christine Wilker Jan 2017

Women In Stem: The Effect Of Undergraduate Research On Persistence, Jodi Christine Wilker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers constitutes a major issue in postsecondary science education. Perseverance of women in STEM is linked to a strong science identity. Experiential learning activities, such as undergraduate research, increase science identity and thus should help keep women in STEM. Most studies on research program development are from 4-year institutions, yet many women start at community colleges. The goal of this study was to fill this gap. Science identity and experiential learning theories provided the framework for this case study at a local institution (LECC). Semistructured interviews determined college science …


New Teacher Mentees' Perceptions Of Mentorship As An Assimilation Strategy, Konstance Laverne Grimble Jan 2017

New Teacher Mentees' Perceptions Of Mentorship As An Assimilation Strategy, Konstance Laverne Grimble

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attrition among new teachers with fewer than 5 years of experience was high in an urban high school in Texas. The high attrition rate is a problem for students, because high teacher turnover can result in teachers with low expertise. In this study, the conceptual framework used was Hord's professional learning community (PLC) model, which emphasizes trust and a utilization of a cycle of inquiry among colleagues to prepare lessons and assessments that affect student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine new high school teachers' perceptions of assimilation techniques used by their mentors in the new teacher …