Education Commons^™

An Exploration Of Barriers And Supports Of High School Equivalency Diploma (Hsed) Graduates Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Chanell Butler Morello

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the perceived barriers and supports of High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) graduates upon their consideration of attaining a higher education degree at a community college in North Carolina. Other areas explored in this qualitative study included the way completing the HSED program changes a student’s perception of learning and/or increases his or her motivation to continue their studies.

A primary objective of the Basic Skills programs, also known as College and Career Readiness programs, is to transition as many students as possible to postsecondary education and employment. In spite of such goals, North …

The Gendered Context Of System Experience And Its Impact On Girls In The Juvenile Justice System, Vanessa Patino Lydia

Theses and Dissertations

As girls are becoming a rising share of the juvenile justice population, responses have not focused on applying the pathways research and context for girls’ offenses. This study examined the ways girls described the context for their justice system involvement (arrest, probation, court). Using grounded theory, this research elevates the experiences of 32 participants, girls ages 13-18 who were incarcerated in commitment programs in Florida.

The findings of this grounded theory suggest that the gendered context of girls’ system involvement includes her lived experiences, coping strategies, delinquent behaviors, as well as her system experiences. Regardless of her path into the …

The Experiences Of Minority Female Leaders In Educational Leadership: A Generic Qualitative Study, Gale Denise Beasley

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the underrepresentation of female minority leaders in the field of educational leadership, the scientific literature lacked evidence in understanding the experiences of those who, despite adversity, successfully secured administrative roles. The experiences of minority women who pursued and secured principal and/or assistant principalship appointments were examined using a generic qualitative approach.

The analysis of the data presented the challenges, barriers, and constraints that minority women were confronted with during the development and establishment of their careers as educational leaders. As a result of the complex intersectionality of race and gender, these leaders found themselves as the subjects of …

Perspectives On Postsecondary Correctional Education From The Previously Incarcerated Student: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Design Study, Ana C. Maria

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is currently housing 2,220,300 inmates. At least 90% of these inmates will eventually be released and expected to successfully reintegrate into society. While it is in the nation’s best interest that these individuals are prepared to become contributing members of society, the academic experiences of those in prison, regardless of their sentence, is important. The success of educational correction has been traditionally measured by the reduction in recidivism and by the increased likelihood of successful reintegration. However, we know little about what makes these programs successful to participants, as there is a gap in the literature regarding …

A Comparative Study On Parental Involvement, Roldens Paulynice

Theses and Dissertations

Parental involvement has been found by many researchers to be important in student academic success. However, many school leaders are challenged to get many parents actively involved in their child’s education. At the research site, for example, the researcher observed that many parents do not get actively involved in their child’s education, and they miss the school parental meeting or programs. If this problem is solved, school staff members or leaders would care and would benefit from it. The purpose of this study was to explore the perception of educators on the impact of parental involvement on student success and …

The Impact Of Self-Efficacy, Teacher Mentoring And Administrative Support On Teacher Retention In Title 1 Schools, Holly Cwiklinski

Theses and Dissertations

Information Security Policy (ISP) compliance is crucial to the success of healthcare organizations due to security threats and the potential for security breaches. UNIX Administrators (UXAs) in healthcare Information Technology (IT) maintain critical servers that house Protected Health Information (PHI). Their compliance with ISP is crucial to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of PHI data housed or accessed by their servers. The use of cognitive heuristics and biases may negatively influence threat appraisal, coping appraisal, and ultimately ISP compliance behavior. These failures may result in insufficiently protected servers and put organizations at greater risk of data breaches and financial loss. …

Doctor-Patient Communication: The Experiences Of Black Caribbean Women Patients With Diabetes, Rosanne Paul-Bruno

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine the verbal and non-verbal communication experiences of Black Caribbean diabetic women patients with their doctors, in order to provide a better understanding of the essential aspects of doctor- patient communication and their experiences as they managed their condition. Black Caribbean women have been disproportionately impacted by medical conditions such as diabetes. It has been a documented fact that minorities experience disparities in the health care system at different levels and doctor-patient communication is no exception. Poor doctor-patient communication has been known to hinder patients’ health outcomes, and therefore warrants such studies to increase …

