Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Promoting Early Mobility Of Patients In The Intensive Care Unit, Sheryl L. Gilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Deconditioning occurs in critically ill patients as early as 4 days after entering the intensive care unit (ICU) resulting in a loss of up to 25% peripheral muscle tone and 18% body weight by the time the patient is discharged. Early mobility (EM) has been shown to reduce complications such as neuromuscular weakness, muscle wasting, pneumonia, and the effects of prolonged periods of time on the ventilator. No formal education on EM had been provided to nurses at the clinical site. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational program on EM to promote early ambulation of critically …

Guideline Development For An Adjunct Faculty Orientation In Prelicensure Nursing Programs, Pamela Ann Nehring

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A research study conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing noted adjunct faculty educators have significant learning requirements and that nursing education throughout the United States has not met the basic needs of novice adjunct faculty educators. Adjunct faculty at a local community college noted a deficit in the orientation process for new clinical faculty. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop a guideline for new clinical faculty orientation. The sources of evidence were a literature review and a survey using the Delphi process with an expert panel comprising a group of 7 interested …

Validating Bloom's Revised Taxonomy As A Rubric For Assessing Middle School Students' Levels Of Thinking, Siri Torrence Deforest Reynolds

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educators in a rural charter middle school in the United States were challenged with the reliable assessment of student thinking skills even though the development of higher order thinking was an espoused goal for the school. The purpose of this study was to validate a new rubric based on Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (BRT) to reliably assess student levels of thinking as reflected in the students’ written work. A quantitative, nonexperimental design was used. The focus of the research questions was on the BRT rubric’s reliability and validity. Interrater reliability was assessed using Krippendorff’s alpha. Validity was explored by assessing the …

Investigating Employer Support As A Predictor Of Online Master's Student Retention, James Lenio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enrollment in master level programs has been increasing nationwide, particularly in online programs which tend to enroll older and more ethnically diverse students who are likely to be balancing work, finances, and family responsibilities with their educational pursuits. The challenges related to this balance has resulted in higher attrition rates and lower completion rates. In this quantitative study, the relationship between employer support and first-year retention for master's students enrolled in online programs at a for-profit university was examined. Bean and Metzner's model of nontraditional student attrition was used as the theoretical foundation. Archival data from the online institution were …

Teachers' Perceptions Of School District Professional Development Alignment With National Standards, Arlene Jean Wacha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite ongoing delivery of teacher professional development (PD), educational leaders in the local district did not have an objective evaluation whether their implementation of the Marzano causal teacher evaluation model and the iObservation tool training were aligned with accepted national standards for PD effectiveness. Using Vygotsky's constructivist theory as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative descriptive, correlational study was to describe teachers' perceptions of the alignment of the district's PD with national standards and the relationship between teachers' reported self-efficacy and attitudes toward the PD program. A purposive sample of 80 middle school teachers completed the Learning Forward's …

The Effectiveness Of Read 180 With Fourth-Grade African American Male Students, Twana Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fourth grade African American male students have the lowest rate of reading proficiency in the nation and are more likely to require remedial reading programs. Prior research suggested reading interventions that considered student ability, instructional practices, and curriculum rigor improved reading ability. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the influence of a remedial reading program, READ180, on 4th grade African American male students' reading comprehension as measured by 2 different standardized reading tests, TerraNova (TN) and Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) that are administered annually to all students. The theoretical framework was Vygotsky's theory of cognitive development. Research …

Mobile-Based Assessment And Iranian College Students' Motivation, Self-Efficacy, And Academic Performance, Abrisham Mokhtari

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mobile learning can increase students' access to more affordable and quality college education for those living in remote areas. Even though the instructional aspect of mobile learning has received much attention, there has been limited consideration of the assessment aspect. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of Iranian college students on the utilization of mobile devices as assessment tools and the influence it has on motivation, self-efficacy, and academic performance in their learning process. The conceptual framework of this study included the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Data …

School Leadership Preparation In The Commonwealth Of The Northern Marianas Islands, Rizalina Maratita Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The perceptions of school leaders on the effectiveness of the school leadership preparation program (SLPP) in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) public school system have not been examined. Highly qualified teachers are selected and trained for administrative and leadership roles through the SLPP. This qualitative case study was conducted to evaluate the level of effectiveness of the SLPP in the CNMI public school system. The conceptual framework was the Seven Habits of Effective Principal Preparation Programs by Davis and Jazzar. The theoretical frameworks were transformational leadership as articulated by Burns and instructional leadership. The research questions …

