Educational Administration and Supervision Commons^™

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Learning Community Maturity In Catholic Schools, Jane-Marie Fetty Koelsch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Midwestern Catholic schools have implemented professional learning communities (PLCs) to enhance teacher quality and attain school goals. However, not all schools have aligned practices essential to increase maturity in the five PLC dimensions, as defined by Hord. Guided by Hord's framework, this research study investigated teachers' perceptions of PLC maturity in select Catholic schools. A convenience sample allowed an examination of schools engaged in an initiative that included PLCs. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the Professional Learning Communities Assessment - Revised was administered to 42 teachers in 4 schools. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data …

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables In A Rural Elementary School: A Mixed-Methods Program Evaluation, Patricia Marie Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program is a federally funded program intended to increase public school students' fruit and vegetable consumption. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to evaluate the implementation of this program at a rural southwestern Title 1 elementary school to determine teacher perceptions of the program and whether the program met federal goals. Social ecological model and social cognitive theory grounded the investigation. The mixed method design included semi-structured interviews with 11 teachers accompanied by an anonymous web-based open response questionnaire and document reviews. Descriptive statistics were reported for Likert scale survey items and invoice documents …

Exploring Mentoring And Career Advancement: A Community College Case Study, Latonya Steele

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Senior administrators' retirement rates between 2012 and 2022 will create a shortage of community college leaders. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore how the mentoring programs at community colleges may contribute to the career advancement of potential academic leaders for senior leadership positions. Kram's mentor role theory grounded the study. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with a purposeful sample of 3 academic, senior administrative leaders from 3 North Carolina community colleges who have participated in leadership mentoring programs, a review of organizational documents, and a review of the literature. Using Yin's 5 step analytic …

Barriers Faced By Canadian Aboriginal Adults As They Return To Postsecondary School, Robert Lawrence Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aboriginal people in Canada are less likely to complete postsecondary education than are non-Aboriginal people. This lack of education leads to increased rates of unemployment and poverty and the need for additional government supports. The purpose of this project study was to identify and examine barriers faced by Canadian Aboriginal adult students as they return to school for postsecondary education. The conceptual framework for this qualitative study was based on the work of Ertmer, which suggests barriers can be placed into broad categories of extrinsic and intrinsic barriers. A case study design was used with a purposeful sample from a …

Causes And Effects Of Teacher Burnout, Donna Ault Jacobson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher burnout is not a new problem; however, with increasing frequency, teacher burnout leads to teacher attrition. Teacher burnout is a problem that affects school districts nationwide because of the financial and academic toll it has on education. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teacher burnout, its perceived causes, and its effects in an urban high school in the northeastern United States. The conceptual framework was based on Vygotsky's social development theory. The research questions focused on factors that contribute to teacher burnout and teachers' perceptions of the ways in which their burnout affected instruction as …

Variation Within The “New Latino Diaspora”: A Decade Of Changes Across The United States In The Equitable Participation Of Latina/Os In Higher Education, Deryl K. Hatch, Naomi Mardock Uman, Crystal E. Garcia

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

This study problematizes the common discourse that rapid and widespread Latina/o demographic growth in the United States is a driving force in realizing higher education equity gains. Using equity indices for students, faculty, and administrative leaders at the state level, we present a portrait of changes in Latina/o participation in higher education over the last decade and propose a classification scheme for understanding variation across states at the intersection of changes in both demographics and equitable participation.

En este estudio se problematiza el discurso común del veloz y extendido crecimiento demográfico latino en los Estados Unidos como promotor de mayor …

“We’Re Still Here … We’Re Not Giving Up”: Black And Latino Men’S Narratives Of Transition To Community College, Beth E. Bukoski, Deryl K. Hatch

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study examines masculinity in a manner commensurate with established feminist frameworks to deconstruct a patriarchal system that ill-serves both men and women. Method: We utilized standpoint theory and narrative analysis to examine longitudinal, qualitative data from first-year Black and Latino males as they transition into community college through their second semester. Findings: Positionality is critical to understanding the success of Black and Latino males and their response to institutional structures. In many instances, men leveraged normative constructions of masculinity as aids to their success, and their resilience and confidence were filtered through their perceived development into adults. Conclusion: …

The Persistence Of Working Poor Families In A Changing U.S. Job Market: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Richard J. Torraco

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

This article explores the persistence of working poor families in the United States— families that live on the threshold of poverty despite at least one family member working full-time. The persistence of poverty in the United States has been exacerbated by recent changes in the job market that have altered the composition and availability of jobs due to technological unemployment, the polarization of jobs, declining job quality, and stagnation in job growth. The relationships between the persistence of working poor families and these changes in the job market are examined. The article concludes with a review of human resource development …

Early History Of The Fields Of Practice Of Training And Development And Organization Development, Richard J. Torraco

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

The Problem: While the time and place of the birth of the Academy of Human Resource Development are documented, the field of human resource development (HRD) has historical roots that began decades earlier with the emergence of training and development and organization development as fields of practice.

