Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons^™

Nurses' Experiences Transitioning From Staff Nurse To Management In A Community Hospital, Jennifer Sylvia Buffenbarger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of frequent turnover of nurse managers at a Northeastern community hospital. The lack of retention of nurse managers has led to attenuated support for the nursing staff who continued to hold the front line in patient care. The purpose of this qualitative bounded case study was to explore nurse managers' experiences with turnover in order to identify strategies for enhancing retention. Work empowerment and servant leadership theories served as the frameworks for the study. Research questions focused on nurse managers' perceptions of empowerment and servant leadership characteristics that were important in decisions to assume …

Multiculturalism In United States Higher Education Institutions: The Lived Experiences Of Enrolled International Students, Loretta Arian Ragsdell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since 2006, international student enrollment in U.S. higher education institutions has increased significantly, which has precipitated an increase in the institutions' multiculturalism. A mechanism to facilitate the integration of students of different cultures within a multicultural institution would be valuable to fostering positive educational experiences for all students. The purpose of this phenomenological study was the inclusion of multiculturalism within U.S. higher education institutions. Banks' multiculturalism theory provided the study's conceptual framework. Six international students were interviewed, and their responses were analyzed to answer 2 research questions concerning the lived experiences of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education institutions …

Teacher Perceptions Of Professional Learning Community Maturity In Catholic Schools, Jane-Marie Fetty Koelsch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many Midwestern Catholic schools have implemented professional learning communities (PLCs) to enhance teacher quality and attain school goals. However, not all schools have aligned practices essential to increase maturity in the five PLC dimensions, as defined by Hord. Guided by Hord's framework, this research study investigated teachers' perceptions of PLC maturity in select Catholic schools. A convenience sample allowed an examination of schools engaged in an initiative that included PLCs. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the Professional Learning Communities Assessment - Revised was administered to 42 teachers in 4 schools. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data …

Barriers Faced By Canadian Aboriginal Adults As They Return To Postsecondary School, Robert Lawrence Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aboriginal people in Canada are less likely to complete postsecondary education than are non-Aboriginal people. This lack of education leads to increased rates of unemployment and poverty and the need for additional government supports. The purpose of this project study was to identify and examine barriers faced by Canadian Aboriginal adult students as they return to school for postsecondary education. The conceptual framework for this qualitative study was based on the work of Ertmer, which suggests barriers can be placed into broad categories of extrinsic and intrinsic barriers. A case study design was used with a purposeful sample from a …

Health Science Adminstrators' Perception Of Remediation With Students In The Professional Track Programs, Yvonne Jackson Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Remediation to improve student retention is rapidly becoming an important part of health science programs in higher education. A career college located in the midwestern United States implemented remediation for students to address declining enrollment health science professional-track programs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how remediation was carried out by college instructors and their perceptions of instructional best practices for students in health science programs in the context of current research. The conceptual framework that guided this study was based on constructivism and adult learning theory. Research questions focused on how instructors were carrying out …

Faculty Knowledge And Use Of Best Practices In Online Professional Continuing Education, Gladys Montane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A recent mandate by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists requires that U.S. radiologic technologists complete continuous qualification requirements (CQR). This study examined faculty skills and practices at an American university that developed online CQR courses in response to this mandate. It was specifically designed to assess the knowledge and skills of this university's faculty with regard to best practices in an online learning environment, so as to provide the basis for meeting faculty needs in distance education. Dewey's work on constructivism served as the framework guiding this study. A qualitative, intrinsic case study was employed to collect data using …

Videotaped Role-Play Simulation In Teaching Transcultural Self-Efficacy To Interprofessional Healthcare Students, Holldrid Aner Odreman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increased demand for culturally sensitive healthcare services suggests that interprofessional beginning healthcare students need to gain the necessary cultural competency skills to be successful in delivering positive health outcomes for diverse patients. Bandura's theory of observational learning, Mezirow's theory of transformative learning, and Purnell's and Paulanka's model of cultural competence informed the framework for this research. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to determine the relationship between mode of instruction (observing role models in videotaped role-play simulation) and increased transcultural self-efficacy in cultural competence instruction. A convenience sample of 196 students enrolled in an interprofessional education (IPE) course …

Adult Learning-Focused Professional Development For Dental Hygiene Clinical Instructors, Meghan Ann Mcguinness

