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- Title
- Academic achievement of black males in a rural middle school.
- Author
- Bozeman, Tonya Dukes
- Abstract/Description
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Educational statistics have consistently recorded low academic performance for Black male students, particularly those in high-poverty settings. Research studies have documented that very few Black male students can perform at the level of their counterparts from other racial categories. Circumstances such as poverty, deprivation, and lack of mentorship affect Black males' academic achievement and underachievement. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to explore the lived...
Show moreEducational statistics have consistently recorded low academic performance for Black male students, particularly those in high-poverty settings. Research studies have documented that very few Black male students can perform at the level of their counterparts from other racial categories. Circumstances such as poverty, deprivation, and lack of mentorship affect Black males' academic achievement and underachievement. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive study was to explore the lived experiences of select Black male students who have been academically successful at a high-poverty rural middle school in the Southern United States. I used, per Bandura's (1977) social cognitive theory (SCT), the framework of the study, human learning and development occur through personal experiences and examination of the actions of others. I explored how behavioral, personal, and environmental factors interact to affect the selfefficacy of 12 Black male students in the school setting. Findings revealed participants perceived positive family support, positive friend or peer network, positive teacher influence, and positive self-image as supportive factors that contributed to their academic success. This study shifts the focus from Black male deficiencies to emphasizing their achievements and how internal factors such as self-perception, attitude, and self-confidence outweigh external factors such as low socioeconomic factors and lack of mentors that could reduce opportunities for success. Study participants' desires for academic achievement created a transformative bridge between their self-efficacious beliefs and their drive for education. Future research should continue to focus on understanding the contributing factors to young Black males' school success and giving them positive voices.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604350, WFE0000790
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Air traffic control specialists' perceptions of simulation for developing job-related competencies.
- Author
- Harris, Colin Alwin
- Abstract/Description
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Inexperienced and poorly trained Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs) contribute to aircraft accidents and other serious aviation mishaps, which negatively impact human safety, the environment, government and personal property, and the efficient and smooth operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can help remedy this problem by ensuring that ATCSs receive academic and simulator competency-based training. The purpose of this qualitative...
Show moreInexperienced and poorly trained Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs) contribute to aircraft accidents and other serious aviation mishaps, which negatively impact human safety, the environment, government and personal property, and the efficient and smooth operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can help remedy this problem by ensuring that ATCSs receive academic and simulator competency-based training. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to understand how ATCSs at an air traffic facility in the southeastern region of the United States (U.S.) described their experiences with the ATCoach simulation training (ATCoach) in developing job-related competencies. I employed Bloom et al.'s (1956) taxonomy of the cognitive domain and its six classifications (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) to frame and align the study's research questions and interview questions to determine if five ATCSs perceived simulation as a valuable instructional method. Participants revealed that the ATCoach experiences is a valuable instructional method for enhancing ATC professionals' knowledge and skill levels by preparing them to transfer previous knowledge to practice in dayto-day ATC operations and improve their judgment, critical thinking, and decision-making skills--not their self-confidence. However, the simulator's physical fidelity limitations had an adverse influence on participants' learning experience. The findings, therefore, indicate ATC knowledge does not necessarily occur during the ATCoach but instead during previous classroom learning or experience. Future research should evaluate the entire ATC training program taking a learner from Certified Professional Controllers in Training (CPC-IT) status to Certified Professional Controllers (CPC).
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604671, WFE0000793
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Andragogy of workplace essential skills in a community college in south Florida.
- Author
- Smith, Nayrie Lashawn
- Abstract/Description
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Adult learners are returning to school to acquire and enhance workplace essential skills needed to meet changing job market expectations. Adequately preparing adult learners for the workforce necessitates understanding their views and experiences. The problem explored in this study was the lack of research regarding business school stakeholders' perceptions of the andragogy of workplace essential skills in a community college setting. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study...
Show moreAdult learners are returning to school to acquire and enhance workplace essential skills needed to meet changing job market expectations. Adequately preparing adult learners for the workforce necessitates understanding their views and experiences. The problem explored in this study was the lack of research regarding business school stakeholders' perceptions of the andragogy of workplace essential skills in a community college setting. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to explore the perceptions of business school stakeholders of the andragogy of workplace essential skills in a community college in South Florida. Participants were six adult students enrolled in business courses, three professors, and a business department chair. The five key assumptions (self-directedness, valuable past experiences, readiness and willingness to learn, problem-centered and practical interests to learning, and intrinsic motivation) and four principles (adult students' involvement in the learning process, integration of past experiences and new knowledge, relevance and impact of the adult learning experience, and incorporating problem-centered instruction) of Knowles's theory of andragogy guided the formulation of the research question. Although adult learners acquired and enhanced workplace essential skills within a positive learning environment incorporating andragogical strategies, adult learners desired enhanced workplace essential skills, such as technological, written, and oral communication, to adequately prepare for the workforce. Participants described andragogy strategies as an effective model of how they learn, supporting the key principles of Knowles's theory of andragogy. Suggestions for future research include exploring workplace essential skills related to other majors and disciplines and including a larger, diverse sample.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293883939, WFE0000766
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Assessing multiple placement methods for college mathematics at a two-year college.
