Health and Physical Education Commons^™

Experiences Of Former Participants In Teen Advocates For Sexual Health (Tash), Celeste Nicholas

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the experiences of former participants in a Planned Parenthood youth development and sex education program, Teen Advocates for Sexual Health (TASH). Phenomenologically-based interviews centered the question, “What did it mean to participate in TASH?” Chapter 1 introduces the study context and synthesizes foundational literature from the fields of sex education, public health, critical pedagogy, civic engagement, youth development, and youth organizing. Chapters 2-4 each contain complete manuscripts, representing three complementary analytic approaches to a common data set and inviting multiple audiences. Chapter 2 addresses sex educators in describing TASH’s “rights-based” sex education model. Research questions included: …

Is There A Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Student Academic Achievement?, William Rushton Parker

Dissertations

The study utilized a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between students’ levels of fitness to students’ academic achievement as well as addressing the attitudes of elementary administrators, fifth grade regular education teachers, and elementary physical education teachers towards physical fitness and academic achievement. Instruments used in the study were the Mississippi Curriculum Test, 2^nd Edition (MCT2) and the FITNESSGRAM. The data from the FITNESSGRAM and MCT2 were archival, coming from the 2013-2014 academic school year. The MCT2 provided scores from the areas of language arts, mathematics, and science, and the FITNESSGRAM provided the fitness scores of those students. …

Employee Participation In A College Based Wellness Program: Leader Support, Incentives, Job Satisfaction, Absenteeism, And Self-Efficacy, Tara Rebekah Rouse

Dissertations

This study investigated employee participation in a college based wellness program using the following factors: leader support, incentives, job satisfaction, absenteeism, and self-efficacy. Specifically, the research was conducted to determine whether there was a significant relationship or difference in participation in a college based wellness program when looking at leader support, incentives, and individual self-efficacy and if participation made any difference on job satisfaction and/or absenteeism. The theoretical framework of this research is based on Bandura’s social learning theory, also known as social cognitive theory and was supplemented using Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. This study could be beneficial to …

Cross-Cultural Mentoring Relationships Between Faculty And Students In Undergraduate Athletic Training Programs, Scott D. Michel

Dissertations

The art of passing on knowledge and experience from one generation to the next has been a part of our cultural structure since the beginning of civilization. Whether through verbal or written language, informal or formal mentoring processes have been used by faculty to pass knowledge down to the younger generations of students. Mentoring, however, is not an easy process; especially when the faculty mentor and the student mentee are of different races. With the continual increase in diversity of the student body, there is a growing need for White faculty members to become more culturally aware and to possess …

Tactile Learning: Touch And Touch Self-Efficacy In College Dance Instruction, Alyson J. Cartagena

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (a) identify the level of touch self-efficacy (TSE) of college-level dance faculty as measured by the Touch Self-Efficacy (TSE) Scale, (b) explore the factors that influence the use of touch in dance instruction, and (c) describe the perceived benefits as reported by college-level dance faculty.

Methodology: In this mixed-methods approach, a sequential explanatory design was conducted in 2 separate phases of research. The first phase provided an opportunity to quantitatively investigate the levels of TSE in college-level dance faculty. The second phase qualitatively explored the factors influencing the use of touch in …

Relationships Among Self Direction In Learning, Health Promoting Behaviors And Physical Therapy Support For Autonomy In Older Adults, Lisa Gayle Latham

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among self-direction in learning, health-promoting behaviors, and physical therapy support for autonomy in older adults. Self-direction in learning was measured by the Oddi Continuing Learning Inventory, participation in health promoting behaviors was measured by the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and physical therapy support for autonomy was measured by the Health Care Climate Questionnaire. In addition, a questionnaire gathering demographic information about the participant's age, educational level, marital status, and gender was administered.