Investigating Student Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A First-Year Experience Online Program On Student Retention, Jennifer P. Bowman-Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation is a mixed-methods study designed to collect student perspectives of an online First-Year Experience (FE) course and to determine the overall value of the FE course. The researcher sought to identify what is the value of the FE course to the students enrolled in this online course. In the study’s survey, students will be asked a series of questions designed to determine the overall value of the FE course. For this study, the online FE course survey addressed the following theme areas: Course Content, Overall Satisfaction, Transfer Perceptions, and the participants are the new incoming students (first-year …

Establishing Teaching Presence In Higher Education Online Mathematics Courses: A Phenomenological Study, Deltrye Eagle Holt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe, based on the teaching presence component of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theoretical framework, the lived experiences of mathematics instructors while establishing teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses. Teaching presence, which is one of the three core elements of the community of inquiry (CoI) framework, is necessary for achieving learning outcomes and student satisfaction. The three main research questions were: 1. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in online higher education mathematics courses? 2. How do mathematics instructors establish teaching presence in face-to-face higher education mathematics courses? 3. …

Lived Experiences Of Teachers In Professional Learning Communities In Transient School Environments, Katelyn Marie Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are increasingly being used in South Korean elementary schools in order to improve student learning and the quality of teaching. This new educational trend is being funded by provincial offices of education but facing some difficulties in implementation and sustainability. School leaders, teacher leaders, and teachers are struggling to understand the purpose of professional learning communities and how to use them to improve student learning and the quality of teaching. In addition, South Korean elementary school teachers are transient, as they rotate to new schools every two to three years. This impacts their ability to build …

A Look At Vision: Perspectives Throughout The Organizational Hierarchy Of The Christian University Context, William Kyle Brantley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research supports vision as a central tenet to leadership. Just as important as the content of vision is how it is communicated. However, once a vision is cast, far less is known about how it is communicated throughout the organization and how it influences members throughout the organizational hierarchy. For faith-based organizations like Christian colleges and universities, vision is particularly important as it serves to steer the institution toward a greater realization of its faith-based identity. This study contributes to the empirical research on vision, its communication, and its effect, as both the nature and impact of vision communication within …

The Program, Aaron Douglas Estrada

Theses and Dissertations

In my work, I explore the engineering of identity and socioeconomics that are programed into Black and Brown communities. I refer to this as “The Program”. The Program validates, breaks, codes, and critiques the system that divided us. The Program is identifying with the struggle of growing up in a system that is programmed to see you fail. So if you get caught up in that system it’s a natural death within the program. But you can break and make your own program. If you stick to the program.

The paper's use of language is coded. Text has been written …

A Critical Examination Of Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Liberatory Pd, Christine C. Moore

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to develop an understanding of secondary teachers’ perceptions of liberatory (justice-oriented) professional development at three school sites in a single school district. As participants shared their perceptions, three significant themes emerged; they described 1) facing contextual constraints that limited their agency 2) desiring to be reframed as knowledge producers, yet 3) struggling to envision how their agency could support their liberation. These key findings led to an emergent theory of the Cycle of Professional Development Stagnation, a cycle involving barriers that perpetuate the framing of teachers as passive recipients of knowledge. As evidenced in this qualitative …

Self-Efficacy Of Endorsed And Nonendorsed Elementary Teachers Of Gifted Students In Stem Education, Lianna L. Moss-Everhart

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared elementary endorsed and nonendorsed teachers of gifted students in science, mathematics, and STEM self-efficacy as well as self-reported use of STEM instructional strategies in central Virginia. The survey, adapted from the T-STEM survey by the Friday Institute at NC State University, focused on self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANOVAs, univariate linear analyses, were conducted on 39 responses to compare teachers’ self-efficacy and use of STEM instructional strategies. ANCOVA and moderated regressions were used to compare the groups of teachers while controlling for the variables of grade level, years of experience, and recent STEM training. Multiple …

