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Across the United States, school districts are reshaping the role of principal supervisors to include supervision practices intended to enhance the instructional and leadership skills of the principals they supervise. The purpose of this research study is to add to the existing body of research involving the predominant practices that principal supervisors employ when working with principals. Additionally, this study explored the connections between principal supervision and student achievement, as perceived by the principal supervisors themselves. This qualitative study consisted of 10 semi-structured interviews conducted with current and former principal supervisors in a large, urban school district. The study found that principal supervisors utilized a variety of strategies when working directly with principals to increase their capacity. The strategies, while varied, coalesced around goal-centered coaching. The study also illuminated principal supervisors' reflections on how they believed they impacted student achievement. The participants overwhelmingly believed that the role of principal supervisor can positively impact student achievement. Additionally, the research study confirmed prior research on principal coaching, namely, that collaborative and receptive relationships between principal and principal supervisors resulted in increased principal skill-building. The findings indicate that principal supervisors hold the positional power to become educational architects who have the potential to improve principal practice, thereby improving teacher practice and possibly improving student achievement in the process. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This quantitative quasi-experimental study, adopting a pretest/post-test control/treatment group design, investigated the efficacy of instructional strategies for developing divergent thinking in gifted and talented students within K-6 heterogeneous cluster classes. It specifically explored the problem of insufficient evidence-based approaches for fostering divergent thinking, an area often neglected in traditional gifted education programs. The study was grounded in the Triarchic Theory of Intelligence, which emphasized the importance of creative intelligence as a domain equal to analytical and practical intelligence. The primary research question focused on the extent to which a targeted divergent thinking instructional approach, derived from the Williams Model, impacted students' divergent thinking skills. Participants included 269 students of varied abilities from New Jersey public schools, with the sample determined through power analysis to ensure a 0.90 power. Data were collected using the Williams Creativity Assessment Packet (WCAP), administered by trained teacher facilitators before and after an 8-week instructional intervention. Findings revealed a statistically significant increase in divergent thinking among all students, with gifted and talented students showing the most pronounced improvements. The study identified themes of increased fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration in students' thinking. Recommendations for future research include replicating the study with alternative assessments, extending the duration of interventions, enhancing WCAP's scoring system, modifying its format for diverse learners, and periodic re-norming to reflect current educational contexts. This investigation helped identify a possible formative assessment strategy for students receiving gifted and talented services. Norm-referenced creativity assessments can be effectively integrated into gifted and talented programs to nurture divergent thinking, providing a more comprehensive evaluation of student capabilities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Higher Education and its evolution in the twentieth century has seen a paradigm shift and an increased focus on the disconnect of the classroom with the employment field and market. Higher education has been presented with the challenge of not only understanding how one behaves and adapts to transitions but the approach and how to analyze a change over the long term. COVID has brought higher education a hyper focus on this issue as an impetus that has forced us to re-evaluate education and the innovative approach, not just locally but as a global educational culture. The purpose of this Action Research study is to study and improve student employee transferable job skill proficiency within higher education institutions, specifically at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Transferable job skill proficiency is defined through teamwork, communication skill sets, and efficacy within the classroom. This study was designed to investigate how WPI is assisting the students in soft skills for their own development and success not just inside the classroom, but also outside the classroom. The knowledge generated from this study is expected to inform and build expectations and framework for student development where WPI can help the student work on not only their professional skill development, but also their personal skill development. Participants and data collected in Cycle 1 consisted of two focus groups of WPI students, one group categorized as full-time students and the other Alumni of WPI (who have been out in the work field for more than six months), two faculty members, and seven staff members within the WPI institution. Themes that emerged from the data were collaboration, communication, experience, and education. The action step was then designed in Cycle 2, through a Communities of Practice approach with 8 full-time professionals within the higher education institution. During this phase the researcher learned the thoughts of the participants and a collective desire for a more a renewed sense of purpose, a heightened awareness of the institutions potential for impact, and a commitment to the betterment of their students and institution. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how reading teachers in southern urban schools described their use of prior knowledge and text clues in instructing high functioning ASD students in their use of inferencing to improve their reading comprehension. There were three research questions used in this study: RQ1: How do school-based reading teachers describe the instruction of students with high functioning ASD to combine text clues with prior knowledge to make inferences to improve their reading comprehension? RQ2: How do school-based reading teachers describe the instruction of students with high functioning ASD to use text clues to help improve their reading comprehension skills? RQ3: How do school-based reading teachers describe the instruction of students with high functioning ASD to use prior knowledge to help improve their reading comprehension skills? Semi-structured interviews, and two small focus groups data sources were used. The results indicated that teachers described using visuals and questioning to be effective means of maintaining student attention while teaching students to ASD to make inferences. Teachers found that there was a lack of support within their schools with regards to their development in effectively teaching reading comprehension skills to students with ASD. Teachers valued building relationships with students and families and focusing on ways to keep their ASD students engaged to improve their success rate. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Post-pandemic data demonstrate that there has been an increase in student mental health and behavioral needs, and these changes have a significant effect on the culture and climate of schools. School administrators have traditionally relied on suspension to address challenging behaviors, yet this approach has not been shown to be effective. While alternative approaches to discipline and behavioral response have been adopted, it is unclear when and how principals decide to use these approaches. In this phenomenological study, I interviewed 12 New Hampshire principals about their experiences with student behavior and discipline, including their responses to and attributions for student behavior. Participants identified student, school, and family factors that were important in their disciplinary decision-making. Themes that emerged included balancing equity and equality, the "moral wrangling" associated with disciplinary decision-making and the emotional toll on principals. Principals' attributions for behavior are discussed, and disciplinary responses were examined for their association with those attributions. Findings from this dissertation have the potential to guide the provision of resources for school administrators and to inform practice and policy to support students experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges at school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study focused on a problem of practice at Mystic River School (MRS), a kindergarten through eighth grade school in an urban district in New England. Schoolwide diagnostic data showed a significant gap between multilingual learners (MLs) and their native English speaking peers in literacy. An analysis of this data, interviews with staff and caregivers, and classroom observations, showed a primary need for training and coaching for teachers in working with MLs. To mitigate this problem a classroom teacher and an English Language Teacher (ELT) co-planned for MLs using a "Looking at Student Work (With Equity in Mind)" protocol. This dissertation studied the effect co-planning will have on the feelings of efficacy of the classroom teacher. This mixed methods study included quantitative data from a survey given before and after the intervention as well as pre and post interviews, observations and transcripts from the co-planning sessions and two classroom observations. Results from this study found that feelings of efficacy were higher by 20% for the classroom teacher after using the protocol and completing a post survey. Feelings of efficacy were also seen in comments through the co-planning sessions and interviews. Although the sample size was small, only one classroom teacher and one English Language Teacher, this study showed promising results for allowing teachers to co-plan in a structured way. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The traditional nature of higher education, the permanence of its structure and function, has allowed many universities to act with a degree of invisibility, a reluctance to change with the times, though the evasion of public purview is more difficult in a regional institution so dependent and interconnected with its local community. This dissertation proposes a framework for creating and nourishing a symbiotic relationship between the university and its local region that better serves the nonacademic community, enriches the education of university students, and incorporates invitational rhetorical practices that can help neutralize the unavoidable power dynamics in traditional exchanges between academic and non-academic populations. Situated at the intersection of invitational rhetorics, feminist theory and methodologies, and pedagogical studies and practice, this work illustrates the potential of regional, four-year universities to work more effectively and equitably with their local communities. Relying on standard community interactions, long utilized by institutions, I overlay the methodology of invitational rhetoric via local case studies within the genres of public discussion, public performance, and composition pedagogy to reimagine the ways in which academics and institutions engage with the broader public. In Chapter 1, I review the theory of invitational rhetoric, including critiques and defenses; community-engaged pedagogies; and the rhetoric of public engagement. The second chapter introduces The University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) and its regional municipality Monroe and details the first case study, a grant funded public discussion series on the history of voting rights in America. Chapter 3 moves to the genre of public performance and second case study, indicating the viability of an invitational means of engagement via the medium of entertainment. In Chapter 4, I turn my attention to the university classroom, the microcosm of the institution as a whole, considering the hierarchical nature of academia in general and of the teacher/student relationship more pointedly. And finally, Chapter 5 considers the 2022-2027 ULM Strategic Plan and proposes an invitational framing as a model for relational repair between public institutions and their respective local communities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Educators should be aware of efficient instructional strategies for students labeled as gifted to influence academic achievement and social-emotional growth positively. The problem was that a gap exists between achievement and the academic and social-emotional abilities of elementary students labeled as gifted. The purpose of this study is to understand teachers' perceptions of instructional practices used in the classroom to advance the academic and social-emotional performance of elementary-aged students labeled as gifted in a northern Georgia school district. The conceptual framework guiding the study encompassed Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences and Joseph Renzulli's three-ring conception of giftedness theory. Research questions aided in discovering teachers' perceptions and effective differentiated instruction for gifted students for academic achievement, social-emotional growth, and how the practices affect each to determine the best instructional strategies to improve learning experiences. The study used a descriptive case study design, using 15 elementary educators of the gifted population in a northern Georgia school district who obtained the gifted endorsement. Open-ended questionnaires and interviews were used for data collection, transcribed, and coded, generating six themes from data analysis. Findings indicated more awareness of academic and less social-emotional strategies, suggesting one reason for the gap between academic achievement and ability. This study supports the exploration of the uses of differentiation of instructional strategies in classrooms and teacher awareness of social-emotional needs to enhance learning in gifted students. The study's results may provide information to educators on how to help close the gap between academic achievement and ability. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study focused on the aspects shared by nursing faculty that impact the teaching and evaluation of clinical judgment in the traditional classroom environment. Literature revealed the importance of clinical judgment in the practice of nursing, and the National Council State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) also demonstrated the importance of competence in clinical judgment with the release of the next-generation National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) (NCSBN 2018a; NCSBN 2018b; NCSBN 2023). Much of the literature focused on the development of clinical judgment, but a gap in the literature was identified in the lack of research including nursing faculty perspectives and experiences with the evaluation of teaching strategies associated with clinical judgment development. This study utilized a focused ethnographic approach to explore nursing faculty's experience with evaluating clinical judgment teaching strategies in the prelicensure classroom environment. All participants in this study were full-time nursing faculty members, and data saturation was reached upon the tenth interview. The interview transcripts were coded using first and second-cycle methods as described in Saldana (2016). The data was then analyzed using thematic analysis with two major categories and eight major themes emerging from the data. The findings of this study provided insight into the faculty voice and perspective of the current state of evaluating clinical judgment teaching strategies, as well as the perceived role that faculty members take on when teaching and evaluating clinical judgment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Students seek out individualized supportive networks to navigate challenges, and they use different strategies to overcome