The 20 participants are community-dwelling older adults who participated in out-patient physical therapy for four weeks. The …

Lnfluences Lmpacting The Development Of Entry-Level Master's Athletic Training Programs, Jennifer E. Deranek

Dissertations

Athletic training is an allied health profession in which individuals receive education in prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnoses, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation for injuries and medical conditions. Currently, the route for an individual to become a certified athletic trainer is to graduate from an institution accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Most commonly, entry-level education for athletic trainers is gained at the 331 institutions that host a bachelor’s level professional program. However, there is a recent desire to change the educational requirements and to require a professional master’s degree. If the degree change would occur, …

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Emotional Literacy Instruction On At-Risk Students, Shannon H. Garcia

Dissertations

This study examined the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction for at-risk adolescents ages 13 to 18 at the high school level. Of particular interest is the impact of social-emotional literacy instruction on at-risk youth Grades 9-12 in secondary high schools’ 8-week-long social-emotional literacy class through Project AWARE, particularly in the areas of suspension, expulsion, attendance, connectivity, attitude toward school, resiliency, and relational aggression rates; the data were analyzed using archival data and teacher interview. Project AWARE, the social-emotional literacy intervention examined in this study, educates and provides mentorship for at-risk students, while also providing a group educational component on relationships …

Relationships Between Participation In Extracurricular Activities, Act Scores, Gpa, And Attendance In Select Public High Schools In Mississippi, Lance Kelvin Reed

Dissertations

There are contemporary concerns about improving and sustaining positive student outcomes in secondary schools today. In light of student needs and limited time and resources available to address those needs, educational leaders are faced with making difficult decisions about what should and could be offered to students through their schools. In addition to the general curriculum, schools generally offer a variety of extracurricular activities. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between extracurricular participation and select student outcomes. The findings of this study can provide valuable insight to school leaders as they make decisions about how to …

Reflective Practice In A Coach Education Practicum, Clayton Roth Kuklick

Dissertations

Researchers have explored how practicing sport coaches learn through reflection (Gilbert & Trudel, 2001); however, there is a paucity of research that explains how and why higher education coach preparation students learn through reflection. The purpose of the current study was to understand how and why 21 coaching students enrolled in a practicum course at a southeastern United States institution engage in reflective practice. This research was conducted using a one group pretest posttest mix methods research design and draws upon Schön’s (1983, 1987) work on reflective practice, which underpinned a set of online structured reflective journaling prompts used as …

Self-Determination Theory As A Pedagogical Foundation For Collegiate Physical Activity Courses, Scot Edward Long

Dissertations

Inactivity, obesity and associated medical, social and economic problems are pervasive in contemporary society. Modern science is aware of the preventative role physical activity offers in deterrence of these problems and the benefits physical education offers. Traditionally, physical education has focused primarily on physiological variables; however, physical activity begins with a behavioral change. Motivation is the necessary factor to initiate physical activity and self-determination theory (SDT) can be used to explain learner motivation in the world of collegiate physical education. Institutionalized schooling is typically performed in a controlling nature, which creates a poor environment for learning and motivation. The purpose …

The Impact Of A Dance Aerobics Program On Middle School Girls' Physical Activity Level, Self-Efficacy, And Decisional Balance, Alexis Suozzi Bridley

Dissertations

Rates of childhood obesity have increased dramatically in recent years. Decrease in physical activity is among the leading causes, with adolescent females at greatest risk for obesity. School-based interventions have shown promise; however, few studies have considered the type of activity on physical activity level. According to the Transtheoretical Model (TTM), intrinsic readiness, self-efficacy, and perceived risks and benefits regarding change contribute to behavior change. Yet no known studies have considered the impact of intervention with a traditionally preferred activity on selfefficacy and decisional balance. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of a 2- week dance aerobics program …

The Impact Of Technology Attitudes And Skills Of Rural Health Clinic Nurses On The Level Of Adoption Of Electronic Health Records In Mississippi, Jennifer Lynn Styron

Dissertations

The evolution of health information technology continues to reform the delivery of efficient, safe, and equitable healthcare in the United States. One such example is the emergence of electronic health records (EHRs) and the discerning emphasis placed on using this technology in meaningful ways. While the integration of EHRs into daily practice impacts all healthcare professionals, nurses remain a prominent driver in the successful adoption and usage of these systems. It is therefore imperative to understand the impact of nurses’ technology attitudes and skills on the level of EHR adoption in Mississippi.

