Education Commons^™

An Organization’S Ability To Improve Outsourcing Outcomes In Information Technology Outsourcing Initiatives By Increasing Organizational Knowledge: A Case Study, John Michael Mello

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this study was the literature gap regarding how internal organizational knowledge can be increased effectively within outsourcing projects. The study was a qualitative social constructionist case study composed of senior technology leaders. The purpose this study addressed was to understand the current structure of technical outsourcing contracts and how future contracts could be structured to address the problem of this study. The research incorporated how a reconceptualized absorptive capacity model, sociocognitive theory, and digital leadership mindsets could improve knowledge transfer outcomes between a vendor and client. Research shows that increasing an organization’s knowledge during an outsourcing …

Factors That Influence Teachers' Utilization Of Siop Learning Strategies When Teaching English Language Learners, Courtney R. Stuart

Theses and Dissertations

Despite standardized certification tests and popular English Language Learner trainings, the strategies and methods used in two educators’ classes would not be identical. In this case-study we look to see what variables cause teachers to utilize certain strategies and how these variables affect the number of strategies used consistently when teaching ELLs. We study the effect of teachers’ language experiences, certifications, participation in SIOP trainings, education levels, perceived preparedness, and years spent in the classroom.

Using quantitative and qualitative data we conclude that dual-language fluency and professional advancements can lead to teachers using more ELL learning strategies in their classrooms, …

A Study Of Student Experiences In The Secondary Transition Program Through Student, Parent, And Teacher Perceptions, Kelley M. Sells

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research study was to examine and analyze the perceptions of students with mild-moderate disabilities, teachers, and parents regarding the students’ experiences related to their secondary transition plan. More specifically, the qualitative single-case study sought to identify areas of alignment and divergence of these three key members’ perspectives since experiences and perceptions are unique to an individual based on the context and individual’s perspective of the event. These findings suggested that the district showed experiences of valuable student presence and input in their IEP meetings and trusting supportive student-teacher relationships. The study also revealed that significant barriers …

Montessori Education: Teaching Self-Regulation Through Virtual Instruction, Brooke M. Myers, Catherine Scott

Honors Theses

One of the hallmarks of a Montessori education is the development of children’s social and emotional regulation skills. However, what happens when the Montessori curriculum is interrupted due to the onset of COVID-19? Does the transition to online learning impact student opportunities for social and emotional self-regulation? This case study attempts to examine the ways in which a school’s four lower and upper elementary Montessori teachers adjust their instruction to meet student needs online, and the benefits and challenges they experienced as a result. Findings are shared, as well as implications for those engaged in virtual instruction of K-6 students.

A Case Study Of One Small Christian College Overcoming Decline And Implementing An Institutional Turnaround, Richard H. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous studies and national data show a growing number of small, private, Christian colleges face extreme difficulties, which often result in decline, followed by closure or merging with larger, higher education institutions. Attempting to overcome the loss of student revenue from a declining enrollment, many small colleges raise tuition prices, spend endowment funds, and overextend themselves with high debt payments. Countering the increased tuition prices, these colleges often increase scholarships and financial aid, which reduces available funds for other institutional needs. Other challenging issues include meeting accreditation standards, raising money for operational and capital needs, and the general public losing …

Perceptions Of Rural School Principals’ Experiences, Practices, And Understandings Of Conflict And Conflict Management, Tacy Kay Gamel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rural school principalship provides unique challenges and great opportunities for conflict and conflict management. However, minimal research exists about the rural principalship or about rural principals’ conflict and conflict management. The purpose of this holistic, multiple case study was to examine rural principals’ perceptions and experiences with conflict and conflict management. Cases had to meet the criteria of the formal rural definition, and participants had to be the sole leader of their campuses. Each of the participants completed a questionnaire, an initial interview, and a follow-up interview. Data collection and analysis revealed the discord experienced by these principals based …

A Case Study Of A School-Based Expanded Learning Summer Program, Karen S. Scott

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

For the Expanded Learning Summer Program (ELSP), at a midsized public school system in the Northeast, providing high quality programming that engages student interest and fosters active learning by all children was a top priority. This case study, undertaken during the summer of 2017, provided insight into how the ELSP aligned with the relevant literature on high quality programming for youth-focused summer learning programs and suggested improvements to improve quality. Using a case study research design, I sought to understand how the ELSP, funded through a federal 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, aligned with benchmarks of high quality short-term …

