Education Commons^™

Jessica Basham For Wku Staff Senate, Jessica Basham

Staff Council

Campaign email soliciting votes for Jessica Basham

Kevin Werner For Wku Staff Senate, Kevin Werner

Staff Council

Campaign email soliciting votes for Kevin Werner

Kim Minton For Wku Staff Senate, Kim Minton

Staff Council

Campaign email soliciting votes for Kim Minton.

Increasing Teacher Retention, Mervale F. Wolverton

Graduate Teacher Education

This paper examined research into various strategies educational leaders can employ in order to retain teachers in their schools. Teacher retention has become an important issue in contemporary education as schools attempt to deal with a shortage of teachers. This teacher shortage puts a strain on student learning, the district, and the rest of the staff. By retaining teachers in the beginning stages of their careers, schools can combat the teacher shortage and reap the benefits of having more experienced and effective teachers in their buildings. This research included quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and quasi-experimental studies, which produced three main themes. …

Minutes, College Of Liberal Arts Faculty Meeting, Thursday, April 30, 2025, College Of Liberal Arts Faculty, Rollins College

The College of Liberal Arts Faculty Minutes

No abstract provided.

Navigating Parental Incarceration And Higher Education: Narratives Of Undergraduate Experiences While Dealing With Parental Incarceration, Vanessa Darling Gomez

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative study examined how parental incarceration affects young adults’ college experience. The study allowed individuals to share their stories and narrate their undergraduate experiences while their parent(s) were incarcerated. This study interviewed eight individuals who had a parent incarcerated during their undergraduate experience using a narrative inquiry methodology (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) with Trauma-Informed Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth theoretical frameworks (Steele & Kuban, 2011) to gain insight into their perceived college experience and factors for their college access, success, and degree completion. The findings revealed various themes in regard to the participants’ experiences shaped by parental incarceration (emotional …

Community Colleges In Pakistan: Promoting Access And Quality Education, Aisha Naz Ansari, Sohail Ahmad, Sadia Muzaffar Bhutta

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Inspired by the access-driven mission of U.S. community colleges and their success in reaching underserved student populations—especially in rural areas—a network of five institutions, Community Colleges (CCs), was recently established by a public sector university in Sindh, Pakistan, with provincial government support. While these institutions provide educational opportunities at the K-12 level rather than at the postsecondary level and thus differ from community colleges in the U.S. and other countries, Pakistan’s CCs are similar to their global counterparts in that they address issues of access and quality education for marginalized communities, especially in rural contexts; aim to create pathways for …

April 30, 2025 Blazer Weekly, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

Blazer Weekly (student newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Assessing Healthcare Students’ Self-Efficacy In Disaster Response: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Aydın Şenol, Abdülkerim Adıyaman, Canan Birimoglu Okuyan

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Assessing healthcare students’ self-efficacy in disaster response is crucial for preparing them to effectively manage real-world disaster situations. This study aimed to assess the self-efficacy status of healthcare students in disaster response.

Methods: The data for this cross-sectional analysis were gathered from 498 healthcare students between November 18, 2023, and February 14, 2024, using an individual diagnostic form and the disaster-response self-efficacy (DRSE) scale. This scale is used to assess an individual’s self-efficacy in responding effectively to disasters, including on-site rescue competency, disaster psychological nursing competency, disaster role quality, and adaptation competency.

Results: The mean age …

Exploring Education Policy And Resources In Virginia Secondary Education, Gabrielle Lyon

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The study examines the intersection of federal special education policy within Virginia's secondary schools, specifically focusing on teachers’ compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The study explores educators' awareness and usage of the Virginia Department of Education's hearing decisions index, which documents IDEA violations and due process decisions. Through analyzing federal education legislation, state implementation practices, and teacher perspectives, this study reveals critical gaps in educator preparation and resource awareness regarding special education policy compliance. The findings suggest that while the IDEA violations are being tracked and documented, there remains a significant disconnect between available resources and …

