Education Commons^™

The Influence Of Leaders’ Emotional Intelligence And Employees’ Emotional Intelligence On Employee Engagement, Mildred D. Usher

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The influence of emotional intelligence (EI) on employee engagement (EE) is significant. However, limited research exists on how both perceived leaders' EI and perceived employees’ EI influence EE. Identifying predictive factors that contribute to EE is crucial to organizational success. The current study examined 96 retail employees residing in the U.S. The purpose of the non-experimental, quantitative study was to examine the relationship between perceived leaders' EI and perceived employees' EI on employee engagement in U.S. Southwest region retail organizations. An online multi-sectional survey including demographic questions, the Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Supporting Students With Dyslexia, Kelly L. White

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This study explored the perspectives that teachers in Florida have about dyslexia. Researchers have found that many classroom teachers may not feel prepared to provide support for students with dyslexia. The research problem addressed in this study was to discover the degree to which teachers’ perceptions align with the misconceptions about dyslexia. A quantitative, nonexperimental research design was used to address the study’s topic using a survey adapted from an existing, standardized research instrument. Descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used to analyze study data from 30 participants. A series of between-subjects tests of statistical significance were conducted to evaluate …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Student Engagement In The Urban Elementary Classroom: A Qualitative Case Study, Lavern M. Mcneil

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

are responsible for providing opportunities to use learning strategies in the classroom. The students’ engagement shows an observable reflection of the educator's teaching practice. This qualitative case study highlights teachers' perceptions of student engagement in the urban elementary classroom. The research questions asked about teachers’ perceptions of student engagement and the contribution to student engagement. The research questions also asked about the resources and barriers to student engagement. The theory used for consideration was the bioecological framework by Urie Bronfenbrenner. The theory connected to the importance of systems' role in a child's growth and how they have a crucial impact …

Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions Of How Developmental Mathematics Courses Prepare Students For Degree-Required Mathematics Courses, Felicia N. Brooks

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

Students at most open-enrollment colleges must take a placement exam to determine what courses they will need to enroll in as their first math course. Students who score below a certain threshold are placed in a developmental math course. Students must complete the developmental math sequence before enrolling in degree-required math courses. Students’ perceptions of being enrolled in developmental math courses were investigated for this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to highlight students’ perspectives on being required to take developmental math and whether such courses adequately prepared them for the mathematics class required for the students’ majors. …

Literacy Leadership: Power In The Discourse Of Learning, Melissa Guinn Crawley Twisdale

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The phenomenon of teacher learning, especially within literacy education pedagogy, has rarely been a topic of educational research. The nature of ongoing teacher learning is as challenging to study as student learning in that, learning in and of itself is not widely defined in the educational research literature. Equally challenging is the topic of literacy for which there are numerous and varying definitions, many of which carry political and controversial connotations (Aukerman & Schuldt, 2021). The term science of reading, for example, often carries an intensive focus on assessed reading proficiency as the primary goal of reading instruction, although the …

Institutional Pressures On School Leadership And Innovation After Pandemic-Related School Closures: A Phenomenological Study, Gary Eugene Skeen

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic was a phenomenon that caused immediate change to global institutions, including education. As schools created new systems during the pandemic, as restrictions began to be eased, many divisions felt pressure to continue virtual options after schools fully reopened to students. This pressure influenced the decisions made by school leaders, with internal and external pressures dictating how leaders navigated the decisions made regarding virtual learning after pandemic-related school closures. In the presence of the widespread phenomenon of the pandemic, school leaders faced pressures to reimagine learning through innovation or revert to institutional structures normalized prior to pandemic closures. …

Cultivating Self-Knowledge In The Writing Classroom: A Study Of Contemplative Pedagogy, Jared Featherstone

