Education Commons^™

The 4c’S Of Pal – An Evidence-Based Model For Implementing Peer Assisted Learning For Mature Students, Nevan Bermingham, Frances Boylan, Barry J. Ryan

Articles

Peer Assisted Leaning (PAL) programmes have been shown to enhance learner confidence and have an overall positive effect on learner comprehension, particularly in subjects traditionally perceived as difficult. This research describes the findings of a three-cycle Action Research study into the perceived benefits of implementing such a programme for mature students enrolled on a computer science programming module on an Access Foundation Programme in an Irish University. The findings from this study suggest that peer learning programmes offer students a valued support structure that aids transition and acculturation into tertiary education whilst simultaneously improving their subject-matter comprehension and confidence. An …

Carving Out Space: Black Feminist Theory, Morgan Barnes-Whitehead

History - Master of Arts in Teaching

I. Synthesis Essay………………………………..3

II. Primary Documents and Headnotes………..18

III. Textbook Critique……………………………..29

IV. New Textbook Entry…………………………..34

V. Bibliography………………………………….....35

Relationship Between Participation In A Dual Enrollment Program, Students’ Race And Socioeconomic Status And Their Retention And Graduation, Nicholas Urquhart

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As of 2019, all 50 states have an official dual enrollment policy or program that allows high school students to enroll in college to earn both high school and college credits. Dual enrollment programs have been around since 1990, and much of the research has shown a positive relationship between dual enrollment participation, college retention, and graduating; however, research is limited on college retention beyond the first year and graduation. Access to dual enrollment programs is limited for minoritized and low-income students. This study utilized archival data from the University System of Georgia in an ex post facto research design …

Role Expansion Of School Social Workers: An Educational Paradigm Shift, Sara Murrell

DSW Capstone Projects

This capstone product includes three written documents. The purpose of this work was to discover and justify the role expansion of school social workers into school leaders. The first, a systematic literature review examining the roles of school social workers. This document will review the current literature describing which school social work roles promote school social workers as school leaders, and which roles act as barriers for school social workers to become school leaders. The second document is a conceptual paper. This document identifies the need for a paradigm shift in education towards a whole child perspective. This document looks …

Counterstories Of High School Black Males And Their Experiences Of The Mainstream Curricula, Kayla Turner

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the experiences Black males have with the current high school curricula. Theoretically drawing on critical race theory (Bell, 1992; Delgado, 1995; Dixson & Rousseau, 2006; Ladson-Billings, 2009; Solórzano & Yosso, 2001, 2004), I explore how high school Black males’ suggestions and ideas can be used to shift the current curricula to a curricula that is more culturally sustaining. I challenge deficit research on Black male learners by focusing on the educational successes of Black males. Methodologically, I utilize counterstorytelling (Delgado, 2017; Solórzano & Yosso, 2002) to illustrate the experiences of three academically successful high school …

Meeting The Demands Of Elementary Black Students With Special Needs: Warm Demanders - A Culturally Responsive/Relevant/Sustaining Pedagogy, Deanna Hunt

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This is an inquiry into the counterstories of two Black special education teachers teaching Black elementary students with special needs in Georgia. Theoretically building upon culturally responsive (Gay, 2000/2010, 2002), relevant (Ladson-Billings, 1994/2009, 2014), and sustaining (Paris, 2012; Paris & Alim 2017) pedagogy; warm demanders (Kleinfeld, 1989; also Irvine & Fraser, 1998); and Disability Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) (e.g., Annamma, Connor, & Ferri, 2013, 2018; Baglieri, 2016), I examine the challenges of intersectionality on Black students with special needs. I also explore the use of warm demanders as a teacher strategy for supporting the learning of Black students with special …

College Students’ Self-Regulation In Asynchronous Online Courses During Covid-19: A Convergent Mixed Methods Approach, Jaeyun Han

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

The purpose of this dissertation study was to use a convergent mixed methods approach to understand college students’ self-regulation in asynchronous online courses in Fall 2020. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, asynchronous online modalities have been more broadly utilized in higher education. Although undergraduate students can have greater flexibility in how they engage with their courses, students may regulate their learning differently when facing a web-based instructional modality, which may affect their academic performance. According to Bandura’s social cognitive theory, students’ beliefs in their self-regulatory capabilities are interdependent with self-regulatory behaviors. In particular, academic procrastination has been often …