adversity in their lives (Greene et al., 2003; Zolli & Healy, 2012). Transgender students may navigate campus in different ways, experiencing a cross-section of varying challenges and issues unique to their understanding of themselves, their identity, and the larger community (Bilodeau, 2005, 2007, 2009; Hill, 2003; Nicolazzo, 2016b). The study explores the experiences of resiliency of transgender students who have joined gender-based student organizations (i.e., fraternities and sororities). This research investigates two main research questions: (a) What is the story of resilience for transgender students who are members of gender-based organizations at colleges in the United States? and (b) To what extent does transgender students' involvement in gender-based organizations contribute to their resiliency in college? The eight themes developed in partnership with the study participants from this narrative inquiry are (1) Self-Advocacy, (2) Emotional Well-Being, (3) Desire for Connection, (4) Acknowledgement of Individual Strengths and Limitations, (5) Positive Mindset, (6) Recognition of Challenges with Organizations, (7) Feelings of Empowerment from Participating in this Study, and (8) the Benefits of Privilege. Each theme provides opportunity for discussion, understanding resiliency, and the role college communities play in that experience from the view of transgender students. The narratives provided by participants revealed a complex interplay of multiple identities and how these intersections mediate the participants' lived experiences well beyond one singular focus. Thus, the complexities of those experiences demand complex solutions to promote and provide a welcoming college environment. Just as we have long recognized within higher education that no one program, training, or experience will have a long-lasting impact on addressing complex problems within a campus community, it will also take significant work, resources, and time to develop individualized solutions to provide support for all underrepresented students on college campuses, including those who identify as transgender. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Accelerated baccalaureate nursing (ABSN) programs educate students faster than traditional nursing (BSN) programs; programs are 12-20 months and demanding. Research established test anxiety exists among BSN students; however, there is limited research on test anxiety in ABSN students. This study sought to identify prevalence of test anxiety among ABSN students. A descriptive non-experimental survey design was used with a convenience sample of ABSN students in the United States. 163 participants volunteered to take the Test Anxiety Inventory, which measures frequency of test anxiety experienced before, during and after the exam. Additionally, this study sought to identify a predominance of worry or emotionality, and any relationship in test anxiety scores compared to semester enrolled. It was found that test anxiety, emotionality, and worry existed in all participants without statistical significance. There was no correlation between test anxiety and semester enrolled in the ABSN program. Test anxiety, worry, and emotionality exist among ABSN students regardless of semester enrolled. This information allows ABSN program educators evidence to change and adapt programs to ease test anxiety in ABSN students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

State and national initiatives focused on meeting student completion goals have been established for higher education to help produce a stronger workforce and meet economic labor market demands. Some of these initiatives have been centered around improving adult learner enrollment and completion. More adult learners are returning to higher education and often seek advice from an academic advisor regarding suggestions for educational planning, including credit hour recommendations. However, research encompassing credit hour recommendations is often concentrated on those 18-24-year-old students who can enroll full-time. This study aimed to investigate if credit hour enrollment impacts student persistence among adult learners enrolled in a two-year community college. Utilizing retrospective data provided by a two-year community college in Tennessee, chi-square analyses were performed to analyze of age, gender, race/ethnicity, and credit hour variables on student persistence. Although the results of the Cramer's V test indicated a weak association, all the variables resulted in being statistically significant indicators of persistence. Moreover, the weak association values indicate that there may be many additional factors related to student persistence, retention, and graduation that exist in addition to the variables used in this study. Future research involving credit hour enrollment and adult learner persistence should include research designs with a qualitative approach or questionnaire that could help better understand credit hour enrollment decisions related to additional responsibilities that adult learners often encompass. Additionally, dedicated research on adult learners should be continued so that higher education can better support them and their efforts in persistence and completion. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Problem and Purpose: Without time for preparation, COVID-19 caused a wave of operational and structural changes that encumbered much of the time and energy educational leaders previously spent on moving the district forward. The ripple effect of the pandemic exposed new challenges in teaching and learning, requiring superintendents and principals to establish efficient and effective responsive systems to support the needs of students. Even so, amid crisis principals were given new managerial tasks. This led to tension as principals' identities as instructional leaders were threatened by increased workloads and changed responsibilities. To better understand this tension, the purpose of this study is to examine how a superintendent strives to increase the organizational commitment of their principals regarding instructional leadership. Methods: This bounded single-site design examined the interactions between superintendent and principals in one urban district of medium size in Massachusetts where at least 50% of students are high needs. Learning capabilities were used as a conceptual framework to analyze how the superintendent and principals interacted within a Community of Practice. Implications: This study found that strengthening principals' organizational commitment during this time of crisis was the result of superintendent interactions in three areas: supervisor support, perceived autonomy, and alignment of personal and district goals. Principals' investment increased in a culture where connection, candor, and capacity-building existed. Additionally, organizational commitment increased when there was greater alignment between principals' personal and district goals and the district allowed for more autonomy to achieve goals. Under these conditions principals felt empowered to take on complex challenges and develop innovative solutions. These findings can assist superintendents in cultivating principal investment that will be integral during post-pandemic recovery and reconstruction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to examine the academic, social, and emotional effects of COVID-19 on 11th - and 12th -grade students. There has been little documentation regarding the specific change that the pandemic has had on these students; it is imperative that we look at the effects of COVID-19 on the students who experienced COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was completed through individual interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization of data under the four organizational factors, (b) building the explanation in a phenological form, and (c) re-examination of the data. The analysis of the narrative study was based on the theoretical proposition that the teachers were focused on the whole child and not just academic standards. The humanistic theory framework was established as teachers examined the influences in their classrooms based on the well-being of their students. The credibility of the analysis was protected by triangulation of data through multiple sources of evidence, establishment of a chain of evidence, and member checking. The results revealed that the main concerns were students attending school and getting the credits needed to graduate through both in-person classes and online learning. The themes that emerged were classroom management, relationship building, communication, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed learning, and the effects of COVID-19. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

