Education Commons^™

A Phenomenological Study Into How Early Childhood Educators Experience Gamification As An Employee Motivational Tool, Marlene C. Cooper

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how early childhood educators (ECE) experience gamification as a motivational tool. The study was grounded in self-efficacy theory and used the transcendental phenomenological methodology to uncover the lived experiences of the participants. The researcher used questionnaires, journals, and interviews to gather data from respondents. The interview utilized open-ended questions to provide respondents the opportunity to give a detailed account of their shared experiences while operating the gamified technology used in their program. Data was collected from 8 ECE teachers working at a private preschool in a mid-Atlantic state. Participant accounts described a …

Effects Of A One-To-One Computer Environment On Student Academic Achievement, Amy M. Price

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

A gap exists in current research due to a lack of studies that explore the effect of schoolwide one-to-one computer implementations on academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect a one-to-one computing environment had on student academic achievement means of middle school students in rural Nevada. This quantitative, non-experimental study used a causal-comparative design and analysis of academic achievement archival data from the 2015–2016, the year before implementation; 2016–2017, the first year of one-to-one implementation; and 2017–2018, the second year of implementation. Two research questions guided this study: RQ1. Is there a significant difference in …

Explicit Self-Care For Principals And Their Teachers: A Qualitative Transcendental Phenomenological Study On Administrator Stress Levels, Nadia Oskolkoff

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Principals and their teachers experience stress levels to such a degree that student achievement can be negatively impacted. The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was threefold: to explore and better understand principals’ first-hand and lived experiences of on-the-job stress and their practices of self-care to negate that stress, understand if principals find it important to model the practice of self-care to their teachers to reduce stress levels, and understand principals’ awareness of their emotional intelligence and how they use that to support not only themselves but their staff. Three research questions were developed, and semistructured interviews were conducted …

How Teachers Perceive Students’ Socioeconomic Background And Academic Performance In Charter Schools, Brittany Strickland

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Teachers represent the frontline of education and many of them find themselves working daily with impoverished students. Teachers’ qualitative perceptions are useful for developing solutions to the problem of educating diverse students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in charter schools. The purpose of this study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of a charter school environment and the association between low socioeconomic status (SES) students and their academic performance. A qualitative design and a case study methodology were used with two charter schools, including 45 participating teachers. Results from questionnaires and interviews ensured a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon. The collected information …

Giving Voice To African Immigrant Families: Perceptions Of African Immigrant Families About Their Children’S Experiences In U.S. Schools, J Hilary Gbotoe Jr.

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative ethnography case study examined perceptions of African immigrant families as it related to their children’s experiences in U.S. public schools. The primary research question that guided this study was, “What are African immigrant families’ perceptions of their children’s experiences in U.S. public schools?” This phenomenon was explored to uncover meanings African immigrant parents from Liberia attached to their children’s experiences in U.S. schools. The focus was on hearing stories the children told their parents about their experiences in U.S. public schools. Nonprobability sampling method was used to recruit participants. Eight families from Liberia, West Africa, were randomly selected …

Computer Self-Efficacy, Digital Learners, And Completion Rates In The California Community College System, John R. Otte

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The importance of online learning in higher education has increased considerably over the last two decades. As a result, online learning has become an important area of research. The purpose of the study was to examine if higher levels of computer self-efficacy (CSE) contributed to online course completion among online California community college students. Guided by Bandura’s (1977) work on self-efficacy and the work of Compeau and Higgins (1995) and Howard (2014) on computer self-efficacy, this study revealed that there is no relationship between high levels of CSE and successful completion of the course. A judgement sample was used to …

Supporting Children With Social And Emotional Challenges: A Phenomenological Study Of Teachers’ Experiences Using Social And Emotional Learning Competencies, Tina Pettway

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of teachers in supporting students who encounter social and emotional learning (SEL) challenges in the classroom. This study examined if and how SEL competencies were implemented by teachers in supporting students experiencing SEL challenges in the classroom. SEL was the framework used during this research. A total of 10 teachers from an urban school located in a southern state were selected to represent the population for this study. Data were collected via face-to-face individual semistructured interviews with all participants. Participants were asked to share personal artifacts of successful …

A Study To Determine Barriers That Impact Adult Learner Academic Success, Joann Saunders

