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Articles 991 - 1020 of 1265

Full-Text Articles in Teacher Education and Professional Development

Perceptions Of Live Experiences Of Clinical Pastoral Education Students, Brenda Perry Wallace Jan 2015

Perceptions Of Live Experiences Of Clinical Pastoral Education Students, Brenda Perry Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative case study addressed the problem at a West Indies theological college that lacked the ability to provide courses for spiritual care training by using the teaching methodology of clinical pastoral education (CPE). CPE is an experiential process using a clinical method of learning to interpret human conditions. Spiritual care training through CPE teaches clerics how to help persons find meaning in life's situations and make connections with their God. Guided by the frameworks of transformative learning and critical theological reflection, this study explored the lived experiences of 5 purposefully selected CPE students who participated in 1 unit of …

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Fourth Year Teachers' Perceptions Of The Student Teaching Practicum In Abu Dhabi, Kabrina Rochelle Johnson Jan 2015

Fourth Year Teachers' Perceptions Of The Student Teaching Practicum In Abu Dhabi, Kabrina Rochelle Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A local college in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates began a Bachelor of Education program in 2008 to train prospective teachers to deliver a bi-literate education in Arabic and English to students in Abu Dhabi schools. Because there had been no examination of preservice teachers' perceptions of their practicum experience, a project study was designed to analyze the perceptions of a group of preservice teachers regarding the final practicum and whether that experience enhanced their ability to deliver educational practices to better serve students. This phenomenological study was guided by experiential learning theory, as preservice teachers learned from their experiences …

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Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Classroom Instruction, Lora Coonce Jan 2015

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Response To Intervention And Classroom Instruction, Lora Coonce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Response to intervention (RTI) is a federal program created to improve student learning and reduce the number of students misidentified as needing special education services. Differing interpretations of how best to implement RTI between campuses and districts have resulted in teachers' confusion and misperceptions of the program. The purpose of this study was to understand how elementary classroom teachers' perceptions of RTI affect classroom instruction. Based on Gagne's instructional theory and Bruner's theory of constructivism, the study examined the perceptions of 10 classroom teachers in 2 low socio-economic elementary schools. The study examined how RTI forms and protocols, administrative leadership, …

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Therapeutic Foster Parents' Perspectives Of The Efficacy Of Preservice Training, Mirae Jean Grant Jan 2015

Therapeutic Foster Parents' Perspectives Of The Efficacy Of Preservice Training, Mirae Jean Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preservice training programs offered in a city in the Pacific Northwest have not been assessed to determine whether they adequately prepare therapeutic foster parents (TFPs). This phenomenological study identified factors that influenced the impact of preservice training on parents' preparation to manage their foster children's behavior, foster parent attrition, and multiple moves of the foster children. Chamberlain, Rork, McNeil, and Christenson's work linking training programs with the success of foster children was used to frame this study. Data were generated from semistructured interviews of 12 certified local TFPs who had completed preservice training and had at least one child placed …

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The Association Between Core Science Course Timing And Completion Of An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Patricia Ann Pfeiffer Jan 2015

The Association Between Core Science Course Timing And Completion Of An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Patricia Ann Pfeiffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aging population in the United States has led to an increased demand for registered nurses. Nursing program administrators must examine ways to increase nursing program completion, which will increase the supply registered nurses. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations among length of time between core science course completion and nursing program admission, on-time completion, and National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) success for students at a southeastern community college. A convenience sample of 288 community students admitted to an associate degree level nursing (ADN) program between 2007 and 2012 was selected. The guiding …

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Elementary School Teacher Perceptions Of Factors Influencing Teacher Morale, Dyna M Chambers Jan 2015

Elementary School Teacher Perceptions Of Factors Influencing Teacher Morale, Dyna M Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The 28th annual MetLife survey of 1,001 American teachers in the United States indicated that low teacher morale is a common problem faced by many public schools. In one public elementary school located in a Southern state, the teacher attrition rate increased from 30% to 40% within 2 years. The purpose of this mixed method study was to investigate teachers' perceptions of morale and their perceived factors that influence low morale at the school. Maslow's theory of motivation was used to understand the impact of teacher satisfaction on teachers' morale and self-motivation for leading change. The research questions were focused …