English Theses & Dissertations

This pedagogical research study examines the effects of Understanding the Self Through Writing and Rhetoric, an undergraduate course designed by the researcher, on students. The course is an example of contemplative writing pedagogy, one that seeks to foreground first-person direct experience of the subject matter and integrates mindfulness meditation and journaling throughout. While writing and rhetoric are common undergraduate subjects to teach, the course focuses on particular, lesser-known aspects of them, internal rhetoric and self-making narrative. A third important part of the course is the examination of how communication technologies, especially social media and messaging applications, affect one’s internal rhetoric …

Differential Effects Of Physical Activity On Social Interactions Of Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christianna Blanchard-Alworth

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience challenges with communication, social interaction, and motor skills, which can contribute to social isolation. A growing body of research suggests physical activity (PA) may improve social, physical fitness, and gross motor outcomes for adolescents with ASD. Although exercise and PA have been identified as an evidence-based practice (EBP) for this population, limited research has specifically examined the relationship between PA and social interactions. This study used an alternating treatment design, replicated across four adolescents with ASD, to compare the effects of two interventions – soccer instruction and fitness instruction - on social …

Unveiling Resilience And Motivation Through Testimonios: Exploring The Influence Of Trio Student Services On Motivation And College Completion, Emily Leonard Garrison

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation explores the impact of TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) on the motivation and college completion rates of first-generation rural community college students. Utilizing a qualitative approach centered on testimonios, this research captures the lived experiences of students at a rural community college in North Carolina, focusing on how TRIO SSS influences their educational journeys.

Through narrative inquiry, the study documents the personal stories of TRIO SSS graduates, highlighting the program's pivotal role in enhancing student retention and success. The findings demonstrate that TRIO SSS is essential in providing targeted support that aligns with the students' unique challenges …

Short-Semester Courses: Mitigating Unfavorable Precollege Issues For Students At A Technical College, James T. Moore Jr.

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Technical colleges serve a distinct student population and provide an open access point to higher education for students not wishing to attend a university. Graduation and retention rates continue to demonstrate a gap between what technical colleges wish to achieve and the actual achievement. Technical college leaders continue to embrace policies and programs intended to support students at university system schools and which poorly serve the needs of technical college students. As a result, little is known about the lived experiences of technical college students. Data were collected through a six individual semi-structured interview. The six participants of the study …

Coach To Teach: Effects Of Ecoaching On Special Education Teacher Implementation Of Discrete Trial Training, Olga Karadimou

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

The growing shortage of special education teachers (SETs) and declining retention rates across numerous United States (U.S.) school districts pose a serious threat to the quality of education provided to students with disabilities. One of the ongoing challenges is the significant gap between evidence-based practices (EBPs) and their actual implementation in classrooms. Researchers emphasize the importance of providing high-quality professional development (PD) targeting the use of EBPs in the classroom, as doing so has been linked to SET retention (Berry & Gravelle, 2013; Berry et al., 2011; Hagaman & Casey, 2018; Reagan et al., 2019). This study aimed to experimentally …

Navigating Identity And Belonging: Itinerant Teachers Of The Deaf/Hard Of Hearing And The Blind/Visually Impaired As Structural Hole Spanners In Educational Ecosystems, Rj Horstmyer

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Itinerant Teachers of the Blind/Visually Impaired are highly specialized teachers and service providers who provide services to students who make up less than two percent of all students eligible for special education services and subsequently experience high levels of mobility between many schools. This study unearths the lived experiences of IToDs and ITVIs and examines how their itinerancy and ecological factors shape their identity and organizational belonging within and between multiple social networks. Participants were those currently employed as either Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing or Itinerant Teachers of the …

Institutional Responses To The First Amendment: Inclusivity And The Protection Of Free Speech Rights On Campus, Christina Lipuma

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This collective case study explores institutional responses to First Amendment events to determine how institutional policies impact a sense of inclusivity and the protection of free speech rights on public college and university campuses. This study identifies the practices of a sample of public, university campuses that have experienced a free speech incident to determine how the experience shaped their policies on free speech, how administrators describe their experiences following the incident, and how institutional leaders rate the outcome of their efforts in relation to balancing inclusivity in the campus environment. Due to the complex nature of public university campuses, …

