Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Exploring Teachers’ Experiences With Augmented Reality (Ar) Implementation: A Phenomenological Study, Sulaimon Aremu Jimoh

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to investigate public secondary school teachers’ incorporating (AR) into their teaching practices. The central research question was: What are the lived experiences of public secondary school teachers using AR in the classroom? The research leveraged for this study was found through social networks, including LinkedIn and Teacher Social Network to specifically target and recruited 10 public secondary school teachers who have proven experience in incorporating augmented reality. These platforms offered me a unique opportunity to access a diverse pool of teachers across the United States. LinkedIn, as a professional networking platform, provides …

Book Review: A Modern Take On Mere Christianity, Shawn M. Bielicki

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

No abstract provided.

Beyond Lecturing: Christian Higher Education Faculty Perceptions Of Professional Development Expectations And Its Impact On Job Satisfaction, Andrea Lynn Smith, Diane S. Garber, Vhuthuhawe T. Madzinge, Folashade O. Odedina, Joshua E. Wilson, Daniel P. Yerrington

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This research study was conducted to ascertain possible connections between higher education faculty expectations of professional development and how these relate to their perceived job satisfaction. Several theories were used as the foundational framework, which included Bruner’s (1960) constructivist worldview theory, Herzberg’s (1966) two-factor theory, and Dockery’s (2012) faith learning integration. The research design for this qualitative study was a phenomenological hermeneutical study. The participants answered the two primary research questions: (a) What are the perceptions of Christian higher education faculty regarding professional development expectations? (b) How do Christian higher education faculty’s perceptions of professional development affect their job satisfaction? …

Beyond Lecturing: Revealing Faculty Perceptions Of Technology Expectations And Job Satisfaction In Christian Higher Education, Jerry L. Pitts, Charlene Geisler, Mark D. Granger, Jessica E. Kuehne, Roger W. Mackey, Erica D. Moore

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

The purpose of this phenomenological study aimed to understand higher education faculty perceptions and job satisfaction related to technology integration expectations in a changing academic environment. This study asked two research questions: 1. What are the perceptions of Christian higher education faculty regarding technology expectations? 2. How do Christian higher education faculty’s perceptions of these technology expectations affect their job satisfaction? Six full-time residential faculty members participated in the study. The lived experiences of faculty were studied using individual interviews, focus groups, and journal entries. Data analysis revealed that faculty perceived that institutions have additional technological expectations that go beyond …

Beyond Lecturing: Christian Higher Education Faculty And Faculty Support Staff Perceptions Of Institutional And Committee Service Expectations And How These Affect Job Satisfaction, Andrew F. Milacci, Alisha Castaneda, Janet Brown, Alex Mason, Annik Miller, Christopher Sneeringer

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Job satisfaction among faculty members and faculty support staff in higher education is a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors, including institutional and committee service expectations. This qualitative study gauged feedback from Christian higher education faculty members and faculty support staff regarding the institutional and committee service expected of them, as well as how their engagement with these expectations affects their job satisfaction. Using a hermeneutic-phenomenological schema, the researchers conducted in-person interviews, administered discussion board focus groups, and gathered reflective journal entries from a sample size of six participants at a large, faith-based university. During the analysis of the resultant …

A Time-Strapped Reality: Christian Faculty Perceptions On Research Expectations And Job Satisfaction, Hailey A. Manicone, Bruce K. Bell, Roger B. Bingham, Jacob T. Byrd, Kimberly S. Cashman, Sherri Ann Walker

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

There are many factors related to faculty perceptions of expectations and demands to conduct research that can significantly impact their job satisfaction. While much research has been done on the relationship between a faculty member’s ability to perform research and their job satisfaction, limited research on this relationship exists in the context of Christian higher education. To address this problem, this study asks the following questions: 1. What are the perceptions of Christian higher education faculty regarding research? 2. How do Christian higher education faculty’s perceptions of these research expectations affect their job satisfaction? Data were collected from six faculty …

Weary Yet Willing: Unveiling Faculty Perceptions Of Christian And Community Service Expectations And Their Impact On Job Satisfaction, Thomas W. Doss, Alexander Lagos Choquecahua, Jason Donahoo, Kjell Fenn, Diana J. Schwerha, Deidra M. Simspon, Amber L. Wilson

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

This research investigates Christian higher education faculty perceptions of Christian and community service expectations and the impacts on job satisfaction. Six participants completed interviews, discussion boards, and a journal entry with specific questions related to Christian and community service expectations and how those expectations affect job satisfaction. A phenomenological methodology using rich textual data generated six themes: benefits, service types, balance, motivations, expectations, and resources related to job satisfaction. Results indicate that faculty believe that involvement in Christian and community service can yield personal benefit, improving job satisfaction. However, the uncertainty related to the expectations of such service may create …