It Can’T Be A Farce: Teachers’ Perceptions Of Restorative Practices In An Urban Charter School, Ali Yehia Bazzi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand teacher perceptions of restorative practices in an urban charter school. This study sought to illustrate how teachers conceptualize restorative practices and use it in their classrooms. This research study utilized a single-case study design. The study examined teacher perceptions of restorative practices through the lenses of five urban charter school teachers. The findings suggest that restorative practices have shown promising results in terms of building a collaborative school culture that embraces staff and students for who they are, helps build lasting relationships between students and teachers, and above all, encourages a more …

Implementing Content Literacy And Disciplinary Literacy: A Mixed Methods Study Of Middle School Teachers' Pedagogical Dispositions, Madison Weary

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

Researchers uphold that teachers' beliefs toward reading influence their planning and implementation, and that content area teachers are often reluctant to implement literacy strategies and skills within their instruction (Ness, 2009; Nourie & Lenski, 1998; Richardson et al., 1991). Much of this reluctance stems from teachers’ lack of familiarity with content area and disciplinary literacy or misconceptions surrounding instruction that supports literacy implementation (O’Byrne et al., 2020). However, within the field of literacy, there are tensions between the implementation of content area versus disciplinary literacy (Graham et al., 2017).

The purpose of this study was to examine middle school content …

A Multiple Case Study Investigating Principles Of Design And Implementation Of Operational Safety Plans For Crises At Colleges, Universities, And Affiliated Institutions, Antonio Passaro, Jr.

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

In the wake of the 2007 Virginia Tech tragedy, the Virginia state legislature mandated that all college-affiliated institutions create an operational safety plan for natural and manmade crises. Previous empirical research has mostly focused on documenting faculty and students’ perceptions of campus safety, preparations for manmade crises over natural disasters, and enhancing specific aspects of emergency responses for future incidents. Thus, design and implementation “best practices” for higher education operational safety plan protocols is an understudied, yet burgeoning area of inquiry. To address this literature gap, a comparative case study of five institutions was conducted using a novel document analysis …

Early Adolescent Gifted And Talented Students And Their Experience With Bullying, William T. Allen Jr.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bullying, in all its forms (e.g., verbal, physical, cyber, social ostracism), is a continual problem in public schools. It exacerbates the painfully high suicide rate among early adolescent students, especially in the western U.S., with some evidence showing distinctions within the academically advanced gifted and talented (GT) cohort. Research shows GT students (GTs) are bullied at nearly double the rate of the mainstream population. Yet, quantitative statistics indicate GTs and non-GTs suffer comparable rates of trauma internalization, suicide ideation, and suicide. Some quantitative differences do start to appear with further personality distinctions. This points to a possibility that qualitative dissimilarities …

Project-Based Learning Instruction For A Student With Disabilities: Experiences Of A Student And Teachers, Robert C. Shauger

Special Education ETDs

Students with disabilities have been underrepresented in research examining the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) instruction. This qualitative case study described the experiences of a student with a disability in an inclusive classroom where teachers used PBL instruction. I used interviews, observations, audio recorded conversations in class, and analyzed teacher-created curriculum documents and student artifacts. Thematic analysis generated four primary themes including: Supporting students, student buy-in, teacher and student interactions in PBL are complex, and student demonstration of learning. Recommendations for classroom practice to support students with disabilities in PBL instruction included extensive teacher collaboration, individualized instruction, and teaching students …

Teacher Leadership: The Value Of Action Research In The Development Of Science Teacher Leaders, Vanessa Vernaza-Hernández

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The past few years have seen the establishment of many professional development programs for science teachers leaders aimed at improving the process of teaching and learning of science. One of these is the Robert Noyce Master Teacher Fellows (MTF) program, which is part of a research university in the southeastern United States. This is an extended teacher development program with the purpose of developing effective science and mathematics teachers into successful teacher leaders, professional development providers, curriculum developers, and formal mentors. One of the characteristics that distinguishes this MTF program is that, as part of the leadership development experiences, the …

Insights Into The Lived Experiences Of English Language Learners, Rina Kassem

Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to examine how schools can provide special language instruction to meet the increase in the numbers of English language learners (ELLs) and its effect on educators as well as students. This is a descriptive single case study that is focused on a public school, prekindergarten through fifth-grade located in a middle class suburb in a big metropolitan area in the Midwest. This study addresses the commonality problems that face a school system include academic performance, different cultural backgrounds, communication issues, professional development, and funding. To address these issues it is necessary to understand how …

Disability And Belonging In One Intentionally Inclusive Christian Faith Community, Deborah Winn Huggins

Special Education ETDs

The voices of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) are underrepresented in research examining their participation in faith communities. This qualitative case study examined the participation of people with IDD in one intentionally inclusive Christian faith community with a primary focus on the perceptions of faith community members with IDD. This community was unique in its theological stance toward inclusion, and in the steps the community had already taken to be inclusive. I conducted two types of interviews (in-depth individual and Photo-Voice) with people with disabilities who were active in the community and their family members to explore their …

