Cultural Humility: A Qualitative Study On The Development Of Self-Awareness In Social Work Educators, Nicole Moore-Bembry

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the faculty members' perspectives on their racial identity development and how these perspectives impact their cultural self-awareness and cultural humility in the classroom. White social work faculty members voiced their vulnerability and discomfort in addressing race, oppression, and discrimination in the classroom. This study included a total of 10 White social work faculty members from a medium sized northeastern university.

Key findings of the study indicate that White faculty members: were primarily clinicians who later became educators, were primarily raised in White communities and the Monoracial upbringing impacted their personal …

Taking The Initiative: Exploring The Usefulness Of Faculty-Student Interaction Based On Validation Theory, Fidel Wilson

Theses and Dissertations

The literature is replete with studies that establish a nexus between student success outcomes and faculty-student interaction (Braxton, Milem & Sullivan, 2008; CCSSE, 2001; Cole, 2010; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2001). Faculty-student interaction involves discussion between faculty and student regarding the student's academic and social development. In this qualitative study, faculty were trained to use strategies based on validation theory in the classroom to enhance their interaction with the Black males. Validation theory involves someone intentionally taking an active interest in the academic and personal development of a student serving as a source of encouragement and support (Rendon, 1994). The findings …

Academic And Social Adaptation Through A College Success Course: A Case Study Of Second Semester Students At A Suburban Community College In Northern New Jersey, Jenny Pamela Marcenaro

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative critical single case study was to explore how second semester students who took a college student success course during their first term adapted to their second term. Specifically, by focusing on how this course contributed to their academic and social adaptation, and why this course may have facilitated such adaptation and persistence at their institution. Findings from this study indicated that this course contributed to these students' adaptation from first to second semester by teaching these students the importance of time management, changing their priorities, putting their academics first. In addition, these participants learned about …

Institutional Advancement At Historically Black Community Colleges: A Multi-Case Study, Lakeisha S. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

In this multi-case study, three cases were studied and four participants were interviewed to understand institutional advancement (IA) at historically Black community colleges (HBCCs) and how the institutional advancement professionals engage the alumni in the fundraising process. The results of this study are presented in this dissertation and illuminate the work of the IA professionals at HBCCs. The participants reported what institutional advancement looks like at each individual HBCCs. This study shows the commonalities and differences in IA at HBCCs and the professionals' perceptions of their interactions with alumni. The professionals discussed the fundraising challenges for advancement at HBCCs. Finally, …

The Impact Of Race, Gender, And Class On Career Development: Perceptions Of African American Women, Nicole Milan-Tyner

Theses and Dissertations

Socio-political issues of race, gender, and class have had a lasting impact on African American women. This impact has historically shaped the reality and lived experiences of African American women including their employment and economic opportunities. At the heart of this impact are the career goals and aspirations of African American women, which are also influenced by race, gender, and class. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perceptions of five African American undergraduate women regarding their career aspirations, and the impact that race, gender, and class have on those aspirations. The study was conducted at a predominantly …

Religious Identity And Sense Of Belonging Among Rowan University Muslim Students, Omar Aziz

Theses and Dissertations

The study sought to gain a better understanding of the religious development and sense of belonging of selected Rowan University Muslim-American students. A mixed-method approach was employed using David Bell's (2009) Religious Identity Status Scale along with an audio interview based on the concept mattering. A convenience sample of 18 students completed the survey and 8 students participated in the interview. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze all quantitative data employing descriptive statistics. The Religious Identity Status Scale assessed students based on four modes of identity--Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Integration. Findings suggest a high …

Closing The Gap In Remediation Through Persistence In American Community College Students, Ernest William Huff, Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Two-year colleges enroll many students every year that are not prepared for college level work. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors contribute to students needing to take remediation as well as what factors lead to successfully exiting developmental education. This study looked at students who began postsecondary education in two-year institutions for the first time in the fall of the 2011-12 school year and followed their progress over three years. Data were obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) using the 2012/14 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:12/14) restricted dataset. The outcome of the …

What Career Development Practitioners Share With First-Generation College Students: A Grounded Theory Study Of Self-Disclosure In Career Counseling, Pamela Eve Cohen

Theses and Dissertations

Financial security is cited among reasons why first-generation college students pursue higher education (Bradbury & Mather, 2009; Brooks-Terry, 1988; Shelton, 2011; Walpole, 2003), but the emphasis on perceived value of a bachelor's degree fails to account for the importance of career planning (NACE, 2014; Parks-Yancy, 2012). The purpose of this qualitative, grounded theory study was to examine how career counselors use their personal experience to support first-generation college student. The study was inspired by Knox and Hill's (2003) therapist self-disclosure types and their use in the counselor/client discourse. The findings suggest that first-generation college students benefit from hearing their career …