- Author
- Weirick, Chad William
- Abstract/Description
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Students who attend two-year institutions are not always academically prepared for the level of work that is required to be successful. Two-year institutions determine students' readiness for college-level mathematics courses using one of three placement methods. However, few empirical studies have investigated which placement methods are most effective in predicting academic success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the placement methods that best predict student...
Show moreStudents who attend two-year institutions are not always academically prepared for the level of work that is required to be successful. Two-year institutions determine students' readiness for college-level mathematics courses using one of three placement methods. However, few empirical studies have investigated which placement methods are most effective in predicting academic success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the placement methods that best predict student success in college-level mathematics courses at a two-year college located in the midwestern United States. Through binary logistic regression, data obtained from the academic records of 1,330 students from a Midwestern U. S. two-year institution revealed a positive statistically significant relationship between placement methods and students' academic success. Students placed using ACT/SAT mathematics score or ACCUPLACER methods, respectively, were 1.85 (p < .05) and 3.91 (p < .001) times less likely to pass their college mathematics course compared to those students who were placed using high school grade point average (GPA). Students who took pre-calculus were 1.66 times more likely to pass than students who took statistics (p < .05) after controlling for the sociodemographic and placement type variables in the model. Age had a positive relationship with passing (OR = 1.05, p < .01). Full-time students were 1.50 times less likely than part-time students to pass (p < .05). Pell Grant eligible students were 1.57 times less likely than non-Pell Grant eligible participants to pass (p < .05). Placing students using high school GPA may improve success in college-level mathematics courses. Higher education policymakers should consider the use of high school GPA as the central method to place students into these courses.
Show less - Identifier
- 1130062385, WFE0000680
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The barriers to obesity prevention or elimination in Libya: A phenomenological analysis.
- Author
- Elrashid, Abubaker Moh
- Abstract/Description
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Obesity prevalence in Libya has dramatically increased in the last three decades from 12.6% in 1984 to 30.5% in 2009 and from 36.10% in 2010 to 47.4% in 2019. High rates of obesity put Libyans at risk for contracting diseases, including cardiovascular disease, liver disease, diabetes, and cancer. These obesity-related health conditions ultimately affect national development as the Libyan government allocates much of the healthcare budget to the treatment of obesity comorbidities. The purpose...
Show moreObesity prevalence in Libya has dramatically increased in the last three decades from 12.6% in 1984 to 30.5% in 2009 and from 36.10% in 2010 to 47.4% in 2019. High rates of obesity put Libyans at risk for contracting diseases, including cardiovascular disease, liver disease, diabetes, and cancer. These obesity-related health conditions ultimately affect national development as the Libyan government allocates much of the healthcare budget to the treatment of obesity comorbidities. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the perceptions of select U.S. Libyan immigrants about the barriers to preventing or eliminating obesity in Libya. The researcher framed the study using the health belief model (HBM; Hochbaum, 1958; Rosenstock, 1974a). The HBM has six main concepts. Perceived barriers, a concept of the model, guided the development of the research questions. The researcher collected interview data from 10 Libyan immigrants in the United States. The study's findings include a perceived inability of current health education to create awareness about addressing the barriers to obesity prevention or elimination among Libyans. Per the findings, health education regarding obesity is not a priority for Libyans because they do not consider obesity to be a disease. The findings of this study have implications for raising awareness about obesity through primary healthcare. The study may also influence policies relative to the adoption of health education programs that will enforce prevention or elimination rather than treatment of health conditions such as obesity in Libya.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202001229, WFE0000713
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Basic psychological needs of emergent educational leaders relative to effective leadership practices.
- Author
- Guy, Theresa Marie
- Abstract/Description
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The high turnover and retirement rates of K-12 educational leaders posed a need for providing quality pipelines for preparing emergent educational leaders. Quality educational pipelines should develop effective and stable educational leaders to meet the projected needs for supplying the K-12 educational workforce. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative correlational study was to identify the relationships among perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness as described in self...