This quantitative study examined the technology attitudes and …

Latent Growth Modeling Of A Nutrition And Physical Activity Intervention, Alicia Dea Sample

Dissertations

The health, economic, and social impacts of physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary patterns are quite significant and evidenced by the fact that only 3-4% of American adults follow all the dietary advice recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA; Kohatsu, Robinson, & Torner, 2004), and specific subpopulations, including the rural South, are affected even more drastically (McCabe-Sellers et al., 2007). Furthermore, the majority of the people in the United States do not currently meet recommended amounts of physical activity (PA) and have not since the mid 1980s (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2008). To address the …

Direct Care Workers Perceptions And Practices Related To Quality Of Life In Long Term Care, Karen M. Kinyon

Dissertations

The focus of this case study was to discover how DCWs define success in their practice and what institutional and individual factors contribute to their successful practices. It describes how DCWs perceive quality of life for NH residents and how their practices reflect quality of life indicators. The conceptual model for which this research is based on was developed around the concepts that individual and institutional factors contribute to the successful practices of direct care workers; and, how these DCWs perceive quality of life influences how they practice to promote quality of life for nursing home residents. Using a case …

Determining Characteristics That Increase Success On The National Asthma Educator Certification Exam, Karen Kain

Dissertations

The National Asthma Educator Certification Board, Inc. (NAECB) is a voluntary health certifying board created in 2001 to evaluate the professional competence of asthma educators. The primary purpose of the NAECB is to prepare and conduct examinations to test the qualifications of candidates for certification as asthma educators. Certification is voluntary and is not required by law for employment in the field, although some agencies may use AE-C® certification as a basis for employment, job promotions, salary increases, or other considerations. The mission of the NAECB is to promote optimal asthma management and quality of life among individuals with asthma …

Perceived Levels Of Nurse Educators' Attainment Of Nln Core Competencies, Julie Kinney Higbie

Dissertations

Nurse educators need to be well-prepared with essential competencies, to prepare nurses for their future in health care. Nurses who are recruited to teach, must meet at least minimal competencies and be provided appropriate resources to assume their roles in academia. The recently published National League for Nursing (NLN) Core Competencies for Nurse Educators (2005) identify the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for both novice and experienced faculty.

This research study explored faculty's perceived attainment of these competencies utilizing Benner's Novice to Expert theory as a framework. It examined several areas of interest related to nurse educator competency, years of …

Grade Point Average As A Predictor Of Timely Graduation From Associate Degree Registered Nursing Programs, Delores J. Jackson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if admission selection strategies that utilize cumulative and/or pre-requisite GPA are predictive of timely graduation for associate degree nursing (RN-AD) students. Data were obtained from de-identified records of 437 associate degree nursing students enrolled in three Midwest community colleges from 2003-2006. Of the total sample, only 44% of the students graduated on time (i.e., in four semesters or two years). Although a statistically significant difference was found for timely graduation rates between colleges (ranging from 29% in College B to 54% in College A), no relationship was found for cumulative GPA, pre-requisite …

Impact Of Golf Video Games On Teaching Golf In Physical Education, Ann Pohira-Vieth

Dissertations

Although technology has become an integral part of many classrooms across the country, the incorporation of technology through the use of video games in physical education is also becoming a mainstay in multiple school districts. In West Virginia public schools, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) has entered the physical education classrooms as a way to help curb obesity (“Study Shows Video,” 2008). Schools in Arkansas, Missouri and Hawaii have also followed suit by adding DDR to the physical education curriculum (Gallaway & Lauson, 2006). Even though the incorporation of video games into educational programs is becoming more prevalent, there is a …

Soccer Penalty Kick Pre-Impact Cues Of Male Right-Footed High School Soccer Players, Jason Ryan Jones

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use direct observation methods to collect evidence of pre-impact cues in a soccer penalty kick and to analyze their predictive powers in determining shot direction. The five pre-impact cues were position of the approachru n, alignmento f the hips,leano ftrunk, placemenot f non-kickingf oot, and actiono f the non-kickings idea rm.V ideo wasc ollecteda ndt hena nalyzedu singa Dartfishrn tagging panel. There were a total of fifty male high school right-footed participants.C oachesfr om areah igh schools occert eamsp rovidedt heir top penaltyk ick takerst o participatein the study.V ideo wasc ollectedo n …