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Towards More Effective Teacher Professional Development Initiatives, Laura Sebastian Hooks Jan 2015

Towards More Effective Teacher Professional Development Initiatives, Laura Sebastian Hooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The No Child Left Behind Act (2002) and Race to the Top (2009) legislation have forged new school accountability measures and led to a sharp increase in demand for teacher professional development (TPD). However, data revealed that there is a disconnection between the training that teachers receive and its implementation, limiting its impact on student achievement. This qualitative case study's purpose was to reveal major barriers to TPD implementation and provide suggestions for crafting more impactful TPD. Based on the social constructivist foundation, this study sought to address the factors that increase teachers' receptiveness to more effective teaching techniques. It …

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Qualitative Case Study Of Read-Aloud Expository Text Strategies In Kindergarten Through Grade 2, Mary Adeyemo Jan 2015

Qualitative Case Study Of Read-Aloud Expository Text Strategies In Kindergarten Through Grade 2, Mary Adeyemo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an inner-city elementary school, students continue to lag in reading proficiency, and implementation of research-based, district-mandated teaching strategies is not well understood. The purpose of this case study was to explore teachers' perceptions of mandated, read-aloud expository text strategies in K-2 classrooms. The conceptual framework was Vygotsky's social constructivism model of learning, which envisions students learning by interacting with teachers and peers, in this case, using read-aloud strategies, until they become autonomous, expository readers. The research questions focused on benefits and challenges of the implementation of read-aloud expository text by K-2 teachers who were given a 5-year mandate by …

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School Violence And Teacher Resiliency At A Midwest Elementary/Middle School, Jounice Blackmon Wright Jan 2015

School Violence And Teacher Resiliency At A Midwest Elementary/Middle School, Jounice Blackmon Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate, from the perspective of teachers, the possible effect of school violence on teacher resiliency. School violence has been studied with respect to student behavior and academic success, as well as socioeconomic influences, but not with respect to teacher resiliency, as expressed by teachers themselves. Resiliency theory was the conceptual framework. Participants were all teachers of Grades 2-8 at an elementary/middle school in the Midwest. Twelve in-depth interviews were transcribed into text data and analyzed for common themes. Using NVivo, Version 10, I was able to more easily manage the volumes of …

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Designing Professional Development For Elementary School Teachers, Simon F. Quattlebaum Jan 2015

Designing Professional Development For Elementary School Teachers, Simon F. Quattlebaum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within a Northeast urban school, there is little empirical evidence to indicate the effectiveness of the district professional development (PD) program. Elementary teachers at the study site reported that they encountered problems accessing professional development programs applicable to their needs. The purpose of this case study was to examine teacher perceptions of district PD programs and to discover teacher perceptions of PD best practices. Knowles' adult learning theory provided a frame of reference for this study. The research questions assessed teachers' perceptions of the format, content, and process of professional development programs and examined how teachers applied new knowledge, concepts, …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Professional Development On Music Integration, Marcy Thurmond Simmons Jan 2015

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Professional Development On Music Integration, Marcy Thurmond Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International Baccalaureate (IB) schools are focused on a school-wide approach to developing inquiring students who are motivated to succeed. The problem explored in this case study was based on a local IB elementary school's response to a reform model to integrate music into other content areas. The curriculum lacked an interdisciplinary approach to music education even though teachers had participated in some professional development (PD) to help them integrate music into content areas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of elementary teachers regarding the influence of professional development on music integration at the IB elementary school. …

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Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald Jan 2015

Moving From Theory To Practice: Integrating Mobile Devices In Elementary Reading Instruction, Lisa Marie Bald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Technology integration continues to be a professional development concern, especially in elementary schools. It remains unclear why there is a difference between how teachers talk about using technology and how they apply it in teaching reading. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development options that would help teachers connect theory to practice by studying their decision-making process. The conceptual framework was based on elements of the knowing-doing gap and reflective practices. The research questions explored (a) the decision-making process, (b) reflective practices used during decision-making, (c) professional development that facilitates closing the knowing-doing gap, and (d) recommendations …