While there is a great deal of research that examines the value of effective principals, there are few studies that explore the selection and placement of principals. As demonstrated in the research, the selection and placement of principals is important because effective principals impact school outcomes, including increased student academic achievement and teacher retention. This research explored the principal selection and placement process, focusing on practices in the School District of Philadelphia (SDP). Using interviews with principal selectors, including the Chief Talent Officer, the Senior Search Consultant in the Office of Talent, and assistant superintendents, data from SDP, and observational notes of the selection and placement process, this case study examined the features and processes of principal selection and placement in SDP, how they have changed; and principal selectors' understanding of effective principals' skills and/or abilities. Bias, inequity, and unfairness in principal selection and placement exist in various phases of the process and is confirmed by SDP data. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Connections between creativity and leadership often focus on how fostering creativity can help an organization. Despite the value that creativity can bring to organizations, Mueller et al. (2011) found that creative people themselves are not seen as leadership material. Yet many people with creative backgrounds do take on leadership roles, particularly in higher education. This qualitative study explores the experiences of higher education leaders who have a background in creative writing and how those leaders perceive the interaction of the leadership role with their creative experience. The sample included 12 mid-level leaders in higher education who had an MFA or Ph.D. in creative writing and at least one creative publication. Data from the semi-structured interviews were analyzed using coding methods to develop themes and subthemes that reflected patterns in the experiences and perceptions of the leaders. The analysis led to seven themes and an additional 13 subthemes illustrating the influence of creative writing on leadership in terms of how participants conceive of leadership, how they understand their identities as a leader and a creative person, and the overlap of skills in the two areas. The themes reveal that participants utilize aspects of Creative Leadership in their own work. Specifically, they view leadership as collaborative, open, and people-focused. They take a broad perspective on situations, and often navigate multiple realms both in their leadership roles and in other aspects of their lives. These leaders recognize that they integrate creativity in their identity and in their actions as leaders, even when their creative genre or outlet shifted. These leaders distinguish themselves from other leaders, and they experience negative stereotypes from those outside of creative fields. Lastly, these leaders are able to describe skills from their creative writing training and history, particularly analytical skills, that transfer to leadership roles. Overall, this study found that creative writers experience leadership as an open and collaborative process that draws from their creative writing talents. In their leadership they made use of the problem-solving abilities and perspective they developed from creating works of art. These skills and ways of perceiving leadership bring a unique value to the leaders and to institutions of higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Tuition-driven higher education institutions are continually faced with financial and enrollment challenges and other associated challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This action research case study sought to provide a blueprint for private, non-profit higher education institutions to use as a guide in the presidential search process for a transformational president to lead an institutional turnaround. Institutions utilizing transformational leadership approaches at similarly situated universities realized turnaround success within this leadership model. Through the triangulation of the data sources, the board of trustee chairs, trustees serving on the presidential search committee, and the selected university presidents provided reliable and valid qualitative data through one-on-one interviews in responding to the research questions. Each data source provided a unique perspective on the characteristics, skills, behaviors, and professional successes required by the leader to direct, manage, and lead an institutional turnaround. The findings showed that the governing board sought a leader that possesses, behaves, and practices transformational, level 5, servant leadership to lead their universities to a turnaround. The universities sought turnarounds to stabilize finances, increase enrollment and endowment, and make organizational and departmental changes. The findings aligned with the research in that the turnaround leader must have a shared vision and plan embraced by a cohesive senior leadership team and supportive community to be successful in the turnaround. In addition, the board and presidents agreed that the strategic planning process was of utmost importance as the presidency began and forged forward. Lastly, the results identified the significance of the president building a culture of giving at the university, which included critical work in improving town-gown relationships. A vital follow-up study conducted at least ten years from the onset of the transition period would provide a strong indicator that a revitalization occurred at the institution. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

When teachers collaborate, they amass collective expertise and develop pedagogical content knowledge. Teacher collaboration is often a school priority because of its positive impact on student achievement, teacher efficacy, and teacher satisfaction. Schools also have complex systems in place that impact the effectiveness of teacher collaboration. This study explores six teachers' perceptions of their collaboration with peers and how it is supported or weakened by the organization of school structures, the leadership system, and the evaluation system implemented at their school. Three school sites were purposefully chosen for their expectation that teachers engage in collaboration and their different approaches to organizing time for teacher collaboration. One school allocated ninety minutes of daily non-instructional time plus ninety extra minutes one day per week for teacher collaboration. The second school follows the PLC guidelines set by Dufour and colleagues (2016) and allocates fifty minutes of daily non-instructional time and an additional sixty minutes per week specifically for content area PLCs to occur. The third school allots fifty-five minutes for non-instructional time and has no additional time set aside during the week. Two teachers at each school were interviewed using Seidman's (2013) guidelines for conducting phenomenological interviews. The teachers revealed that the organizational structures and leadership of their schools had a greater impact than their yearly evaluations, which they saw as having little to no impact on their collaboration with other teachers. The teachers cited trust, particularly relational trust developed with their colleagues and the trust from their leadership, as a major support to the success of their collaboration. Time and the resistance towards collaboration from other teachers were seen as the biggest barriers to effectively collaborating with one's peers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study is to investigate teacher perceptions of Value-Added Models specifically as they relate to students with disabilities. Value-Added Models are designed to reward teachers for student growth while taking into account factors such as socioeconomic status and disabilities (Weigert, 2012). The study also examines the alignment between teacher observation scores and Value-Added Model scores. The research study uses a survey with a Likert scale with teachers who taught major content areas in grades 3-8. The study also includes surveys of administrators at schools where teachers receive VAM scores. The use of VAM models is controversial, and the use of them to be able to account for specific student differences, such as identified disabilities, is a concern for researchers and policymakers. The study describes how teachers at different schools view VAM models and high-stakes testing for students with disabilities as well as other subgroups. If teachers fear that students with disabilities will lower their VAM score, there could be a risk of over-identifying students to receive accommodations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