Show moreThe high turnover and retirement rates of K-12 educational leaders posed a need for providing quality pipelines for preparing emergent educational leaders. Quality educational pipelines should develop effective and stable educational leaders to meet the projected needs for supplying the K-12 educational workforce. The purpose of this nonexperimental quantitative correlational study was to identify the relationships among perceived autonomy, competence, and relatedness as described in self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985) and the five effective leadership practices of Modeling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Challenging the Process, Enabling Others to Act, and Encouraging the Heart (Kouzes & Posner, 2017a) perceived by emergent educational leaders within the United States' southeastern region. The Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction in General Scale (Deci & Ryan, 2000; Gagné, 2003) and the Leadership Practices Inventory®-Self (LPI®-Self; Kouzes & Posner, 2017a) were used to collect participant data from students enrolled in graduate educational leadership degree programs (N = 64) at four universities. The nonexperimental quantitative correlational research design allowed for analyzing the data using a Pearson product-moment correlation procedure. Five significant results were revealed. All three basic psychological needs significantly influenced Enabling Others to Act, and the basic psychological needs of autonomy and competence significantly influenced Challenging the Process. All three basic psychological needs were present in the sample of emergent educational leaders. The emergent educational leaders appeared to require skill development and training in the leadership practices of Modeling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision, and Encouraging the Heart to ensure educational leadership effectiveness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1233323356, WFE0000751
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Connecting social studies and power: examining Fayette County's Freedom Village.
- Author
- Woods, John Edward II
- Abstract/Description
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Social studies educators often find that creating relevant lessons that will engage students both intellectually and personally is challenging (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2013; Yilmaz, 2007). By exploring the lived experiences, educators might better understand the nuances of the period being investigated that can benefit lesson plan development (Woods & Jans-Thomas, 2016; Yilmaz, 2007). Also, relevant lessons engage students through connections that could enhance...
Show moreSocial studies educators often find that creating relevant lessons that will engage students both intellectually and personally is challenging (National Council for the Social Studies [NCSS], 2013; Yilmaz, 2007). By exploring the lived experiences, educators might better understand the nuances of the period being investigated that can benefit lesson plan development (Woods & Jans-Thomas, 2016; Yilmaz, 2007). Also, relevant lessons engage students through connections that could enhance historical empathy (Perrotta, 2016; Yilmaz, 2007). To support lesson plan development, this phenomenological study identified connections between social studies and power that existed in Fayette County's Freedom Village. Therefore, this study served a twofold purpose: (a) to aid social studies educators in developing relevant lessons and (b) to enhance students' historical empathy. To accomplish the purpose, the following research question was answered: What connections exist between social studies and power that support lesson plan development and enhance historical empathy when examining the Fayette County Freedom Village? The NCSS College, Career, and Civic Life (NCSS C3) Framework and Foucault's (1994) philosophy of power provided the constructs for the conceptual framework. Historical research methods were employed to collect data, while content analysis was utilized to analyze data. The findings revealed that social studies and power connections exist when examining Freedom Village. For example, history, civics, economics, and geography were connected with Foucault's (1994) power strategy, while civics and geography were connected with power relations and freedom. With the findings, educators can develop relevant and engaging lessons associated with the Freedom Village and other historical events.
Show less - Identifier
- 1130062504, WFE0000681
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Decontextualized skill-cueing: teaching the overarm throw to music with counts.
- Author
- Atwood, Kym Yvonne
- Abstract/Description
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The overarm throw is a difficult multi-limb task because the overarm throw requires synchronized dexterity of the entire body. Research has determined that the inability to throw hinders children's participation in physical activities. The dynamic systems theory, which describes the interactions and processes that manipulate development, framed this quantitative study to investigate the effects of overarm throw instruction without a ball accompanied by verbal, directional cueing set to music...
Show moreThe overarm throw is a difficult multi-limb task because the overarm throw requires synchronized dexterity of the entire body. Research has determined that the inability to throw hinders children's participation in physical activities. The dynamic systems theory, which describes the interactions and processes that manipulate development, framed this quantitative study to investigate the effects of overarm throw instruction without a ball accompanied by verbal, directional cueing set to music with counts (decontextualized skill-cueing). A repeatedmeasures analysis of variance analyzed the process scores of the overarm throw for accuracy across three periods for 78 girls and boys in kindergarten and first and second grades. Data analysis found the main effect comparing the genders was significant, indicating a difference in the process scores between genders across the three periods. Descriptive statistics indicated the means for both sets of participants gradually increased after the pretest through the posttest and the retention test with the highest mean at retention test; yet, the means for the female participants were not as high on any test as were the means for the male participants. Further, the main effect between the control and treatment groups was also significant. Both groups' process scores increased over time from pretest to posttest; however, the control group's scores decreased during the retention test, as evidenced by the means and standard deviations. The study upholds the dynamic systems theory constructs that posit the body's multiple physiological components combine to create over-time skill variability in the body relative to the task, individual, and environment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1298724934, WFE0000797
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of 4-H youths' prosocial development on academic achievement in north Florida counties.