The Awareness Of Rowan University Undergraduate Students Regarding Dating Violence, Sarah Tam

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed method study was (a) to investigate the Rowan University's undergraduate students' awareness of dating violence and its multiple forms, (b) to assess if the undergraduates are knowledgeable of the available on and off campus resources for dating violence, (c) to assess if one's gender identity affects their idea of relationships, and (d) to assess how cultural norms may affect one's idea of gender roles in relationships. There were a total of 198 subjects who completed the survey portion of the study that helped assess their awareness of dating violence and knowledge of the available on …

Development Of Graduate Health Science Students' Clinical Reasoning: A Qualitative Study, Diane Laverty

Theses and Dissertations

Employment in health science professions requires technical skills and the ability to engage in high-level reasoning skills in order to make appropriate recommendations about the care of a patient. Developing clinical reasoning skills, then, is a central component of graduate health science training programs. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand how learning is structured in graduate health science courses at a comprehensive state university and how graduate health science students develop clinical reasoning skills. Situated in Vygotsky's social constructivism theory and applying Garrison's CoI framework, the aim was a discussion of themes and patterns that emerged from …

The Development And Training Of Resident Assistants At Rowan University, Anthony Furey Leva

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed study was to (a) assess how paraprofessional staff (Resident Assistants) in Rowan University's Office of Residential Learning and University Housing feel about the training provided to them in preparation for their duties, (b) assess what Resident Assistants feel are the most influential factors in learning to perform their duties as professionals, (c) assess whether or not Resident Assistants understand their role and if there is ambiguity present in that role, (d) assess if Resident Assistants see the vectors presented in Student Development Theory by Chickering and Reisser as qualities relevant to the resident assistant position. …

Students With Disabilities Attitudes Regarding Accommodations And Services Provided By Disability Services, Yvonne Blackwell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate students with disabilities attitudes regarding the accommodations and services provided to them from the Academic Success Center, Disability Resources at Rowan University. The study was also created to understand students with disabilities attitudes towards faculty knowledge and understanding of disability laws and accommodation policies at Rowan University. This study was structured based on prior research on Enhancing Engagement of Students with Invisible Disabilities completed at Rowan University (Abdullah, 2015). The study subjects included students with disabilities who were registered with the Academic Success Center: Disability Services at Rowan University. Key findings suggest …

Understanding The Experiences Of Adjunct Nursing Faculty In The Curriculum Development Process: A Qualitative Case Study, Laurie Ann Colborn

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examines the experiences of adjunct nursing faculty within the curriculum development process at universities granting a bachelor's degree in nursing within the Philadelphia five-county region, and the state of New Jersey. Seven adjunct nursing faculty members participated in this study providing detailed input of their experiences in this process. Five themes were uncovered during analysis including: assembling a critical foundation, value added, incidental collaboration, a seat at the table, and trial by fire. These themes helped to provide a deeper understanding of the opportunities, rewards, and challenges experienced by these adjunct nursing faculty members in the …

The Value Of Non-Scholarship Community College Athletics In New Jersey: A Student-Athlete And Administrator Perspective, Anthony Joseph Trump

Theses and Dissertations

This multiple case study examines two New Jersey non-scholarship community college athletic programs and answers the questions why student-athletes choose to attend the community college and participate in athletics, what factors influence their decisions, and how administrators and student-athlete descriptions of the value and contribution of participation in community college athletics align. The value of attending and competing in a non-scholarship community college athletic program is carefully examined through multiple interviews of student-athletes, athletic administrators, and chief student administrators. Additionally, the student-athlete perspective on what factors influenced them to choose to attend community college and participate at the non-scholarship level …

The Impact Of A Values Clarification Process On The Factors Associated With Retention Of Historically Underrepresented Students At A Public University, Jose Antonio Aviles

Theses and Dissertations

The literature examining the retention of students of color is very much like a puzzle. Many scholars have contributed to the puzzle attempting to make a complete body of knowledge regarding student departure. However, a void in the literature seems to be the role of students' values in the retention puzzle, specifically, whether the process of clarifying personal values would affect the retention of students of color in higher education.