Faith Learning Integration In Christian Higher Education And Faculty Job Satisfaction: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Study, Brad Burgess, Grace Michele Baker, Jamaica Conner, Jonathan Giles, Rachel Joseph, Kevin Layell

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

Faith learning integration (FLI) in Christian institutions of higher education contributes to job satisfaction (JS) for faculty. This study explores FLI and JS among interdisciplinary faculty in a Christian university in the Southeast US. Researchers used a hermeneutical phenomenological approach to collect data from six faculty from varying disciplines, using interviews, focus group discussions, and journaling. Manual coding was utilized to uncover three primary themes: (a) clear expectations for FLI; (b) challenges to implement FLI; and (c) faculty JS from FLI. Two subthemes emerged from the primary theme of clear expectations for FLI: standards set by the organization and classroom …

Editorial: Beyond Lecturing: Faculty Perceptions Of Expectations Outside The Classroom, Shawn M. Bielicki, Alexandra Barnett

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

No abstract provided.

About This Journal, Shawn Bielicki

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

No abstract provided.

Exploring Teachers' Experiences Developing Adaptive Learning Systems With High-Stakes Testing Requirements: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Brian J. Le Fevre

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, which was utilized to relate to teachers’ beliefs about engaging in behaviors influenced by high-stakes testing. A transcendental methodology was used for the study design as the study aimed to explore teachers’ shared experiences while bracketing my previous experiences. The sample population consisted of second- to sixth-grade teachers who instructed subjects who were assessed by high-stakes testing in the Southeastern United States. Data was collected using interviews, focus groups, and journal prompt responses. Following data collection, the data was coded and analyzed to develop the essence of the shared experiences …

A Weapon In One Hand And A Bible In The Other: Places Of Worship Are Under Attack, Edmond J. Bergeron

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative descriptive study aims to ascertain the degree of preparedness for reducing and preventing extreme violence and the countermeasures that are in place (or lack thereof) at houses of worship. All places of worship in this study are considered soft targets and not “holy ground” as traditionally referenced. The terms “places of worship” and “church” will be used interchangeably in this study. A place of refuge for both the physical and spiritual is now considered vulnerable as the congregants are focused on worship rather than protection from an attack. Violence against places of worship will be described at this …

Resources And Readiness: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Secondary Teachers In Rural Texas With Being Prepared For Students Diagnosed With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Their Classrooms, Barbara L. Chase

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examines how prepared secondary teachers in Texas rural public schools are to work with students diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are placed in their classrooms. I investigated the professional development and higher educational training experiences of secondary teachers regarding contributions to both their knowledge of the etiology of ADHD and interventions and behavior management strategies. This dissertation was motivated by a curiosity to understand how secondary teachers in rural schools describe the knowledge they obtained regarding ADHD etiology and interventions through their higher education programs and professional development opportunities. As well as a desire to …

Worldview Development And The K-12 Christian School Bible Curriculum: A Dissertation-In-Praxis, Shannon Michelle Juris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation-in-praxis explored the development of a biblical worldview in K-12 Christian schools, focusing on how these institutions’ curriculum choices shaped students’ perspectives through intentional integration of faith and education. Drawing on theories of worldview formation, educational philosophy, and Christian pedagogy, the study investigated the methods and curriculum employed by Christian schools to foster a biblical worldview in students. The research aimed to understand how curriculum selection across all grade levels contributed to the development of a biblical worldview. The study examined both the intended and actual outcomes of biblical worldview education by creating a curriculum guide for the current …

Lived Experiences Of High School Teachers' Professional Development Post-Covid-19 Pandemic In Rural Georgia: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Jesse Regalado

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe the lived experiences of high school teachers' professional development post-COVID-19 pandemic in rural Georgia, U.S.A. The theories guiding the research are Piaget's theory of disequilibration, addressing how one accommodates and assimilates to adapt to change, and Festinger's (1957) theory of cognitive dissonance, explaining how one adapts, assimilates, and accommodates to avoid disharmony. The study's central question is, what are high school teachers' perceptions on the practical or academic professional development they received post-COVID-19 pandemic in rural Georgia, United States, used to promote leadership, teaching mastery, or pedagogical practices? This study utilized …

A Quantitative Study: The Association Between College Selection Methodology And Sense Of Belongingness Among First-Year, Full-Time Residential College Students, Tamara Reese

