Adult and Continuing Education Commons^™

Black And White Student Adaptability To College At A Predominately White Historically Black University: A Single Institution Examination Of West Virginia State University, Christopher D. Jackson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

With respect to studies examining Black students at predominately White historically Black colleges or universities (HBCU), very little data exists; therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the specific benefits to Black and White students attending an HBCU (i.e., academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, and attachment to the institution) also accrue to those students whose HBCU is predominantly White. When comparing Black and White students, no research has been conducted on whether the benefits of attending an HBCU, for Black or White students, also accrue if the HBCU’s student population is majority White. …

Advisor Perceptions Of Technology In Academic Advising Practices In West Virginia Educator Preparation Programs, Kandice Kaye Rowe

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this research was to gain, from the academic advisor’s perspective, an understanding of what technologies are being used in advising practices, the effectiveness of these technologies, and advisors’ perceptions of quality advising set forth by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. A qualitative phenomenological approach was utilized to connect academic advisors’ perceptions of the usage of technology while participating in the advising experiences. Through a combination of purposeful and snowballing sampling techniques, academic advisors from fourteen educator preparation programs in West Virginia were chosen to participate in this study. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were …

Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students’ Perspectives On Leadership Development In The Context Of The Proposed Leadership Competencies Framework For Physical Therapists, Laura Stephens

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Leadership is an emerging field in physical therapy professional research. Research efforts have concentrated on identifying the most desirable leadership skills and behaviors for practicing physical therapists, or on curricular interventions implemented in specific educational programs. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological design to investigate the perspectives of 21 current and former student leaders from Marshall University School of Physical Therapy, specifically investigating the scope and effectiveness of available opportunities in developing leadership skills and behaviors. Participants were also probed regarding their motivation for pursuing pre-professional leadership development opportunities. Findings from this study suggest the available opportunities are effective to …

Student Perspectives On The Presence And Usefulness Of Navigational Course Elements In Distance Education Courses, Christopher Joseph Sochor

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The Quality Matters Standards for Course Design (2018) rubric is a course development rubric for online courses in higher education. General Standard 1 provides a list of specific review standards that are integral in the development of courses, including course expectations, course structure, learning guidance, communication expectations, technology skill requirements, criteria for student assessment, and overall course organization. Student feedback is necessary in order to determine whether students view elements of the course overview and introduction as present in their courses, and whether those elements are useful for the successful completion of their online course. This research utilized a mixed-methods …

A Phenomenological Study On Increasing The Number Of Student Veterans In Graduate And Postgraduate Degree Programs At A Comprehensive Mid-Sized Regional University, Scott R. Allen

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined how a comprehensive mid-sized regional university can attract, retain and graduate more graduate and postgraduate student veterans. This study was framed by a grand tour question, three research questions, and several sub-tiered questions. Data collected from interviews with student veterans pursuing graduate and postgraduate degrees after receiving a baccalaureate are examined. The experiences noted and documented in this study show that the motivation for student veterans to pursue graduate and doctoral degrees is based primarily on data gleaned from personal interviews and data collected from those interviews. The participants stated that the availability of veteran educational …

The Effect Of District Level Strategic Planning On College Readiness As Measured By Act Achievement, Carrie Ballinger

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a statistically significant difference between the ACT scores of students who were enrolled in Kentucky public school districts that completed a district wide strategic planning process during the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018- 2019 or 2019-2020 school years and the ACT scores of students who were enrolled Kentucky public school districts that did not complete a district wide strategic planning process over the same time period. A survey was given to determine which school districts had implemented a strategic plan during the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 or 2019-2020-time frame. For each …

Housewives To Heroines: Continuing Education For Women At The University Of Kentucky, 1964-1988, Allison L. Elliott

Theses and Dissertations--Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation

Beginning in the early 1960s, the movement for the continuing education for women (CEW) brought together a seemingly unlikely alliance of American activists, educators, philanthropists, and government agencies. Fueled by philanthropic funds, accelerated by the quest for “womanpower” to bolster national defense, and aligned with regional workforce needs as well as the personal goals of individual women, CEW programs pioneered new models of academic advising and student support that continue to influence higher education practitioners today. By studying the experiences of both administrators and students involved with CEW at the University of Kentucky, this study sheds light on how one …

Reconsidering The Call To Teach: K-12 Teacher Responses To Schools’ Addressing A Global Health Disruption, Dejuanna Parker

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

This qualitative study explored K-12 teacher experiences with school responses to the pandemic that prompted instructors to reconsider the call to teach. Two theories provided a lens through which to view the problem. The Theory of Purpose was applied to analyzing instructors’ original decision to teach. Fortigenesis Theory undergirded the exploration of teacher responses to physical and emotional challenges. Three themes emerged as a result of data analysis: Discontent and Disdain for Post-Pandemic Teaching Practices, Emotional Distance Created by Physical Distance, and Administrative Priorities and Teacher Wellbeing.

Wait! Don’T Quit! Stay With Your Doctoral Program During The Global Pandemic: Lessons Learned From Program Completers, Sonya Hurt, Ericka Woods Ways, Barbara Holmes

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

Using the self-determination theory framework developed by Ryan and Deci (2000), this study explored the facilitation strategies doctoral candidates used to stay on task during the global pandemic. Areas of inquiry included academic progression, dissertation research writing processes and addressing impacts on work, academic studies and persistence. The study used a phenomenological approach of qualitative research design. Ten participants were selected using a convenient sampling method. Three themes emerged from the data that included (1) Balancing work and life quality issues, (2) Mastering academic protocols (3) Developing collective efficacy in scholar development. This study revealed that student dependence on the …

Building Community For Completion: Doctoral Students’ Perceptions Of Technology Integration Within Dissertation Committee Collaboration, Scott Fillman, Barbara Holmes, Dejuanna Parker, Kent Willis

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the prevalence of technology-mediated collaboration and mentorship between dissertation committee members and doctoral student scholars. Qualitative research methods were used to explore the role of technology for collaboration and building community within dissertation committees, focusing on dissertation scholars’ perspectives. The study was based on one overarching research question: How do doctoral students describe the integration of technology for collaborating with dissertation committees? Doctoral scholar participants described the importance of technological literacy within dissertation committees, most indicating that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the importance of fluency with technology. Other participants portrayed the importance of technological literacy within …

Virginia Community College System Online Student Success: Best Practices And Sustainable Change, Lucy R. Hudson, Daniel L. Lindstrom, Monal Patel, Rosa Ponton

Doctor of Education Capstones

Online learning has an increasingly greater presence in the higher education landscape. Students are able to earn a degree in fully online programs and take courses in modalities that offer the necessary convenience to balance multiple life priorities. The flexibility that online courses offer is valuable for adult learners with young children, students with disabilities including invisible and non-physical disabilities, or populations who must work to support families while pursuing an education. For these populations, community colleges play an important role in providing access to education as they enroll a greater number of adult students and have a higher percentage …

Encouraging Persistence Among Native American Nursing Students By Fostering Cultural Identity Development At A Predominantly White University, Valeriah Rose Big Eagle

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a calling to promote diversity in the healthcare workforce to alleviate the health problems that currently exist among the Native American population. Minorities are disproportionately represented in the nursing workforce (Beard, 2014), especially Native Americans. Increasing the number of Native American nurses in the healthcare workforce has been found to significantly reduce these health disparities (Eddie, 2018; Eschiti, 2004; Gebbie et al., 2003), supporting the need for more Native American nursing students to graduate from college. There has been little research regarding the implications of cultural identity experienced by Native American nursing college students in higher education …

Touchpoints: How Faculty And Advising Understand And Colloborate On Guided Pathways Reforms To Influence And Support Major Choice In A Community College, Bryant Bates Manning

