Education Commons^™

Identifying Teacher And Parental Communication Methods That Could Impact Elementary School Educational Outcomes, Erin Kathleen Hughes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Developing and sustaining positive partnerships between parents and educators is a collaborative process whose primary focus should be directed towards student achievement. Due to ongoing educational reform, more researchers and practitioners are concerned about the quality of communication between parents and teachers. The importance of this issue should be addressed to provide an understanding between schools and parents of the impact that communication can pose on student outcomes. The purpose of this applied study was to identify teacher and parental communication methods that could impact educational outcomes at Bayou Elementary School (pseudonym) in northwest Louisiana. This study implemented a multimethod …

An Analysis Of Opinions About Special Education Inclusion Among Virginia Elementary And Middle School Administrators, Pattye Keeling Leslie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Past research has shown a relationship between individuals’ attitudes and their intentions to act. The attitudes of principals and assistant principals can impact the implementation of inclusion in the public school setting. This predictive correlational study used multiple regression to analyze the linear relationship between the opinions about inclusion and the factors of administrative assignment, school level, administrative experience, special education endorsement, gender, percentage of minority students served, percentage of students served identified as economically disadvantaged, and percentage of students served identified with a disability. The sample included 104 elementary and middle school principals and assistant principals representing 26 Virginia …

A Comparative Study Of Novice And Experienced Teachers' Self-Efficacy Toward Technology Integration And Level Of Technology Integration In The Classroom, Tonya Renee Coffey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigated novice and experienced teachers’ self-efficacy toward technology integration and level of technology integration in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference between novice and experienced teachers’ self-efficacy toward technology integration and technology integration. A quantitative, nonexperimental casual-comparative study was performed. The sample included a convenience sample of 100 K- 12 teachers in two rural Virginia school districts. The teachers were surveyed in January 2021 using the Teachers’ Integration of Self-Efficacy Scale (TISS) and the Teacher Technology Integration Survey (TTIS). The data was analyzed using a t-test. The t-test analysis …

Title Ix And The College Employee: A Phenomenological Study, Jessica Jean Necessary

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand employee perceptions of Title IX through participants’ lived experiences at Small Public College. The transcendental phenomenological design for this study was be grounded in the phenomenological approach of Moustakas (1994) as it enables the researcher to investigate the lived experiences of participants related to a central phenomenon. The central research question guiding the study was what are the employee perceptions of Title IX at Small Public College? The study utilized three instruments: interviews, focus group, and document analysis. Fifteen participants were interviewed. Six participants were in the focus group. Data …

Preventing Needle Stick Injuries: A Quality Improvement Project, Adrianna Kerns, Emilea Pitts, Grace Richman, Katie Rawlings, Megan Riley, Mary Suzanne White

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Poster Presentations

"Needlestick injuries (NSI) affect approximately 1,000 people per day across U.S. hospitals. Needlestick injuries cost an estimated $3,042 per victim annually, according to the report. The costs go toward laboratory fees for testing exposed employees, associated labor and counseling and post-exposure follow-ups." (Beckner's Clinical Leadership & Infection Control, 2020). It was noted at an urban teaching hospital that needlestick injuries are an issue. Researchers believe this number is an underestimate of the actual amount of needle stick injuries. The purpose is to increase the education of staff nurses on the topic of needle stick injuries. We thoroughly reviewed 56 studies …

Cultivating Gratitude And Learning: Virtual Agriculture Education For Elementary School Students, Heather Smith, Joy Gritton

2021 Celebration of Student Scholarship - Oral Presentations

In a time when the majority of young children know more about a computer than agriculture, this project brings agriculture to them in a unique way. This presentation introduces a program that aims to connect elementary students with the vast agriculture industry in the digital age using appropriate technology. The project consists of teaching children in Eastern Kentucky and beyond about agriculture and land use through the virtual dissemination of relevant stories, facts, and activities. In this way children can learn how agriculture is vital to their everyday life. Featured topics include horticulture crops, agronomic crops, livestock, and the history …

Pandemic Pandemonium Project, Reiko Kataoka

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

Pandemic Pandemonium Composition, Thomas Langan

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

Life In Quarantine Poem, Oluchi Nwokocha

All Assignment Prompts

No abstract provided.