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Improving Math Performance In Adult Female Community College Students: An Evaluation Of Project Independence, Robin Tim Frodsham Jan 2015

Improving Math Performance In Adult Female Community College Students: An Evaluation Of Project Independence, Robin Tim Frodsham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Project Independence (PI) is a community college immersion program dedicated to assisting women returning to college. The focus of this study and associated summative evaluation was to understand how the PI program addresses anxiety and other learning deficiencies associated with math. Knowle's andragogical models portray adults as motivated and self-directed, and the American college campus fosters a culture of independence. This culture is foreign to many minority, first-generation, and working class adults who learn through interdependence. This qualitative instrumental case study and evaluation is the first to examine the efficacy of PI. The guiding questions of this study concern early …

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A Case Study Of A University's Remedial Program For Passing The Praxis I, Tassi Fite Brinkley Jan 2015

A Case Study Of A University's Remedial Program For Passing The Praxis I, Tassi Fite Brinkley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Underprepared students desiring to enter teacher education programs struggle to achieve minimum state-required Praxis I exam scores. This problem affects teacher education programs, student success, and university enrollment and retention. With proper resources and support, these students may experience personal and academic success that may be transferred to their own students once they are certified teachers. At the participating mid-South university, the effectiveness of the existing remedial program was unknown. The study's purpose, rooted in the constructivist learning principles of Dewey and Bruner, was to address the effectiveness of the local university's existing remedial program in assisting the teacher education …

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Acculturation In Marital Satisfaction Among Mixed Caucasian And Asian American Heterosexual Couples, Lotes Nelson Jan 2015

Acculturation In Marital Satisfaction Among Mixed Caucasian And Asian American Heterosexual Couples, Lotes Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The growing population of the United States is linked to the increasing migration of individuals from other countries. With migration comes the development of cross-cultural and interracial romantic relationships, many leading to marriages. This qualitative grounded theory study sought to understand how a migrant partner's adjustment process, acculturation, contributes to cross-cultural marriages. The main research question and purpose of this study was to investigate the role of acculturation in marital satisfaction among mixed Caucasian and Asian American heterosexual couples. This study utilized multiple data sources and a purposive sampling of 11 mixed Asian and Caucasian heterosexual married couples, with one …

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Understanding Doctoral Success Factors In Online Education Programs, Carissa Johnson Jan 2015

Understanding Doctoral Success Factors In Online Education Programs, Carissa Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The doctoral student completion rate in the United States is approximately 57% across all disciplines. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate doctoral students' perceptions of program completion across multiple online doctoral programs at a single university. The quantitative component examined differences in 4 doctoral program completion-related factors between students in 2 capstone completion stages and 6 academic programs. The qualitative component included an analysis of student perceptions of program completion. Attribution theory was used as a framework to understand the ways that personal attributions influence the success of the participants. The Doctoral Completion and Persistence Scale (DCPS) …

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Effect Of A Lifetime Health And Fitness Class On College Students, Tiffany Tara Young Klockziem Jan 2015

Effect Of A Lifetime Health And Fitness Class On College Students, Tiffany Tara Young Klockziem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical inactivity and obesity, both of which are modifiable cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, increase substantially during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood. CVD is the 5th leading cause of death in people ages 18 to 29. This disease has enormous social and financial repercussions; however, many college age students do not see chronic disease as a personal threat. Few researchers have examined chronic disease risk in young adults or used a consistent, objective measurement of physical activity. A pre-post, quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the association between a health and fitness class, physical education 215 (PHED 215) …

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Supporting Elementary Teachers In Effective Writing Instruction Through Professional Development, Whitney Nash Young Jan 2015

Supporting Elementary Teachers In Effective Writing Instruction Through Professional Development, Whitney Nash Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for writing have created a challenge for teachers at an urban elementary school as they struggled to provide effective writing instruction to support the rigorous expectations of the standards. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary teachers' lived experiences of instruction and better understand instructional writing procedures and strategies. The conceptual framework of this study was based on Dennick's work for incorporating educational theory into teaching practices, which combined elements of constructivist, experiential, and humanist learning theories. Research questions investigated how teachers perceived the impact of the CCSS writing standards on their practice …