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Guided pathways is a nationwide whole-college reform that aims to improve college completion rates and times for students, especially in the community college sector. This multisite case study sought to explore how pathways institutions supported students to better align with the right academic and career programs. Through individual semi-structured interviews, faculty members and advisors reflected on if and how they collaborated to better serve students in this capacity. Three themes emerged during data analysis and were reported in narrative form: a.) divergent faculty and advising attitudes about pathways reforms, b.) inconsistent perceptions on levels of collaboration, and c.) criticisms and …

Strategies For Supporting Professional Growth In Early Childhood Team Members, Kristin Goetz

Graduate Teacher Education

Early childhood education (ECE) teachers, including pre-service and in-service workers, have reported the need for ongoing professional development support (Boyer, 2004; Buettner, Hye Hur, Jeon & Andrews, 2016; Brown, Cheddie, Horry, & Monk, 2017). Specific targeted support for professionalism was addressed as a retention strategy for the future of ECE (Boyer, 2004). The lack of consistent minimum qualifications for ECE teachers has contributed to a number of teachers in the field having little understanding regarding professionalism as a whole when teacher careers commence. The quality of learning and teaching in the classroom has been said to be largely determined by …

A Survey Of Faculty Perceptions Of Community College Career And Technical Education, Thomas Gauthier Dr.

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Community colleges are the leaders in facilitating career and technical education (CTE), and faculty help develop program offerings on campus. This study explored faculty perceptions of community college CTE programs using the survey research method. Participants included 36 faculty members from various disciplines from 15 state colleges in Florida. Participants were sent a digital survey and asked to use a scale from 0 (do not agree) to 8 (agree) to score their agreement level with 43 statements of opinion. Data revealed that community college faculty perceive CTE as beneficial, but CTE programs must include the habits of mind and support …

Personal Development Planning And Vertical Leadership Development In A Vuca World, Kevin Coopersmith

The Journal of Values-Based Leadership

To explore how personal development can be utilized as a tool for leaders to adapt to our VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) world, a qualitative study was conducted on the narrative experiences of eight leaders who had successfully completed personal development plans. The emerging field of vertical leadership development, recognized as a unique developmental approach towards overcoming complexity and uncertainty, was connected to the key themes of personal development planning. Vertical leadership development and personal development planning were united across five conceptual themes: development and application of skills, self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-exploration, and continuous improvement. The experiences of the participants …

A Case Of Shifting Focus Friction: Extension Directors And State 4-H Program Leaders’ Perspectives On 4-H Lgbtq+ Inclusion, Jeremy Elliott-Engel, Donna Westfall-Rudd, Eric Kaufman, Megan Seibel, Rama Radhakrishna

Journal of Extension

Contemporary Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) youth are identifying and communicating their identities earlier in childhood than generations before as a result of more awareness and more acceptance of gender identity and sexual minorities by society. A qualitative study of U.S. 4-H program leaders and Extension directors generated an emergent theme around the importance of serving LGBT youth and the resulting implementation challenges. The administrators of 4-H, the largest youth serving organization in the country, recognize the presence of LGBTQ+ youth in 4-H and believe the organization must be inclusive. But challenges remain in ensuring youth experience inclusion at …

Factors Of Motivation In Education: Perspectives Of College Students And Their Professors, Caitlin Reash, Karen H. Larwin

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

This study examines motivational factors based on college students’ and faculties’ perceptions to determine which factors are most impactful. The researchers utilized Jones’ MUSIC® Model of Motivation College Student and Professor inventories. Both are designed to determine the factors that impact student motivation (Jones, 2020). The Caring factor was the highest endorsed factor by both college students and faculty in all data collections. A paired sample t-test revealed that the Usefulness factor was rated statistically different by faculty and students. These data can be used to inform programmatic decisions and course design in the university’s education department.