Association Between Speech Perception In Noise And Sentence Comprehension In School-Age Children, Naveen K. Nagaraj

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Thematic Geo-Inquiry In Seventh Grade Geography, Rebekah Driscoll Austing

Theses and Dissertations

With the growth of globalization, geography is an important subject for students of the 21^st Century to understand. Being adept in geography will aid our future generations to be able to use geographic skills to answer complex world issues. Unfortunately, geography has been a long-neglected subject of social studies; often considered boring and not worthwhile with teachers using teacher-centered curriculum methods and memorization. A teacher’s job is to provide appropriate experiences, materials, and context for students to construct and connect knowledge that is useful and beneficial to them. Through a constructivist lens, inquiry-based thematic units can be used by …

The Role Of Race In Howard Law School's Rankings, Michael Conklin

St. Mary's Law Journal

No abstract provided.

High School Teachers' Perspectives On The Components Of A Quality Online Structure For Remote Learning In Digital And Media Art Classes, James E. Marone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that there were inconsistencies in the research literature and a gap in practice regarding teachers' perspectives on the components of a quality online structure in a digital and media art class during the post-COVID-19 era. Despite evidence of the benefits of remote learning, there was a gap concerning implementation of improved quality online structures. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of digital and media art teachers on their needs for a quality online learning structure in the post-COVID-19 era. The conceptual framework was Davis’s technology acceptance model. …

To Post Or Not To Post, That Is The Discussion: An Exploration Of Students’ Perceptions And Experiences With Using Online Collaboration Tools In Threaded Discussion Board Postings, Sherietta Farron Lane

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods action research study was to explore how instructor presence, cognitive presence, and social presence impact students' perceptions and experiences when interacting, communicating, and collaborating in asynchronous discussions and collaborative activities during an introductory-level English literature course at a Southern career college. Online courses can create a sense of isolation due to a lack of student-to-student or student-to-instructor interaction. Discussion forums are a key communication tool to foster interaction in online courses. This action research focused on three questions: (1) How does the use of selected collaboration tools impact students’ perceptions of instructor presence in …

The Effects Of Implementing A Mindfulness Program In Two Elementary School Math Classrooms, Sara Lilley

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examined the effects of utilizing trauma-informed social-emotional learning (SEL) teaching practices in two elementary math classrooms located in a Title 1 public school in North Carolina. The classrooms consisted of one third-grade classroom with 18 students and one fifth-grade classroom with 22 students. These classrooms integrated 10 minutes of mindfulness practice which included direct instruction on calming strategies and breathing techniques. This study worked to help foster a learning environment that supported the academic and mental health needs of the student participants and looked at potential relationships between calming strategies and math assessment data. This study …

Bridging The Gap Between Science And Technology: A Descriptive Study Identifying Factors Influencing 6-8th Grade Science Teachers’ Implementation Of Virtual Laboratory Simulations, Coral Nicole Hoesli

Theses and Dissertations

Teachers at a South Carolina middle school in the United States were not implementing virtual laboratory simulations at the same rate as other middle schools in the district. This descriptive research examined 6th-8th grade middle school science teacher perceptions and influencing factors behind the choice to implement virtual laboratory simulations. The study examined two research questions: (1) what are the personal and social factors influencing science teachers’ decisions to implement a virtual laboratory simulation, and (2) what are the structural factors influencing science teachers’ decisions to implement a virtual laboratory simulation?