Enhancing College Students' English Writing Skills Using Power-S & F Approach, Edralin C. Manla, Adeva Jane E. Kalidas, Angelica V. Napone, Nicole Dominique P. Delgado, Angel M. Develos, Deo Lindo Castillo

Educational Leadership and Management Faculty Publications

This study investigates the impact of the POWER-S & F journal template intervention on the writing performance of English majors through a pre-test and post-test assessment. The intervention aimed to enhance students' writing skills in content, organization, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics. The study used a collaborative action research design involving 15 sophomore students as respondents. Quantitative analysis, including paired samples t-test and Wilcoxon W test, revealed a statistically significant improvement ($p=0.0290^*$) in post-test scores compared to pre-test scores. The shift from "Proficient" to "Exemplary" descriptors in various writing aspects supported the intervention's effectiveness. Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) provided insights into …

Traditional Versus Modern Learning Strategies, Jade Erickson

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Schools across the country continue to face challenges with different student needs in the classroom as children are surrounded by technology outside of school, have lower attention spans, and society continues to push inclusion. Research has shown that student engagement and success are based on the resources used to teach them. This study aims to identify the impact technology has in the classroom, the benefits of active learning, changes with inclusion, and how family involvement impacts student learning so that educators will benefit. Based on a literature review on the impact of active learning and technology usage in the classroom, …

Tailoring Tier 2 Reading Interventions To Improve 4th Grade Students’ Foundational Reading Skills, Fluency, And Perceptions Of Reading, Rachel Honken

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research was to evaluate the effectiveness of two literacy interventions, Lexia Core 5 and Word Connections, on improving reading, both fluency and foundational skills, among fourth-grade students. All Tier 2 fourth-grade students participated in one of the interventions over an 8-week period, with progress measured through both pre- and post-test scores and qualitative data on student reading perceptions. The findings revealed significant growth in reading fluency and foundational reading skills (phonics) among students in the Word Connections group, while results in the Lexia Core 5 group were less pronounced. Survey responses indicated varied student preferences, …

Reverse Inclusion At The Intermediate Level, Mallory Bebout

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Special education is an area where students have many different needs. Reverse inclusion is one practice where students with significant special education needs (SEN) work with general education peers to build skills, generalize concepts learned, and build meaningful relationships with peers. Students with significant SEN have limited educational opportunities to work with students without SEN. In this inquiry-based research study, general education peers were partnered 1:1 with students who had SEN in the areas of literacy, adaptive art, and adaptive physical education classes. The research examined the frequency of Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIBs), Instructional Elopement (IE), and the number of times …

Repeating A Literacy Special Education Lesson In The Home With A Student With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Kasey Buchholz

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

This action research paper was driven by the researcher’s interest in improving the early literacy skills for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, students who have typically been non-responders to previous interventions. As a former general education teacher in her third year of working in special education, the researcher taught explicit and systematic literacy lessons in the pull-out classroom and worked collaboratively with the student’s parent to replicate those lessons in the home. Quantitative data was collected through the computer-based assessment Renaissance Star 360 Early Literacy. After establishing a baseline level, additional data was collected during and after the intervention. The …

The Impact Of Math Applications On Basic Math Skills, Laura Brockelsby

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

The purpose of this action research project was to determine if iPad math applications can help improve students’ addition and subtraction fluency. The study looked specifically at the Teachley Math applications, Addimals and Subtractimals. The study took place in a combined first and second grade elementary school classroom. Students were introduced to the applications as a four-week math intervention. Students were given 10-15 minutes three times a week in class to work on the applications in the classroom. Student were given a pretest and a posttest to see if there was improvement on math fluency in these areas. Overall students …