The Solution: This article addresses the early history of training and development and organization development, and begins with the influence of World War II on work-related education and training and ends in the mid-1990s. It traces the origins of the field up to, but not including, the founding of the Academy of Human …

Review Of Anne-Marie Núñez, Sylvia Hurtado, & Emily Calderón Galdeano (Eds.). Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Advancing Research And Transformative Practice, Deryl K. Hatch

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Institutions, just as the people who create them, inevitably change. What we believe describes and drives that change and what it means for everyone involved depends largely on our values and points of reference. In this edited volume, Núñez, Hurtado, and Calderón Galdeano invite readers to question prevailing ontological and epistemological assumptions regarding one of the most widespread, but least understood, institutional changes in higher education in the United States: a proliferation in the number of colleges and universities designated by the federal government as Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) that has coincided with the remarkable growth in the Hispanic population. In …

Left Unsaid: The Role Of Work Expectations And Psychological Contracts In Faculty Careers And Departure, Kerryann O’Meara, Jessica Chalk Bennett, Elizabeth Niehaus

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Faculty leave higher education institutions for many reasons, including higher salaries, more prestigious departments, lack of collegiality, a better geographic location, and to be closer to family (O'Meara, Lounder, & Campbell, 2014; Rosser, 2004; Smart, 1990; Xu, 2008). At the same time, research suggests that factors such as a higher salary and a more prestigious department are not really "pull" factors if faculty members are satisfied and thriving within their institution (Matier, 1990; O'Meara, 2014). Rather, faculty become predisposed to leave by virtue of dissatisfaction with certain aspects of their work environment (Daly & Dee, 2006; Johnsrud & Rosser, 2002; …

The Role Of Leadership And Culture In Creating Meaningful Assessment: A Mixed Methods Case Study, Timothy C. Guetterman, Nancy Mitchell

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

With increased demands for institutional accountability and improved student learning, involvement in assessment has become a fundamental role of higher education faculty (Rhodes, 2010). However, faculty members and administrators often question whether assessment efforts do indeed improve student learning (Hutchings, 2010). This mixed methods case study of a faculty inquiry project explored how factors linked to organizational context (Kezar, 2013) are related to commitment to assessment and to use of assessment data by faculty members. Results indicated key best practices, such as developing faculty leaders and communities of practice to exchange ideas. The study provides insights for institutional administrators and …

Unfulfilled Expectations: Influence Of Chinese International Students’ Roommate Relationships On Sense Of Belonging, Christina W. Yao

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Findings from this study indicate that more attention must be given to Chinese students’ interpersonal relationships with domestic students, particularly when considering the role of daily cross-cultural interactions in residential living. Participants who wanted American roommates anticipated an easier transition to U.S. culture. However, making meaningful connections with American students proved to be more challenging than anticipated. Participants reported that cultural differences within their residence hall room led to difficulty with communication and social connections.

“I Don’T Think I’M Prepared”: Perceptions Of U.S. Higher Education Doctoral Students On International Research Preparation, Christina W. Yao, Louise Michelle Vital

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Although internationalization is often touted as a priority in higher education, little attention is given to infusing international perspectives into the formalities of doctoral education. Further, limited attention is given towards doctoral student training for conducting international research. This qualitative study provides insight on how 21 U.S. doctoral students in higher education pro-grams perceive their preparation as emerging international researchers. Implications for practice include fostering cross-departmental collaborations and supporting co-curricular international opportunities.

