Triumph After Trauma: A Phenomenological Exploration Into Women Survivor’S Perceptions Of The Influence Of Trauma On Their Leadership, Natalya R. Bannister Roby

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Most research around trauma is focused on negative life consequences. Although limited, there is research that explores the influence of resilience and how some survivors may experience growth after trauma (Kirschman, 2004). Furthermore, research is limited on how trauma influences the leadership style and career trajectories of women who have overcome trauma. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used as the methodological framework to explore the perspectives of women leaders who identify as survivors or overcomers of trauma. The study participants are women leaders in middle management positions to senior-level executives in educational organizations serving middle and high school students.

In-depth …

Running The Gauntlet: Barriers For Black Women Academics In Higher Education Research Productivity, Crishana Dionne Benton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Internationally, research productivity bears significance for an institution’s reputation and overall research ranking. Many previous efforts surrounding faculty issues have focused on individual faculty research productivity. This study reimagined the definition of productivity as an academic’s impact on scholarly research, evidenced by their h-index.

At the same time, the need for diversity of faculty populations is becoming more urgent, even in a time when the number of tenure-earning faculty positions is diminishing and those which remain are occupied mainly by white men. To add to the disparities, it is reported that only 4% of full-time faculty are Black women. Black …

Through The Looking Glass: An Autoethnography, Jennifer Pryor Halter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an autoethnography studying my experiences as a female high school principal in the south. Autoethnography is qualitative research that analyzes personal experiences to understand a particular culture (Ellis et al., 2011). I share my lived experiences in fictionalized composite examples to protect myself and others possibly implicated in the research (Law & Fine, 2004). Through analysis, I use feminist theories and metaphors to understand the school and community and the presence of southern culture in this school’s context. Through research, I found glass metaphors describing women in leadership roles and their obstacles (Simpson & Kurma, 2015). I …

New Principals: Experiences That Influence The Role, Marianne P. Simon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology-informed study is to examine the lived experiences of new principals and to understand the experiences that have influenced their role as principal. Phenomenological research is “interested in an analytical and descriptive experience of phenomena by individuals in their everyday world” (Eddles-Hirsch, 2015). This framework is what drove the research study into the lived experiences of new principals and the experiences that have influenced their role. The study is qualitative in nature using three in-depth, semi-structured interviews with five new principals in a Northeast Florida school district for a total of 15 interviews. The research …

Incorporating Recess Into The Ecosystem Of The School, Ellen Wheeler

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unstructured outdoor play is critical to a child’s healthy development. Often the only outdoor unstructured play opportunities occur during recess. Unstructured play and recess are supported as childhood necessities and human rights by the American Pediatric Association and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child. These pronouncements and grass roots support have fueled the creation of legislation that requires recess during the elementary school day. As of 2022, Florida was one of 10 states enacting legislation requiring recess. However, the maximization of the recess experience is largely dependent on the quality of the space and facilities that …

Leadership Characteristics And Teacher Self-Efficacy From The Perspective Of Teachers, Carolyn Hayward

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to investigate how elementary teachers in Clay County, Florida rate their level of self-efficacy, while examining the specific leadership characteristics influencing self-efficacy from the perspective of teachers. Additionally, this study sought to identify characteristics and actions of principals that teachers consider to be important to their self-efficacy in teaching from home on a virtual platform during the global pandemic. Using the Teacher Self-Efficacy Survey (TSES) and the Principal Rating and Ranking Scale (PRRS), teachers assessed their own self-efficacy and the characteristics of principals that they believe influence their self-efficacy. On …

Are High Levels Of Educator Bias Associated With The Disproportionate Discipline Of Black Students?, Melissa Ann Ramos

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Data on school discipline inequities have shown disproportionate numbers of Black students suspended and expelled compared to their non-Black counterparts. Despite the implementation of evidence-based solutions such as positive behavior supports and intervention, educator professional development, and restorative practices aimed at closing the racial discipline gap, little to no change has occurred. Critical Race Theory is used as a lens for viewing racial hierarchies as a socially constructed tool to oppress people of color. This oppression can be seen in various aspects of society and in education, especially in school discipline. It is fueled by biases, both implicit and explicit. …

Examining The Shared Perceptions Surrounding The Most Important Elements To Include In The Design Of A Classroom-Based Therapeutic Visual Arts Program Serving Students With Autism, Laurie E. Hoppock