A research study was conducted addressing the specific problem of senior technology leaders in physical sciences technology companies in the USA underutilizing scholarly leadership research (SLR). The purpose of the study was to learn via surveys how often senior technology leaders access, use, and share SLR and non-scholarly leadership materials (NSLM) to inform their leadership decisions for the benefit of their organizations. The study was supported by a literature review addressing the alignment of the problem with leadership theories, the need for leaders to use SLR, the economic relevance of addressing the problem, the efforts of company leaders to address the problem, and the historical and current methods of leader learning. The quantitative methodology included online surveys of three groups of senior technology leaders, senior managers, directors, and vice presidents from 33 physical sciences technology companies in the USA. The causal-comparative research design enabled the calculation of means of counts of instances of the access, use, and sharing of leadership materials as reported by survey respondents. Differences in the calculated means between senior technology leader groups were analyzed using ANOVA as well as Bonferroni and Tukey HSD-Kramer post hoc methods to elucidate any statistically significant differences. The results showed infrequent access, use, or sharing of SLR within any of the senior technology leader groups. The results also showed occasional access, use, and sharing of NSLM by the same groups and statistically significant increases in all three behaviors with leadership span of control. The results inform leadership researchers, information scientists, leadership development service providers, and others interested in the transfer of leadership research to technology practitioners about the current effectiveness of such transfer. The results also inform future research opportunities including the motivators and detractors for senior technology leaders accessing, using, and sharing both SLR and NSLM. Other research opportunities include quantifying the connection between the use of SLR and NSLM by technology leaders to organizational outcomes as well as how college and university technology degree programs might better prepare technologists to access and use leadership materials. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

On-campus student employment helps students gain transferable skills for their future careers, but how students develop through employment has been inconsistent because differences in knowledge, training, and resources available to supervisors has led to varying developmental opportunities. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the experiences student affairs administrators had with supervising on-campus student employees in higher education. This study involved five select supervisors at an institution with a student employment program that focused on the development of student employees and supervisors. I applied Astin's input-environment-outcome model to explore the supervisory journey to understand the inputs supervisors brought into a supervisory experience, the environment experienced while supervising part-time, on-campus student employees, and what outcomes, if any, resulted from various supervisory experiences. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and documents, and then analyzed using constant comparison, protocol coding, and document analyses processes before being harmonized with Astin's model. Through this research, I uncovered and described the meaning administrative supervisors made of their experiences when supervising on-campus student employees with the intent that my findings may apply to familiar contexts for the reader. This study resulted in several findings that aligned with Astin's input-environment-outcome model. The most influential inputs that contributed to the preparedness of student affairs administrators to supervise student employees included undergraduate college experiences, former student employment, other work experiences, and training and coursework. The supervision environment revealed that the student employment program, GROW® conversations, professional development, challenges, and support from others were the most important factors influencing the supervisory process. Lastly, confidence and competence, individualized approach, prioritizing personal and professional development, and reflection and application resulted from experiences of supervising student employees over time. Rather than thinking about student employees as a means to serve the institution, higher education policy makers and leaders should consider how the institution can serve the student. Supervisors are uniquely positioned to help student employees grow, develop, and gain marketable skills to propel them towards future career success. With proper training and support, supervisors can make the difference in helping student employment become an educationally purposeful high-impact practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Student affairs is a field compromised of employees representing several generations, each of which has different experiences, preferences, and expectations for the workplace. With these differences comes the potential for misaligned expectations between colleagues and supervisors. Employers need to consider how to understand these differing workplace expectations in order to reasonably manage expectations while balancing the needs of all employees, regardless of generational status. The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics and expectations of Generation Z student affairs employees, understand their experiences as student affairs employees, and examine how those characteristics, expectations, and experiences compare with those of their non-Generation Z colleagues. Generation Z includes individuals born between 1995 and 2010. This general inductive qualitative study was situated at a mid-sized, public university and participants were student affairs professionals currently employed at the institution. Ten participants completed two semi-structured interviews intended to better understand the individual experiences of employees of different generations in the workplace. Participants ranged in age from 23 to 66 years old and represented Generation Z, Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. The following themes emerged from the study: Generation Z employees are seeking to balance their individualism with clear expectations. Generation Z, Millennial, and Generation X employees would all prefer to see increased opportunities for professional development throughout their career. Employees of all four represented generations are willing to learn from employees of other generations and to share their own experiences and expertise with their colleagues. There are several implications for practice, including the need for supervisors within student affairs to be prepared to