An Investigation Of Elementary School Teachers’ Culturally Relevant Teaching Practices In Two Cultures: A Comparative Study In China And The United States, Alicia R. Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Effective teaching is one of the most important factors in student achievement. Throughout the world, there are high expectations for teacher and student performance. Teachers and students need to navigate the demographic and cultural shifts occurring around the world. Teachers’ cultural awareness and knowledge base of culturally relevant teaching practices is critical to their effectiveness. Based on the need to better understand the cultural responsiveness of teachers, this comparative study investigated elementary school teachers’ culturally relevant teaching practices in China and the U.S. through the use of video-cued ethnography. The following findings were revealed from the study: (a) differences in …

A Journey Of Determination And Hope: Returning To High School After Dropping Out, Ernest Garcia

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored the reasons and attitudes of people who dropped out of high school and then later returned to complete their high school educations. In order to gather data for this study, interviews were conducted with eleven students who returned to complete their high school education after having earlier dropped out. An analysis was completed regarding the reasons that led those high school students to drop out of high school, and of the motivations and struggles that led them back to school.

Individuals who return to high school and earn a high school credential avail themselves of additional …

Technology Based Grammar Instruction, Erin Mary Summerhays

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There are a wide variety of technology-based grammar instruction resources available for educators, and it is important for them to select the best tool for their school district’s and individual students’ needs. It is also important for educators to know whether the technology they have chosen is better than the traditional way of grammar instruction using paper and pencil. This paper studied the free grammar tool Noredink and looked specifically at the concept of active and passive voice. 22 10th -grade students were participants, with 11 receiving grammar instruction using traditional methods, and the other 11 receiving grammar instruction using …

An Exploration Of Task Independence For High School Students In A Self-Contained Classroom Using Structured Work Systems, Lorinda Rene Otto

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of a method to support higher levels of independent performance and generalization of skills using a structured work system with a visual schedule when teaching online task completion skills to high school students with ASD and intellectual disabilities. Students with ASD and intellectual disabilities are typically deficient in independent skills. They often struggle to initiate and complete tasks on their own. By learning to complete tasks independently, high school students with ASD and intellectual disabilities gain essential life skills needed for employment. Structured work systems, along with visual schedules, have shown to be useful in …

Geophysical Investigations Of The San Andreas Fault System And Evaluations In Geoscience Education, Sandra Hardy

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chapter 1: Investigating Earthquake Cycle Vertical Deformation Recorded by GPS And Regional Tide Gauge Stations in California

Geodetic and tide gauge measurements of vertical deformation record localized zones of uplift and subsidence that may document critical components of both long and short-period earthquake cycle deformation. In this study, we compare vertical tide gauge data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) and vertical GPS data from the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) for 10 approximately co-located station pairs along coastal California from Point Reyes, CA to Ensenada, Mexico. To compare these two data sets, we first truncate both …

Translanguaging Practices Of Multilingual Learners In The German As A Foreign Language Class, Annabell Sahr

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Translanguaging of multilingual learners in the German classroom is a qualitative study situated at the border between Mexico and the United States. This participatory action research explores how bilingual students learn German at the university level. The data collected includes participatory observations, memos, audio-recordings of all in-class conversations for the duration of one semester. A total of three German classes participated. Furthermore, three phenomenological interviews were conducted with each participant. Additionally, focus group interviews were conducted. The recordings were transcribed and analyzed for emerging themes. Findings from the in-class conversations show translanguaging as an applied learning strategy. Findings from the …

Thinking Through Children: Proposing Theory For Doing Critical Content Analysis Of Multicultural Children's Literature, Carmen Milagros Seda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Theoretical constructs underpinning critical content analysis (CCA) for multicultural children's literature as a method for education as a field are currently drawn from critical literary theory. I problematize CCA methods based on claims by contributors that the methods are applicable for classroom educators, and can be applied during critical reading in classrooms with young readers. The change in audience and purpose warrants reflection on the extant theoretical underpinnings of CCA methods. Specifically, whether extant theories account for the mental life and psychoemotive needs of children and adolescents, especially as relates to agency analysis. Using a theoretical framework comprised of Childism …