Nursing Faculty Experiences And Perceptions Of The Implementation Process To A Learner-Centered Teaching Philosophy: A Case Study, Sharon L. Colley

Dissertations

This study explores nursing faculty's experiences with and perceptions of, their school of nursing's change to a learner-centered teaching philosophy. The primary research goals are to determine faculty perceptions of what learner-centered approaches they are utilizing in their classes, what change conditions they perceive as significant to the implementation process, and how they perceive the overall faculty progress and unity toward the goal of adopting a learner-centered teaching philosophy. Using the theoretical frameworks of Carl Rogers and Donald Ely, a case study approach is used to examine the faculties' use of five key concepts associated with the learner-centered philosophy, as …

The Physical Educator's Perception Of The Adequate Implementation And Overall Impact Of The Healthy Students Act Of Mississippi, Carol Johnson Barnes

Dissertations

Obesity is an epidemic among Americans that is threatening the health status of citizens and having a major impact on overall physical and psychological well being. Physical education can play a vital role in containing obesity by contributing to the development of physical fitness and assisting students in planning a healthy lifestyle. The "Healthy Students Act of Mississippi" was passed in 2007 and implemented in the public schools in the fall of 2008. This new legislation requires participation of physical activity-based instruction in the public schools.

The subjects for this study consisted of 111 individuals charged with the responsibility of …

The Perceptions Of The Impact Of Interscholastic Sports On Selected Elements Of A Public-School Experience, Denise M. Drabick

Dissertations

Purpose: For more than 100 years, participation in interscholastic athletics has been a major part of American high schools’ extracurricular offerings. As public-school districts struggle to meet the needs of the No Child Left Behind legislation, many changes require additional expenditures. Funding presents a constant challenge. Extracurricular activities, including interscholastic sports, are often sacrificed in funding decisions. This single-case-study design was crafted to examine perceptions of the professional staff, the non-professional staff, the graduates, and the community members in one north-central Pennsylvania community with regard to the perceptions of interscholastic sports on selected elements of a public-school experience. Using social …

Ncaa Division I Head Softball Coaches' Confidence, Openness And Stigma Tolerance Toward Sport Psychology Consultants, Laurie Ann Neelis

Dissertations

This study used a mixed-method to look at NCAA division I head softball coaches confidence, openness, and stigma tolerance about sport psychology principles and consultants, as well as what sport psychology principles, time of year used, and what a Sport Psychology Consultant (SPC) can do to help division I head softball coaches have more success with their teams. These variables were measured through the use of the Sport Psychology Attitudes - Revised Coaches instrument developed by Zakrajsek and Zizzi (2007). For the qualitative component, the researcher developed five inquiries that allowed for a more in-depth response from the coaches concerning …

Perceived Attitude Towards Feedback In Athletic Training Clinical Education, Jessica Lynn Emlich

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the perceived mean attitudinal score towards clinical instructor feedback, of Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited athletic training education programs (ATEP) program directors/clinical coordinators and affiliated clinical instructors. Additionally, the investigator was interested to see if relationships between attitudes towards feedback and the respondent's age, sex, employment setting and years of professional experience existed.

There were a total of one hundred and fifty eight participants in this study that comprised the two groups. Program directors and clinical coordinators (PD/CC) comprised 59 of the responses and 99 were …

Physical Education Content Knowledge And Physical Activity Behaviors Of Mississippi High School Students, Christina Leigh Lumpkin Martin