- Author
- Hancock, Emily Baxter
- Abstract/Description
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Placing youths' academic achievement over prosocial skill development is stunting youths' social and emotional growth. Research shows that the 4-H youth organization promotes prosocial skill development in youth. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the relationship between the intensity of participation in a 4-H youth program and the development of prosocial behavior in nine to 12-year-olds in three North Florida counties. The research is framed by Arnold's...
Show morePlacing youths' academic achievement over prosocial skill development is stunting youths' social and emotional growth. Research shows that the 4-H youth organization promotes prosocial skill development in youth. The purpose of this cross-sectional correlational study was to examine the relationship between the intensity of participation in a 4-H youth program and the development of prosocial behavior in nine to 12-year-olds in three North Florida counties. The research is framed by Arnold's 4-H thriving model which operationalizes the outcome variables that contribute to positive youth development. The researcher used Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory to support Arnold's model. The researcher sampled public school, 4-H youth from three North Florida counties between the ages of nine and 12. A convenience sample of 4- H youth (N = 72) completed the Bridge-PYD survey to evaluate their presentation of positive development while the 4-H leaders and corresponding classroom teachers completed the Child Trends Survey to reveal youths' prosocial presentation in the two environments. Included in the data collection are measures of youths' most recent reading and math scores on the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA). Moderation analysis demonstrated a significant moderation effect, p < .001, indicating that the relationship between prosocial development and academic achievement is moderated by the intensity of 4-H participation. The results conclude that North Florida 4-H youths presented high prosocial skill development in addition to academic success as measured by the FSA. This study serves as a resource for youth development practitioners and an examination of current education mandates.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202024515, WFE0000715
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of a nutritional education video game on high school students.
- Author
- Mitchell, Debra Lynn
- Abstract/Description
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The problem this study sought to address was to examine adolescent obesity and the need for effective school-based interventions. The purpose of this quantitative pre-experimental study was to examine the effects of a nutritional education video game, Alien Health, on ninth and 10th-grade students' mental imagery, emotional response, attention, and rational food beliefs in a high school nutrition class in the Southeastern United States. This study used the narrative transportation theory as...
Show moreThe problem this study sought to address was to examine adolescent obesity and the need for effective school-based interventions. The purpose of this quantitative pre-experimental study was to examine the effects of a nutritional education video game, Alien Health, on ninth and 10th-grade students' mental imagery, emotional response, attention, and rational food beliefs in a high school nutrition class in the Southeastern United States. This study used the narrative transportation theory as the theoretical framework (Gerrig, 1993; Green & Brock, 2000). The researcher used four paired samples t-test to determine if a statistically significant difference existed between pretest and posttest mean scores. The researcher conducted a bivariate Pearson correlation, or Pearson's r, to determine if a statistically significant correlation was present among mental imagery, emotional response, attention, and rational food beliefs. The analysis suggested a significant difference between mean scores for nutritional beliefs in ninth and 10th-grade students who played the Alien Health game. The results of the data analysis did not suggest a statistical difference between any of the other variables' mean scores. Analysis suggested a positive linear relationship between mental imagery and emotional response: r(62) = .574, p < .01, two-tailed. There was also a significant negative linear relationship between mental imagery and attention, r(62) = -.342, p < .01, as well as a significant negative linear relationship between emotional response and attention: r(62) = -.282, p < .01. Data analysis did not suggest a significant linear relationship between any of the transportation variables and rational food beliefs.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129044607, WFE0000662
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Effects of positive behavior intervention and support levels on office discipline referrals.
- Author
- Franks, Lori Jones
- Abstract/Description
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This quantitative ex post facto study investigated the relationship between the number of Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) that result in out-of-school suspensions and levels of positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) in elementary, middle, and high schools in three school districts in the Southeastern United States. Many public schools decrease disruptive classroom behaviors that negatively affect the learning environment by implementing evidence-based practices like the PBIS...