A transitional summer bridge program was modified using a conceptual framework anchored in the examination of espoused values versus values in use. The model was developed using Argyris and Schon's …

Exploring The Impact Of The Associate Degree On Bachelor's Degree Completion For Reverse Transfer Eligible Students Using Propensity Score Matching, Justin Aaron Hull

Theses and Dissertations

Many students who enter a community college expect to transfer and earn a bachelor's degree, yet many are unable to do so largely because of inefficiencies in the transfer of earned credits. Prior research has shown that students who leave community college with an associate degree are more likely to complete bachelor's degrees. However, this has not been situated within the context of reverse transfer, which allows former community college students enrolled at four-year institutions to transfer their credits back in order to retroactively earn an associate degree. This study uses propensity score matching to compare the six-year bachelor's degree …

The Role Of Learning Experiences, Supports And Barriers In Career Development For The Doctoral Student, Madeline B. Goldman

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

THE ROLE OF LEARNING EXPERIENCES, SUPPORTS AND BARRIERS FOR THE DOCTORAL STUDENT

By Madeline B. Goldman, DDS, MEd

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Virginia Commonwealth University, 2018

Major Director: Robin Hurst, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning

This study seeks to understand the role of career development classes offered by the graduate school at a large public research university as part of its Leadership and Entrepreneurs for Professional Development (LEAPD) program and the LEAPD program effects on doctoral students’ career development and …

Prevention Strategies To Reduce Multifactorial Risk Factors Associated With The Onset Of Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review, Jacqueline A. Burnes

Theses and Dissertations

Noncommunicable diseases such as coronary artery disease continue to remain the principal cause of mortality in the United States, claiming nearly 800,000 lives in 2016. Reducing the onset of chronic diseases, specifically coronary artery disease, requires a fundamental approach to health care, involving patient access to high-quality primary care and accessibility to disease prevention programs. This study examined multifactorial risk factors and prevention mechanisms associated with coronary artery disease.

The applied dissertation is a systematic review of the literature designed to answer the question: What prevention strategies reduce multifactorial risk factors associated with the onset of coronary artery disease? The …

Impact Of A Practicum In Education Course Designed To Recruit Stem Majors Into A Teacher Education Program, Rebecca A. Spencer

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that the most efficient way of improving students’ performance, in mathematics and science, is by recruiting and retaining highly qualified mathematics and science teachers. This study augments the body of research aimed at the recruitment of STEM majors to the field of education. The purpose of this study was to determine how a practicum course, developed to recruit freshman and sophomore STEM majors into a teacher preparation program, impacted participants' perceptions of teaching as a profession. The impact of this course, which utilized a reflective cycle framework for evaluating participants’ reflections as the foundation of the program, was …

Practices, Beliefs, And Perceptions Of Effective Science Teachers In Elementary Schools Serving Low Socioeconomic Communities, Edwin Wheeler Emmer

Theses and Dissertations

Students who come from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds are more likely to manifest a science achievement gap when compared to their high SES peers as a result of the myriad of factors that have the potential to influence student performance, including limited access to resources, fewer life experiences, health care concerns, fewer extracurricular opportunities, etc. (Crook & Evans, 2014; Duke, 2000; Ladd, 2012; Sirin, 2005). This achievement gap can be exacerbated in the elementary setting where many teachers do not feel comfortable teaching science as a result of a lack of science content knowledge and limited experience teaching inquiry-based …

Interactive Whiteboard Impact On Algebra Teachers’ Implementation Of Selected Mathematics Teaching Practices, James Dry Hartman Iii

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the use of the interactive white board (IWB) and the impact the technology had on mathematics teaching practices for algebra teachers. The study used the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model as the conceptual framework for the investigation, collection, and analysis of data. Teachers were interviewed to obtain teacher level of IWB use, and the Mathematics Classroom Observation Protocol for Practices (MCOP2) was used to obtain data for effective mathematics teaching practices. Observations of teachers were analyzed in order to answer the research question: How does the use of an Interactive White Board impact an algebra teachers’ …

Comparing Online English Language Learning And Face-To-Face English Language Learning At El Bosque University In Colombia, Marta L. Montiel-Chamorro

Theses and Dissertations

Although there is significant research surrounding online foreign language education, there are still questions on whether the outcomes are comparable to those obtained in the traditional face-to-face classroom. This study examined four classes, two online and two face-to-face, where students took the second course of a 6-level program of English as a Second Language at El Bosque University in Colombia. The International Test of English Proficiency (iTEP) was administered to students before classes started in order to establish a baseline, and then again after the courses finished. This test evaluates English language proficiency per skill: speaking, listening, reading, writing and …

The Intent Of Residence Life Professionals To Leave The Field At Historically Black Colleges And Universities, Cletra Natasha Peters

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods research study was designed to explore and highlight the lived experiences of residence life professionals at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Data collection was completed using an online survey and one-on-one interviews. This study will contribute to the discussion of retaining live-in residence life professionals at HBCUs. This research study provided suggestions and opportunities for administrators to enhance the experience of residence life professionals while keeping the mission of educating HBCU students.

