Education Commons^™

An Exploratory Study Of Acculturation Experiences Of Graduate Student Immigrants At The University Of San Francisco, Courtney Lamar

Master's Theses

This study explores the shared challenges during the acculturation process of graduate student immigrants pursuing higher education in the United States. 13 graduate student immigrants at the University of San Francisco discuss their experiences of cultural adjustment into U.S. culture. Through qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, this study seeks to understand the acculturation experiences of graduate student immigrants in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States. This analysis is based on the individual-level experience examining attitudes and acculturation strategies in the dominant society. Analysis, possibly policy implication for institutions of higher education, and possible directions for future research …

A Qualitative Comparison Case Study Evaluation Of The Emotional Intelligence Of College Health Care Business Students, Cheryl Nutter

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Health care is undergoing significant transition in practice models, payment structures, and assessment strategies requiring health care leaders to adapt to support transition and lead change (Larkin, 2015; Miles, 2017). There is speculation that current health leaders lack the necessary awareness to connect the patient’s needs with critical business decisions (Quy, 2017). If this ability is lacking in current employees, academic institutions should evaluate college students to determine if there is a gap in knowledge that can be identified. Using emotional intelligence (EI) as the conceptual framework, this study aims to evaluate EI in college health care management (HCM) business …

The Initial Planning Process Of An International Service-Learning Pilot Initiative Under Development, Denise P. Krohn

Theses & Dissertations

This research explored the initial planning process of an international service-learning (ISL) initiative under development that involved a collaboration among a south-central Texas private university, a ministry of Catholic Sisters in Peru, a U.S. non-profit organization, and a Peruvian optometry school. Three collaborators were founded by the same religious order. An overlapping in mission and values influenced the context. By delving into the expectations of higher education and its pedagogical practices, ISL’s history and conceptualizations, and concepts of program planning and designing related to the fields of ISL and adult learning, this study presented significant program development aspects. Furthermore, the …

A Participatory Action Research Using Photovoice To Explore Well-Being In Young Adults With Autism, Gary Yu Hin Lam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Young adults with autism transitioning from school to adulthood are commonly described as exhibiting poor outcomes. Although there has been research efforts measuring quality of life and life satisfaction in individuals with autism, these conceptualizations of well-being are still predominantly deficit-focused and based on normalizing ideals of the dominant culture. Only by incorporating individuals with autism’s perspectives and involving their meaningful participation in research can we better understand and promote well-being among individuals with autism. The present study aims to explore young adults with autism’s ideas about well-being. I conducted a Photovoice project using a participatory action research approach with …

Resisting Essentialism In Cultural Research: A Participatory Action Research Study Of Parent Involvement In Education Among Spanish-Speaking Students And Families, Michael J. Frank

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to investigate a locally-driven action research project to improve connections between Spanish-speaking Latinx parents and the high school that their children attend. Using Participatory Action Research (PAR), the study sought to create a collaborative research agenda that would empower the participants to study their own culture and practices at the school, and how the two combined to create a home-school partnership. Six parents and two members of the school’s bilingual staff comprised the PAR team, with a total of nine members including the principal investigator. The project began with the creation of a public sphere in …

Rowan Unified Sports: Impact On Student Volunteers Through The Lens Of Transformative Learning, Mariah Francisco

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the impact of participation with Rowan Unified Sports on student volunteers through the lens of transformative learning. Data were collected from 14 participants who were individually interviewed, answering items on demographics as well as their experience and learning through their participation with Rowan Unified Sports. Data analysis suggested evidence of transformative learning as a result of participating with Unified Sports. Participants shared changing perspectives in areas such as intellectual, social, and athletic capabilities of individuals with intellectual disabilities. Participants also articulated application of this understanding to their everyday life. In other …

Benefits Of Veterans’ Oral History On Gifted Students, Katelyn Watkins

Honors Theses

To combat boredom and negative sentiments, all students need to be provided with engaging experiences in history. This is especially the case with gifted students. One strategy that has proven beneficial to students is oral history, which brings people who have lived through history into the classroom. Research supports the use of oral history in the classroom; however, research on the benefits of veterans’ oral histories on gifted students in particular is scarce. This study describes research on how a veteran’s oral history might benefit gifted students. Qualitative research methods consisting of case study and narrative research were used. The …

Academic Persistence Among Native American High School Students, Tianna Jeanne Buckley

Theses and Dissertations

Qualitative interviews with 12 Native American high school junior and senior students who grew up on reservations identified the following themes related to their persistence in college: (a) faculty support, (b) structured social support, (c) family support or the lack thereof, (d) motivation to be better, and (e) encountering racism. The results indicated a need for clear academic expectations between the school district and the tribal liaisons, multicultural training to foster positive relationships from the primary to secondary level, and structured college preparatory instruction designed for Native American students. Results also indicated a need for further research into the educational …

Teachers’ Experiences In A Charter School With English Language Learners’ Acquisition Of Academic Literacy, Estella Stephens

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers’ Experiences in a Charter School With English Language Learners’ Acquisition of Academic Literacy. Estella Stephens, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: charter schools, English language learners, literacy, phenomenon, qualitative research, teachers.

This qualitative applied dissertation was designed to investigate and give voice to the lived experiences of mainstream teachers at charter schools where the English language learner (ELL) population increased significantly. It replicated McCoy’s (2013) study. A phenomenological design was used to interview kindergarten-Grade 8 mainstream teachers in 3 charter schools. Interviews were conducted by a noninterested party due to the positionality …

Expectations And Experiences In A Modern Physics Laboratory Course, Helen Mae Cothrel

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines students’ expectations for and experiences within a modern physics laboratory course. The course instructor and several students were interviewed using a semi-structured protocol at the beginning (pre) and end (post) of the semester. Interviews were video-recorded, then transcribed to text. This thesis presents the results of three students’ interviews as case studies; their interview transcripts were adapted to a more narrative style for inclusion in this report. An interpretation of each student’s responses from pre- to post-interview is given, followed by conclusions which incorporate all three students’ interviews. Particular attention is paid to students’ ideas about experimenting …