Teachers Perception Of The Influence Of Trauma Informed Classroom Practices On Elementary School Students: A Case Study, Kelly Murray

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the lived experiences and perceptions of elementary school teachers as they seek to bring trauma-informed classroom practices to their students. Around the world, there has been an increase in the need for trauma-informed classroom practices based on the lives and struggles of those who are walking through our public school doors. Teachers implementing trauma-informed classroom strategies do so to attempt to create environments for students to share their life experiences while simultaneously teaching them coping strategies for a better future. Educators and students become part of an environment in which …

Think Like A Teacher: How Reflective Educators Use Multiple Data Sources To Inform Their Practice, Jana Grabarek

Dissertations

Teacher data use has become an increasingly central feature of American education. Messages from the public policy, research, philanthropy, and professional development arenas assert that collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data€”particularly number-based achievement data€”will increase student achievement. in this dissertation, a review of literature exploring the link between data use and achievement yielded mixed results. While increased achievement was slightly more likely when data use involved multiple types of data and/or data use strategies, its effectiveness was not consistently supported, and least apparent when tied to marginalized students. to better understand what effective data use might look like at the micro …

The Impact Of A High School Theatre Arts Program On Students’ Academic And Non-Academic Learning Outcomes: A Case Study, Grant H. Goble

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that theatre arts participation benefits students’ academic and non-academic learning outcomes. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the impact of a theatre arts program on academic and non-academic for high school students by addressing the following overarching research question: How does student participation in a theatre arts program impact students’ learning outcomes? The subquestions are: (a) how do students describe the impact of a theatre arts program in relation to academic learning outcomes?, (b) how do students describe the impact of a theatre arts program in relation to non-academic learning outcomes? The study follows …

Taking A Walk On The Wild Side: Case Studies Of Programs That Integrate K-12 Curricula With Adventure Sports And Outdoor Learning, Jonathan Trzepkowski

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In the United States there are a number of schools that utilize outdoor learning and adventure sports as part of their educational approach. The purpose of this case study was to analyze several programs that utilize adventure sports and outdoor learning in their curriculum and then present their distinguishing features in case study form. This case study selected 16 schools/programs that used adventure education or outdoor learning and created a profile for each one using a set of common guiding questions. This paper offers an interpretation of the findings that goes beyond the 16 profiles by synthesizing common components of …

Dare We Speak Of It: The Teaching Of Evolution In Private Schools Of An Urban Middle Georgia Setting, Eric J. Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, experience, and thinking of teachers at three private schools in Middle Georgia to determine how different private schools approach the teaching of evolution. For this project three private schools were included representing a secular, non-religiously affiliated private school, a Catholic affiliated private school, and an independent, Christian private school. The research was designed to answer one research question and three sub-questions. The primary research question was: How do private schools of the Middle Georgia area teach the theory of evolution? The three sub-questions were (2) Does the type of …

A Case Study On Co-Teaching In A High-Performing Urban High School In Southern California, Natalie Jean Hofland

Theses and Dissertations

The Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) component of IDEIA 2004, NCLB requirements, and research indicating increased achievement for students with disabilities in the general education environment, have led to the inclusion of students with disabilities into the general education classroom and the use of co-teaching model is increasing throughout the United States. Research indicates that, for inclusion to be successful, administrators and general education teachers need to receive adequate training in special education, supports, and resources to implement successful integration and inclusion of students with disabilities in the general education setting (Ainscow, 2000; Burton & Pace, 2009; Cox, 2008; Praisner, 2003; …

Reading Instruction For Students With Intellectual Disabilities:Inservice Teachers' Perceptions, Agatha Lee Gibbons

Theses and Dissertations

Students with intellectual disabilities have at times been overlooked and denied effective reading instruction. Teachers tasked with instructing such students are often limited in the training, resources, and support necessary to effectively instruct these students in reading. These problems are further compounded by the fact that students with intellectual disabilities have historically been misperceived, often by the very educators tasked with instructing them, as either being unable to learn to read or that the prospect of teaching them to read is simply too daunting and complicated to be of sufficient worth (Aldridge, 2014; Kluth & Chandler-Olcott, 2008). Such misperception may …

Teacher Competencies Related To Family Engagement: The Impact On Families, Melissa Kay Williamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there is a large body of research that addresses the essential elements of family engagement, little information was available on the impact that a family engagement program had on teacher evaluation and familial self-efficacy. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess teacher competencies and family self-efficacy in a large urban district in West Texas. The research was conducted by gathering baseline data using questionnaires derived from the Measure of School, Family, and Community Partnerships survey and the 2015 Equitable Parent-School Collaboration Research Project University of Washington. In-depth interviews followed with both teachers and parents. Findings indicated …