The Impact Of Pbis Instructional Strategies On Student Engagement, Kathy Hughes-Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSchool districts across the United States are using multiple systems to improve teacher instruction and student engagement. The problem at a middle school in North Texas is that it is unknown how middle school teachers are using Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to engage students. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how sixth-grade teachers are using PBIS instructional strategies to engage students, as well as sixth-grade teachers’ perceptions of PBIS for engaging students in the classroom. PBIS, along with Watson’s behavioral theory and Vygotsky’s cognitive development theory, served as the conceptional framework for this study. …

Lived Experiences Of Elementary School Principals In Dubai, Lama Jbara

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited research exists about leadership styles and influences of elementary private school principals in Dubai, who identify as transformational leaders. Insights from this study can inform further research into school leadership in the Arab world, as well as how best to share leadership experiences among elementary private school principals Dubai. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the lived experiences of self-reported transformational leaders in elementary private schools in Dubai. The conceptual framework for this research was transformational leadership. The research question addressed in this study is: How do elementary private school principals in Dubai describe their lived …

International Teachers’ Perceptions Of Mandated Curriculum And Instructional Practices, Jasmine Audrey Matterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInternational teachers who arrive in the United States from developing countries often experience challenges adjusting to the U.S. classroom environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of international middle and high school teachers at a rural school district in the southern United States on the challenges that they face with adjusting to mandated curriculum and instructional practices that may influence classroom management and effective instruction for student achievement. The conceptual framework for the study was self-determination theory which indicates that when individuals have autonomy, relatedness, and competence, they will perform at their highest level …

Early Childhood Educators’ Perspectives On Executive Function Of Children In Poverty, Randi Dezaray Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 20% of children living in the United States are growing up in poverty. Children experiencing poverty, especially during early childhood, are more vulnerable to the negative effects of socioeconomic disadvantage, such as difficulties in cognitive development, social-emotional growth, and educational outcomes. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand prekindergarten and kindergarten teacher perspectives on their ability and self-efficacy in supporting children living in high poverty areas who demonstrate poor executive function. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy. Data were collected through interviews with 11 prekindergarten and kindergarten teachers working in Title …

Investigating Why Alternatively Prepared Special Educators Frequently Depart The Classroom, Lorraine Renee Philyaw

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA quarter of special education teachers who have been trained through an alternative teacher preparation program have left assigned classrooms throughout the United States after 1 year, and almost half have left within 5 years. However, little is known regarding why special educators, alternatively prepared for the classroom, leave the classroom after 2-5 years of classroom experience. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand why special education teachers enter school districts through alternative teacher certification programs but exit the classroom. The conceptual framework for this study was in the societal theory attributed to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. …

Tech-Savvy Educators’ Perceptions Of Using Smartphones For Self-Directed Professional Development, Matinga E. Ragatz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The proliferation of the smartphone has encouraged educators, particularly the tech savvy, to seek personalized learning options in lieu of the absence of individualized professional development (PD) offerings provided by their academic institutions that are not based on short-term whole group instruction. Although smartphone use has attracted the attention of researchers, not much has been examined about how educators use the device to enhance their learning. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the perceptions of tech-savvy educators regarding smartphone use for informal self-directed PD. The conceptual framework of the study was the 3 x 3 model …

Early Childhood Directors’ Perspectives Regarding Barriers To Childcare Quality Improvement, Charlotte Richards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood childcare program directors face barriers that impede program quality, but there is a lack of research exploring these barriers. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore perspectives of early childhood childcare center directors regarding barriers they encounter as they attempt to implement quality improvements to rate at the highest, 3-star level in the state quality rating and improvement system (QRIS). This study was grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, which notes the influence of environmental systems on the development of young children. The research question explored the perspectives of early childhood childcare center directors’ regarding …

Blended Elearning Tools And Upper Elementary Reading Achievement, Angela Dawn Tester-Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Though researchers have demonstrated that adaptive practice software is an effective tool to use with primary grade students, they have not fully established the impact blended eLearning tools have on upper elementary students in a suburban school setting. The problem facing one southeastern state district was that their schools had selected different approaches to address declining reading scores, but the district had no systematic analysis of the chosen blended eLearning tools to determine an improvement in reading growth scores among all students. The purpose of this comparative quantitative project study was to determine the influence different blended eLearning tools, Reading …