An Elementary Perspective Of The Value-Added Model, Pat Mccoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a small, rural school district in the southeastern United States, elementary school teachers were receiving positive evaluation ratings while student proficiency on state assessments was below the state average. Due to changes in federal and state laws, school personnel evaluate methods have undergone significant reform. The purpose of this study was to answer the guiding research questions of teachers and administrators perceptions toward the value-added model (VAM) of evaluation and how those perceptions affect teacher performance. Taylor's scientific management theory, which suggests examining human productivity through the lens of applied science served as the conceptual framework. Data were collected …

Effects Of Class Scheduling And Student Achievement On State Testing, Elizabeth Anne Childers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research study was to determine the effectiveness of four different class schedules on students' academic achievement on end-of-course testing and whether a specific class schedule is more conducive to student academic achievement on state-mandated standardized tests. Georgia Department of Education provided archived public data for the 2009-2012 school years for a high school with an approximate population of 1,400 students. This high school implemented different class schedules; a 4x4 block schedule, A/B block schedule, a mixed block and traditional period day, or traditional period schedule. The main research question was focused on students' state standardized end-of-course …

Perceptions Among Women On Education For Health Information Management Career Advancement, Meagan Sampogna Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The increased use of technology has affected almost every aspect of how data are collected, stored, retrieved, and analyzed across the health care system. The health information management (HIM) workforce in the United States is predominantly composed of women. With HIM employment rising by 2020, additional education of the current workforce is a necessity. This qualitative phenomenological study evaluated women working with HIM associate degrees and RHIT certifications to determine their perceived need for advanced education for career advancement. This study used the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to determine how women in HIM perceive needs based on self-efficacy, expected …

Measuring Third Grade Reading Performance With And Without Using The Study Island Program, Caprice Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low test scores on third graders' Illinois State Assessment Test (ISAT) is a concern in the Allgood Elementary School community. Thirty percent of third graders are retained because they do not meet the standard on the ISAT. A technology-assisted reading program, Study Island, was implemented to increase reading proficiency. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an improvement in standardized test performance after the implementation of Study Island for the academic school years 2009-2012. Dewey's theory of experience provided the theoretical framework for the study because when students are engaged in hands on experience in …

Use Of Simulation For Tracheostomy Care, A Low Volume, High Risk Nursing Procedure, Vijaya Ramakrishnan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Often, education regarding low volume and high-risk procedures, like tracheostomy, are ignored. Lack of experience, skills, and human resources can lead to decreases in confidence levels, diminished quality of care, and potentially an adverse event. The purpose of this DNP project was to prepare simulation-based education on the tracheostomy procedure and provide hands-on education to bedside nurses. The project answered the question: To what extent will a simulation-based teaching method adequately prepare staff nurses in a post-acute surgical unit to perform this high risk low volume procedure? The Johns Hopkins evidence-based model method was used to assist in translation of …

Effectiveness Of Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion Therapy Education In A Clinic Setting, Kimberly Rizzo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes affects an estimated 29.1 million Americans, with approximately another 1/3 of Americans not yet diagnosed. Complications associated with diabetes include heart disease, stroke, hypertension, blindness, kidney disease, neuropathy and death. All of these complications can be prevented with optimal control of blood glucose levels. Advances in technology provide people living with diabetes (PLWD) a multitude of treatment options such as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. Unfortunately, sustained improvement in glycated hemoglobin A1c (HgA1c) is not always achieved even with this advanced therapy. The purpose of this doctoral project was to educate nurses on CSII therapy and promote improved …

Evaluation Of Math Block-Scheduling For Low Performing At-Risk And Economically- Disadvantaged Students, Toni Trice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows a math achievement gap for at-risk and economically-disadvantaged students in the United States. To address this issue, a Texas school district implemented a 90-minute math block-scheduling program with 8th grade students. Shaped by the academic learning time and social justice theories, the purpose of this quantitative program evaluation was to determine if students in 3 key subgroups (low performing, low performing and at-risk, and low performing and economically-disadvantaged) who participated on the 90-minute block-schedule performed significantly better on the math state standardized assessment than did students in the same subgroups who remained on the traditional schedule. This retrospective …