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Visual art is an enriching part of educational curriculum and an individual's development (Malley & Silverstein, 2014), but public school curriculum is increasingly focusing on standardization, core subject curriculum, testing, and accountability measures leaving creative fields behind as merely an additive part of education or a resource (Hourigan, 2014). Arts education within a system focusing on these areas creates a one-size-fits-all curriculum (Wexler, 2014) for students rather than accounting for individual student learning needs. A differentiated system is needed to respond to varying learning styles and stages of development. With the rising number of students being diagnosed with autism (Zablotsky, …

Principal Professional Learning: Exploring Personal And Contextual Barriers And Facilitators Of Change, Jennifer M. Shepard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Principals are regularly expected to navigate and lead in contexts of complex change. While professional learning is often seen as a key lever for change, there is minimal research regarding principal professional learning in change contexts and even fewer studies making explicit connections between professional learning and change. This qualitative multi-case study of four principals actively engaged in a district designed and facilitated yearlong professional learning program explores the experiences of principals within the program and identifies critical connection points between professional learning and change. Through a series of semi-structured interviews and document analyses, findings emerged indicating that principals had …

Higher Education Information And Communication Technology Implementation Project Success: The Effect Of Organizational Culture, Reginald W. Brinson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation employed a non-experimental quantitative research method to examine the relationship between organizational culture and perceptions of Information and Communication Technology implementation project success in higher education institutions. The study used Sociotechnical Systems Theory to frame the higher education institution’s work system and the Competing Values Framework (CVF) in distinguishing the cultures of the institution, its colleges/divisions, and its departments to determine if differences in culture tendencies impacted faculty, staff, and administrators’ perception of project success. A survey consisting of the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI, © Kim Cameron) and a Project Success scale was used to gather data. …

Evaluating Individualism As A Predictor Of Workplace E-Learning Training Transfer, Allison Kendall Archer

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Organizations have long invested in employee training as a means for development. Returns on these investments are limited, however, when, as commonly observed by practioners and researchers, knowledge or skills acquired from training fails to be implemented. This is referred to as the training transfer phenomenon. Workplace training has historically been designed by and for individuals accustomed to Western learning culture, yet increased globalization has reshaped the workforce of the 21st century. Further, there has been a recent shift in workplace training methods from instructor-led/classroom training to online/e-learning. The purpose of this study is to evaluate individualism (a dimension of …

Pre-College Expectations Of First-Generation College Students: A National Study Based On Institutional Characteristics, Justin Michael Sipes

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Much of the research on first-generation college students (FGS) tends to focus on comparing this population of students to its continuing-generation peers and focuses on in-college experiences. This research looks to answer: (1) are there demographic and pre-college characteristic differences between full-time, FGS at different institutional types; (2) are there differences between institutional types across five cognitive and non-cognitive expectations for FGS; and, (3) do these differences remain after introducing moderating variables. The data are a random sample of participating institutions from the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement, implemented by the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, …

Social Emotional Competence In School Leaders, Melanie Sanders

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

School principals are responsible for the recruitment and retention of effective teachers, leading the instructional program, maintaining the climate and culture of the building, ensuring school safety, and improving student achievement, among other things. Social emotional learning (SEL) has become an important part of K-12 education and has been found to improve climate and culture, student achievement, long term student outcomes, and many other benefits. Research has been conducted on many of the student outcomes associated with SEL but there is limited literature in the area of the social emotional competence (SEC) of adults who work in schools, particularly school …

An Assessment Study Of Student Experiences In A University Conduct Process, Lucas Jay Morrill

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study implements a quantitative assessment survey to explore how experiences of students who participated in a conduct hearing process during the 2020 fall academic semester align with the conduct process learning outcomes of a private liberal arts institution located in northeast Florida (Northeast University). Survey descriptive statistics indicate Northeast University’s conduct process facilitated student understanding of university policies, understanding of their impact on the campus community, and facilitated a process that resulted in a student’s intention to no longer violate university policy again in the future. Data collected also presents trends for students held responsible for COVID-19 related policy …

Student Retention In Higher Education: Effect Of The Campus Fitness Center On Women, Leslie Marie Gordon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Of the 3.5 million first-time in college, full time students who began college in fall 2017, 74% returned for fall 2018, with 61.7% retained at their starting institution. Covid-19 has negatively impacted retention; in addition to normal attrition, one of every five students did not return to campus in fall 2020. Researchers have gauged both academic and social factors that positively influence retention and note the use of the campus fitness center (CFC) as one social factor; however, women are less likely to use the CFC, are one third as likely to exercise, and experience more numerous fitness obstacles and …

College Choice And College Match Among High-Achieving Pell-Eligible Students: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring Social Actor Influence, Jennifer A. Perkins