The National Educational Technology Plan (NETP) and the International …

Young Children’S Reading Experiences In An Online Family Book Club Centered On Multimodal Responses, Ling Hao

Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic case study explored Chinese American children’s heritage language and culture learning and their multimodal responses to culturally relevant picture books. I focus on six Chinese American families who participated in an online family book club. The children were between four and six years old. In each session, I first introduced Chinese characters or cultural traditions related to the book, and then had an interactive read aloud of a culturally relevant picture book. The children discussed the book with one parent and came up with a question and a connection. The children then responded to the book through creating …

Keep Your Head Up: An Examination Of Out-Of-School Literacy Practices In An Intergenerational Family System, Johnnie D. Bryant-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The asset-based qualitative study used a phenomenological approach within a Community Cultural Wealth framework to question the practices of an intergenerational family system in the Southeastern United States. The study investigated the family system’s out-of-school literacy practices and the exposure to culturally relevant literature. The study revealed that an elder who actively participated in rearing school-aged children intentionally introduced culturally relevant literature. Similarly, the study revealed that the primary caregivers did engage their school-aged children in conversations related to social justice and introduced them to culturally relevant texts. However, a child's inquiry into the topic initiated primary caregivers’ introduction to …

The Benefits Of Authentic Learning In English Language Arts Classes, Karissa Marie Connors

Theses and Dissertations

In education, it is important that teaching and learning evolve alongside an ever-changing world. Educators must teach 21^st century skills such as inquiry, independence, flexible and persistent thinking, and student motivation and engagement to help students prepare for the real world after graduation. It is imperative that educators begin to challenge students to learn within class settings that offer opportunities for real-world learning, even if confined to the physical classroom setting. The purpose of this action research study was to examine the benefits of authentic learning opportunities in English Language Arts classrooms while exploring the need for teaching life-long …

The Effects Of Implementing A Project Based Learning Framework Into A 5th Grade Science Unit On Force And Motion In A Population Of Disadvantaged Students, Kristy Martin

Theses and Dissertations

Providing quality education that meets the needs of diverse populations and economically disadvantaged students is imperative in today’s educational environments. This research study investigates the effects of implementing a project-based learning (PBL) teaching approach as part of a fifth-grade science unit on force and motion. The implications on engagement, motivation, and student achievement on standardized tests were analyzed through a mixed-methods research approach. This study is grounded in the theoretical approaches of Constructivism and Social Interdependence Theory. Both concepts support PBL and explain the positive impacts noted by the research. The participants included 56 fifth-grade students, that were primarily African …

Cultivating Cultural Competence To Inspire Social Responsibility In Middle School Students, Jamie Shapiro Blau

Theses and Dissertations

In World Language education, teachers pair linguistic and cultural instruction to prepare students to engage effectively with speakers of the target language. In my French classes, where most students enjoyed dominant racial and socioeconomic identities, I noticed limited cultural competency skills in students, as well as a lack of readiness to engage with diverse cultures. This was unsurprising, as pervasive White eurocentrism permeates American schools, covertly impacting students' social and curricular experiences. Specifically, curricula of World Language courses where the language of study originates in a country with colonial history, such as French, cloud and ignore the linguistic and cultural …

Co-Teaching As A Transformative Tool: Enhancing Cultural Competence, Linguistic Responsiveness, And Pedagogical Practices Of Veteran Teachers, Jennifer Cárdenas

Theses and Dissertations

Guided by the Vygotskian (1978) principles inherent in co-teaching and Lucas and Villegas’s (2013) culturally and linguistically responsive framework, this qualitative, action research study investigated the impact of implementing a co-teaching model between a multilingual learner program specialist and a veteran general classroom teacher for the purpose of enhancing the veteran teacher’s pedagogical practices related to multilingual students. Data from professional development, interview, and conversation transcripts, in addition to observations, revealed the impact of the intervention. This study covered 3 years of a co-teaching partnership in a southeastern U.S. state. The data indicated teacher growth in cultural and linguistic knowledge …

Understanding The Instructional Decisions Of Middle-School Mathematics Teachers: Three Case Studies, Alissa Lockwood

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study aimed to explore how middle-school mathematics teachers make instructional decisions in the absence of a required curriculum. While the school site has an adopted textbook, many of the mathematics teachers view this resource as invaluable. Better understanding the decision-making process of mathematics teachers at the school site can provide critical information to better support the teachers. The research question that guided this action research was: How does it seem that middle-school mathematics teachers make instructional decisions? This sequential two-phase qualitative study examined decision-making from a 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade mathematics …