Show moreThis quantitative ex post facto study investigated the relationship between the number of Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) that result in out-of-school suspensions and levels of positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) in elementary, middle, and high schools in three school districts in the Southeastern United States. Many public schools decrease disruptive classroom behaviors that negatively affect the learning environment by implementing evidence-based practices like the PBIS framework that uses six attributes--a multi-tiered approach, reinforcement, data, systems, outcomes, and environment--that addresses the daily systems, data, and practices that affect student outcomes. Also, schools are utilizing internal PBIS coaches to assist in building and sustaining the PBIS framework. The PBIS framework served as a conceptual lens for this study. The U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection website served as a data source on office referrals that resulted in an out-of-school suspension. From the website, the researcher collected archival data recorded on a convenience sample (N=285) from elementary, middle, and high schools during the summer 2019 semester. The researcher used Kruskal-Wallis H testing to compare mean differences between the three groups. The results did not find that levels of PBIS support affect ODRs. The conclusions drawn from this study infer that the outcome value of the PBIS framework--a reduction in office referrals--needs to be revisited. Furthermore, the study showed a need to examine PBIS implementation science and close the research-to-practice gap. The study has implications for researchers, educators, and educational policymakers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1233296570, WFE0000748
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Elementary teachers' experiences with social studies professional development in Alabama.
- Author
- Landry, Nicole Andress
- Abstract/Description
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Limited professional training regarding elementary social studies content and pedagogy contributes to the reduction of elementary social studies instruction. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of elementary educators during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institutes held in Mobile, Alabama, have contributed to their professional development in social studies instruction. This study sought to understand how the experience of a social...
Show moreLimited professional training regarding elementary social studies content and pedagogy contributes to the reduction of elementary social studies instruction. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how the experiences of elementary educators during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institutes held in Mobile, Alabama, have contributed to their professional development in social studies instruction. This study sought to understand how the experience of a social studies professional development for elementary teachers contributed to instructional methods, instructional planning decisions, collaboration, and the use of primary sources. Transformative learning theory (TLT) provided the theoretical perspective for understanding how changes in adult learners may occur in a professional development setting such as the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute. Learning in TLT transpires during critical reflection and rational discourse resulting in changes in the frame of reference (Mezirow, 1996, 1997). Principles of phenomenology guided me to realize interrelated themes. I purposefully selected six participants to represent the experiences of Grades 3-5 teachers from multiple districts and systems. The process included professional development, analysis of lesson plans, purposeful selection of participants, observations, interviews, data triangulation, and intense interaction. Data collection and analysis for emergent themes occurred cyclically during the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute activities, classroom observations, lesson plan analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Emerging themes suggested a transformative influence of the 2018 Alabama Bicentennial Summer Institute experience on the participants' classroom instruction, instructional planning, and use of primary sources.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1293882707, WFE0000765
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Evaluating critical initiatives related to climate at a high-poverty middle school.
- Author
- Taylor, Douglas Anthony
- Abstract/Description
-
McMillan Public Schools (MPS) is a public school system in the southeastern part of the United States that serves approximately 28,000 students. Gregory Middle School (GMS) is one of 52 schools within MPS that serves 985 students. I used MPS and GMS as pseudonyms to anonymize the school system and school. In July 2019, I was appointed as the principal of GMS, and I quickly implemented critical initiatives related to the climate. School climate is defined as the prevailing atmosphere within...
Show moreMcMillan Public Schools (MPS) is a public school system in the southeastern part of the United States that serves approximately 28,000 students. Gregory Middle School (GMS) is one of 52 schools within MPS that serves 985 students. I used MPS and GMS as pseudonyms to anonymize the school system and school. In July 2019, I was appointed as the principal of GMS, and I quickly implemented critical initiatives related to the climate. School climate is defined as the prevailing atmosphere within the school, which encompasses physical, academic, and social dimensions (McGiboney, 2016). Based on data from the 2018-2019 school term, it was clear that the school's climate required immediate attention. All available data sources were reviewed, including student discipline reports (MPS, 2020a), stakeholder surveys (Cognia, 2019), and the school report card (State Department of Education, 2019). Each area of concern contributed to a negative school climate and created an environment that was not conducive for teaching and learning. The leadership team implemented critical initiatives in the areas of (a) human resources, (b) student discipline, (c) student safety, (d) school operations, and (e) school facilities. This program evaluation identified (a) the strengths, (b) the weaknesses, (c) the opportunities, and (d) the threats (SWOT) of the critical initiatives implemented at GMS related to the school's climate during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school terms. After conducting a literature review, I adopted the learning organization evaluation (LOE) conceptual framework paired with SWOT analysis, which provided a formal structure for conducting my program evaluation. The LOE is composed of four major steps, including (a) focusing the evaluative inquiry, (b) carrying out the inquiry, (c) implementing inquiry activities, and (d) applying learning (Preskill & Torres, 1999). Collaborative learning and evaluative inquiry guide the LOE conceptual framework. The LOE model facilitates success for organizations that wish to study internal processes or procedures. The LOE model is a systematic series of steps that should be followed when conducting a program evaluation (Preskill & Torres, 1999). I paired the LOE with a convergent parallel design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018). Next, I invited the current faculty and staff employed during the 2019-2020 school term to participate in the program evaluation. A coinvestigator conducted the qualitative focus group interviews on two separate occasions. The coinvestigator ensured employee anonymity. Twenty-one faculty and staff members participated in the focus group interviews. I utilized deductive content analysis to analyze the focus group interviews. Additionally, I distributed the quantitative research instruments via Qualtrics, and I received 31 responses. The small sample size was a limitation. As a result, inferential statistics were not possible. Because qualitative and quantitative research represent data differently, I developed joint display matrices to merge the information from both data sources. To sufficiently answer the evaluation questions, I created four main categories based on the (a) strengths, (b) weaknesses, (c) opportunities, and (d) threats of the critical initiatives related to the change in the school's climate. Based on each main category, I created categories in alignment with the definition of school climate. Despite the recent improvement in the climate of the school, it remains an area of concern. While I noted improvement in many areas, the results revealed a need for further intervention in some areas. To further school improvement efforts, I developed a continuous improvement plan (CIP) based on the results of the SWOT analysis. The CIP will include critical initiatives for each area in order to facilitate success. I will communicate the results to the faculty and staff of GMS and school system administrators in a series of future round table discussions and professional development sessions.