The Case For Culturally Affirming Systems Of Education: Exploring How Professional Development Impacts Culturally Relevant And Critical Literacy Teaching Practices, Carey Seeley Dzierzak

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This case study based on a qualitative paradigm utilized grounded theory to analyze teacher interviews, focus groups and elite interviews focused on culturally relevant and critical literacy practices. This case study focuses on a small group of teachers and facilitators in a large urban school district in Minnesota. This dissertation focused on the impact of culturally relevant and critical literacy professional development on teachers' mindsets and practices. The theoretical concepts that emerged from this case study are the importance of culturally affirming systems. The data collected from this project support the need for creating culturally affirming classrooms, diverse literature, and …

Digital Device Use In Urban Elementary Physical Education Classrooms: Viewpoints, Eric Kaluza

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Elementary physical education teachers and the use of digital devices in their classrooms are evolving. From simple step counters to Apple Watches to track the movement and skills of students, the digital tools available for physical education teachers are more prominent than ever before. This case study looked at how urban elementary physical education teachers use digital devices in their classroom, pre-covid-19, and during covid 19. In an upper-Midwestern setting, this research used a qualitative case study to find examples of digital device usage by urban elementary physical educators from one school district. Data collection methods included an online survey, …

Mitigating Climate Change: Understanding How Teachers Integrate Social Justice Themes In Environmental Education, Gregory Simons,

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is an increasingly severe global issue with devastating repercussions for marginalized, poor, and vulnerable people. As a result, environmental education has evolved over the years to build upon outdoor nature study and ecological concepts to incorporate fundamental principles of social and environmental justices while addressing climate change. This qualitative research study employed both an online survey and semi-structured interviews to address two research questions grounded in the environmental justice movement to determine how social justice intersects with pressing global issues commonly found in environmental science curriculum. First, how do environmental science educators integrate social justice themes in their …

The Work-Life Balance Of A Single Mother And Secondary School Principal, Amy Cochran

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

As more women enter the workforce and move into leadership positions, understanding the conflicts between balancing work and family life is essential. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to focus on the lived experiences of single mother, secondary school principals and how they face the challenges of balancing work and family. Through semi-structured interviews, the study focused on four single mother secondary school principals. It aimed to answer the research question: What are the internal and external drivers of effective single-parent female secondary school principals that allow them to face the challenges of balancing work and family? The …

Yo Soy Mi Idioma: Latinx Bilinguals’ Journeys To Two-Way Immersion Education, José Becerra-Cárdenas

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how the lived experiences of Latinx bilingual teachers influenced their path toward two-way immersion (TWI) programs and informed the development of their beliefs about education. This research was designed as a qualitative multiple case study, with triangulated data points including surveys, dialogues, and journals. The results were analyzed using pattern matching and cross-case analysis. Underpinned by Critical Race Theory (CRT), both LatCrit and Counter-Storytelling were utilized to add dimension to the Latinx experience, which not only takes into consideration experiences of migration, immigration status, language, and ethnic identities, but also rejects the notion that there is a …

Need Not Apply: A Systematic Literature Review Re-Evaluating English Prestige And Its Retribution On Foreign English Language Leaders And Their Learners’ Identity, Jessica Ibarra-Gambrill

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This comprehensive literature review aims to progress the dialogue on the influence of English prestige in the ESL field related to hiring practices, pedagogical practices, and consideration for how it impacts learner success. Traditional interpretations of cultural capital from Bourdieuean theory form a deficit view of Communities of Color with an extension to immigrant families and those for whom English is not the first language. Further to that, Bourdieu's concept of linguistic capital measures against the knowledge of the ability to speak the official language. The English language has served as a gatekeeper worldwide as the demand for English language …

