Education Commons^™

How Training And Feedback In On-Campus Jobs Increase Systems Thinking Skills For Generation Z Student Employees, Kim Fisher

Leadership Education Capstones

Generation Z is less prepared than any generation before to enter the professional world after college graduation. This study focuses on how training and feedback can be used in on-campus jobs to develop the systems thinking skills that employers seek in our Generation Z college students.

Immigrant Learning In Community Colleges: Unpacking Student Experiences In Minnesota, Abdulrazzaq S. Mursal

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study explored lived experiences of Somali immigrant students as they studied at a community college in Minnesota. Although, many Somalis are pursuing educational opportunities in MN community colleges. Little research is available on their community college experiences. The aim of this study was to extend the limited research on Somali immigrant students by providing valuable information regarding their community college experiences. A qualitative study design with a phenomenological approach was employed to examine the lived experiences of six students who participated in semi-structured focus group and individual interviews. Findings of the study show that Somali students face many challenges …

Educating 21st Century Technology Career Professionals: Perspectives On Soft Skills, Scott A. Fillman

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This study used the theories of Pedagogical Constructivism, Transformative Learning, and Social and Cultural Capital to understand better the soft skills competencies that need to be imparted to adult learners to thrive in a technological world. The study was set at Midwest Tech Company, a suburban software technology company located outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The research design was qualitative, using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected within interviews, focus group activities, and from documents. Analysis of the data collected revealed lived experiences of career technology professionals that described effective communication, willingness to learn, and the value of mentorship within technology …

Implementing A Standardized Lost And Found Procedure At Mayo Clinic, Andra Boyum

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this project is to create standardization within the Lost and Found guideline so that stakeholders can utilize their resources with confidence.

From Studebaker To Warp Speed: The Journey Of Frontline Supervisors From Face To Face To Electronic Learning And Communication, Lori Franke

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of the study is to develop a playbook for front-line supervisors and assistant supervisors to reference when sent information via electronic communications (email) on new initiatives.

Effects Of Flex Periods On High School Student Failure Rates, Michael Ongie

Leadership Education Capstones

Schools, in their current form, do not allow for personalized amounts of time for students to learn concepts. Students do not have the opportunity to meet with teachers during the school day to get support on specific concepts they do not understand. The purpose of this study is to research the potential link between implementation of a flex period and student achievement, measured by failure rates, in high school semester courses. The study investigates how failure rates changed after the implementation of a flex period. The sample population for this study are all students who attended a specific small rural …

Effective Instructonal Strategies, While Using Experiential Learning, To Encourage Student Engagement In A Rural, Distance Learning Setting, Janelle Frank

Leadership Education Capstones

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many school districts to move all traditional face-to-face classes to distance learning settings. As a result, educators were left with the challenge of keeping students engaged from a remote location. This study determined what instructional strategies 4K-8 educators found most effective in fostering student engagement while using experiential learning in a rural, distance learning setting. 4K-8 educators were asked to complete an anonymous, confidential survey to gather information about their emergency transition to distance learning experiences and what instructional strategies they found most beneficial in fostering student engagement while using experiential learning. The study analyzed the …

Remote Working And Its Impact On Employee Job Satisfaction During Covid-19, Marissa Grant

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the impact working remotely has on employee job satisfaction. The researcher will study public university graduate students who worked remotely at least one day per week for at least six months since March 2020.