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Adult learners often encounter obstacles that impede their academic progress and either withdraw from a course or drop out of college. There has been significant research conducted on effectively instructing and motivating adult learners. However, not enough research has been conducted to help adult learners sustain their motivation when barriers arise impacting their academic success. The goal of this study was to identify barriers that impact adult learners’ academic success. The study examined the viewpoints of undergraduate adult learners at an American higher education institution to determine situational, institutional and dispositional barriers encountered impacting their academic success. The research theoretical …

Building Literacy Skills In Preschoolers Through Play, Tami Jahnke

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

Research in the field of Early Childhood Education supports that young children learn best through play. Many schools in America have taken away play in classrooms and replaced it with academic-based, sedentary learning. The removal of play has resulted in young children displaying more challenging behaviors such as aggression, running, and impulsivity. One challenge facing early childhood educators today is finding ways to incorporate play-based learning in an increasingly academic-based system. This paper synthesized current research on the effects of play-based learning on the development of preschoolers and incorporating play-based teaching methods into literacy instruction for preschoolers. The studies …

Challenges To The Implementation Of Developmentally Appropriate Practices In Early Childhood Education, Laura Ahonen

Graduate Teacher Education

Early childhood educators are faced with making many impactful decisions daily. The implementation of developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) in the learning environment is one of these many decisions. Developmentally appropriate practice in the early childhood learning setting refers to the framework that helps teachers to provide an environment, activities, and materials which intentionally meet children’s current level of development. While many early childhood educators believe in the concept of DAP, barriers are often encountered which prevent the implementation of DAP in the learning environment. In order to provide children with a DAP learning environment, teachers must first recognize and understand …

Practice-Based Coaching And Early Childhood Professional Standards In A Diverse Field, Julie Betthauser

Graduate Teacher Education

Abstract

The field of early childhood education has long relied on professional development strategies to support teachers with varying degrees of education who enter the field from a variety of disciplines. Research indicated educators needed intensive and individualized professional development efforts that were integrated into daily practice (Rodgers, Kennedy, VanUitert, & Myers, 2019). Practice-based coaching has been used as a professional development strategy in early childhood classrooms to develop educators’ knowledge and skills in best practices for young children. Thirty-two empirical studies conducted since 2011 on the process, effectiveness, and assessment of practice-based coaching were reviewed to identify coaching components, …

Perceptions Of Educators Teaching Inclusion Classes In An Urban Secondary Environment, Nicole Bellomo

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

School systems across the United States have integrated students with disabilities into the general education classroom creating an inclusive environment where general and special education students can learn side by side. Within the inclusion classroom, general education and special education teachers collaborate to design and implement instruction for all student learners. Therefore, it is critical to understand the attitudes of general and special education teachers and reveal the factors that influence the beliefs they hold regarding the inclusion classroom. The beliefs held by inclusion teachers are a crucial factor to the success of students with disabilities in the inclusion setting …

Lived Experiences Of Novice Public School Adapted Physical Education Teachers: A Phenomenological Study, Joyce M. Sakai

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experiences of novice public school adapted physical education (APE) teachers and how their experiences affected their self-efficacy and job satisfaction. This dissertation is an original independent research project that contributes to the field of educational practice and knowledge. Five male and five female APE teachers who have taught in public schools for three years or less within California represented the population of this study. Bandura’s (1986) theory of self-efficacy and Knowles’s (1984) theory of andragogy was the foundation for the conceptual framework of this study because they represent factors …

Beneficial Approaches To Working With Migrant Students, Pete Cade

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The migrant student population in the United States continues to rise. This increase in numbers places this unique group of students in thousands of classrooms across the country. Their mobility rates can significantly increase the number of classrooms affected and the number of teachers who must understand their plight. This single qualitative case study explored migrant students’ academic experience, for the purpose of establishing best practices for the educational system to best support them. Using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and multicultural education as the theoretical framework, the researcher analyzed the perceptions of effective practices from twelve college-educated professionals who were …

Intentional Strategies That Build Self-Regulation In Preschoolers, Melissa Martin

Graduate Teacher Education

As academic standards continue to increase, young children are often challenged to attend to structured and teacher-directed educational activities for developmentally inappropriate periods of time. In response, there is an increasing awareness of how academic achievement and self-regulation are affected by difficulties in sensory processing. Traditional interventions for children with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) have primarily been conducted by trained Occupational Therapists (OT) in clinical based settings. This capstone investigated research on possible collaborative interventions and environmental supports and adaptations within the classroom setting that would build self-regulation and attention in all preschool children. The studies reviewed indicated support for …

A Phenomenological Study Of Parent Experiences With Postsecondary-Admission Counseling, Anthony Espitia

