Unheard Voices: Black Adolescents' Perceptions Of Mental Health In Urban Communities, Brian James Ludden

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mental health in the United States is a rising concern. More concerning still is the growing number of children and adolescents with serious depression and other mental health disorders (SAMHSA, 2009; Merikangas et al., 2010). Despite a growing list of proven and best-practice prevention and intervention initiatives that have been made available to children and adolescents, 80 percent of children and adolescents with a diagnosable mental health disorder will not receive services for their associated mental health concerns (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999; Cummings 2014). Children and adolescents with mental health disorders are faced with an ever-increasing …

The Perceived Roles Of Student Affairs Administrators In Public Higher Education, Luisa C. Martinez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of student affairs administration could benefit from research on how student affairs administrators perceive their duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as well as how such an understanding could contribute to organizational theory, practice, and policy. The purpose of this study was to examine how administrators in student affairs perceive their role in public higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined SAAs’ duties, obligations, and responsibilities (role) using Q methodology. Although there are perception studies using Q methodology in higher education, there are fewer empirical studies on how SAAs’ perceive their roles. Consequently, this study recruited forty …

Examining Leadership Approaches Of Community College Administrators: Understanding Leadership And Change Processes, Jametoria Lynette Houston Burton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of the study was to explore the personal perspectives of three select state college administrators regarding their purpose, values, and beliefs they inherently espouse about leadership, developmental education and academic success. The researcher examined the ways in which community college administrators used communication strategies to lead change processes within their organizations. The researcher identified the administrators’ leadership approaches in leading a major redesign of a developmental education program at a large community college in Florida. The following primary research question was explored: What are the strategies adopted by the select state college administrators leading a major developmental education …

Student-Athlete Perception Of Coaching Leadership Behaviors’ Influence On Mental Health Symptoms Associated With Anxiety, Depression, Suicidality, And Substance Abuse, Joan E. Thurston

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Student-athletes are viewed as the epitome of health due to their physical appearance and talent set; however, it is their psychological health that needs significant attention (Etzel, 2006). Psychosocial stressors such as the pressures and demands of being a student and athlete as well as the demands and expectations of the coach have significant impact on the student-athlete’s mental health and well-being (Beauchemin, 2014; Cleary et al., 2011; Lafrenière et al., 2011; Mageau & Vallerand, 2003; Watson, 2005). The purpose of this research is to investigate any correlation between student-athletes’ perceptions of coaching leadership behaviors and the symptoms associated …

Appreciating Neurodiversity: Asd Perceptions Of Experiences In A Higher Education Transition Program And The Implications For Higher Ed Leaders, Joanna L. Ale

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decade, the number of individuals being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has risen substantially. One byproduct of increased diagnosis is that more and more students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are applying and being accepted to colleges and universities (Graetz & Spampinato, 2008; Jones, 2012; Smith, 2007; Taylor, 2005; Zager, Alpern, McKeon, Maxam, & Mulvey, 2013; Longtin, 2013; Adreon & Durocher, 2007; Zager & Alpern, 2010). Research in the field of Autism and Higher Education is in its infancy, with a dearth of the research focusing on the challenges and struggles that degree-seeking students with ASD face within …

Professional Conversations Within Self-Contained Classrooms: The Shared Perspectives Of Teachers, Paraprofessionals, And Administrators, Travis Brett Henderson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Paraprofessionals in self-contained settings are often involved in helping students to learn the skills to manage their behaviors. A need has been identified for paraprofessionals to join teachers in professional development opportunities in order to better meet the needs of the students who receive their services (Konza & Fried, 2012). By recognizing paraprofessionals as vital members of a student’s educational team (Boudreau & Twigg, 2011), informal professional development opportunities throughout the school day, such as professional conversations, may provide paraprofessionals with opportunities to share their experiences with each other and with their teachers, as well as to make collaborative decisions …

Examining Perceptions Of Black Administrators In Higher Education Regarding Administrative Leadership Opportunities, Renita Taylor Thompson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In spite of the research highlighting the significance of the presence of Black administrators to the success of Black students, there continue to be noticeable disparities in the representation of Black and White administrators in higher education. The racial and ethnic makeup of institutions of higher education does not reflect the demographics of the U.S. population. Black administrators are disproportionately underrepresented throughout academe, and are even more sparse at the executive levels of leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and attitudes of mid-level Black administrators with respect to progressing into executive-level administrative positions at predominantly …

Secondary-School Department Chairpersons’ Perceptions Of Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Jonathan K. Greene