Out Of The Ashes: One Teacher's Journey Implementing A Blended Learning Intervention Integrating The Flipped Classroom Model And Student-Selected Independent Reading, Michael John Hockwater

Theses and Dissertations

Sixth-grade Academic Intervention Services (AIS) students at Wyndemere Middle School (WMS) in Western New York demonstrated a lack of engagement in AIS English Language Arts (ELA) class. In hopes of increasing their engagement, the teacher-researcher implemented a blended learning intervention that incorporated aspects of the flipped classroom model and student-selected texts. The results of this action research qualitative case study were promising, with many student participants expressing an increased sense of engagement and enjoyment of AIS ELA class.

Targeting The Country: Exploring The Technology Integration Practices Of World Language Teachers In Rural Georgia, Shannon Borum

Theses and Dissertations

Technology integration affords World Language teachers opportunities to engage with the target language and cultures in a way previously unknown, yet world language teachers in Georgia’s rural high schools have inconsistent integration of technology into their teaching practices. The study was guided by two research questions regarding (1) the current technology integration practices of world language teachers in rural Georgia high schools for communicative language teaching, and (2) the influences the decisions of world language teachers in rural Georgia high schools to integrate technology in their communicative language teaching. The purpose of this action research was to describe how high …

Relative Performance Of Mlr, Wlsmv, And Bayes Estimators: An Investigation Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis With Ordinal Data, Tiejun Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the performance of four robust estimators— robust Maximum Likelihood for continuous data (MLR-CON), robust Maximum Likelihood for categorical data (MLR-CAT), robust Weighted Least Squares (WSLMV), and Bayes estimation—in the context of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) with ordinal data. The objective was to conduct a comprehensive assessment of their efficacy across varied data conditions. A simulation study was designed to comprise conditions that may be encountered with empirical research. The design included 90 cells with two levels of model specification (correct, misspecified), three sample sizes (100, 200, 500), five item distributions (symmetric, moderately asymmetric, moderately asymmetric-alternating, extremely asymmetric, …

Creating Systems Of Professional Learning To Encourage Deep Thinking In Social Studies: A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Poda King

Theses and Dissertations

This paper describes a problem that developed due to a lack of systems in place to provide professional learning for teachers in social studies. This problem was ignited when revised standards were adopted which shifted from heavy content focus to skills and content. Standards requiring both skills and content encourage student inquiry and promote deep thinking by students through the use of historical evidence. Therefore, the purpose of the improvement science plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles was to develop a system of job-embedded professional learning to assist teachers with teaching strategies that use historical evidence to promote deep thinking in social studies …

The Impact Of Equity Literacy In Understanding, Creating, And Sustaining An Equitable School Climate, Kristen M. Ewing

Theses and Dissertations

There is an extraordinary culturally and linguistically diverse student population in America today; however, there is an overwhelmingly homogenous representation in educators, being predominantly White, middle-class, female, and monolingual (Howard, 2020; Tanase, 2020). The racial disparity between educators and students has serious consequences for marginalized students leaving many students undereducated and unprepared to compete in the world today (Howard, 2020). hooks (1994) claimed that educators are poorly prepared to confront diversity and we must focus on diversity and inclusion if we want to be more equitable and close the achievement gap. This qualitative action research study was centered around the …

Merit, Equity And Intersectionality: Autoethnographic Examination Of Perceived Race And Gender-Based Discrimination In The Workplace, Shavanna Henry

Theses and Dissertations

This autoethnographic action research dissertation uses intersectionality, critical race theory, and racial battle fatigue theoretical lenses to examine my mental health as I experienced perceived race-based and gender-based discrimination at a public high school on the West Coast of the United States. The goal was to examine how my mental health was impacted during the development and attempted implementation of a DEI plan, and how my mental health was affected by the intersectionality of race and gender. I used journal entries and digital artifacts to craft seven vignettes that captured my experience. The findings from coding and analyzing data showed …