Achieving Dentin Conservation Using Dynamic Navigation Technology For Locating Calcified Canals, Madison W. Saunders

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Pulp canal obliteration (PCO) is a common sequela of dental trauma, caries, restorations and vital pulp therapy procedures. Despite the application of high magnification and CBCT imaging, access cavity preparation for such cases is prone to procedural errors that may lead to substantial loss of dentin structure thereby reducing the long-term prognosis. This study aimed to achieve dentin conservation using a novel computer assisted dynamic navigation system (Navident) in comparison to freehand access preparation for locating calcified canals.

Methods: Forty maxillary and mandibular central incisors (tooth #9 and tooth #25) were 3-D printed to simulate PCO. They were randomly …

Impact Of Student’S Gender And Perceived Skin Tone On Educators’ Disciplinary Decisions, Kierstyn K. Johnson-Wigfall

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this proposed dissertation is to examine the relationship of students’ skin color and gender to school disciplinary decisions for African American children. While skin tone bias or colorism is frequently studied, limited research has been completed about its prevalence in American public schools during the discipline process. For example, school suspension leads to higher rates of absenteeism, lower academic achievement and higher chances of incarceration. Even students who receive an office referral and return to c lass minutes later miss pertinent instruction time. This study aims to: 1) add to the body of literature about this topic, …

Sensory Substitution, Key To Inclusive Learning, Fathima Z. Zahir

Theses and Dissertations

Visually impaired students, in primary education, encounter unique challenges while learning creative skills, exploring artistic expression and developing problem-solving skills, because so much instructional content is delivered visually. Sensory substitution—an approach that replaces visual information with feedback from other intact senses like touch, sound, taste or smell—provides an opportunity to address those challenges.

Through the use of sensory substitution, this thesis proposes concrete ways to capitalize on the enhanced abilities of visually impaired primary school students. The research outcome of this thesis is a system of templates that puts these enhanced abilities to work for visually impaired students, to support …

From Small Beginnings To Large-Scale Harm: On Demagoguery And Misogyny In The Classroom And Writing Center, Shannon Roberson

Theses and Dissertations

My project is grounded in the rhetorical concept of aretê—excellence or virtue—as it relates to education and educational spaces within demagogic and misogynist cultural forces. The problems of demagoguery and misogyny stem from small-scale perpetuation of agonistic norms that go unaddressed in U.S. culture, a culture that is deeply identity-driven. These forces persist on social media platforms and within patriarchal systems of education.

For my project, I suggest rhetorical media literacy education of small-scale demagoguery moments on social media as a way to bring awareness to larger-scale events. On a micro-scale, social media influencers cultivate behaviors that mimic demagogic …

Mapping The Tutoring Referral Network: Exploring The Student-To-Tutoring Connection, G. Mason Tudor

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study explores the institutional network which connected students to a tutoring program at a community college. The study identifies the most likely areas that would refer students to or inform students about the tutoring program. Additionally, the study seeks to understand how different students may have interacted with that network of departments in varied patterns of engagement. While exploring and describing this group of institutional units and their function of connecting students to tutoring, I utilized a multi-phase, mixed methods approach. This methodology began with qualitative information gathering with document analysis, followed by two focus group interviews. I constructed …

Muslim College Students And Civic Engagement, Aus Abdulwahhab

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

This study explores the nature of civic engagement of Muslim college students in the United States. The Community of Practice Theory is used as a conceptual structure to explore the relation between meaning, practice, identity and organization for Muslim students active in civic engagement through campus-based Muslim Student organizations. Pluralism, as shared values that combine different people and advocates wider civic participation, was adopted as part of the conceptual framework to see how the Muslim students think, serve, learn, and develop throughout the process of engagement on campus and in the local community. Particular attention is paid to the impacts …