Show less - Identifier
- 1298604390, WFE0000791
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- An examination of ethnocultural empathy in campus policing.
- Author
- Vaughn, Stefan Wayne
- Abstract/Description
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The quantitative study examined diversity training and police service differences on levels of ethnocultural empathy among Florida's public university campus police officers. Enrollment in Florida's public universities has increased markedly along all social, cultural, and racial lines during the last decade (State University System of Florida [SUS], 2017). As such, campus police officers must interact more routinely with members of various minority groups. Relationships between police...
Show moreThe quantitative study examined diversity training and police service differences on levels of ethnocultural empathy among Florida's public university campus police officers. Enrollment in Florida's public universities has increased markedly along all social, cultural, and racial lines during the last decade (State University System of Florida [SUS], 2017). As such, campus police officers must interact more routinely with members of various minority groups. Relationships between police officers and minority members have long been strained by a myriad of social, political, and economic issues (Clayton, 2018). As a result, campus police officers must maintain cultural competence to promote positive relationships within these diverse campus communities (Moule, 2012). The researcher used the model of ethnocultural empathy (MEE) as a conceptual lens to examine the topic (Wang et al., 2003), along with the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (SEE) to collect data relating to ethnocultural empathy levels (Wang et al., 2003) among a small sample (n = 37) of police officers from five public universities in Florida. Ethnocultural empathy is the model's singular concept. Statistical testing compared group differences using independent samples t-tests. The results identified a statistically significant difference relating to an ancillary factor but not in relation to diversity training or police service. The conclusions drawn from the study infer heightened supervisor interest in diversity training development, demographic underrepresentation in Florida's campus police departments, and the need to standardize diversity training curriculum for campus police officers in Florida. The study has implications for researchers, campus police administrators, police trainers, and campus stakeholders.
Show less - Identifier
- 1130061083, WFE0000679
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining eighth-grade students' career decision-making: self-determination theory and cognitive information processing.
- Author
- Morris, Rosemarie Herbert
- Abstract/Description
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Dramatic fluctuations in employment trends pose a problem for young adolescents embarking on the career decision-making process. Paired with inadequate career-guidance resources, this creates a serious societal problem. This study empirically examined relationships among eighth-grade students' perceptions of relatedness, autonomy, and competence (Deci & Ryan, 1985) relative to students' career decision-making readiness (Peterson et al., 1991). Eighth-grade students (n = 108) in the...
Show moreDramatic fluctuations in employment trends pose a problem for young adolescents embarking on the career decision-making process. Paired with inadequate career-guidance resources, this creates a serious societal problem. This study empirically examined relationships among eighth-grade students' perceptions of relatedness, autonomy, and competence (Deci & Ryan, 1985) relative to students' career decision-making readiness (Peterson et al., 1991). Eighth-grade students (n = 108) in the southeastern United States completed the Basic Psychological Needs Scale and the Career Thoughts Inventory. Correlational analyses reveal statistically significant relationships between students' perceptions of autonomy and student perceptions of decision-making confusion (r = -0.42, p = 0.00), external conflict (r = -0.43, p = 0.00), and commitment anxiety (r = -0.21, p = 0.03). Student perceptions of competence show significant relationships with student perceptions of decision-making confusion and external conflict. Perceptions of competence are associated with commitment anxiety (r = -0.18, p = 0.07), decision-making confusion (r = -0.36, p = 0.00), and external conflict (r = -0.38, p = 0.00). Satisfaction of relatedness needs are associated with external conflict (r = -0.36, p = 0.00), decision-making confusion (r = -0.34, p = 0.00), and commitment anxiety (r = -0.07, p = 0.49). The results provide valuable insights for parents, educators, and education policy directors. Development of a career-readiness curriculum designed to meet the basic psychological needs of young adolescents may prove effective in overcoming career decision-making confusion, alleviating commitment anxiety, and reducing external conflicts. Development and pilot testing of such a curriculum remain for future researchers.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1233442052, WFE0000752
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining factors that influence student use of lecture capturing technology.