Implementing Family-Centered Practices As A Family Service Coordinator To Improve Early Intervention Outcome, Ashlee Fincher

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Family-centered practices are a foundational part of Part C Early Intervention programs and are meant to enhance developmental outcomes for children with disabilities or delays, while supporting their families. This study examines how Family Service Coordinators (FSCs) can refine and enhance the implementation of these practices, focusing on culturally responsive approaches, building trust, and fostering family empowerment through capacity-building strategies. Using surveys and interviews, data were collected from FSCs and some of the families they serve in a Western state-wide Part C program to explore current strategies, challenges, and family perceptions. Findings revealed that while FSCs demonstrated confidence in implementing …

Impacts Of Whole Class Interventions On Student Outcomes, Katie Pedersen

Master's Theses & Capstone Projects

Classrooms around the country are shifting to become more inclusive. Teachers are faced with the challenge of meeting the needs of various student ability levels. It is imperative for teachers to maximize their instructional time to provide students with an elevated level of instruction that meets their needs. This inquiry-based study aims to determine the effectiveness of adding a whole class intervention to meet the needs of both target and non-target students. After a review of the literature the researcher surmised that adding a whole class intervention can positively impact both academic and behavioral/social emotional outcomes. The literature also suggests …

Vitals, Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

English

11x17 page

Hospital Staff, Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

English

two-pages

Feelings And Emotions, Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

English

single-page

Going Back To School, Your Very Favorite, Children's Health

English

11x17 page

Health Matters! Coloring And Activity Book (80-Pages), Your Very Favorite, Children's Health, Lorraine Sheldon, May Bressler

English

Health Matters! is a English-language health literacy resource designed for pediatric patients and their families. Written at an approximately 6th-grade reading level, it supports patient education through engaging coloring and activity pages.

The content covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, including body systems, nutrition, mental wellness, patient safety, and social-emotional skills such as building friendships and navigating conversations when returning to school. Developed for use in both hospital settings and the broader community, the resource promotes learning through interactive, age-appropriate activities.

This printable PDF version contains the complete collection of activities and comprises 80 pages. The resource …

Student Resources And Retention Among Transgender And Nonbinary College Students, Miriam Liss, Talyn Derflinger, Laura Wilson

Psychological Science Articles

Transgender and nonbinary (TNB) college students are more likely to drop out of college than their cisgender peers. While robust previous literature has focused on individually experienced stressors, this paper looks at the structural supports offered by the institution. One hundred and fifty-four TNB college students were asked about the resources available on their campuses, their sense of safety on campus, and whether they intended to drop out of college. Campus resources and supports were associated with a greater sense of safety, and in turn, less of a desire to drop out of college. Some resources such as a nondiscrimination …

Fall 2024 Degree Summary, Systems Intelligence And Data Analytics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Enrollment Reports

No abstract provided.

Utilizing A Virtual Firewall Appliance For Introducing And Reinforcing The Concepts And Implementation Of Devices To Improve Security In A Computing Environment, Stanley Mierzwa, Christopher Eng

Center for Cybersecurity

The educational realm of higher education cybersecurity curriculum continues to evolve to provide more opportunities for experiential hands-on and work role-related practical applications of technology solutions. Gaining more excellent competencies is quickly becoming a standard requirement for programs with the National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence designation. The work roles of cybersecurity include a variety of knowledge, skills, and abilities, depending on the activity category or task. Firewalls have been a staple cybersecurity, network security, and information security device and strategy to protect organization networks and computing environments. This paper will provide details and a description of the effort …

Science Education News, Fall 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Science Education Program.

Science Education News

Contents:

--- A Message from the Director
--- Faculty Profile: Kyle Gray
--- MA Science Education
--- Student Profiles: Emma Bopp, Wyatt Heideman, Jim Duff
--- Yager Science Education Resources & Outreach
--- Science Education Happenings
--- 2024-2025 Events
--- Alumni Info Request
--- Support UNI Science Education