Understanding The First-Year Experience Of Traditional-Aged, College-Ready Students At A Private, New England Liberal Arts College, Patrick Flynn

Educational Studies Dissertations

The current study’s research problem concerns the forty-year trend of college-ready, traditional-aged students stopping out of undergraduate programs across the United States. While literature concerning gender theory, the college transition, emerging adulthood, and college student development provide a foundation for considering the problem, there have been very few studies conducted concerning the FYE of this study’s participants, a set of five white cisgender males. Understanding their FYE at a substantive level will lead to further research and hopefully open pathways to increasing retention.

The present study collected significant data concerning the daily experience of five students with the hope of …

Perceptions Of Early Childhood Educators Who Left The Field: A Case Study, Tosca Grimm

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Early childhood education (ECE) educators’ roles in promoting the positive development of children are consistently deemed essential in research. Research also presents the severe problems of burnout and turnover in the ECE field. Specific factors such as low compensation, lack of professional development opportunities, and high-stress environments are causing continued rates of burnout across the early education arena, resulting in ECE educators leaving the field. Therefore, it is important to understand the reasons ECE educators are leaving so these challenges are recognized and remedied. A qualitative descriptive case study was used to examine the issue of ECE educator turnover due …

Inclusion And Policy Enactment In Teacher Education: A Focus On Pre-Service Teacher Preparation For The Inclusive Classroom, Ayman Massouti

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Preparing pre-service teachers to enact inclusive teaching practices in the inclusive classroom has become a concern for national and international educational organizations. Adding to these concerns, research on inclusive educati­on policy enactment in teacher education programs, particularly in a continuously growing and recognized diverse society such as Ontario, Canada, is scarce. In order to provide insight to address these issues, this study aimed to examine the enactment of the policy document titled Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools: Guidelines for Policy Development and Implementation (OME, 2014) in one Ontario teacher education program. In particular, the study focused on exploring …

The Mentor & Mentee Perspective: Mentorship From Faculty And Staff For Black Male Students In Higher Education, Javaski D. Mcdonald

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Trends in academic statistics show a decline in enrollment, academic achievement, and program completion for Black male students in higher education. Research indicates a decline in Black student enrollments and graduation rates. This single qualitative case study was an exploration of perceptions of mentorship for Black male students among faculty and staff in higher education. Using social capital theory as a theoretical framework, the researcher analyzed the perceptions of mentorship by way of semistructured interviews with five faculty and staff members and five Black male students at a Texas university. The literature review revealed the numerous factors–social, environmental, mental, and …

Slow Progress Towards Equity At A Hispanic-Serving Institution (Hsi): A Case Study, Paulette Lopez

Ed.D. Dissertations in Practice

This case study examined how a specific Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) pursues an institutional equity agenda. Through interviews with sixteen full-time employees representing a two-year public institution of higher education in the Pacific Northwest, this study explored faculty and staff perceptions of the purpose of an HSI designation and the intentionality of serving Latina/o students. The literature review provides a historical context of Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and the role MSIs serve in higher education. Themes identified through an in-depth thematic analysis include knowledge and awareness of HSIs, serving and supporting students, access and opportunities, and sense of community. Findings revealed the …

“Get Tough!”: A Case Study On The Development Of The Sport Ethic In Youth Lacrosse, Ross Budziszewski

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

While participation in youth sport is often linked with positive psychosocial and physical outcomes (Holt et al., 2017), this context can also cultivate ideals that lead to the development of unethical beliefs as well as unsafe sport practices (Al-Yaarbi & Kavussanu, 2017). The sport ethic is described as the deviant overconformity by an athlete to fit societal expectations of a sport’s high-performance culture (Hughes & Coakley, 1991). Strong beliefs in the sport ethic can lead to moral disengagement, antisocial behavior, and viewing sport like warfare (Shields, Funk, & Bredemeier, 2015). Although the sport ethic has been examined in competitive adult …

Governance Practices Of A Private Non-Profit System Of Higher Education, Taylor Hough

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

System Governance in higher education has long referred to state level administration of multiple diverse public campuses under the public’s authority. Recent years have shown the development of similar multi-campus systems that remain under private control. Contrary to the for-profit trend seen in American higher education, these new private systems are categorized as non-profit entities that theoretically emphasize the public good of higher education. Furthermore, the growth and expansion of these private non-profit systems transcend state boundaries while pursuing diverse goals. The proposed line of research will seek to answer the following research questions: How does the Touro College and …