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Speech-Language Pathologists On Multicultural Counseling Competency, Denise Moore Revel Jan 2015

Speech-Language Pathologists On Multicultural Counseling Competency, Denise Moore Revel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite reports of speech-language pathology graduate-level programs focusing on multicultural competence, the literature suggests speech-language pathologists are not adequately educated and trained to be culturally competent. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of public school-based speech-language pathologists' graduate-level academic instruction and the clinical practicum experiences in multicultural competence, specifically in the area of multicultural counseling. Guided by the theory of multicultural counseling and therapy, this study used a phenomenological approach, employing semistructured, in-person interviews with 7 participants. The inclusion criteria used for selecting study participants included: having a master's degree in speech-language pathology, graduation from an …

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Employing Plns For The Self-Development Of Army Leaders: A Connectivist Approach, James K. Greer Jan 2015

Employing Plns For The Self-Development Of Army Leaders: A Connectivist Approach, James K. Greer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The post-9/11 security environment is one that confronts the United States, and specifically the U.S. Army, with complex problems that require development of leaders with improved knowledge, skills, and attributes to meet the challenges of defending the nation. The problem confronting the U.S. Army is that Army leaders lack a learning environment or methodology that enables effective self-development throughout their career. Research suggests that PLNs (PLNs) and a connectivist approach may address that problem, but these have been limited to civilian educational environments. This qualitative case study explored the use of PLNs with a connectivist approach for leader self-development in …

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An Examination Of The Differential Impact Of University/College Research Emphasis On Levels Of Counselors' Resilience, Erica Ann Handon Jan 2015

An Examination Of The Differential Impact Of University/College Research Emphasis On Levels Of Counselors' Resilience, Erica Ann Handon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counselor resilience is the ability to transform adversity into growth opportunities that become part of the professional's identity and the core values of a counselor. However, researchers have yet to identify why some counselors exhibit higher levels of resilience while others exhibit less. Counselor resilience can be learned and nurtured at any point of an individual's development. The purpose of this study was to examine how differences within the foundational edification of a research-embedded curriculum impact a counselor's level of resilience. Participants included practicing counselors who received their counseling degrees from a 2014 U.S News and World Report (USNWR) Nationally …

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Second Chance For School Dropouts In Kenya Through Adult Education, Lombo Lombo Jan 2015

Second Chance For School Dropouts In Kenya Through Adult Education, Lombo Lombo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most Kenyan high school dropouts do not have a school reentry option, and without a high school diploma, they lack access to tertiary or higher education institutions for training and career development. This case study was an investigation of how an adult learning center in Kenya educated high school dropouts and helped them to gain access to vocational training or higher education. The research questions addressed the pedagogy, learning experiences, and curriculum of the Baraka Adult Learning Center (BALC) and also focused on how the BALC met students' aspirations, needs, and goals based on the perceptions of teachers and adult …

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Increasing School Commitment By Listening To Veteran Teachers' Needs And Concerns, Carrie Mcatee Jan 2015

Increasing School Commitment By Listening To Veteran Teachers' Needs And Concerns, Carrie Mcatee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role that support systems play in new teachers' levels of school commitment has been widely documented. However, veteran teachers' levels of commitment have not been as closely studied. According to the department of education in a Southeastern state, the veteran teacher attrition rate at a Title I school in an urban school district was in the double digits for several years. High veteran teacher attrition rates and low levels of commitment can cause problems such as loss of continuity of instruction for students. The purpose of this study was to identify veteran teachers' perceptions of their levels of school …

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School Bullying And Teacher Professional Development, Demita Sidonia Parson Jan 2015

School Bullying And Teacher Professional Development, Demita Sidonia Parson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying has become a serious concern in many American public middle schools in recent years. Inadequate professional development (PD) in bullying prevention and response strategies has compounded this problem. The overarching purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the growing problem of school bullying. Bronfenbrenner's socioecological theory, which states that environment and relationships influence student behavior, served as the conceptual framework for this qualitative study. Guiding research questions, grounded in socioecological theory, were used to examine middle school teachers' views of PD and their perceived skills in responding to or preventing bullying. Through purposeful sampling, 8 middle school …