Standardized Critical Thinking Tests As A Predictor Of Success In Nursing Programs, Jaimee Kastler Kastler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High attrition rates and a nursing shortage across the nation have led schools of nursing to seek out ways to better identify which applicants will be most successful in graduating from the nursing program and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Nursing programs have historically included standardized entrance exam scores and prerequisite scores among their admission criteria but have not used standardized critical thinking assessments (CTA), even though critical thinking is an integral part of being a successful nursing professional. Using Astin's input-environment-output (I-E-O) model, the purpose of this retrospective correlational study was to determine whether …

Educating To The Collaborative Care Model, Darcy N. Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this project was the lack of experienced RNs needed in the acute care setting to deliver safe, quality patient care, while effectively managing resources and providing job satisfaction. The purpose of this project was to determine if an education module designed to educate charge and rover nurses on the Collaborative Care Model (CCM) would enhance staff nurses' abilities to provide safe, high quality care to patients, and improve staff nurse retention on one unit in an acute care setting. The theoretical frameworks utilized to guide the education module included: Lewin's theory of planned change, Benner's novice …

The Development And Validation Of A Novice Nurse Decision-Making Skills Education Curriculum, Joanne Stephanie Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Novice nurses (NNs) are entering critical care environments with limited knowledge, skills, and decision-making expertise. They are expected to care for complex patients in a dynamic healthcare setting. The research question for this project examined whether NNs improve their knowledge and skills by participating in a nursing decision-making skills curriculum. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate a nursing decision-making skills education curriculum working in an intermediate critical care unit. Taba's instructional theoretical model was used to guide the new curriculum development along with current evidence based practice found in the current literature. Scaffolding approach theory encouraged …

University Educators' Instructional Choices And Their Learning Styles Within A Lesson Framework, Lucille Mazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research on learning styles often focuses on the learning style of the student; however, the learning style of the educator may affect instructional choices and student learning. Few studies have addressed the lack of knowledge that exists in universities with respect to educators' learning styles and a lesson framework (development, delivery, and debriefing). This sequential mixed methods study explored university educators' conscious, reflective instructional choices as they related to learning styles application within a lesson. Two theoretical frameworks and one conceptual framework drew on Kolb's experiential learning theory; Bloom's, Reigeluth's, and Gagné's instructional design theories and models; and Fiddler and …

Factors Affecting Secondary Students' Learning In A Credit Recovery Program, Richard Alan Joyer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A credit recovery (CR) program was implemented at a rural high school in Texas to assist with high school completion. While graduation rates increased, the time for completion also increased for students in the CR program. The purposes of this correlational study were to examine factors that impact student learning in the CR program and to determine whether teachers were implementing student-centered instruction. Piaget's constructivist theory provided the framework for the study. The guiding question was to examine the relationships between student achievement and classroom environment, active learning, attendance, and student success from those enrolled in the credit recovery class …

Effect Of Summer Bridge Programming On Students' Performance On The Texas Success Initiative Assessment, Consuela Michelle Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summer bridge programs (SBPs) have been used as a means of increasing students' college readiness and academic skills. University Southeast implemented a SBP in 2013 for students placing into developmental courses on the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSIA). However, researchers have found mixed results when evaluating the effectiveness of SBPs, and at University Southeast, it has not been investigated. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the difference in TSIA score gains between first-time-in-college students with developmental-level test scores who attended a three-week SBP and those who did not. Tinto's longitudinal model of student departure guided the study …

Implications Of A Health Careers Exploration Program For Minority Student Matriculation, Angelica Ellman Christie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations that deliver programs to promote the entry of students from marginalized populations into the U.S. health workforce often struggle to demonstrate the effective achievement of outcomes, and face diminishing fiscal resources. This study was an empirical examination of the extent and manner that a statewide, precollege, health careers exploration program fostered the matriculation of underrepresented minority students into health degree education programs. Schneider and Stevenson's aligned ambitions framework provided the theoretical foundation. The research questions for this study examined the relationship between program participation and the successful health degree matriculation of racial minority students based on the extent of …