What Aspects Of Teaching Generate Burnout In Teachers With Five Or Less Years Of Experience?, Paige Peterson

Leadership Education Capstones

The educational field can prove to be a stressful occupation with various aspects being more stressful than others. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the aspects of teaching that generate burnout in teachers with five years or less of teaching experience. The study used an anonymous online survey to collect data from teachers in the state of Minnesota. Research questions aimed to understand which aspects of teaching are the most stressful, how grade level (elementary, middle school, or high school) impacts burnout, and if professional development could help limit burnout. A total of 289 individuals participated …

Virtual Student Engagement Through The Admissions Process, Sonya Hernandez

Leadership Education Capstones

Students pursing higher education are inundated with information meant to recruit them to the college or university. Institutions compete for a prospective student’s attention through multiple mediums and platforms (Hagedorn, 2006). It is to the institutions benefit to continue to update recruitment practices to maintain a competitive advantage. The university admissions office central role is to recruit students and implement recruitment strategies. The COVID-19 global pandemic forced admissions offices to pivot efforts into increasing or relying solely on virtual student engagement to meet safety requirements. The transition highlighted the need to fill gaps in virtual student engagement initiatives and knowledge. …

Principals’ Perception On Teacher Evaluations During The 2020-2021 School Year, Luke Mosiman

Leadership Education Capstones

The reason for this qualitative study was to understand principal’s perspective of their teacher evaluation tool effectiveness during the 2020-2021 school year. Schools in this study were all from the same upper Midwestern state. The districts these schools were in had learning models range from full in person to full distance learning for most of the 2020-2021 school year. The participants were asked through surveys and an interview how they felt their evaluation tool was able to measure teacher performance in the areas of class atmosphere, classroom management, content delivery, and student engagement. Results indicate the evaluation tool was able …

It Security Technology And Staffing Investments For Small And Mid-Sized Healthcare Organizations In Response To Increased Threats, Dylan Dudlext

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the risk awareness and risk responses of small to mid-sized healthcare organizations due to increased cybersecurity threats to the healthcare industry.

Supporting Trauma-Affected Students In The Secondary Setting, Shandi Taylor

Special Education Professional Papers

This study used a survey format to understand the trauma-informed strategies and approaches that secondary teachers at one Midwest high school used when working with trauma-affected students. Specifically, the focus was on how teachers build relationships with students, teach coping skills, and implement individual supports when working with trauma-affected students. Teachers provided answers by answering multiple choice questions with the option to select multiple options for each question. The study found that most teachers use a variety of relationship building strategies with students. However, it also found that many of the general education teachers and special education teachers in settings …

Poverty In Schools: The Impact Of Poverty On School Readiness For Kindergarteners, Emily Inglett

Counselor Education Capstones

Experiencing poverty in childhood has lasting impacts on a child. Poverty can have a negative impact on a child’s development academically, cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. The present literature review aims to explore research that has looked into what it means to live in poverty, what lasting impacts living in poverty have on children, and what that means for a child’s school readiness when entering kindergarten. It will also discuss some interventions that a school counselor could implement in schools to support a child who lives in poverty and their family.

Facing A New Normal: Uncovering The Psychological Effects Of Loneliness On Student Mental Health, Courtney Thoreson

Counselor Education Capstones

In anticipation of the burden loneliness will have in combination with distressing psychological and emotional burdens carried over from the COVID-19 prevention strategies i.e., social distancing, quarantine measures, and lockdowns, colleges and universities are facing a broad spectrum of challenges as they shift to adapt to a new normal. Besides the physical health impact of COVID-19, this global pandemic has unleashed a psychological toll on society that has yet to be fully realized for its potential long-lasting effects. As campuses navigate the broader impacts of COVID-19, understanding the psychological effects of loneliness will be a primary focus in understanding it’s …

Acculturative Stress Counseling With Immigrant High School Students, Identity Development, And School Belonging, Tony Yang

Counselor Education Capstones

The literature review investigates how acculturative stress relates to the ethnic identity development and feelings of school belonging of immigrant high school students and how school counselors can use this information to facilitate acculturative stress focused counseling to support student needs and development. The literature review first synthesizes information on acculturative stress, experiences of immigrant high school students, and suggestions for acculturative stress focused counseling to explore how school counselors can approach the topic of acculturative stress with their immigrant high school population. Specifically, the literature review explores the ethnic identity development of immigrant high school students and the role …