- Author
- Adrian, Todd Lee
- Abstract/Description
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ABSTRACT: Higher education institutions implement lecture capturing technology (LCT) to provide students access to recorded course lectures. Consequently, institutions can experience barriers implementing LCT related to lack of student use of the technology. This study's purpose was to examine whether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions influence undergraduate nursing students' decisions to use LCT after attending face-to-face lectures at a...
Show moreABSTRACT: Higher education institutions implement lecture capturing technology (LCT) to provide students access to recorded course lectures. Consequently, institutions can experience barriers implementing LCT related to lack of student use of the technology. This study's purpose was to examine whether performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions influence undergraduate nursing students' decisions to use LCT after attending face-to-face lectures at a state college in Florida. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) served as the theoretical framework. This study incorporated a quantitative correlational design and used a modified UTAUT survey instrument to determine if there are statistically significant relationships among the UTAUT constructs and LCT use. A linear regression was performed, and the results suggested there was a statistically significant relationship between the performance expectancy construct and use of LCT, r(116) = .647, p < .01, two-tailed; the effort expectancy construct and use of LCT, r(116) = .249, p < .01, two tailed; and the social influence construct and student use of LCT, r(116) = .255, p < .01, two tailed. A multiple regression analysis suggested performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions statistically significantly predicted student LCT usage, F(4, 113) = 21.32, p < .001. The R2 = .430 with a large effect size (f2 = .754). The results from this study add to the limited body of knowledge on LCT use and provide technology leaders with a better understanding of factors contributing to student use of LCT, which can be used for future research.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019.
- Identifier
- 1127639386, WFE0000645
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Examining the educational philosophy of Henriette Delille: a case study.
- Author
- Powell, Charletha D'Lane
- Abstract/Description
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This dissertation explores Henriette Delille's educational philosophy that was developed during the antebellum era of New Orleans and her contributions to modern day education. The researcher investigated the pervasive culture of White privilege, which existed and denied the enslaved Black populace access to education. Within the literature, there was a lack of information examining the foundation of Delille's philosophy of education as a free Black woman in antebellum New Orleans. The...
Show moreThis dissertation explores Henriette Delille's educational philosophy that was developed during the antebellum era of New Orleans and her contributions to modern day education. The researcher investigated the pervasive culture of White privilege, which existed and denied the enslaved Black populace access to education. Within the literature, there was a lack of information examining the foundation of Delille's philosophy of education as a free Black woman in antebellum New Orleans. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the factors that influenced Henriette Delille's educational philosophy as well as her contributions to modern day education through the theoretical framework of W. E. B. DuBois' (1903) theory of double consciousness, which included the theoretical constructs of self-consciousness and racial identity. The researcher developed questions that addressed validity, value, and credibility as well as the depth and breadth of the research through the use of descriptive data. Historical and archival data became the voice of Henriette Delille because she is deceased. Major findings included emergent themes of racialization, political manipulation, religious influence, imperialism, and enslavement. The researcher concluded that race, religious influence, and the social strata of antebellum New Orleans guided Henriette Delille's philosophy of education. Implications of this research resulted in policies to address curriculum inequalities, racialization, and inclusive pedagogy. Future research will benefit from the examination of White privilege, disparities in the availability of quality education, and classroom segregation in modern day New Orleans' schools.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129598851, WFE0000669
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring elementary student motivationlevels within gamified digital mathematics instructional programs.
- Author
- Hoover, Jennifer Lauren
- Abstract/Description
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Some approaches to teaching mathematics have led to decreased student motivation. Gamification is an application of game elements within nongame settings. While gamification may increase motivation in other contexts, its effective use in digital mathematics instruction to motivate elementary students is undetermined. Based on the constructs of self-determination theory (i.e., autonomy, relatedness/recognition, competence/self-efficacy), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were the two...