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

College selection methodology can be traced back to the 1920s when colleges had to rely on their to travel through word of mouth, catalogs, pictures, and brochures. Although virtual tours can be dated back to 1994, COVID-19 catapulted the popularity of traveling through virtual reality. While many studies have sought to measure the impact of visitation on student enrollment propensities, none have made a noteworthy effort to account for a potential endogenous link between the student's college choice methodology and a student's sense of belongingness at their college or university campus. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study is to …

Showcasing Your Scholarship With Lu Faculty Share, Mark Hamilton, Jeremy Mcginniss

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Learn how to access and manage your faculty profile in our new research information management system, “LU Faculty SHARE (Scholarship and Research Exchange)”. We will walk through how to claim your account and the process of adding articles, conference presentations, posters, awards, grants, and other research projects to showcase your scholarship.

Learning Outcomes:

• Access their LU Faculty SHARE account
• Know how to add various research outputs to their profile (articles, presentations, posters, awards, etc.)

Exploring How Religiously Affiliated Schools’ Ecological Systems Influence Policies On Students With Disabilities, Michelle Lyon Bizeau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study was to gain an understanding of the ecological systems that are most influential in how religiously affiliated schools establish their policies that ultimately include or exclude students with disabilities in California. The theory guiding this study was Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory as it emphasizes that an individual’s development is influenced by dynamic interplay between individual characteristics and the broader social, cultural, and environmental contexts in which they live. The participants in this study were school leaders who were purposely selected as representatives of their primary and/or secondary religiously affiliated school located in …

A Predictive Correlational Study Of The Relationship Between Two-Year College Faculty Participation In Professional Development And Career Commitment, Faculty Leadership, And Professional Service Activities, Deborah Josey Burks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this predictive correlational non-experimental study was to examine the relationships between faculty participation in professional development, and career commitment, faculty leadership, and engagement in professional service activities. The predictor variable was faculty professional development and criterion variables were career commitment, faculty leadership, and engagement in professional service by faculty employed within two-year colleges in the southeastern United States. This study contained a convenience sample of 76 faculty employed at two-year colleges within a system of colleges. Data was gathered utilizing the combined self-reported Career Growth Opportunity Measure (Adams, 1999), the Teacher Leadership Inventory [TLI] (Angelle & DeHart, …

Cultural Competence And Cultural Humility Among Healthcare Students Related To Community Engagement And Service Learning: A Multiple Regression And Confirmatory Factor Analysis Study, Maryanne Koech Gathambo

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, hierarchical multiple regression and confirmatory factor analysis study was to investigate the cultural humility and cultural competence (competemility) of healthcare students and examine the strongest predictor of cultural competemility based on demographic and experiential learning factors. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to investigate the degree to which the predictor variables age, gender, and community engagement/service hours (i.e., CEL/SL) could be forecasted by their competemility score (criterion variable) as measured by The Inventory for Assessing The Process Of Cultural Competemility Among Healthcare Professionals (IAPCC-HCP). Data were obtained from a criterion-based purposive sample of 70 survey participants …

Human And Sex Trafficking: A Quantitative Examination Of The Knowledge And Awareness Of The College-Aged Population, Margaret Caroline Weiker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

It is crucial for the public and more specifically those who are a part of vulnerable populations to understand the dangers of both human and sex trafficking. One sub-group of vulnerable populations that are likely to encounter a trafficking situation are college students, as many of these students are unaware of trafficking’s prevalence. While there have been studies of specific populations with prior specialized knowledge, there is little information on the knowledge, perceptions, and awareness levels of the general college-aged population. This study will be quantitatively structured into a two-part survey, seeking to collect data from a sample size of …

Understanding The Silos Of Assessment, Strategic Planning, Institutional Effectiveness, And Their Relationships To Accreditation, Dana Marie Juenemann

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to understand how collaboration, or lack of collaboration between community college-level silos, affected the process of accreditation as conducted by the Higher Learning Commission. The theory that guided this study is Smith’s theory of seven silos of higher education, as it explains the relationships between the areas of assessment, strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and their impact on accreditation. This study sought to discover how collaboration and communication between administration, faculty, and staff, as well as between the silos of assessment, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness, affected accreditation efforts at Moses Community College. The …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Factors That Contribute To First-Generation Minority College Students' Motivation In Bachelor's Degree Attainment, Garry Anthony Mebane