Program Evaluation Of A Competency-Based Online Model In Higher Education, Karen Digiacomo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In order to serve its nontraditional students, a university piloted a competency-based program as alternative method for its students to earn college credit. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to conduct a summative program evaluation to determine if the program was successful in order to make decisions about program revision and expansion. The conceptual framework for the study was grounded in Knowles's adult learning theory and Bandura's social learning theory as they relate to adult learners being self-directed and self-motivated to complete their educational goals. The pilot program involved 60 students taking 12 different courses over 3 semesters. Quantitative …

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of A Professional Learning Community, Catina Shontelle Stewart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools has been shown to serve as a catalyst in transforming school culture and increasing the academic performance of students. Our school district mandated that PLCs were established at the research site, an urban Louisiana school, for the primary purpose of closing the achievement gap. Yet, recent data from the local district indicate that these PLCs have not resulted in capacity building for sustainable improvement. Ineffective implementation of the current PLCs may have contributed to the poor outcomes. One purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the …

Relationship Between Teachers' Use Of Academic Progress Data And Students' Test Scores, Amanda Egan Egan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A small private secondary school in Mexico implemented periodic progress testing with the intention of individualizing education of its students. The relationship between teachers' use of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) data and students' mathematics and reading gain scores was not known. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the frequency of teachers' use of MAP data or student profiles was related to students' MAP mathematics and reading test gain scores between 2 years of test administrations. The theoretical framework for the study was Dewey's, Kolb's, and Vygotsky's ideas on pragmatism and constructivism, which support students' opportunities for …

A Case Study Of Middle School Teachers' Preparations For High-Stakes Assessments, David Lee Yeary

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students, educators, and schools across the country have been presented with challenges as a result of rigorous standards and high-complexity tests. The problem addressed in this case study was that teachers in a rural middle school in a southeastern state were preparing students to take a new high-stakes state-mandated assessment in English language arts with very little information about what should be done to best prepare students to perform well. Danielson's work on instructional leaders, Webb's work on alignment of standards and assessments, and Tankersley's research on alignment of instruction and assessment provided the frameworks for the study. The participants …

Educating Globally In Medical Imaging In Latin America And Caribbean Via Webinars, Carmen Teresa Saunders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professional development courses that focus on increasing knowledge and improving skill sets are an integral part of a medical imager's career. This study was a qualitative formative evaluation with purposeful sampling of participants in a professional development webinar course offered to medical imaging professionals in 35 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The goal of this study was to aid the agency with identifying areas in which the efficacy of the program implementation and delivery could improve. The conceptual framework model, interest-problem-based learning (INTEREST-PBL) model, and Malcolm Knowles's theory on adult learning were used to ground this project. The research questions …

Combining The Sonday System And The Developmental Reading Assessment To Improve Struggling Readers' Standardized Test Scores, Daphne Tinglin-Jarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Struggling students' poor reading and comprehension skills have continued to be a national problem. A New Jersey Department of Education report showed that of 311,628 middle school students tested in language arts, 26.2% scored at the partial proficiency level and 58.5% scored at the proficiency level. Further review of the middle schools in a local school district revealed that 57% of the students struggled to read and were unable to pass the Benchmark and New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJASK) tests. The purpose of this study was to compare the NJASK test scores when the Developmental Reading Assessment …

Persistence, Major, Vocational Technical Preparation, And Provisional Acceptance At A Private For-Profit Hospitality College, Joshua Luke Seery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a private for-profit hospitality college in Philadelphia, there are rising percentages of students not persisting to the sophomore year. The study was grounded by the theoretical framework of Tinto's model of student retention. The purpose of this causal comparative study was to examine the relationship between student persistence and the academic variables of major, vocational technical preparation, and provisional acceptance. The relationship was analyzed using a chi-square test of independence. The data collected for the study came from archival data based upon the sample of 162 full-time students enrolled during the August 2014 class start in the majors of …

Integration Of Place-Based Education Into Science Classes From Prekindergarten Through Grade 5, Terri Adele Wade-Lyles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In a large urban district in Ohio, 29.2% of Grade 5, 28.7% of Grade 8, and 45.7% of Grade 10 students passed the state test in science. School district administrators formed a community partnership with local science institutions in order to provide students with hands-on place-based learning experiences intended to improve science academic achievement in PK-Grade 5. The purpose of this qualitative program evaluation was to determine the level of implementation of that place-based program by examining the efficacy of the teachers' embedded professional development and their experiences with the training components. Bruner's theory of cognitive development was used to …