Observing Classroom Engagement In Community College: A Systematic Approach, Stacy Alicea, Carola Suárez-Orozco, Sukhmani Singh, Tasha Darbes, Elvira Abrica

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

Despite decades of research indicating classrooms shape student engagement, learning, and development, there is a dearth of empirically grounded research focusing specifically on observed classroom engagement as a predictor of student outcomes in community colleges. This article describes the development of a qualitatively grounded, quantitative classroom-level engagement measurement protocol designed for this purpose. We provide evidence for the measure’s validity and reliability via confirmatory factor analyses and descriptive analyses that offer a snapshot of the information this measure can generate. Furthermore, we examine a two-level structural equation regression model that uses student survey data from students nested in observed classrooms. …

Mobilization And Adaptation Of A Rural Cradle-To-Career Network, Sarah J. Zuckerman

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

This case study explored the development of a rural cradle-to-career network with a dual focus on the initial mobilization of network members and subsequent adaptations made to maintain mobilization, while meeting local needs. Data sources included interviews with network members, observations of meetings, and documentary evidence. Network-based social capital facilitated mobilization. Where networks were absent and where distrust and different values were evident, mobilization faltered. Three network adaptations were discovered: Special rural community organizing strategies, district-level action planning, and a theory of action focused on out-of-school factors. All three were attributable to the composition of mobilized stakeholders and this network’s …

International Female Graduate Students' Experience At A Midwestern University: Sense Of Belonging And Identity Development, Anh T. Le, Barbara Lacost, Michael Wismer

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

International female graduate students have to negotiate multiple aspects of their identities as non-native learners and women in a society with different gender norms than their home countries. However, their experiences have not been well researched within the scholarship on international students. In this study, using the phenomenological approach, we explored the phenomenon of being an international female graduate student in the U.S. The seven participants are diverse in terms of countries of origin, academic programs, and life situations. Using open-ended questions, we conducted indepth one-on-one interviews with the participants. The findings indicate that the participants perceived being international female …

Transitioning To Performance-Based State Funding: Concerns, Commitment, And Cautious Optimism, Lindsay K. Wayt, Barbara Lacost

Department of Educational Administration: Faculty Publications

The introduction of performance-based state funding of higher education can be traced to the the late 1970s (Bogue and Hall 2003; Dougherty and Natow 2015; Dougherty, Natow, Hare, and Vega 2010; Dougherty and Reddy 2013; Long 2010; McKeown-Moak 2013). Early forms, referred to as Performance Funding 1.0, provided higher education institutions with bonuses, in addition to regular state funding, when they met certain state-defined outcomes.1 More recent forms, referred to as Performance Funding 2.0, have eliminated bonuses, and regular state funding has been replaced, in part or completely, with funding tied to achievement of state-defined performance goals, which often include …

Threat Assessment And Management In Higher Education In The United States: A Review Of The 10 Years Since The Mass Casualty Incident At Virginia Tech, Eugene R.D. Deisinger, Mario Scalora

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2016 American Psychological Association. Used by permission.

Faculty Knowledge And Use Of Best Practices In Online Professional Continuing Education, Gladys Montane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent mandate by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists requires that U.S. radiologic technologists complete continuous qualification requirements (CQR). This study examined faculty skills and practices at an American university that developed online CQR courses in response to this mandate. It was specifically designed to assess the knowledge and skills of this university's faculty with regard to best practices in an online learning environment, so as to provide the basis for meeting faculty needs in distance education. Dewey's work on constructivism served as the framework guiding this study. A qualitative, intrinsic case study was employed to collect data using …

Videotaped Role-Play Simulation In Teaching Transcultural Self-Efficacy To Interprofessional Healthcare Students, Holldrid Aner Odreman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased demand for culturally sensitive healthcare services suggests that interprofessional beginning healthcare students need to gain the necessary cultural competency skills to be successful in delivering positive health outcomes for diverse patients. Bandura's theory of observational learning, Mezirow's theory of transformative learning, and Purnell's and Paulanka's model of cultural competence informed the framework for this research. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine the relationship between mode of instruction (observing role models in videotaped role-play simulation) and increased transcultural self-efficacy in cultural competence instruction. A convenience sample of 196 students enrolled in an interprofessional education (IPE) course …

Adult Learning-Focused Professional Development For Dental Hygiene Clinical Instructors, Meghan Ann Mcguinness

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a dental hygiene program within a community college in New York State, clinical instructors are hired based on their expertise as practitioners. Most clinical instructors lack a background in adult learning theory and practice, which is an issue because their students are adult learners whose average age is 26. The instructors' lack of knowledge in this area challenges their effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore dental hygiene instructors' views about what kind of professional development offerings related to adult learning might help improve their teaching effectiveness. The conceptual framework for this project study was …