Educational Community Leaders’ Support Of African American Students In Low-Performing Schools, Malishai Lynnette Woodbury

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational community leaders struggle to be involved with the educational processes in schools; their involvement has the potential to improve proficiency among African American students in low-performing school. This basic qualitative project study was conducted to investigate how educational community leaders perceive their involvement with the educational process at the study site. The conceptual framework was Epstein’s school–family–community partnership model. The research was conducted to determine how educational community leaders perceive their involvement with the educational process of low-performing schools to support the academic growth of African American students. Purposeful sampling was used to select 10 community leaders who were …

Principal Perspectives On The Dual Roles Of Manager And Instructional Leader, Cynthia Celeste Chairez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe responsibilities of school principals in the United States have shifted to include instructional leadership in addition to the management of facilities and people. Principals at all levels can find it challenging to balance their administrative and instructional leadership roles. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand principals’ perceptions of their dual roles as managers and instructional leaders, including how they set priorities. Instructional management theory and instructional organization framework informed the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 principals from one district in the southern United States; participants had at least 2 years in their roles. …

Parent Perceptions Of School Engagement Using Communication Apps To Support Struggling Readers, Elizabeth Anne Dewhurst

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBecause parental engagement has been shown to have a positive relationship with K-12 student academic achievement, the problem for this study was that though information and communication technology applications (ICT apps) are available to engage parents with teachers and schools, it was unclear whether parents are aware of and use them. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore if parents of struggling readers in a Title I middle school were aware of school-parent communication apps, and if they perceived them as useful for partnering with schools to improve student academic success. Connectivism was the conceptual framework for the …

Elementary Teacher Experiences Regarding Use Of Technology In The Western Pacific Islands, Lynn Ordonez Mendiola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the Western Pacific Islands School District (WPISD), technology standards were last developed and adopted in 2008. These standards have not been revisited or revised. The problem is that teachers are expected to use the latest educational technology, but technology standards are not current for preparing students for the 21st century workforce. The purpose of this basic qualitative inquiry was to explore how elementary teachers use current classroom technologies to address 21st century skills as mandated by the WPISD, despite having outdated technology standards. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework guided the study in order to integrate pedagogy, content, …

Links Between Screen Tim, Montessori Preschool Exposure, And Working Memory, Paula Lyn Larsen Mamani

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A high-quality, foundational education offers lifelong benefits for young children. The problem is that working memory in pre-school-aged children is declining and could be impaired by the extraneous cognitive load imposed during engagement with screen media apps and/or preschool programs. Although the pedagogical practices associated with Montessori preschool programs have been found supportive of cognitive load germane to learning and improved working memory, they have not been fully considered in relation to preschoolers' screen media use. The cognitive load created by screen media apps could affect their usefulness as learning tools. The purpose of this quantitative study was to discover …

Title I Middle School Teacher And Principal Perspectives On Inquiry-Based Science Instruction, Kirsten R. King

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Title I middle schools face challenges delivering effective inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore Title I middle school teacher and principal perspectives on and experiences with the challenges of delivering inquiry-based science instruction within the framework of Title I requirements. Dewey’s theories of experiential learning and Vygotsky’s theory of sociocultural constructivism provided the conceptual framework for this study. The research questions focused on teacher and principal experiences with inquiry-based science instruction and the impact Title I school policies and practices had on the delivery of inquiry-based …

Servant Leadership On Burnout Among Physicians In Residency Training, Karen Grant-Hewitt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physicians in residency training (PIRTs) in the United States are facing extreme burnout. The prevalence of burnout among physicians in residency training may cause adverse consequences such as medical malfeasance, alcoholism, or suicide due to physical and mental exhaustion. The purpose of this study was to analyze the servant leadership style of physician trainers and burnout among PIRTs in academic medical centers in the United States to ultimately increase wellness and thereby mitigate burnout. Servant leadership was the theoretical foundation for this study. This research investigated whether servant leadership characteristics of physician trainers played a statistically significant role in burnout …