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The concept of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) provides a framework for understanding the professional demands of secondary-school teachers in facilitating student learning. Teachers develop their PCK both formally in preservice and inservice education and informally with their colleagues. Teacher leaders, such as the secondary-school department chairs, can work with colleagues to promote professional growth. The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary-school department chairs understood PCK and perceived their role in promoting the PCK growth of their department colleagues. A qualitative research design using in-depth, semi-structured interviews involved 15 participants from one school district in the southeast of …

An Examination Of The Perceptions Of Elementary School Principals, General Education Teachers, And Special Education Teachers About Supportive Inclusion Practices And Processes, Ahmed Afia Laroussi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on the perceptions of the school principals, general education teachers, and special education teachers about practices and processes that support the inclusion program. High stake holders in schools and parents of students with disabilities are advocating for the improvement of the quality of the inclusion as an academic service delivery model. This study is significant because the number of students with disabilities being placed in the general education classroom continues to increase, and the federal and the state mandates are holding school districts and schools accountable for all students’ academic performance, including students with disabilities. A …

Comparative Study Of School And Science Teacher Technology Leaderships In High And Middle Schools In The United States And China, Ying Tang

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Researchers found that various schools took different technology leadership approaches and that school leadership practices were empirically associated with outcomes for teacher performance and student learning. To date, few studies systematically examined the salient aspects of school technology leadership (STL) and science teacher technology leadership (STTL), and the effects of country and grade-level on school and science teacher technology leaderships. A comprehensive technology leadership model was lacking for secondary school science education. Therefore, this research study focused on the status of school technology leadership, science teacher technology leadership, and their relationships and differences across country and grade. In this study, …

Participant Perceptions Of Knowledge Sharing In A Higher Education Community Of Practice, Shawn Whittaker Brayton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As the source of economic wealth continues to transition from a late industrial era to an early knowledge era, the foundation of success in the 21^st century relates to a dependency on knowledge-based assets such as ideas, processes, and information (Alavi & Leidner, 2001; Sallis & Jones, 2002; Søndergaard, Kerr, & Clegg, 2007; Sveiby, 1997). During this transition, the emergent discipline of knowledge management in business and in education has evolved from a techno-centric approach (Alavi & Leidner, 2001; McAdam & McGreedy, 1999; McElroy, 2000) to a holistic social process oriented toward meeting institutional demands for new knowledge and …

Complexities Of Technology Integration In The Elementary Classroom Context: A Structural Equation Model Study, Heather M. Monroe-Ossi

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Effectively integrating technology into classroom instruction presents teachers with several dilemmas about their understanding of how students learn, their approach to designing learning activities, and their conceptualization of their role as teachers (Windschitl, 2002). Using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model (Koehler & Mishra, 2005, 2009; Mishra & Koehler, 2006) as the conceptual model undergirding the research, this study was designed to build evidence towards establishing the validity and reliability of a measurement instrument employed to assess the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge teachers utilize, as well as gain an understanding of how this knowledge is affected by teacher …

Voices Of The First Women Leaders In The Federal Bureau Of Investigation, Ellen Glasser

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized elite, semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of the first women who became Special Agents and supervisors in the highly gendered Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The historical context for their experiences is significant in light of social and legal mandates for equal opportunity and the increased interest in gender-specific research that took place during the 1970s. Literature relating to feminist perspectives, the integration of women into nontraditional occupations, and the gendered nature of bureaucracy supported the conceptual framework. Guided by educational criticism, four strategies were used recursively: typological analysis was used to define categories of …

Examination Of Exceptional Student Educators’ Personal Practical Theories And The Implications For Practice, Melissa Jewell Call

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined exceptional student educators’ (ESE) personal practical theories (PPTs) and how they impact complex decision-making when it comes to students with disabilities and their families. A case study methodology was selected to explore how four ESE teachers and leaders developed their PPTs as well as how they planned, interacted, and reflected upon decisions made during one workweek. The guiding questions of this study were: what are the PPTs of ESE leaders and teachers, what factors influence the development of PPTs, and how do PPTs impact special educators’ work with students with disabilities? To address these questions, four participants …

Analyzing The Effect Of Individual Factors And Organizational Context On Faculty Participation In Online Teaching, Deborah F. Miller

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study analyzed the influence of individual factors and institutional context on faculty participation in online teaching at public higher education institutions in the United States. Through an ex post facto design, cause and effect relationships were explored using statistical analysis of a large national data set. Variables in the data set directly related to the areas of interest in this study included interest in teaching, student-centered pedagogy, autonomy and control, instructional support, and institutional climate. Factors related to interest in teaching and institutional reward were statistically significant (p

Community Leaders' Perceptions Of Their Leadership Behaviors And Practices Used To Influence K-12 Public Education: A Q Methodology Study, Mai Dinh Keisling