Self-Efficacy And Select Characteristics In Nurses Who Respond To A Pediatric Emergency, Nancy Mcneill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Self-Efficacy and Select Characteristics in Nurses Who Respond to a Pediatric Emergency

by

Nancy McNeill

MA, New York University, 1996

BS, New York University, 1987

Doctoral Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

June 2016

Nurses at a suburban northeastern U.S. community hospital reported that they felt unprepared to effectively respond to a pediatric emergency. Empirical data were not available to identify if this local problem was due to a lack of the nurses' self-confidence or if other factors were involved. The purpose of this study was to determine …

Examining The Impact Of Leadership Styles On The Motivation Of U.S. Teachers, Katrina Franklin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers face daily challenges in their work, which affect their ability to remain motivated and effective educators. The problem is that there is a lack of adequate research on how administrative leadership styles affect the motivation of United States teachers working within the U.S. and internationally. The purpose of this quantitative causal comparative study was to examine teachers' preferences regarding school administrators' leadership styles and gauge whether differences exist among U.S. teachers working in the United States and internationally. Herzberg's two-factor theory as well as full range leadership theory were used to quantitatively explore the relationship between leadership styles and …

Influence Of Nontraditional Students On Traditionals In The Community College Classroom, Angela J. Richart-Mayfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increase in nontraditional student enrollment continues in community colleges nationwide. Little is known about the interactions between mixed-age groups of students. This qualitative collective case study explored the academic and social influences of non-traditional students on their traditional peers in the community college classroom at a large, midwestern 2-year college. Tinto's interactionalist theory framed the study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 30 participants (13 traditional students, 13 non-traditional students, and 4 instructors) who represented the college population in terms of gender and racial and ethnic diversity. Interview questions were guided by the research questions, and data were also …

Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions On Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Implementation And Effectiveness, Keisha A. Anderson-Saunders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School personnel were concerned that the disruptive student behaviors at an urban, elementary school in the northeast United States had persisted despite positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation and professional development (PD) for more than 7 years. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore teacher perceptions regarding the PBIS related to student behavior and socialization issues. Skinner's reinforcement theory and Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory served as the conceptual frameworks for this study. Specifically, this study explored the PBIS framework in reducing students' undesirable behaviors, how the framework prepared teachers to implement PBIS in their school, …

A Study Of The Application Of A Bring Your Own Device Strategy In An Elementary School, Carol Louise Scholz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous studies have been published on the efficacy of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) at the U.S. secondary and postsecondary school levels to increase student access to technology. However, there is a lack of data on the efficacy of a BYOD AUP to increase elementary student technology access. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to determine if a BYOD AUP at the U.S. K-5 level would increase students' access to technology as necessitated by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This study was grounded in social transmission and transformative theories. …

A Purposeful Approach To Student Conduct With Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Learners, Heidi Lynn Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students spend more time in conflict resolution than their general education colleagues do. Although emerging research suggests that both students and teachers benefit from an approach to student conduct that is more purposeful than traditional behavior modification models, further research was necessary to clarify how such an effective purposeful program would work. The purpose of this inquiry was to explore how teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students perceived and used a purposeful approach to student conduct. Deutsch's conflict resolution theory served as the conceptual framework. A single case study design was …

Academic Outcomes Of A Precollege Intervention Program, John Tri Phung

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 demanded that public schools demonstrate adequate yearly progress by increasing student educational achievements. In 2014, the local high school at this study enrolled 62.7% socioeconomically disadvantaged students and implemented a precollege intervention program; however, little is known about its efficacy due to a lack of a formal evaluation, prohibiting an informed approach to continual improvement. The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine if program participation resulted in the higher academic outcomes. Guided by the theory of change, the program evaluation was used to assess the efficacy of the local high …

Supporting The Professional Needs Of Alternatively Certified Secondary Education Teachers, Michelle Latrice Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The reliance on alternative teacher certification to address teacher quality and quantity is an educational issue worthy of study because non-traditionally prepared teachers fill the nation's classrooms. This qualitative case study explored the experiences of secondary education teachers with no preservice training who earned a professional educator certificate in Alabama through the alternative baccalaureate-level program. The central research questions of this study related to the professional needs of alternatively certified teachers and how educational leaders supported those professional needs. The conceptual framework of this project study included the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's differentiated induction model based …