Analyzing Perspectives With Relevant Grade-Level Texts To Improve Engagement In A Rural Fifth-Grade Classroom, Micah Peters

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to improve engagement in a rural classroom by analyzing perspectives in relevant texts using a literature circle format. The literature reviewed in this study was centered on adolescent literacy, engagement, critical literacy, relevant texts, and literature circles.The study was conducted over an eight-week period with a small group of fifth-grade students; they selected their own text and read it together while utilizing a traditional literature circle format. The unique literature circle roles were designed to promote analysis of perspectives, critical literacy practices, and basic comprehension strategies. This mixed-methods case study utilized primary data from …

Evaluating The Cultural Responsiveness Of Language, Strategies And Visuals In Social Emotional Curriculum, Julia Pedersen

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

This content analysis examines two kindergarten-sixth grade Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculums; Second Step and Caring School Community through a Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) framework. SEL and CRT are often thought of as two distinct domains in education, however this analysis explores their interdependence on one another. Grounded in research on social emotional intelligence, curricular design and culturally sustaining pedagogy, this study developed an evaluation framework that the researcher used to systematically review the curricular activities, strategies, language and visuals. Findings include multiple culturally responsive trends within each curriculum, as well as shortcomings which include a lack of representation of …

Connecting At-Risk Youth To Place: Using Restorative Practices To Improve Learner Awareness Of Local Climate Change, Ariel Johnson

School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Educational practices of restorative practices and outdoor education have often been implemented as two separate entities despite both having similar goals of building relationships while providing a sense of belonging and empowerment for the individual. Restorative practices originated in the justice system and are being increasingly used with at-risk youth in an effort to help the individual heal and rebuild relationships with community and self as a preventative approach to addressing the school-to-prison pipeline. Outdoor education is often conducted through place-based and inquiry-based learning, which uses hands-on experiences to promote increased learner awareness of environmental concerns, such as climate change …

Compassion Fatigue In Students Completing Fieldwork, Darcy Walker

Honors Projects

This project was completed for students who are entering or actively completing fieldwork in the helping professions. It includes a pamphlet, annotated bibliography, and reflective essay. The pamphlet includes information on the signs of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue, as well as ways to prevent and combat them. The annotated bibliography summarizes and analyzes the importance of the sources used to complete the pamphlet. The reflective essay is an honest account of the author's own struggles with secondary traumatic stress and burnout, and the process of combating them while simultaneously completing this project.

Strategic Use Of Innovation In High Research Universities: Mission-Driven Or Mission Drift? A Comparative Review Of The Top 100 International Universities Recognized For Innovation, Kate Montgomery

Education Policy and Leadership Theses and Dissertations

This research supports some of the mounting pressures higher education practitioners face in approaching innovation strategically while recognizing the mission-driven needs of the institution. Two research questions were examined. First, how do highly innovative universities communicate traditional missions and innovation in their mission statements? Second, to what extent do innovation strategies align as stated in their strategic plans with their mission statements? This research was grounded in institutional theory given the breadth of literature linking this theory to institutional rhetoric such as mission statements. In addition, the theory provided relevancy to assessing the debate over legitimizing tendencies, such as symbolism …

Influence Of Learner Motivational Dispositions On Mooc Completion, Robert L. Moore, Chuang Wang

STEMPS Faculty Publications

This study examined the role motivational dispositions had on completing a massive open online course (MOOC) using identifiable data from 10,726 students who enrolled in an iteration of the HarvardX MOOC, Super Earths and Life. As part of the course registration process, learners had the option to complete a pre-course survey and self-report information including their level of education, gender and registration motivations. Using these pre-course survey responses, latent profiles linked to learners’ course performance were created. Results showed education background, gender, and motivation were all significantly related to students’ performance. Furthermore, students with intrinsic motivational dispositions performed better than …

Bishop Healy Committee E-Newsletter (Spring 2021), Bishop Healy Committee, College Of The Holy Cross

Bishop Healy Committee Newsletter

This e-publication is the newsletter for Holy Cross ALANA alumni created by the Bishop Healy Committee of the Holy Cross Alumni Association (HCAA). Read student testimonials and alumni highlights, learn how to get involved through volunteering and mentorship, and stay up to date on campus news and events.