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This Q methodology study focused on the perspectives of diverse community leaders concerning how their perceptions of leadership behaviors and practices were used to influence K-12 public education. The leaders’ perspectives were identified, described, analyzed, and compared with others who shared similar views through the use of Q methodology. Through purposeful and snowball sampling, a diverse group of community leader participants first responded to an open-ended questionnaire, inviting them to provide the leadership behaviors and practices they use to influence K-12 public education. This process of concourse development resulted in a total of 263 statements. These statements were then systematically …

Stories Of Challenge And Resilience: The Impact Of Ecological Factors On The Lived Experiences Of Low Income, Urban Young Adults Living With Hiv/Aids, Kathleen Anne Thoma

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Transitioning to adulthood is a challenging experience for all young adults, but especially for those who are living with HIV/AIDS and residing in low income, urban areas. Young adults, particularly those who live in low income, urban areas, have the highest rate of new HIV cases among all age groups in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of a purposive sample of young adults living with HIV/AIDS who resided in a selected low income, urban area in order to better understand how ecological and health factors presented opportunities and challenges for resilience …

Role Tension In The Academy: A Philosophical Inquiry Into Faculty Teaching And Research, Nicolas Michaud

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation seeks to understand the conjunction of faculty roles as teachers and as researchers. This understanding is pursued through philosophical analysis. Discourse ethics, in particular, is used as a framework by which to best understand the roles played by faculty and if the roles of teacher and researcher are, in fact, commensurable. The purpose of the work is two-fold: 1) to develop a construct that may be used by future researchers to better understand the roles played by faculty, and 2) to suggest a best-construct that enables future researchers to propose how actual lived roles should be instantiated in …

Parental Involvement In The College-Going Process: A Q Methodology Study, Glori White Peters

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored parent perspectives about their participation in a federal TRIO pre-college program. Specifically, parents were asked to identify the program elements that encouraged and supported their participation in the college-going process of their child in a TRIO pre-college program. Forty parents of low-income, first generation TRIO students were purposefully selected for this study because they had participated in the parent component and because their child had enrolled in college within a year of high school graduation.

Q methodology was used for this study because it is designed to address the subjective first person viewpoint. In this Q study, …

Learning Strategies And Leadership Behaviors Of Small Business Leaders In Northeast Florida, Terikay Rumancik

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this study was to examine the leadership behaviors and learning strategies of Successful Small Business Leaders (SSBLs) in Northeast Florida. Information gathered during this study may help current and future small business owners develop, maintain, and make their organizations more productive through the use of the learning strategies and leadership behaviors employed by SSBLs. Through a two-prong approach, the study examined both leadership and learning. The study addressed the following two questions: 1) What learning strategies are used most by successful small business leaders? and 2) What leadership behaviors are exhibited most by successful small business leaders? …

Building A Professional Learning Community At The University Level: A Case Study Of An Information Fluency Initiative, Susan Bennett Slavicz

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An examination of the research regarding the problems associated with student academic writing indicated that two abilities, writing abilities and information literacy skills, intersect, and that an accepted term for this intersection is information literacy. The University of Central Florida’s Information Fluency Initiative recognized information literacy as a key component in developing students’ information fluency skills. This qualitative case study of the initiative used semi-structured interviews, study of documents, and observations to gather data in order to describe how the university planned, developed, and implemented the initiative. Study of relevant literature, narrative analysis (Tierney & Lincoln, 1997), inductive analysis (Hatch, …

Predictive Utility And Achievement Outcomes Of Two Simultaneous District-Developed Interim Assessment Programs, Tavymae W. Chen

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present correlational, ex post facto study was to evaluate the predictive ability and academic achievement criterion outcomes of two district-developed interim mathematics assessment programs for a sample of 5,801 grade 6 students in a large urban school district. Average scores for both interim assessment types were statistically significantly more related to 2013 FCAT 2.0 scores (r = .75 and .72; p < .001) than all other predictors (i.e., student demographics, Florida school grade, and student course GPA) except for 2012 FCAT 2.0 scores (r = .78; p < .001). Further, the newer interim assessment program with an instructional purpose and curriculum-based sequencing had slightly stronger overall predictive power (r_s = .88) and a higher criterion mean score (M = 218.08) than the older, state-test mirror interim assessment program (r_s = .85; M = 215.47). …

Facility Matters: The Perception Of Academic Deans Regarding The Role Of Facilities In Higher Education, Wallace Harris