Project-Based Pedagogy: The Client's Perspective, Wayne Aho, Wendy Cagle, Jon Marvel, Michael Smith, Edward Wright

International Journal for Business Education

Project-based experiential business education seeks to provide students with lessons that are meaningful, practical, and enduring. While previous research has sought to understand how students and faculty members react to such educational experiences, it is also important to understand the perceptions of the business clients who engage with programs employing project-based education. The aim of this study was to better understand the experiences of business clients with whom students engaged as part of an undergraduate business capstone course. Two hundred fifty-three previous clients were surveyed with a 22.4% response rate. Responses were subjected to content analysis to cluster replies into …

Signature Pedagogy For Entrepreneurship Education: An Emerging Perspective, Ashley Gess, Eleonora Brivio, Gianluca De Leo

International Journal for Business Education

Entrepreneurial ways of thinking and doing intersect with the knowledge and skills that a global citizen needs to thrive. There is a robust body of scholarship that identifies core entrepreneurial skills however there is a dearth of evidence addressing how to successfully teach entrepreneurship. Using the lens of experiential learning, this qualitative study examines the surface, deep, and implicit structures of professional entrepreneurial culture toward revealing a meaningful, authentic pedagogical approach for entrepreneurship education. In order to achieve this outcome, researchers utilized a semi-structured comparable multiple-case study design to engage 19 incubated entrepreneurs in focus group interviews. A replication strategy …

The Impact Of Using Avid And Avid Schoolwide On Achievement, Equity, Access, And Opportunities For High School Students: A Program Evaluation Project, Patra Cooks, Patra W. Smith

Dissertations

The purpose of my research was to determine if the use of AVID strategies had any impact on academic achievement and college and career readiness. Additionally, I evaluated whether AVID school-wide can support all students. The context of this study included AVID Teachers and AVID Coordinators across the United States. The outcomes indicated that 80% of AVID students enrolled in the AVID Elective successfully completed rigorous course work. Furthermore, the study outcomes disclosed which strategies supported students the most with academic success. The AVID coordinators often used writing strategies, while the AVID teachers used collaborative strategies to support student learning.

Understanding Mentoring Relationships And Career Advancement In Higher Education, Nelky Rodriguez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The development of administrators, faculty, and staff within higher education presumes an apprenticeship between an experienced individual (supervisor, tenured faculty, or friend within the field) and the employee (Reybold, 2003). Understanding the path to career advancement within higher education can assist in personal career aspirations (Rhoads & Tierney, 1993). However, many institutions do not recognize the need for a mentor as necessary for developing a person’s career. A professional roadmap to advancement within higher education usually consists of policies and procedures and social and cultural norms, yet without guidance, these can be difficult to master on one’s own. Studies have …

Cultivating Financial Literacy Through Secondary School Economics Education: Access To Powerful Knowledge, Emanuel Mizzi

International Journal for Business Education

‘Powerful knowledge’ is disciplinary knowledge that when learned, empowers students to make decisions in a way that will influence their lives in a positive way (Young, 2008). In this paper, the researcher employs this construct to explore the financial literacy education arising from studying secondary school economics. It emerges from the author’s research aimed at exploring teaching and learning in secondary school Maltese economics classrooms. The underlying conceptual framework for this study is critical realism. The study design consisted of interviewing and observing 14 economics teachers, together with four focus groups interviews with students. Data were analyzed by employing thematic …

Promoting Employer Desired Competencies Through A Multiphased "Workgroup" Project, Ashly Smith

International Journal for Business Education

Employers and business leaders have long been advocating for the importance of career readiness skills like critical thinking/problem solving, information literacy, teamwork/collaboration, professionalism/work ethic, and oral/written communication (NACE, 2019; Partnership, 2008). While faculty and students see value in projects that develop these skills, such projects can be some of the most challenging to incorporate effectively into business courses (Chapman et al., 2010; Detmering & Johnson, 2012; Lee et al., 2016; Marks & O’Connor, 2013). This article reports on a multi-phase group project that aims to strengthen a selection of these employer-desired skills while ameliorating student concerns about the research process …