Dissertations

The present study investigated physical education content knowledge, physical activity behaviors, and body mass indexes of 386 Mississippi ninth (n=236 ) and twelfth (n=150) grade students with a goal of establishing evidence-based needs to modify physical education curricula. Results of this study suggested that a significant, direct relationship did exist in the Assessment of Sub-disciplinary Knowledge in Physical Education: Exercise Physiology (ASK PE: EXP);(Ayers, 2004) scores and scores from the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (M4<2^4);(Aaron & Kriska, 1997) for both ninth and twelfth grade students. Findings also suggested that physical education content knowledge (exercise physiology) is more likely to contribute to twelfth grade reported physical activity scores than ninth grade reported physical activity scores. However, ninth graders were more active than twelfth graders. This is possibly explained by the small difference (5%) in ASK PE: EXP scores between ninth (M ASK PE: EXP score = 52%, SD=.22) and twelfth graders (M ASKPE: EXP score = 57%, SD = .21). As a whole, results indicated that Mississippi ninth and twelfth grade students' average ASKPE: EXP score was lower (M = 53%, SD = .22) than students in 16 other states (M = 62%, SD = 7.65). Further, majority of Mississippi high school students are performing significantly below the established, research-based cutoff score of 62% (observed N below 62% = 236 and observed N above 62% = 150). This is notable, because findings also suggested that students who scored higher (M knowledge = 76%, SD = .08);(M activity = 8.6 hours/week, SD = 9.7) or above 62% on the ASK PE: EXP were more likely to be active during a weekly basis compared to those who scored lower (M knowledge = 39%, SD = .14);(M activity = 5.8 hours/week, SD = 9.8) or below a 62% on the ASK PE: EXP. With this noted, it was recommended that Mississippi high schools evaluate the current physical education programs, and strive to implement curricula that can provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to make lifelong healthy decisions.

Essential Novice Nurse Educator Role Competencies And Qualifications To Teach Ina Pre-Licensure Registered Nurse Education Program, Kathleen A. Poindexter

Dissertations

Expert nurse clinicians who are transitioning into academic positions after successful clinical careers often find they are unprepared to assume their new educator roles. While nursing clinical expertise may be a necessary expectation, the knowledge is not sufficient to assume a nurse educator position. Novice nurse educators prepared with the essential qualifications and competencies associated with the specialty role of a nurse educator will be better able to transition into their new academic roles. This study identified essential entry-level nurse educators' competencies and qualifications as reported by nursing administrators of accredited pre-licensure nursing programs across the United States.

This study …

Online Teaching Self-Efficacy Of Nurse Faculty Teaching In Public, Accredited Nursing Programs In The State Of Michigan, Kristi Adair Robinia

Dissertations

Nurse educators are being challenged to adapt to rapidly changing educational and health care environments. Higher education is under pressure to facilitate more web-based learning courses to reach wider markets of students. Nurse faculties are also being pressured to incorporate more technology into theory courses as a possible solution to a looming nation-wide nurse and nurse faculty shortage. Some faculty have enthusiastically embraced the new technology behind online teaching, while others remain concerned about online teaching effectiveness and course quality.

The purpose of this study was to examine variables that affect nurse faculty self-efficacy levels and participation in online teaching. …

Perceptions Of Sources Of Pressure And Reasons For Dismissals Of Mississippi High School Head Coaches, Michael Keith Pigott

Dissertations

The coaching profession is like a roller coaster ride. A person pays to get on the ride, sacrifices their life, enjoys the highs, and survives the lows. It is a job filled with long hours, stressful days, sacrifices of health and family, and moments of adrenaline rushes that make an individual want to stay in this profession forever.

The primary focus of this study was to identify the perceived sources of pressure on high school head coaches in the state of Mississippi. This study provides feedback regarding reasons for coaching dismissals and perceived sources of pressure. Two hundred and thirty …

Transitioning Between The Requirements Of Accrediting Bodies In Athletic Training Education Programs: What Might It Take?, Jennifer O'Donoghue

Dissertations

Athletic training education accreditation recently transitioned from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) to the newly established independent accrediting agency: the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE).

The purpose of this case study was to utilize Western Michigan University's Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program (WMU-ATEP), as an illustrative case, to examine and evaluate the effort and structural, curricular, human, and financial resources necessary to satisfy the requirements of the 2005 CAATE Standards for the Accreditation of Entry-Level Athletic Training Education Programs and Comprehensive Review for Accreditation Process when it transitioned from the 2001 CAAHEP …