Featured articles include the proposal for the formation of a Dept. of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, a profile of the new Vice President for Enrollment Management, upcoming events sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Education and the Office of Alumni Relations, and a student and alumni highlight.

'The Big Guy' Participates In Apex Career Speaker Series, Georgia Southern University

Athletics: News & Publications

• 'The Big Guy' Participates in APEX Career Speaker Series

The Benko Briefing, Georgia Southern University

Athletics: News & Publications

• The Benko Briefing

Emeriti News Spring 2021, Emeriti Council

Emeriti News

• Message from the Chair: Gary Lawson
• Council Transitions in 2020
• Scholarship Programs
• Council Merit Scholars
• Coming Wednesday II Events
• In Remembrance
• Final Notes ...

Columns Spring 2021, Southern Adventist University

Alumni Newsletter

Features the article "Giving Their All". Danae (Bland) Netteburg, ’02, MD, and her husband, Olen—also a medical doctor—have never made it their goal to earn praise or set records. Instead, dedicated to following God’s path for their lives, they have an internal drive to give their all, no matter if they are serving in the mission field or hiking the Appalachian Trail. Other articles discuss Southern student's outdoor adventures and the legacy of Dr. David Smith.

Evaluating Alumni Perceptions Of Reciprocity With Their Alma Mater, Courtney Geurink

Masters Projects

A reciprocal relationship is based on a mutual exchange of goods, services, and support. Within the work of an alumni relations office, building and facilitating reciprocity between alumni and their alma mater summarizes the work. However, stereotypically, the relationship an alumnus/alumna has with their alma mater would not be described as reciprocal. Rather, it may be seen as single-sided, the university constantly asking alumni for their time, talent, and treasure. Thus, this qualitative, exploratory study utilized alumni interviews to determine the perception alumni have of their relationship with their alma mater. The study results suggest alumni do perceive their relationship …

Is This Seat Taken? African American Male Perceptions Of Ascension In The Federal Office Of Inspectors General Community, Donrich L. Young

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The federal law enforcement community is one that should be diverse and reflect society as a whole. Traditionally, federal law enforcement, and specifically the Office of Inspectors General (OIG) Community, has been occupied by White males at all levels. This qualitative exploratory case study examined the perceptions and lived experiences of eight African American males currently employed in or recently retired from the federal OIG community. The research findings resulted in the emergence of three themes: (1) mentorship, (2) treatment and opportunities, and (3) underrepresentation. The implications and recommendations which evolved from this research study may contribute to the development …

Professional Advisor Practices For Student Identity Development, Brittany Potter

All Theses And Dissertations

Due to COVID-19, the state of higher education has been transformed, including the way student services like advising are offered on college campuses. More importantly, current literature on Generation Z students articulated that they need advisors who will build trust by implementing practices that go beyond prescriptive approaches. Therefore, it was imperative that this research examined how current undergraduate professional advisors work with Generation Z students and the practices that they use. Previous advising literature indicates there is a lack of scholarship surrounding the practices of professional advisors. With little information on professional advising practices and approaches, higher education leaders …

Dual Enrollment Programs: Advising Policies And Practices For High School Students In Post-Secondary Institutions, Devin V. Cribb

All Theses And Dissertations

This study focused on the role of academic advising within dual enrollment programs, those programs that allow secondary students to enroll in college credit bearing courses while still in high school. Research questions were as follows: (1) What advising policies and practices are in place for those that advise high school students at post-secondary institutions that host dual enrollment programs? (2) How do those that manage and advise dual enrollment students perceive these policies and how their job roles and responsibilities relate to these policies? (3) How do those that manage and advise dual enrollment students enact current policies to …