Strategies For Increasing Attendance For Identified Student Populations Via Online Engagement Methods During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Catherine Douglas

Counselor Education Capstones

This Capstone literature review discusses a school counselor’s role in increasing attendance in schools. The review discusses the common risk factors of absenteeism and the new risk factors that arose after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the strategies that school professionals should use to increase engagement in learning, increase school attendance, and check on the well-being of identified student populations. The review brings light to several strategies that may help counselors increase school attendance with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Strategies include: incorporation of gameplay into lessons, keeping consistency with the …

Relationship Between Servant Leadership Style And Teacher Job Satisfaction And Retention, Morgan Stamschror

Counselor Education Capstones

Effective school leaders are vital to the success of a school. The leadership style of a school leader, specifically principals, affects teacher satisfaction and retention. Servant leadership is a well-known leadership style in the business and organizational psychology field but has applications in the education setting as well. This report discusses how principals can be servant-leaders by putting others first and themselves second. As a result, teacher job satisfaction and retention are affected. Therefore, it is important for educators to learn how principals can most effectively lead teachers and other support staff. Training and professional development opportunities are essential for …

The Multifaceted Process Of Language Attrition, Ryanne Mikunda

Ramaley Celebration

The Multifaceted Process of Language Attrition

Ryanne Mikunda

Ethan Krase

This research project defines and examines the many factors that influence the process of language attrition, which is an individual's loss of skill in a language that is not caused by a medical condition, i.e., is non-pathological. To begin, this study offers a brief history of first and second language attrition to establish language attrition's role in both the fields of second language acquisition and minority language loss. This history also outlines the parameters under which language attrition is studied, and the required conditions that precede it. The most important …

Preparing Pk-8 Teachers To Engage In Discussions Regarding Race, Mckenzie Hallstrom

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this study is to discover what PK-8 teachers need to be prepared to engage in discussions regarding race with their students and to explore specific strategies to support teachers. Historically, Black students have been disadvantaged by the educational system and their voices silenced by pervasive racism. Using Critical Race Theory in education, this qualitative study will discuss barriers and strategies to engaging in race-discussions. This study will also discuss leadership implications for better supporting PK-8 teachers to be able to engage in race-discussions with their students. Ultimately, this study argues that PK-8 teachers are unprepared to engage …

Pine Technical And Community College Policy Alignment Project, Amy Kruse

Leadership Education Capstones

The purpose of this project is to create an easily navigated campus policy and procedure process by aligning these documents with governing standards.

Encouraging Young African American And Hispanic Women To Choose Stem Disciplines, Augustine Brutus

Leadership Education Capstones

The persisting disparity of young African American and Hispanic women in STEM disciplines has been a long-standing issue for education leaders, policymakers, and industry leaders. One way to address this issue is to explore the best strategies for building confidence in young African American and Hispanic women and increasing their self-efficacy at the high school level to pursue STEM disciplines. Community support, role models/mentors, and hands-on experiential learning are essential parts of the support and experience these young women of color (YWOC) need to feel confident in their abilities to succeed in STEM fields. This study identified the challenges young …

Essential Library Services For College Students In The Time Of Social Distancing, Wail M. Kailani

Leadership Education Capstones

This research examined the essential online library services that college students used and found useful while remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students at a small community college in southeastern Minnesota were surveyed and additional usage data about some online library services were collected. The link to the online survey was posted to the students' newsletter and some faculty shared the link on their course pages in the college's LMS. The survey asked the students to rank and rate four online library services. The service “Email a librarian” was ranked and rated higher than the other services by the …

How Do General Education Teachers Feel Prepared To Teach Individuals With Autism In The Classroom, Colin Valley

Leadership Education Capstones

This paper will deal with ways general education teachers can better serve individuals with autism in their classroom. This can be accomplished in many ways, and these ways will be discussed throughout. Research for this topic has been done in many different ways but overall, the root of how general education teachers feel about having individuals with autism in their classroom has not (Jones, A. P., & Frederickson, N. 2010). Throughout his study, the researcher will find ways to make general education teachers k-12 feel more prepared to teach individuals with autism in the general education classroom.