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to better understand parent experiences with the postsecondary-admission counseling of high school students in California. As a state, California exceeds the ASCA’s student-to-counselor national recommendations, impacting the delivery of postsecondary-admission counseling on high school campuses. To understand the postsecondary-admission counseling experiences in California, a qualitative phenomenological study consisting of 12 parents of current or recently graduated high school students was utilized. Open-ended interviews captured parents’ lived experiences with the postsecondary-admission counseling of California high school counselors. The data analysis for this study was accomplished by utilizing a four-step process outlined by Moustakas (1994), which …

Problem-Solving Versus Solving Problems From The Esl Math Teachers’ Point Of View, Christopher Lacy

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Krulik and Rudnick (1996) defined problem-solving as explaining how math tasks contain the potential to provide intellectual challenges to enhance the mathematical mindset and development. English as a Second Language (ESL) students must learn math, increase their English language use, and grow literacy skills all in one setting. ESL teachers must examine how ESL students solve, make real-world connections, and build upon learned behavior with rigor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to comprehend how math teachers of ESL students apply problem-solving to benefit the overall educational experience of these students. The research question guiding this study asked: What …

Exploration Of Emotional Intelligence, Dpt Curriculum, And Student Success, Lyndsey Vandenberg Pt, Dpt, Edd

Doctorate in Education

Positive professional performance as a physical therapist requires a combination of both cognitive and non-cognitive traits. To date, there has been little-to-no literature on how Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs engage, refine and enhance students’ non-cognitive traits and abilities throughout a DPT curriculum. This dissertation had five foundational research questions that examined whether there was a statistically significant correlation between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and student success throughout a DPT program. Additionally, it explored how, when and where a DPT program embedded EI constructs in the 8-semester curriculum. The study took place in a private University in the Midwest and …

A Single Case Study Of Sophomore College Students’ Self-Awareness And How It Relates To Teamwork At A Private College, Jeanne Thomas

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Teamwork is considered an essential 21st-century skill and is now included in most university curricula. Working in teams helps college students learn skills such as leadership and problem-solving, that can transfer to the workplace. Effective teams are defined as those with members who communicate well and whose members possess a high degree of self-awareness (SA). SA is the primary component of Goleman’s framework of emotional intelligence (EI). A single case study was conducted at a private college in the United States to better understand how sophomore students described SA and how it relates to teamwork. The participants were sophomore …

Life After Death: An Autoethnography Of A Teacher’S Journey Through Personal Grief And Loss, Kimberlyn Oliver

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This study sought to understand how grief and loss affected me on a personal and professional level. Additionally, the process of grief and loss and its effects on teacher performance was examined. The death of a loved one often leaves a person feeling a great deal of emotions. As an educator, it is incredibly difficult to process grief and loss at work due to the demands of working with students all day. Nine participants were recruited for this study and I used semi-structured interviews to discover more about the experiences of these educators while they dealt with the loss of …

Exploring The Influence Of Servant Leadership On Teacher Satisfaction And Retention, Rachelle J. Wong

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Given the importance of qualified teachers, research has explored teacher retention. One of the most influential ways to retain qualified teachers is through teacher satisfaction. Research has consistently indicated that leadership can influence teacher satisfaction positively or negatively. This qualitative case study explored the influence of one leadership style: servant leadership. Among the many leadership styles, servant leadership is well-suited for the education setting, which naturally focuses on serving and growing people. Therefore, this study used 10 principles of servant leadership (Greenleaf 1970, 1996, 2002) as the conceptual framework, exploring the influence of servant leadership on teacher satisfaction and longevity. …

How Content Teachers Transition To Teaching A Steam Curriculum, Leslie S. Scruggs

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

An increasing number of educators are supporting the STEAM approach to education, so that students will have the necessary skills and abilities needed for the 21st century workforce. Entire schools as well as school districts have transitioned to STEAM. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore how content teachers make the transition from their traditional educational approach to implementing a STEAM curriculum. The researcher used purposeful sampling to select one participant from the arts discipline and one teacher from the STEM discipline at two research sites used in the multiple case study. Data collection methods included one-on-one …

The Effectiveness Of Biblical Worldview Integration With Early Adolescents In Thailand, Lisa B. Deprey