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a dental hygiene program within a community college in New York State, clinical instructors are hired based on their expertise as practitioners. Most clinical instructors lack a background in adult learning theory and practice, which is an issue because their students are adult learners whose average age is 26. The instructors' lack of knowledge in this area challenges their effectiveness. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore dental hygiene instructors' views about what kind of professional development offerings related to adult learning might help improve their teaching effectiveness. The conceptual framework for this project study was …

Faculty Perceptions On The Student Learning Accountability Movement, Tara Rose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Literature examining the impact of the student learning accountability movement on faculty perspectives is insufficient, as little is known about how faculty perceive the requirements related to federal, state, and institutional accountability initiatives. This case study investigated the threat posed by the accountability movement on the stability of faculty engagement, while exploring how faculty perceptions of the movement will impact institutional and state policy. Using Levin's system of accountability as the framework for this study, the central research question explored how understanding faculty perspectives on the student learning accountability movement could promote policy within an institution. Data were gathered via …

Self-Efficacy And Select Characteristics In Nurses Who Respond To A Pediatric Emergency, Nancy Mcneill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Self-Efficacy and Select Characteristics in Nurses Who Respond to a Pediatric Emergency

by

Nancy McNeill

MA, New York University, 1996

BS, New York University, 1987

Doctoral Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

Walden University

June 2016

Nurses at a suburban northeastern U.S. community hospital reported that they felt unprepared to effectively respond to a pediatric emergency. Empirical data were not available to identify if this local problem was due to a lack of the nurses' self-confidence or if other factors were involved. The purpose of this study was to determine …

Influence Of Nontraditional Students On Traditionals In The Community College Classroom, Angela J. Richart-Mayfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An increase in nontraditional student enrollment continues in community colleges nationwide. Little is known about the interactions between mixed-age groups of students. This qualitative collective case study explored the academic and social influences of non-traditional students on their traditional peers in the community college classroom at a large, midwestern 2-year college. Tinto's interactionalist theory framed the study. Purposeful sampling was used to select 30 participants (13 traditional students, 13 non-traditional students, and 4 instructors) who represented the college population in terms of gender and racial and ethnic diversity. Interview questions were guided by the research questions, and data were also …

Elementary School Teachers' Perceptions On Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports Implementation And Effectiveness, Keisha A. Anderson-Saunders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School personnel were concerned that the disruptive student behaviors at an urban, elementary school in the northeast United States had persisted despite positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) implementation and professional development (PD) for more than 7 years. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to explore teacher perceptions regarding the PBIS related to student behavior and socialization issues. Skinner's reinforcement theory and Bronfenbrenner's bioecological systems theory served as the conceptual frameworks for this study. Specifically, this study explored the PBIS framework in reducing students' undesirable behaviors, how the framework prepared teachers to implement PBIS in their school, …

Perceptions On Interventions Impacting The Self- Efficacy Of At-Risk Students, Natalie Giddens Giddens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers need interventions to improve at-risk students' self-efficacy, which may improve their academic performance in school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of elementary school teachers at a Texas public middle school as to what research-based interventions they felt would improve the self-efficacy of these students. Bandura's social cognitive theory, which framed the study, indicates that self-efficacy beliefs affect the courses of action that people seek and the choices people make. Many at-risk students who experience a lack of academic success have low self-efficacy, which may affect their school performance. The research questions that …

Impact Of An Innovative Classroom On Bsn Students' Self-Efficacy And Academic Performance, Laurie Jo Singel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The critical shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has led to increased enrollment in nursing schools, but the number of graduates is still decreasing, as nursing students struggle and fail in upper division courses. There is a significant gap in knowledge concerning students' self-efficacy (SE) as a factor directly influencing students' academic performance. The problem examined in this correlational study was the impact of collaborative learning in an innovative classroom setting on Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students' SE and academic performance. Framed by Bandura's theory of SE, the research questions examined the relationship between students' …

A Study Of The Application Of A Bring Your Own Device Strategy In An Elementary School, Carol Louise Scholz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous studies have been published on the efficacy of a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) at the U.S. secondary and postsecondary school levels to increase student access to technology. However, there is a lack of data on the efficacy of a BYOD AUP to increase elementary student technology access. The purpose of this descriptive case study was to determine if a BYOD AUP at the U.S. K-5 level would increase students' access to technology as necessitated by the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). This study was grounded in social transmission and transformative theories. …