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how academic deans perceived the characteristics of facility built environment and its impact on learning in higher education. Q methodology was used as the means to explore the subjective opinions of academic deans within the State of Florida regarding the facility built environment’s impact on learning in higher education. For this Q study, the concourse statements were the result of communications taken from the subject literature and participant responses to this study’s online concourse questionnaire. The resulting 32 item Q sample was sorted online by 43 academic deans, associate and assistant deans. …

The Impact Of Student Support Services On Academic Success At A Select Historically Black College And University, Andrea Marie Cummings

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the impact of student support services (SSS) on academic success at a historically black college. The study was grounded in the theoretical framework of Astin’s Input-Environment-Outcome Model (IEO), Scholssberg’s theory of marginality, holistic theory , facilitation theory, and the theory of sensory simulation (Dunn, 2002; Anderson et. al., 2011; Dennick, 2014 and Pritchard, 2013)

A mixed method approach was used to quantify and explicate triangulated data, which included the N-LSSI survey, archival data, and focus group interviews. The N-LSSI survey used a 7-point Likert Scale, and students from The College …

Classroom Intercultural Competence In Teacher Education Students, Interns, And Alumni, Christine K. Holland

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the impact of a student teaching internship upon the classroom intercultural competence (CIC) of teacher education students and alumni. Phase I employed quantitative methodology to compare the intercultural competence as measured by Ross, Thornson, McDonald, and Arrastia’s (2009) Cross Cultural Competence Inventory (3CI) for three groups. The 3CI is a 63-item survey that uses corresponding questions to assess intercultural competence. Survey items are scored with a 6-point, strongly agree-to-strongly disagree Likert scale (Thornson, 2010). The three groups included teacher education students enrolled in a field observation course, students enrolled in …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Cultural Change In A Challenged High School During The Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Victoria Crowell

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academically failing schools are under scrutiny from government education administrators, policymakers, and the general public, due to chronic inabilities to lower dropout rates and to educate students who can pass high-stakes graduation assessments. States’ efforts to adhere to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act have led to the development of accountability systems to determine adequate yearly progress (AYP) and to assign schools grades, as well as wholesale reassessment of current educational programs, which are often replaced with more rigorous curricula.

Among curricular programs that have been sought as reform measures for academically failing schools is the International Baccalaureate Program …

Student Sucess And Retention : Critical Factors For Success In The Online Environment, Melanie Clark

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was designed to determine the relationship between identified student characteristics and readiness factors and measures of success in selected online courses as defined by final course grades. This study focused on two sets of variables. The first was regarding the relationship of student demographic and educational background factors such as age, gender, academic placement, educational level, enrollment status, grade point average, withdrawal history, and previous online course experience to success in online courses. The second was regarding the relationship of learning readiness factors of personal attributes, learning style, life factors, technical competency, technical knowledge, and reading rate …

Early Literacy Practices And Beliefs About Education Among Hispanic Families In Jacksonville, Florida, Maira Luz Martelo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hispanic children in the United States are more likely to fall behind in several literacy measures even before they enroll in prekindergarten programs. There are some structural and non-structural factors that have a direct impact on Hispanic children’s early literacy skills. Among the non-structural factors this mixed-method study explored Hispanic caregivers’ beliefs about education as well as their literacy practices at home.

The study compared two groups: diverse Hispanic caregivers with 4-year-old children enrolled in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Program (VPK) and diverse Hispanic caregivers whose 4-year-old children were not enrolled in VPK. A total of 125 diverse Hispanic caregivers responded …

Perceptions Of Leadership Styles And Job Satisfaction In A Sample Of High School Athletic Directors In The United States, Colin J. Turey

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined how athletic directors perceive their leadership roles in interscholastic athletics and the relationship of their leadership styles to their job satisfaction. The conceptual framework of this study was Bass and Avolio’s (1994) full range leadership model, also known as the transformational-transactional leadership model, which consists of 9 factors—5 transformational behaviors: idealized influence (attributed), idealized influence (behavior), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration; 2 transactional behaviors: contingent reward and management-by-exception (active); 2 passive/avoidant behaviors: management-by-exception (passive) and laissez-faire. These 9 factors are measured by the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The study was also informed by …

Program Evaluation In The Nonprofit Sector : An Exploratory Study Of Leaders' Perceptions, Gail A. Patin

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to understand the role of and capacity for program evaluation from the perspectives of leaders in the Northeast Florida nonprofit sector. The study was a two-phased qualitative design and had three research questions related to the role of program evaluation, the capacity for program evaluation, and the influence of the relationship between providers and funders on these efforts. The first phase was a nominal group process using the Delphi survey method. The second phase involved in-depth interviews. Study participants were chosen based on specific criteria.

The Delphi phase had four rounds of surveys. Findings …