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences that motivated and contributed to first-generation minority college student success (FGMCSS) at a university in the southeastern United States. This study involved 12 first-generation minority college students (FGMCS) enrolled in an undergraduate degree program. Bandura's social cognitive theory guided this research, which explains that the human learning process develops through social context. Research questions emerged from understanding the problem and purpose statements. The question guiding this research was: What are the experiences that motivate and contribute to FGMCS success at a university in the southeastern United States? …

A Qualitative Study Exploring Preservice Educators' Mindsets Regarding Training In Identifying Pre-Violence Indicator Patterns, Aaron Glenn Walp

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the mindsets of preservice educators regarding mandatory training in pre-violence indicator patterns at XYZ University. Pre-violence indicator patterns are defined as behaviors symptomatic of violent or aggressive behavior. The theory guiding this study was Dweck’s implicit theory of intelligence. The central research question was: What is the mindset of preservice educators regarding mandatory training in pre-violence indicator patterns? Qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological methods were used to study the beliefs of 12 preservice educators through a questionnaire, individual interviews, and a group discussion. The data were examined through line-by-line coding and …

Predicting Educator Perceptions Of Tennessee's Teacher Evaluation System: The Role Of Teacher Gender, Years Of Experience, And School Level Taught, Leonida T. Bell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study aims to determine if a predictive relationship exists between teacher perceptions of Tennessee's teacher evaluation and the linear combination of teacher gender, years of experience, and school-level taught (elementary, middle, high). Although teachers have recognized the current teacher evaluation system, many educators expressed concerns about it. This study is vital in determining teachers' perceptions of the evaluation system. Participants of this study included a sample of 108 certified elementary, middle, and high school teachers from one of the public school districts in southwestern Tennessee. Data were collected via an anonymous, self-paced online survey utilizing a modified …

Predicting Performance On A Social Studies Assessment: A Correlational Study, David G. Hamilton

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study seeks to determine the predictive relationship between the performance on a middle school Civics practice assessment and performance on the State of Florida Civics assessment. In the current public-school environment across the United States, using high-stakes assessments to measure student performance is the norm. This quantitative correlation study strives to determine if locally developed benchmark assessments accurately predict student achievement on school high-stakes social studies state-mandated assessments. Using post hoc data from 355 middle school students ranging from 12 to 14 years old from a suburban Central Florida charter school who were administered a computer-based Civics practice end-of-course …

A Case Study Of Early Childhood Educators' Self-Determination In Implementing Social Emotional Learning Pedagogy, Ingrid Brouwer

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this single common case study will be to answer the question, “How does intrinsic motivation and self-determination in the ability to make choices and manage one’s behavior guide the implementation of social-emotional teaching practices into the early childhood classroom?” for the participants at Mount Uinta (pseudonym). The theory guiding this study will be Deci and Ryan’s Self-determination Theory (SDT), as it will validate the three basic psychological needs to strengthen learners’ autonomy, competence, and a sense of positive relatedness in social-emotional learning and teaching. Reaching the goal of implementing intrinsic motivation and professional development (PD) for early …

Improving Student Engagement Despite Lowering Attention Spans In The Classroom, Kaycee Lee

Senior Honors Theses

Attention spans have been decreasing throughout society for many years, partially due to the constant increase of technological advances. The average human attention span of eight seconds is particularly concerning to teachers and others in the classroom. It does not seem that the average attention span is ever going to increase, so teachers must implement intentional methods and strategies within their classroom to keep their students’ attention. Physical activities, technology and hands-on supports, small group instruction, shorter lessons, making intentional mistakes, flexible seating, and differentiated instruction are all strategies supported by research to improve student engagement within the classroom. Every …

Tales From The Classroom: A Qualitative Study Of Teacher Experiences With Covid-19, Stephen B. Thompson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study will be to discover insights into how the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has caused residual effects on students’ academic, social, and emotional health two years removed from the pandemic. COVID-19 has impacted education from the lockdown that the leaders in the United States mandated. This lockdown removed students from school’s traditional routines, causing them to learn new ways to participate in their education. The method guiding this study is a qualitative phenomenology to focus on the lived experiences of teachers. Using a transcendental approach, the researcher will focus on the depiction of the …

Generational Poverty And Education: Breaking The Cycle Of Ignorance, Leland Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational poverty is a problem that is not limited by race, gender, geography, or any other demographic. It is widespread and found in every state and city in the United States. Currently, over 17% of the population of the United States lives in poverty, based on a 2019 study. Of those, the vast majority are at least second-generation poverty dwellers. There seems to be no shortage of opinions on why a person lives below the poverty line, and many are willing to share them with those they know and those living in poverty. It is not unusual for one living …