Early Hearing Screening Policy And Deaf Children’S Language Acquisition, Marla Hatrak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (EHDI) guarantees medical and communication interventions for deaf children and audiological, medical, and language intervention data collection. However, the policy and its implementation have not been analyzed in regard to policy goal attainment of deaf children’s language acquisition. A qualitative case study was conducted to analyze seven federal- and state-level early hearing screening policy websites and implementation and intermediary documents to assess the federal and state policy formation and implementation of EHDI. In addition to the document assessment, data were collected from interviews to obtain the perspectives of two early childhood educational …

College Students’ Perceptions Regarding High School Influences On Academic Buoyancy, Jeremy Travis Irwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed by this study is the lack of student input in the development of resources to support academic buoyancy, leading to a gap in educational practices. Academic buoyancy is the ability to successfully deal with academic setbacks and challenges that are typical of the ordinary course of school life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of recent high school students regarding the common academic setbacks and challenges they experienced in high school and how high schools could support students experiencing these challenges. Research questions examined participants’ perspective of the common academic setbacks and challenges …

Second- And Third-Grade Educators’ Perspectives On Technology Integration And Implementation In Early Childhood Literacy Classrooms, Renee Kenny

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have indicated that educators integrate technology based on their perspectives. Despite the increased expectation for educators to integrate technology into the daily academic environment, there has not been a significant improvement in outcomes in the critical area of literacy. In this basic qualitative study, the research questions were designed to explore second- and third-grade educators’ perspectives on the challenges they face when integrating technology and how technology implementation influences literacy outcomes. A total of eight purposefully selected participants, educators who had taught second or third grade within the last 3 years with 2 to 3 years of experience teaching …

Rural Title I School Teachers' And Parents' Perspectives On Parent Involvement At Home During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Delceina Anita Layne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractParent involvement has a positive influence on academic performance of students. However, the level and experiences of parent involvement in rural Title I schools serving kindergarten through third (K-3) grade students during the COVID-19 pandemic was unknown. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ and parents’ perspectives on parent involvement in the home during the COVID-19 pandemic for two rural Title I schools serving K-3 students in the southern United States. Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory of human development and two of Epstein's six types of parent involvement (communication, learning at home) framed this study. …

African American Or Black Nurses’ Perceptions Of Incivility In Nursing Education, Selena M. Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Incivility in nursing education can affect morale, adversely affect patient care, or cause nurses to leave the profession. Bullying, rude comments, and disruptive behaviors are all examples of incivility. These may be perceived as lower in schools like Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), where students share the same or similar racial or ethnic background. The purpose of this study was to determine if the perceived levels of incivility experienced in nursing school differ between African American or Black nurses who attended HBCUs and African American or Black nurses who attended non-HBCUs, where the population of nursing students may have …

Urban School Board Members’ Perceptions Of Their Roles In Improving Student Achievement, Jacinto Arturo Ramos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem explored in this study was that the state education agency recommended school board members of low-performing school districts participate in a governance training called student outcomes governance to address student achievement, yet no data suggested the training changed school board members’ understanding of how to create policies advancing student achievement. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how urban school board members perceive their roles in improving student achievement using the new model. General board theory and the theory of adaptive leadership informed this study. Six school board members who had completed the student outcomes …

Black Female Students’ Perspectives And Experiences With School Resource Officers, Kimberly M. Redding

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black female students are disciplined disproportionately compared to other female students in the Georgia public school system. Negative interactions with school resource officers (SROs) may leave Black female students feeling unsafe at school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore seven Black female students’ perceptions and interpretations of their experiences with SROs in the school setting in the state of Georgia. Purposive sampling strategy was used to solicit Black female students ages 18 to 22; interviews were conducted via Zoom. Labeling theory and the theory of self-fulfilling prophecy provided the framework for explaining how Black female students …

Built Environment And Well-Being Of Stem Women Employed In The Petroleum Sector, Natalie Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Male-dominated occupations have received increased attention concerning the environmental health and retention of its specialized workforce. Research studies on the impact of the environment suggest that ecological and infrastructure conditions of the workplace affect the psychological health and physical well-being of employees across both public and private industries. Presently, in the context of the oil and gas and engineering field, there is a literature gap in exploring whether workplace conditions or adverse circumstances in male-dominated built environments negatively affect the psychological well-being and retention of women employed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) occupations. For the current qualitative study, …