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Christian educators and institutions may make use of an instructional pedagogy known as biblical worldview integration. This pedagogical instrument intentionally connects every aspect of the curriculum to at least one element of a biblical worldview to inculcate that worldview in students. This research study was conducted over the course of the second semester at a Christian international school in Thailand that implements biblical worldview integration across the curriculum. Focusing on Thai Buddhist middle-school students, research was conducted in three parts: pre- and post-surveys with students to determine change in worldview, parent interviews, and teacher interviews. While an analysis of the …

Parental Involvement Matters: The Teachers’ Perspective, Willie Penn

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The impact of parental involvement in education, as well as parents’ relationships with educators, has been of great interest to researchers in education. Researchers have recorded numerous benefits of the influence of parental involvement in the quality of education and the academic achievement of students. Directed by Epstein’s framework of involvement, the purpose of this qualitative explanatory case study was to understand the teachers’ perspectives on parental involvement and how these relate to parental involvement in an inner-city school in a large public-school district in North Carolina that has low parental involvement. The data collection methods include interviews, follow-up interviews, …

Business School Educators And Authentic Assessment: A Phenomenological Case Study, Tina Callaway

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Newly hired college graduates who have earned their degree in business are underprepared in demonstrable foundational and functional professional competencies required for success in the workplace. The basic business skills necessary to be learned through studies at institutions of higher education are forcing schools to consider if changing the way learning is assessed would create a more valuable post-graduation employee. This phenomenological case study was designed to discover if business school educators at institutions of higher learning recognize the value of using authentic assessment practices as preparation for graduates seeking future employment in a business setting. The study was conducted …

Insight Into How College Freshmen Understand Their Reading And Text Experiences, Jolie Dorrell

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative case study was designed to add insight to the scholarly literature about how college freshmen understand and describe their reading experiences. Two research questions guided this study: How do college freshmen understand and describe their educational reading experiences, and how do college freshmen understand the difference between college level reading and the reading experiences they had in high school. The researcher utilized semistructured interviews with a sample of 13 participants in a rural county in the western portion of the United States. Participants also provided textual samples from their freshman level college courses. Each participant had completed at …

The Influence Of Teacher Technology Self-Efficacy On Computer-Assisted Instruction In Urban Elementary Schools, Randall L. Johnson

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Teachers are facing the challenge of implementing division and school-level technology integration practices while meeting the needs of all students. This qualitative research study sought to discover how teacher technology self-efficacy influences computer-assisted instruction in urban elementary schools in Virginia. The Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment (TPSA) questionnaire was administered to certified core-content teachers at sixteen urban elementary school sites in Virginia in order to gauge teachers’ current level of technology self-efficacy. Three self-efficacy groups were formed based on data collected from the questionnaire: low-to-medium, medium-to-high, and very high. From that population, purposive sampling was used to determine the participants for the …

A Phenomenological Study Of Epstein’S Parental Involvement Framework With Middle-School English Language Learner (Ell) Teachers And Language Specialists, Oscar Harris

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of ELL teachers and language specialists who engage in parental involvement practices. A phenomenological research design was used to reveal and describe middle-school ELL teachers’ and language specialists’ experiences and perceptions of parental involvement and its influence on student academic success at one middle school in the Pacific Northwest. Purposeful sampling was used to select the study’s participants. The teachers and language specialists used for this study had a minimum of 2 years of experience to ensure they had basic knowledge about the phenomenon of parental involvement. Data were …

Development Of Spirituality During Addiction Recovery: An Explanatory Case Study, Tige Culbertson

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

Individuals who are in recovery from addiction can find spiritual development to be helpful in their pursuit of sobriety. Some individuals have developed spirituality through a transition from negative religious coping (NRC) to positive religious coping (PRC). Prior to this study, no other researchers had focused on the factors that contribute to this transition from NRC to PRC. A qualitative methodology and explanatory case study research design was used to identify the factors that contributed to a transition from NRC to PRC during addiction recovery. Participants included five individuals who were in recovery from addiction and had experienced a transition …

The Pedagogical Impact Of Secondary Science Teacher Efficacy On Blended Learning Implementation: A Phenomenological Study, Allison Willemin

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

As new pedagogical approaches, such as blended learning, are implemented in classrooms, it is important to properly prepare the teachers to ensure fidelity of implementation. The descriptive phenomenological study examined the influence of secondary science teacher efficacy on overcoming obstacles and sustaining the Blended Learning pedagogical approach at a high school in the southern United States. Using purposeful sampling based on specific criteria nine teachers were selected to participate in the study. Through two interviews and a focus group, the researcher collected data based on the participants’ shared experience of implementing the flipped classroom instructional model. The data was themed …