Relationship Between Teacher Inquiry Science Instruction Self-Efficacy And Student Achievement, Grace Hanners

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standardized test data indicate that student achievement in science is a problem both nationally and locally. At the study site, only a small percentage of fifth-grade students score at the advanced level on the Maryland state science assessment (MSA). In addition, the performance of African American, economically disadvantaged, and special education students is well below that of the general student population. Some studies have shown that teacher self-efficacy affects student achievement. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between fifth-grade teacher inquiry science instruction self-efficacy scores and the scores of their students on the MSA. Bandura's …

A Purposeful Approach To Student Conduct With Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Learners, Heidi Lynn Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students spend more time in conflict resolution than their general education colleagues do. Although emerging research suggests that both students and teachers benefit from an approach to student conduct that is more purposeful than traditional behavior modification models, further research was necessary to clarify how such an effective purposeful program would work. The purpose of this inquiry was to explore how teachers of deaf and hard of hearing students perceived and used a purposeful approach to student conduct. Deutsch's conflict resolution theory served as the conceptual framework. A single case study design was …

Academic Outcomes Of A Precollege Intervention Program, John Tri Phung

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 demanded that public schools demonstrate adequate yearly progress by increasing student educational achievements. In 2014, the local high school at this study enrolled 62.7% socioeconomically disadvantaged students and implemented a precollege intervention program; however, little is known about its efficacy due to a lack of a formal evaluation, prohibiting an informed approach to continual improvement. The purpose of this program evaluation was to determine if program participation resulted in the higher academic outcomes. Guided by the theory of change, the program evaluation was used to assess the efficacy of the local high …

Supporting The Professional Needs Of Alternatively Certified Secondary Education Teachers, Michelle Latrice Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The reliance on alternative teacher certification to address teacher quality and quantity is an educational issue worthy of study because non-traditionally prepared teachers fill the nation's classrooms. This qualitative case study explored the experiences of secondary education teachers with no preservice training who earned a professional educator certificate in Alabama through the alternative baccalaureate-level program. The central research questions of this study related to the professional needs of alternatively certified teachers and how educational leaders supported those professional needs. The conceptual framework of this project study included the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education's differentiated induction model based …

The Effectiveness Of Adult And Pediatric Code Blue Simulation-Based Team Trainings, Pamela Joy Corey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The adult and pediatric healthcare providers at a New England medical center attended simulation training for responding to cardiac arrests that incorporated the current American Heart Association (AHA) evidence-based standards. The purpose of this concurrent mixed method program evaluation was to compare the adult code blue and pediatric team training programs to the AHA's standards and identify if the staff learned the necessary skills to care for patients in cardiac arrest. The conceptual models used for the study were Crisis Resource Management and the transfer of learning model. The study sample was 660 adult and 269 pediatric healthcare providers who …

Response To Intervention Teachers' Perspective Of Tier 2 Intervention Fidelity, Doretha Meissner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban Texas school district, teachers and administrators were concerned about students' achievement and the teachers' knowledge and implementation of Response to Intervention (RTI) Tier 2 interventions with fidelity. This study addressed teachers' perceptions of the reliability of the application of Tier 2 interventions at the study site, its influence on student achievement, and the appropriateness of current professional development at the targeted campus. The constructivist concept of how people learn and the implementation theory of scaffolding instruction, meaningful experiences, and active learning provided the framework for this study. The educators provided perspectives of how the quality and frequency …

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions Of Bullying And Their Practices In Reporting Bullying Incidents, Katherine Eileen Blust

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Student self-report surveys showed bullying behaviors were problematic among students in one Midwest middle school. Despite implementing a version of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, students continued to self-report bullying behaviors that occurred on school property during school hours. It is crucial that educators are proactive in intervening and preventing bullying to establish a safe environment for academic success. The purpose of this study was to describe teachers' perceptions of bullying behaviors and their practices in reporting bullying incidents. Bandura's social learning and Locke's social contract theories served as the study's framework. Teachers were asked to describe behaviors they perceived …

Teacher Perceptions Of The Effectiveness Of Inclusion In Elementary Classroom Settings, Delicia Peacock Peacock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inclusion classrooms were introduced in the United States in 1990 when the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act required that special education students be instructed in a general education setting. Ensuing changes in instructional formats have caused role confusion for special and general education teachers, resulted in mixed attitudes toward teacher responsibilities, and lowered teachers' sense of efficacy about being able to teach their students. Guided by Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory, this bounded case study design in a rural elementary school in a southeastern state was used to understand the perceptions of general and special educators regarding their work in …