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Perceptions Of The Community Of Inquiry In An Online Rn To Bsn Program, Beth Ann Townsend Jan 2015

Perceptions Of The Community Of Inquiry In An Online Rn To Bsn Program, Beth Ann Townsend

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Basic nursing education is no longer sufficient to meet the escalating demands of today's complex healthcare environment. Recognizing the need for the advanced cognitive skills incurred by these demands, increasing numbers of registered nurses (RNs) have been enrolling in online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. The problem identified in the RN to BSN degree completion program at a large Midwestern university was the lack of information as to how online teaching and learning strategies were experienced by students. Research has demonstrated that the online community of inquiry (CoI) model facilitates higher order thinking through collaborative learning strategies and …

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Anxiety And Focus In Work-Related Training, Steven Howard Harlan Jan 2015

Anxiety And Focus In Work-Related Training, Steven Howard Harlan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Currently, nonemployee students who take General Electric's (GE's) pollution control classes do not demonstrate consistent knowledge gains following training. The purpose of this project was to investigate whether the independent variables of level of education and choice in attending the class made a significant difference in the means of the dependent variables of anxiety and ability to focus. The project was influenced by the theory of andragogy, which explores the motivations and principles specific to the teaching of adults. The research questions for this study probed relationships between level of formal education among participants and their choice in whether to …

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The Role Of Teacher Perceptions In Parental Involvement, Crecenra Boyd Jan 2015

The Role Of Teacher Perceptions In Parental Involvement, Crecenra Boyd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the changing field of education, there is awareness of the benefits of parental involvement on student achievement and the impact teachers have on the success of parental involvement programs. However, teachers may rely significantly on their personal experiences as a source of reference for parental involvement and subsequently impact student achievement. There is a gap in the research about the lived experiences of teachers regarding their perspectives and support of parental involvement in the classroom. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore teachers' lived experiences and attitudes concerning parental involvement and student achievement. The conceptual framework for …

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Daily Calendar Group Time And The Mathematical Skills Of Preschoolers, Deborah Ann Lavine Jan 2015

Daily Calendar Group Time And The Mathematical Skills Of Preschoolers, Deborah Ann Lavine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The evidence supporting the common instructional method of daily calendar group time to teach math skills to prekindergarten children has been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exposure to daily calendar group time on prekindergarten children's math score gains in a private early-childhood program located in the suburban Southeast. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory guided this quantitative, causal comparative design wherein archival data from 104 prekindergarten students' pre- and posttest numeracy skill scores on the Young Children's Achievement Test were analyzed. Data from 6 classrooms over 2 school years were compared using multiple linear regression. Four …

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The Role Of Social Media Technology Tools In Higher Education Instruction, Marlene Natalie Holder-Ellis Jan 2015

The Role Of Social Media Technology Tools In Higher Education Instruction, Marlene Natalie Holder-Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although instructors at a Western Caribbean university use technology in the instructional process, they rarely use social media tools for teaching and learning. This exploratory qualitative case study addressed faculty members' perceived role of social media technology tools in higher education instruction at the local university. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model. Ten faculty members at the local university were selected through a purposeful sampling process and were interviewed. Interview transcripts were organized using an iterative coding process and were analyzed for recurring themes. Trustworthiness was established through …

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Success Experiences Of Hispanic Nursing Students Who Persisted And Graduated After Academic Failure, Barbara Ninan Jan 2015

Success Experiences Of Hispanic Nursing Students Who Persisted And Graduated After Academic Failure, Barbara Ninan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Twenty percent of Hispanic nursing students at a west coast university are being dismissed from the nursing program due to repeated failures in nursing courses. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of Hispanic nursing students' experiences of successfully completing a nursing program, earning a baccalaureate of science degree, and passing the state licensing examination for registered nurses despite having failed a nursing course and having been placed on academic probation. Guided by Tinto's theory of academic integration, a descriptive phenomenological design was used to explore Hispanic nursing graduates' success experiences. Purposive sampling was used to …

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