It is hoped that this study will continually prompt and influence dialogue to address the consistent attrition amongst residence life professionals, especially at HBCUs. The …

Assessing Research Productivity From An Institutional Effectiveness Perspective: How Universities Influence Faculty Research Productivity, Michael M. Rawls

Theses and Dissertations

Faculty research productivity studies typically focus on the scholarly performance of the individual researcher, although environmental and organizational conditions that are largely outside of the researcher’s control can significantly impact that performance. From an institutional effectiveness perspective, it is imperative for the higher education administrators and leaders who share the responsibility of managing and supporting their university’s research enterprise to understand how the institutional environment itself impacts the productivity of its research community. In this sequential mixed methods study, a quantitative framework was tested for assessing institutional effectiveness in research administration based on the assertion that this concept can be …

Perceptions Of The Nursing Faculty Shortage: A Case Study Of One College’S Adjunct Faculty’S Perception Of Doctoral Education, Donna Shaw

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed in this qualitative case study was the nurse faculty shortage and associated consequences of a shortage of nurses available to care for an aging population with multifaceted healthcare needs in a complex healthcare system. Because of the nurse faculty shortage, numerous qualified applicants are unable to enroll in nursing programs across the country. One of the key reasons for the nurse faculty shortage is a lack of nurse educators with doctorate degrees to fill the vacant positions. Adjunct nursing faculty were interviewed to ascertain their perceptions about the nurse faculty shortage and messages conveyed by full-time nurse …

A Study Of A High School Intervention Program To Increase Access To Higher Education, Erin Nicole Davis

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to determine the effectiveness of a college access program created to improve college application and acceptance rates for underserved students. The program is targeted toward low-income, first-generation students, many of whom are minorities and reside in a rural area. The schools that the students attended have school counselors, but due to limited resources and other challenges, students often did not receive significant information about access to higher education. Since many students were the first in their family to attend college, they relied on information from the school to help them navigate the process.

This study …

A Qualitative Study Of The Philanthropic Behavior Of Generation X And Crowdfunding, Donna R. Lowe

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to explore the connection between social triggers, virtual validation, and philanthropic behaviours of the Generation X population. Current literature largely ignores the Generation X population and no research has yet been conducted that directly links the successful funding of crowdfunding campaigns to both virtual validation and social triggers in the Generation X population.

To explore the connection between social triggers, virtual validation, and philanthropic behaviours of the Generation X population, the writer reviewed the application of retrieving psychological motivations based on non-conscious responses by way of belongingness theory, social comparison theory, and Maslow’s Hierarchy of …

Academic Achievement Gaps Of Students In Private School Settings As Compared To Their Counterparts In Regular Public Educational Settings, April Yelani Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide the effectiveness of promoting change management through historical findings of closing reading comprehension (i.e., vocabulary) achievement gaps with black and white 9th and 10th grade students in a private school and 66 participants in this study. Achievement gaps in education refers to the disparity in academic performance between groups of students (Ansell, 2011). The achievement gap shows up in grades, standardized-test scores, course selection, dropout rates, and college-completion rates and among other success measures. Achievement gaps occur when one group of students such as, students grouped by race/ethnicity, gender outperforms another group and …

Evaluative Study Of Jazz History Courses At The Collegiate Level, Charles Lawrence Bergeron

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to compare quantitative information concerning jazz history courses being taught in schools of music across America. The secondary purpose of the study was to solicit and analyze opinions from experienced jazz history instructors regarding the place and importance of these courses in college curricula. Curricula in use in university music programs that offer bachelor’s degrees in jazz studies must be evaluated regarding the content and relevance of subject matter presented in jazz history classes.

Questions concerning the number of semesters required to teach a continually increasing amount of material were paramount to this …

A Case Study Of Community College Faculty Attitudes Toward Students With Disabilities, Mary C. Clark

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this single case study was to explore the attitudes and experiences of faculty at one small, public, community college in the southeastern United States. Of the 180 faculty sampled, 35 completed the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons survey, 13 participated in a one-on-one interview, and a review of 30 institutional documents was conducted. Using social constructivism, disability theory, and the researchers personal and professional experiences as the framework, the data collected helped to gain insight into the faculty's experiences with classroom accommodations and attitudes toward students with disabilities. Five key findings revealed that community college faculty in the …