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College undermatch, the pattern of well-qualified students applying to and attending less selective colleges than their academic qualifications would permit, disproportionally affects low-SES students, a particular concern since attending a match college increases the likelihood that a student will graduate and reduces the amount of time to degree. The number of college-going individuals in one’s social network (including parents, peers, teachers, mentors, etc.) has a strong influence on whether a student attends a good academic match college, but little is known about the nature of the interactions between students and these college-going influencers. This instrumental case study sought to fill …

Measuring Employee Engagement And Adaptive Leadership During Higher Education’S Accountability And Performance Era, Karine Sandra Stukes

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Back in 2015, the Board of Governors for the state of Florida implemented new funding policy within its public state university system, as a mechanism to hold institutions accountable to their performance. According to the performance-funding policy, lower performing institutions were at risk of losing state funding if university metrics were not met. This challenging accountability and performance environment can cause much strife within lower-performing institutions, where it is relevant to explore positive workforce strategies that keep university employees engaged in the work that is needed to get the job done while keeping employees adaptive to challenges presented to them. …

Value-Added Model (Vam) Component Of Teacher Evaluation And Job Satisfaction, Efficacy, And Retention: Perspectives Of Secondary Teachers Of Historically Low-Scoring Students And Recommendations For Alternative Student Performance Measurements, Maureen A. Martin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study aimed to research the perspectives of four teachers who teach low-scoring populations of students traditionally. The research questions focused on job satisfaction, self-efficacy, and retention in education about Value-Added Model scores in their evaluations. The secondary purpose was for the teachers to recommend authentic assessment of student growth which is weighted 33% of teacher evaluations. I conducted a series of three open-ended interviews with each of the four participants. The interviews were designed to allow rich data to be collected. The significant findings have been discovered using the constant comparative method. The analysis revealed that the teacher’s …

Postsecondary Writing Program Collegiality, Job Satisfaction, And Self-Efficacy Teaching Writing: A Quantitative Analysis Using Self-Determination Theory, David A. Mackinnon Ii

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Calling on Ryan & Deci’s (2000) Self-Determination Theory framework, the author sought to explore the relations among writing program faculty collegiality in their work (i.e., teaching, research/scholarship, and service), their job satisfaction in teaching writing courses in postsecondary settings, and their sense of self-efficacy for that teaching. The author surveyed writing program faculty across the State University System of Florida and analyzed collect evidence towards addressing if faculty collegiality behaviors and beliefs relate to faculty job satisfaction in teaching writing or faculty self-efficacy around the teaching of writing. Using exploratory factor analysis and linear regression modeling, the author analyzed the …

Staying Alive: A Content Analysis Of The School Board Minutes Of The Governor Baxter School For The Deaf And The Decision-Making Processes Of The School Board For Redesigning The School, Rebecca Falbo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the decision-making processes of the school board of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf as they worked to keep their school alive. Thus, the research question was “What decision-making processes did the school board of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf adopt while redesigning and restructuring the school to be a viable educational option for Maine’s deaf and hard of hearing children?”

The review of the literature followed key elements of the theoretical framework. The theories that informed the present study were School Board Governance Theory, Institutional Theory, …

Person-Centered Physical Training Programs For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: Stimulating Motivation And Participation As Essential Components Of Program Development, Monica Bolaños-Boudreau

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions of two individuals with intellectual disabilities who participated in a person-centered physical training program that identified factors of motivation and influences on self-determined physical choices. The findings of this study revealed five factors that seemed to motivate participants to exercise; (a) enjoyable activities, (b) personalized program, (c) exercises that promoted health and positive self-images, (d) exercise routines that were familiar and safe, and (e) an exercise partnership with the trainer. Considering these factors of motivation, community leaders, administrators, and practitioners may promote self-determination and ultimately, impact participation by individuals with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, …

Leading Effective Inclusive Schools: How Principals Make The Difference, Megan Robinson Mcmillan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In effective inclusive schools, school principals are the difference-makers. Principals of these schools possess a commitment to leading schools adept at delivering high academic achievement outcomes and providing an inclusive education for students with disabilities. This leadership is predicated upon their inclusive consciousness, or a dogged determination to provide ethical and meaningful educational experiences to all students, but especially those with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to understand how four elementary-level public school principals acquired, developed, and demonstrated an inclusive consciousness that guided their leadership of effective inclusive schools. Data were collected using a basic qualitative methodology and …

Inside Collaborative Communities: Teachers' Perceptions Of The Collaborative Process, Pamela Ann Evors

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of the collaborative process and how it affected their classroom practices. The research question was “What are the perceptions held by experienced public elementary-school teachers in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States regarding the collaborative process in their school settings?”