Show moreSome approaches to teaching mathematics have led to decreased student motivation. Gamification is an application of game elements within nongame settings. While gamification may increase motivation in other contexts, its effective use in digital mathematics instruction to motivate elementary students is undetermined. Based on the constructs of self-determination theory (i.e., autonomy, relatedness/recognition, competence/self-efficacy), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were the two determinants used to develop research questions and frame the study. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify how intrinsic and extrinsic motivators embedded within gamified digital mathematics instructional programs contribute to motivation levels of third- through fifth-grade students at an elementary school located in central Texas. A target research sample that consisted of 38 participants was identified which then produced a data producing sample of 20 participants. Semi-scripted phenomenological interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed by each research question to identify the degree to which gamified components, across nine different subtypes (interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, perceived choice, value/usefulness, intrinsic motivation, external regulation, introjected regulation, and identified regulation), impacted student motivation. This study concluded that students reported the highest motivation levels with a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic gamified motivators. Data suggested that a lack of autonomy established by mandatory participation in digital mathematics instructional programs positively impact motivation. Future research could address the impact of gamification upon levels of motivation by age or grade level and how levels of motivation change over time.
Show less - Identifier
- 1129016349, WFE0000658
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring elementary teachers' efficacy experiences with using a reading workshop instructional method.
- Author
- Rio, Hayley Harrison
- Abstract/Description
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Many teachers encounter low efficacy resulting in difficulty providing effective instruction, low levels of job satisfaction, and a greater chance of depression (Bandura, 1993; Cansoy & Parlar, 2018; Chung & Chen, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the efficacy experiences of elementary reading teachers who use a reading workshop instructional method at selected schools in the Southeast of the United States. Five elementary reading...
Show moreMany teachers encounter low efficacy resulting in difficulty providing effective instruction, low levels of job satisfaction, and a greater chance of depression (Bandura, 1993; Cansoy & Parlar, 2018; Chung & Chen, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore the efficacy experiences of elementary reading teachers who use a reading workshop instructional method at selected schools in the Southeast of the United States. Five elementary reading teachers from three different schools shared their experiences through semistructured one-on-one interviews and a focus group session. The interview questions targeted the constructs of Bandura's (1993, 1997) self-efficacy theory, which was developed to explain human behavior. The interview questions explored mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion experiences, and elementary reading teachers' physiological and affective states while using a reading workshop instructional method. Themes of professional growth, student growth and motivation, mentors, collaboration, feedback, and enjoyment and fulfillment emerged. The study concludes that (a) teachers are willing to work hard and persevere with challenging instructional methods if they perceive them to be beneficial, (b) efficacy for teaching reading through a reading workshop instructional approach grows over time, (c) teachers push themselves to continue to learn when their administrators respect them as professionals, (d) teachers can gain vicarious experiences through conversation, and (e) teachers' attitudes and feelings may transfer to their students. Future research could explore teachers' efficacy experiences in other content areas such as math and science in secondary schools, and investigate the intersection of instructional methods and teacher efficacy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2021
- Identifier
- 1298723737, WFE0000796
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Exploring the concepts of critical pedagogy in a university in Western Africa.
- Author
- Nkansah, Joan Nkansaa
- Abstract/Description
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Quality education and appropriate training that students need to become relevant to society are lacking in many Ghanaian universities. The instructional delivery techniques in these universities do not expose students to critical thinking and the development of critical consciousness. However, studies have established that when students possess critical consciousness, they improve themselves and take actions that serve the best interest of society. The identified case is a private university...
Show moreQuality education and appropriate training that students need to become relevant to society are lacking in many Ghanaian universities. The instructional delivery techniques in these universities do not expose students to critical thinking and the development of critical consciousness. However, studies have established that when students possess critical consciousness, they improve themselves and take actions that serve the best interest of society. The identified case is a private university in Ghana that has prioritized cultivating critical thinking skills and developing critical consciousness within students. The strategies for teaching and learning at this university bear similarity with the principles of critical pedagogy. These strategies do not only set the institution apart from other universities but reflect in students' academic and career excellence. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive case study, therefore, was to explore how the concepts of critical pedagogy inform the instructional delivery methods in the university. The study employed critical pedagogy as the conceptual framework with research questions emerging from the concepts (i.e., problem-posing education, teacher and student roles, praxis, dialogue) as well as the study's problem and purpose. Eleven purposefully selected participants provided an in-depth illumination of the subject matter. The study's findings revealed that the concepts of critical pedagogy inform the instructional delivery methods in the institution through problem-based curricula content, entrepreneurial skill development, collaborative education, and leadership skill development. The study has policy implications. The findings provide resourceful information to educational leaders on future curriculum and instructional design that are appropriate for individual and national development.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020, 2020
- Identifier
- 1202267438, WFE0000724
- Format
- Document (PDF)