How Can Coaches Properly Prepare Student-Athletes For A Career After Athletics?, Joel Krenz

Leadership Education Capstones

Most of the time a student-athlete’s athletic career will end after college, but what then? So many collegiate athletes have put so much focus into their sport over the previous 10-15 years that they tend to struggle when faced with the reality that they are done. No collegiate athlete can make the transition from sport to career alone, which is why coaches, administrators, and teachers need to know how to properly prepare student-athletes for a career after athletics. This study will look to find the best ways that the faculty of an institution who work closely with student-athletes can help …

Principal Leadership Strategies In Addressing Teacher Recruitment And Retention In Rural Schools, Amanda Durnen

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This qualitative study explored principal leadership practices in addressing teacher recruitment and retention in rural schools. One-to-one interviews, a focus group interview, and a review of documents were the data sources for the study. The study produced three emergent themes from collected data: Influence of Structured Mentoring on Teacher Recruitment, Aligning Leadership with Rural Contextual Changes, and Leveraging Intentional Principal Support. Findings from the study conclude that principal leadership practices, including building supportive and transparent relationships with teachers and community, influence teacher recruitment and retention in rural school districts. The following recommendations are offered for related research in the field …

How Has The Covid-19 Pandemic Changed The Well-Being And Athletic Identity Of Collegiate Student-Athletes?, Malissa Leclaire

Leadership Education Capstones

This qualitative study explored the changes that collegiate student-athletes have experienced in their well-being and athletic identity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was conducted through individual interviews. Participants indicated changes in their well-being that they experienced included: (1) uncertainty, (2) limited social interactions, and (3) maintenance of physical health. Participants also indicated that the changes they experienced in their athletic identities included: (1) a stronger athletic identity, and (2) the transition out of athletics. Recommendations for future research include expanding the study to a larger sample size and examining the psychological effects the student-athletes experienced from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Advantages And Disadvantages To Small Town School Districts And Their Communities After Athletics Consolidation, Kacey Lane

Leadership Education Capstones

Nothing brings a small rural town together like high school sports. Unfortunately, when high school sports hit challenging times, support for programs and participation in programs decrease. When sports programs hit low numbers in participation they need to think about the program's future. Some schools consider eliminating the programs. Graves (2010) stated that communities often resist full school consolidation to be able to protect their sports teams. Graves (2010) believes that to lose a school and its colors would relinquish one’s identity. Small communities thrive off the school districts and take pride in their academics and athletics. With the lack …

Barriers And Solutions Correlated With The Implementation Of Correct Sports Nutrition Practices At A Public Ncaa Division Ii University In The Midwest., Andrew Graber

Leadership Education Capstones

Sports nutrition guidelines are an integral part of athlete performance. The guidelines are established through the American College of Sports Medicine to best guide student athletes for their specific sport. However, even with the guidelines established there are low adherence rates among student athletes who face unique barriers and therefore require solutions to increase adherence to the guidelines. The study aims to identify specific barriers that student athletes face based on their perspectives and opinions. Once the barriers are identified the study provides potential areas of focus to increase adherence rates through the provision of solutions.

To gain insight into …

Gamification, Game-Based Learning, And Student Engagement In Education, Alan May

Leadership Education Capstones

Over the past few years the application of educational technology in the classroom setting has been increasingly popular. Educators at all levels, primary, secondary, and post-secondary have been exploring best practices in the use of educational technology and the impact that educational technology has on student learning. Many educators have explored the idea of gamification and game-based learning in their classrooms to improve student learning and student engagement. Using technology to create a gamified or game-based learning shows positive results and has fostered an environment that encourages students to collaborate with their peers, engage with content material, and stay motivated …