Practice Enterprises In Times Of Distance Learning: The Impact And Consequences Of The Covid-19 Pandemic To The Collaboration Of Practice Enterprises, Theresa Feuchter, Gernot Dreisiebner, Elisabeth Riebenbauer, Ph.D., Michaela Stock

International Journal for Business Education

The aim of this paper is to outline the consequences which arise from the digital transformation of the multidimensional teaching and learning setting of practice enterprises and to discuss how digital collaboration of students can be supported during the COVID-19 pandemic. As an evolutionary moment also in the field of education, one can consider the experiences of COVID-19 as a catalyst for digital transformation and distance learning in education. How digital collaboration can be fostered in times of distance learning is shown by using the example of business simulations such as practice enterprises (PE). While previously this multidimensional teaching and …

Internships As Clinical Rotations In Business: Enhancing Access And Options, Faye W. Gilbert, Jason Harkins, Pankaj Agrrawal, Taylor Ashley

International Journal for Business Education

Internships are high impact practices that offer work experiences and provide advantages for participating undergraduate students and for the talent acquisition efforts of firms. While research consistently documents the benefits of internships as a transformative experience, access and outcomes may vary for students and for underserved populations. Limitations of internships can include lack of access to enough positions as well as inadequate interactions between undergraduate students, firms, and faculty members in business programs. The purpose of this article is to describe an approach to enhancing access to internships on a larger scale with greater variety. Protocols found in clinical rotations …

Stimulating Intrapreneurial Intentions With Digital Business Training In The Vet Sector: The Potential Of Massive Open Online Courses, Christian Friedl

International Journal for Business Education

It has become imperative to stimulate and support employees to behave entrepreneurially within organizations (intrapreneurship). However, little is known about how digital, massive, and scalable business education and training formats such as massive open online course (MOOCs) can contribute to vocational and educational training (VET) in general, and to nurture intrapreneurial behavior and corresponding intentions in specific. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the potential effect of a MOOC on intrapreneurial intentions of learners.
Data were acquired from 412 employees taking a MOOC on intrapreneurship for constructs embedded in the theory of planned behavior, tailored to the …

The Pandemic Teaching Journey: Challenges, Lessons Learned, And Opportunities, Janice Garnett

Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education

This paper aims to highlight the challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education, pivoting from in-person to remote course delivery. The information shared is based on the experience of an instructor in the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), College of Education, Health and Human Sciences' Department of Educational Leadership. In addition, this document will explore how teaching and learning shifted during the pandemic and potentially reimagined for virtual environments focusing on the role of faculty and engagement of students, emphasizing professional students.

Cordes Chair Seminar: Teaching Authentically In An Age Of Reality Superstars, Casandra Cox

TFSC Publications and Presentations

The Teaching and Faculty Support Center is pleased announce that Casandra Cox, instructor in the Department of Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology, will present the November Cordes Chair Seminar from 2 - 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30, in Home Economics 108. Her presentation is entitled, "Teaching Authentically in an Age of Reality Superstars." Cox has been on the AECT faculty since 2003 and has received numerous teaching awards, including the Bumpers College's John W. White Outstanding Teaching Award and the Jack G. Justus Excellence in Teaching Award. She is also a Fellow of the U of A Teaching Academy.

Social Work Junior Faculty Perceptions Of Their Doctoral Level Teaching Preparation, Marissa Hardwrict

Dissertations

Each year, hundreds of students graduate with a terminal degree. Many have aspirations to teach at a college or university. This includes graduates of social work programs. However, little information is known about the experiences of teaching readiness of social work Ph.D. graduates. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of social work junior faculty and their perceptions of readiness to teach. Literature reporting on the curriculum in Social Work Ph.D. Programs are linked to students being developed and heavily engulfed in research activities (Acquavita & Tice, 2015; Dinerman et al., 1999; Reneau, 2011). Since many programs …