A Qualitative Case Study Of Strategies For Choosing And Evaluating Alternative Assessments In Online Higher Education, Robert James Streff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Studies have shown that not all students are assessed effectively using standard testing formats. However, it is unclear what alternative methodology would be useful to determine whether students have acquired the skills necessary for today's global market. This research study's purpose was to understand the processes instructors use when choosing and designing alternative assessments in higher education online courses to measure student performance. Using Gagné's conditions of learning and Bloom's Taxonomy as a framework to understand these processes, this qualitative case study examined 8 participants teaching online at Midwestern public universities. Interview data and course artifacts, including syllabi, rubrics, assessments, …

Teacher Education In Central Equatoria, South Sudan, Catherine Hahs Brinkley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Without education, many South Sudanese will continue living in poverty. There are numerous factors that limit their educational opportunities including tribal warfare, colonialism, missionary malpractice, civil wars, a high illiteracy rate, low government funding, and threats of war. These factors have left a substantial deficiency in available training for teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine the pedagogical needs of the teachers of South Sudan. Within a conceptual framework of participatory action research, this qualitative study examined educators' view of the effectiveness of the teacher education that they had received, the pedagogical needs of teachers, and the ideal …

Examining Administrator Perceptions On The Success Of A Ninth Grade Transition Model, Felicia Renee' Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ninth grade students are at a greater risk of dropping out of high school than are other grade-level populations. Factors such as a lack of academic preparedness, social and developmental changes, and the decline of parental support often result in 9th grade students falling behind in their academic work. Using holistic education as the conceptual framework, the goal of this intrinsic case study was to explore the perceptions of school and district office administrators on the impact that a 9th grade transition program has on the 9th grade retention and dropout rate of a high school located in the southeastern …

Parent And Principals' Perceptions Of Cyberbullying In 21st Century Rural Elementary Schools, Kathleen Virginia Hosterman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cyberbullying is a common form of harassment and aggression engaged in by today's youth. This phenomenon is affecting primary-school-aged children as technology devices are now made available to elementary school students in rural settings. Based on the framework of Bandura's social cognitive theory, this mixed methods project study included a survey to quantitatively investigate the associations between parental knowledge of the phenomenon of cyberbullying and children's grade levels, and a focus group to gather qualitative data from school principals regarding their perceptions of the extent and impact of cyberbullying in 4 rural elementary schools in Massachusetts. Due to highly skewed …

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Reading And Language Arts Preparation And Preparedness For The State Subject Area Test, Ingrid Ahrens Massey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since changes to the reading/language arts State Subject Area Test (SSAT) in late 2010, elementary education teacher candidates at a teacher training college in the Southern United States have experienced declining scores resulting in test failure and delaying student teaching and graduation. The purpose of this case study was to identify factors that students and faculty perceived as most beneficial in preparing students to pass the SSAT. Constructivism served as the conceptual framework for this study addressing the effects of collaboration, hands-on learning, and application of knowledge. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit 6 elementary education students who had taken …

Characteristics Of Effective Reading Language Arts Teachers In Closing The Achievement Gap, Latasha Price Bassette

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined an urban school district in the southern United States that continued to experience student achievement gaps despite the implementation of initiatives as the African American Success Initiative. The school leadership needed a deeper understanding regarding what strategies were successful with closing the achievement gap. Using Gay's theory of cultural responsive pedagogy, the purpose of this study was to identify inward attributes, outward strategies, and professional development perceptions of teachers with no achievement gap among ethnically diverse students. Employing an instrumental case study design, 8 middle school reading teachers who closed the reading achievement gap were interviewed; these …

A Modified Program Evaluation Of Training For Employer Compliance With Health Insurance Requirements, Joanneandi Davenport

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A training program was established in the Midwestern United States to help employers understand compliance requirements of the health insurance industry. The purpose of this study was to conduct a modified program evaluation of the effectiveness of Pay or Play, a portion of a larger Benefit Compliance Program. The reason for the evaluation was the high percentage of remediation needed for administrators of employee health insurance following Pay or Play seminar sessions, which posed the question of program effectiveness in education of participants. This study is important because administrators of employee health insurance are responsible for understanding compliance regulations and …