The research design used semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a specific group of public elementary-school teachers who had extensive professional development and experience with the collaborative process, either in co-teaching settings or in frequent collaboration with colleagues. Using the process of educational criticism (Eisner, 1998) …

Perspectives Of Overage Graduates: Issues That Affected Their Schooling, Dione R. Thomas Webber

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the perspectives of overage graduates who completed years of schooling as an overage student. The following research question guided this inquiry: From the perspective of graduates who were two-or-three years overage for grade, what social, emotional, academic or other issues affected their schooling? Sequential qualitative interviewing of four participants that completed school overage for grade provided data for this study. The data was analyzed with the use of the constant comparative method and synthesized into emergent themes.

The participants reported their perceptions in the context of four specific areas: Interactions with …

Descriptive Case Study Of The Perceptions Of International Students In An Intensive English Program Featuring Mandated Interactions With Fluent English Speakers, Sonia R. Velazquez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive case study is to inform educational leaders working in Intensive English Programs (IEPs) and in Higher Education about the perspectives of international students enrolled in English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes at the English Language Institute (ELI) at the University of Florida (UF). The ELI at UF offers a unique language program that incorporates interactions between the enrolled EAL students and local fluent English speaking university students, hired as Language Assistants (LAs), as a required part of the curricular structure of the ELI’s Listening and Speaking courses for enrolled students at all proficiency levels …

The Relation Between Demographics And Art Discipline As They Pertain To Success On Advanced Placement Exams, Terrance Michael Souder

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relation between the demographics of student and the artistic discipline of which they study at a dedicated magnet school located in the Southeastern United States as it pertains to their success on Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The literature has continually focused on several demographic indicators such as, race, gender, and socioeconomic status to examine the success on AP exams. However, there is very little research on the role that an artistic education plays as in the successful completion of an AP exam. This study examines whether there is an increase in …

Factors Predictive Of Self-Efficacy In First Year Teachers, Jessica Leigh Hamelin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research demonstrates that there are increased teacher burnout rates within the first 5 years of entering the field (Darling-Hammond, 2003; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2010; Yost, 2006). Consistent with those findings is that teacher preparation matters when conversing about recruitment and retention (Brown, Lee, & Collins, 2014). As more research is conducted in the area of teacher preparation it has become clear that teacher effectiveness is directly related to preparation (Darling-Hammond, 2010). As teachers enter their first-year teaching, philosophical stances can change, inflated beliefs about the teaching profession can be altered, and self-efficacy is influenced. Drawing from Hoy and Spero’s (2005) …

The Digital Transition From Textbooks To Tablets In Saudi Arabia, Nehaya Ali Alhamed

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Technology has greatly impacted education around the world, including in Saudi Arabia. Educational technology supports teaching and learning processes, and its integration into schools supports successful initiatives to improve learning in the classroom. Introducing a new technology resource, such as computer tablets, into learning settings is crucial in the delivery of more varied and more interactive instructional content at all student levels.

This qualitative research study concerns the digital transition from textbooks to tablets in Saudi Arabian schools. The goal of the study was to examine the use of tablets by current teachers and to investigate their perceptions of and …

Examining The Role Of Dispositions In Adult Basic Education Matriculation, Deana M. Waite

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adult Education and pre-service teacher programs have the same goals of program completion, and gainful employment for students who possess the dispositional capacity to be successful in the workplace. However, students enrolled in adult education programs experience dispositional barriers (i.e., a lack of confidence, academic unpreparedness, and a lack of motivation or personal desire) that contributes to the low completion rate of adult education programs. This study used a quasi-experimental design to examine the role of dispositions in adult basic education matriculation. This study used the teacher education program’s survey instrument on student disposition (Abbreviated Rubric for Self-Assessment) …

Examining The Impacts Of Virtual Mentoring On College Students' Leadership Efficacy A Quantitative Study Of C.A.M.P Osprey, Justin Michael Lerman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring involves a collaborative and reciprocal sharing of knowledge for professional development. In leadership, a mentor is an individual who currently serves as a leader while guiding someone who aspires to be a leader in the future. This study evaluated how virtual mentoring compares to face-to-face mentoring on the development of leadership self-efficacy for college students. This study undertook a comparative analysis of face-to-face mentoring sessions and virtual mentoring sessions to explore the research question and hypotheses. The mentoring process involved a dyadic relationship where personalities create a positive and effective learning experience. A comparative analysis permitted the study to …