explain the reasoning for policies and expectations as younger employees seek to be individuals in the workplace. Comprehensive onboarding and tailored professional development plans will also become necessary for all staff. Finally, allowing staff to share and learn from one another can help to create a cohesive workplace that is inclusive of all generations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This phenomenological action research study explored how the experiences of 10 full-time community college faculty mothers at two community colleges in the Greater Cincinnati region experienced and attributed meaning to their both of their roles. The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 played a large part in the experiences and meanings shared by the faculty mothers in both roles. The results of this study yielded five result categories: flexibility, managing multiple expectations, support provided to faculty mothers, meanings attributed to both roles, and recommendations to improve experiences. The recommendations provided by the faculty mothers, in addition to those highlighted in the literature, should be used to improve policy and practice for community college faculty mothers, all parents in higher education, and beyond. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

First Generation (FG) students' pursuit of higher education continues to be initiated at community colleges at high rates; these two-year Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are critical in bridging the gap for an increase in degree completion at four-year HEIs. The purpose of this study is to explore the institutional barriers, indicators, and participant experiences faced by FG students in preparation of the vertical transfer process from a two-year HEI to a four-year HEI. As literature suggests, there is still a lack of development and implementation of key indicators for an FG student's readiness including institutional transfer processes that may inhibit an efficient transfer to benefit the aforementioned population. This comparative case study analysis of the transfer processes, in preparation of FG students' transfer from a two-year to a four-year HEI, is imperative for professionals in higher education to utilize when developing interventions, but also in assessing adequate student support resources for vertical transfer, development of viable institutional articulation agreements and indicators for preparation and readiness. The analysis of the study found similar answers to previous research findings regarding preparation as it is crucial for the effectiveness of the transfer process and as a main indicator for FG students' successful vertical transfer from a two to a four-year HEI. The finding, preparation, as an indicator of vertical transfer for FG students, enhances the transfer process in higher education, whereby accelerating the rate of college completion. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Over the last 15 years, the use of online technology for training and workforce development has increased due to cost savings, convenience, ease of tracking, uniformity of training delivery and messaging, and accessibility. The Association for Talent Development indicated in its 2017 State of the Industry Report that 45% of all employee training was being delivered through technology. Despite its growth, much of the research on online workforce training is limited to training outcomes (e.g., passing the knowledge posttest in order to receive a certificate, certification, or Continuing Education Units) and trainee evaluations (e.g., trainee satisfaction surveys) with no higher level analysis regarding the role of the following: theory, learning or technology; enablers, like technological savvy or organizational support; and/or barriers, like technological difficulties or lack of organizational support in users' success. The specific aims of this study were: (1) to examine what user characteristics and/or factors associated with use of helpdesk support, video tutorials, and test reset, and (2) to identify what factors predicted online training completion. Data for this dissertation were obtained from the National Adoption Competency Training Initiative which was established in October 2014 through a 5-year, $9 million cooperative agreement with the Center for Adoption Support and Education, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau. The University of Maryland School of Social Work and The Institute for Innovation and Implementation were primary partners in the initiative. Regression analysis showed that older users were more likely to use the help desk, to have a test reset, and less likely than younger users to complete the training; mandated users were more likely to complete the training but were also more likely to require a test rest and to use the video tutorials; and race/ethnicity was significant across all research questions. Findings revealed factors that impact success with online learning, as well as areas for future research into the role of race/ethnicity, personal agency, and variation of training types (self-paced or timed) in online training success. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to explore if, and to what extent, faculty employment status predicted the subsequent course success and retention of Native American Community College students. Native American students enroll, persist, and graduate at the lowest rates of all students, which is why Tinto's student retention theory and Astin's student involvement theory grounded this study. The study sample consisted of 4425 Native American community college students who took the English composition sequence over three years. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data. Research was conducted at a large community college district in the Southwestern United States. Two analyses were conducted for the first research question. In the first analysis, it was determined that faculty employment status in the first composition course did not predict the subsequent course success of Native American students (p = 0.121). In the second analysis, faculty employment status in the second composition course was a statistically significant predictor (R[superscript 2] = 0.033) on the subsequent course success of Native American students (p < 0.001). The second research question found statistical significance (p = 0.005) in the predictive relationship between faculty employment status and Native American student retention (R[superscript 2] = 0.002). The findings of this study provided information to assist community college administration in helping to increase persistence and completion rates for Native American students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

According to Felitti, et al, (1998) more than half of the population had one exposure to an adverse childhood experience. Knowing this, the healthcare system must be prepared to care for these individuals. Unfortunately, unless nurses are being trained in their institutions they are not receiving TIC education in theory undergraduate studies. This raises the question of how are they expected to care for these patients if they do not know the correlation trauma has on their physical, emotional and cognitive health. The purpose of this research study was to ascertain the impact of a trauma and trauma-informed care education session on nursing students who were currently enrolled in a mental health nursing course. This quantitative, quasi-experimental research study was completed by implementing a pre-survey, followed by an education session which was given by the researcher, and then a post-survey was administered. The researcher conducted a paired t-test to analyze the data from both surveys to determine the statistical significance. The research question revealed a significant finding. The mean score of the pre-survey and the post-survey displayed an increase in knowledge of all the topics included in the survey. The findings also supported the fact that even though the nursing students were knowledgeable, the education session reinforced and expanded their knowledge. The p-value or significance of all the survey questions were 0.001. which indicates the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative hypothesis is true. In conclusion, even though nursing students perceive they are knowledgeable of trauma and trauma-informed care the post-survey results revealed an increase in knowledge for each individual survey question. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This thesis describes how principals and teacher leaders facilitate organizational learning while implementing a 21st century learning initiative through instructional leadership practices. The inclusion of 21st century learning skillsets and initiatives in the classroom stems from educational research that recognizes that students need to be prepared with skills and experiences that will equip them for the modern workforce. The shift to 21st century learning requires schools and districts to utilize instructional leaders, including principals and teacher leaders, to redirect curriculum implementation, professional development, and evaluation and facilitate organizational learning processes within their school building. This study explored three elementary schools within a school district that had established a 21st century learning initiative program. These schools serve as current exemplars of 21st century learning within the district, given their depth of engagement with the district's initiatives and pilot programs. At each school site, principals and teacher leaders completed a semi-structured interview in order to share their experiences with 21st century learning implementation, instructional leadership of that initiative, and how their school has learned and grown through the process. The multi-case study research design allowed for themes and findings to be explored both within each case site as well as across case sites. This research exploration yielded findings that included: 1) the importance of positive communication and trust with staff and the community; 2) the need for formal implementation support structures as well as time and mentorship; 3) the potential utility of using evaluation as a tool to promote implementation; 4) the necessity of aligning district and school implementation expectations with existing goals; 5) the efficacy of individualizing solutions and implementation processes; and finally, 6) the inspirational effects of evaluating student growth from the implementation and reflecting on these changes. These findings have implications for practitioners within and outside of the school district who are embarking on 21st century learning initiatives. Additionally, there are implications for future research concerning instructional leadership and organizational learning within 21st century learning contexts. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This action research describes the influence of the research-based program, "Reading Workshop," based on student reading achievement, specifically, in one third-grade South Carolina summer reading camp classroom. Guiding the research, the problem of practice arose from the passing of South Carolina's Act 284, which states that school districts should make provisions to support every child becoming a proficient reader by the end of the third grade (SCDE, 2015a), and the lack of literature regarding the use of "Reading Workshop" in summer camps or summer school. Thus, the overarching question that guided the research was: To what extent are summer reading camp students, based on student achievement scores, benefiting from the implementation of "Reading Workshop?" The research of this study was conducted using a mixed-methods design for action research. Data were collected during pre- and post-assessments, as well as classroom observations. The results of the study produced an increase in student achievement after the implementation of the "Reading Workshop" program. The research led to the creation of an action plan providing a course of action for other educators to implement "Reading Workshop" in summer reading camp and regular education classrooms. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The main issue within the case study was the inclusion of instructional design, specifically ADDIE and open technology design principles. The purpose of this qualitative instrumental case study was to collaborate and receive subjective opinions of the English faculty and librarians on the development of Open Educational Resources (OER) curriculum and on the opportunities and challenges in creating OER resources pertaining to the inclusion of instructional design, specifically ADDIE and open technology design principles, at a southeastern community college. The goals of this case study were to collaborate and receive subjective opinions on the process of creating a British literature open educational digital textbook for the subject college, to develop best practices in creating a British literature open educational resource, and to discover the technological barriers associated with implementation of a British literature open educational resource at the college. Upon completion of the study, the digital textbook was published at the subject college's OER repository. I used semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observations such as field notes, personal documents such as emails, participants' artifacts, and a researcher-generated document. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Who is the self that teaches (Palmer, 1998)? One way of uncovering a teacher's self may be to allow beginning preservice teachers the opportunity to share their education stories, which may then allow them to explore their initial self-concepts of their roles as future teachers. This study used narrative inquiry and the arts-based activities of a multimedia reflective journal and a memoir reflective assignment as tools to help beginning preservice teachers discover and learn from their education stories. The frameworks of arts-based education research, transformative learning, and transformative teaching provided a unique lens through which to explore the education stories of the beginning preservice teacher participants. This study's exploration of the education stories of beginning preservice teachers has implications for the future of preservice teacher training. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

A collection of three case studies on District-level Equity Leaders (DELs), this study aims to fill the current void in the research on DELs and equity work at the district level in public schools, using a Critical Race Theory (CRT) lens. The study's primary focus is to document the lived experiences of individuals in this work and how they understand and fulfill their roles - especially in the context of current educational, social, and political spheres. This includes 1) how they define their positions and implement their vision for their positions, 2) how they respond to barriers and/or setbacks they encounter, 3) how their experiences are similar or different across districts, and 4) how the CRT tenets most commonly found in education -- permanence of racism, interest convergence, Whiteness as property, counternarratives versus majoritarian narratives, critique of liberalism, and intersectionality (Capper, 2015) -- manifest in and/or impact district level equity leadership roles. This study concludes that DELs featured in the research all operationalize a CRT framework that manifests both implicitly and explicitly in the work they do each day to further their visions for their districts and to mobilize a response to the barriers and setbacks they encounter. The participants all bring passion, personal motivation, and a strong connection to equity related work in their districts. Their job descriptions, daily responsibilities, and duties are impactful only because each of these men is tied deeply to the importance of equity, grounded in their foundations in academic research, their own lived experiences, and their desire to end inequity in schools. Despite differences in district, years of experience, personality, and personal approach to the work, these DELs are remarkably similar in the implementation of their vision for their roles, the barriers and challenges they experience, and regarding the impacts of CRT within their district-level equity work. The design of professional development, specialized programming, policy creation and reform, and emphasis on engaging their district communities are cornerstones of their work, but these efforts do not always mitigate the pervasive nature of bias, politics and power dynamics, changes in leadership, and the emotional toll these leaders experience. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Early mathematical skills have long been hailed as a cornerstone and as the best predictor of later success in mathematics and literacy. This perception highlights the importance of elementary educator's mathematical content knowledge (MCK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). This study explored a novel approach to motivating and facilitating preservice elementary educators' engagement in an interdisciplinary context. Astrobiology is a growing interdisciplinary field with extraordinary educational potential. It has the potential to provide an exciting science framework structure to mathematics for preservice educators. Due to its interdisciplinary content, astrobiology offers preservice educators an opportunity to see math content through a science lens, an approach that may appeal to students with diverse interests. Although astrobiology research has been on the rise and has contributed greatly to the science field and to society, more research on astrobiology education in schools and colleges needs to be done to understand the best pedagogical approaches to such a diverse topic that encompasses multiple disciplines. Using a quasi-experimental design, this study examines whether the implementation of astrobiology modules focused on science questions could be used as an effective platform to deliver mathematical instruction that focuses on MCK and PCK. Specifically, this dissertation investigates the impact of such modules on preservice elementary educators' MCK and PCK, both quantitatively and qualitatively. A comprehensive analysis involving nonparametric statistics and qualitative analysis found insufficient sample evidence at the alpha level of 0.05 (alpha=0.05) to warrant rejection that the astrobiology based mathematical modules had no effect on the preservice teachers' MCK or PCK. However, one test found a positive correlation between the module and an increase in astrobiology knowledge. The qualitative examination exposed a decrease in the quality of responses for the MCK and PCK areas. This affect could be attributed to the limiting factors of the study. These factors have implications for both teaching future research in the intersection of astrobiology education and MCK and PCK. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Students with emotional disturbance (ED) show consistently low rates of academic success and high rates of drop out and incarceration. These students require multiple levels of support to address the barriers to education presented by their mental health and social-emotional needs. Former California policy, AB-3632, mandated interagency collaboration between school districts and the Department of Mental Health to ensure that students would receive the appropriate supports required to access the school environment, even when those supports extended beyond the capacity of school staff. However, AB-114, a budget bill signed in 2010, repealed the funding for interagency collaboration mandated by AB-3632. In response, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and affiliated charter schools shifted the responsibility for providing counseling and social-emotional supports to school-based staff. This mixed methods study used the validating quantitative data model of triangulation design to explore and describe how a unique population of LAUSD-authorized charter schools responded to AB-114 and the extent to which they exhibited adaptive leadership organizational viewpoints. This study introduces Option 3 charter schools as an area of education with limited existing scholarship and describes decision-makers' experience of responding to a specific change in policy. Analysis included data from 47 survey respondents, a document review of publicly available student achievement records by subgroup, and 8 semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study suggest that expertise is imperative for understanding and responding to policy, but is also an area where decision-makers display mixed levels of confidence. Data indicate a range of confidence in understanding policy intent and impact, ranging from thorough understanding to total lack of knowledge. Recommendations include shared responsibility across multiple levels of educational authority regarding policy expertise and implementation, as well as continued research concerning Option 3, AB-114, and adaptive leadership organizational viewpoints. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The report describes a program to improve students social skills and level of responsibility. The targeted eighth and ninth grade students are located in two communities in northwestern Illinois. The problem of students exhibiting a lack of social skills and responsibility had been documented by student discipline referrals, anecdotal records, student surveys and checklists, and direct teacher observations checklists. Evidence of the problem of a lack of social skills and responsibility revealed that students lack direct instruction in social skills, failed to solve problems and make appropriate decisions, and were unable to work cooperatively as a group. A review of solution strategies suggested by knowledgeable others, together with an analysis of the problem statement, resulted in the selection of the following interventions: direct instruction in social skills, cooperative learning techniques, and direct instruction in problem solving and decision making strategies. Post intervention data indicated an increase improvement in students social skills and problem solving strategies. These noticeable changes in the targeted skills were reflected in the students ability to work together, resolve conflicts in positive manners, decrease off task behaviors, and apply cooperative learning techniques. The post intervention data from the teacher observation checklist displayed improvement in appropriate student behaviors. Nine appendixes are included containing copies of checklists, surveys, and self-assessments. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/GCP)

In today's society, parents are often too busy to read with their children or perhaps cannot even read themselves. In response to these problems, the researcher would like to propose that audiobooks are a good alternative to parental reading. This project was designed to show the importance of reading to children. The use of audiobooks was a simple substitute for the warm body that children often need but may not have access to for the experience of reading. The intention was that the additional exposure to reading, whether they were being read to or were reading for themselves, would increase their reading level. In this study, a third grade class composed of 21 students was divided into 2 groups, each alternating as the control and experimental groups for 3 weeks, resulting in a total of 6 weeks for the study. At the 3-week interval, both the control and experimental groups were tested for their frustrating reading level using an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI) published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. This test was repeated at the end of the 6 weeks. The data collected were used to compare the control and experimental groups to see if the additional reading helped to increase the students' reading levels. The use of audiobooks in the classroom as a complementary reading program did not show any significant difference in the students' reading levels during this study. This is a program that could be a permanent addition to the classroom used all year long. This research study was conducted for a 6-week period and the students had access to the materials for only 3 weeks. The materials provided for the experiment were available to the students only within the confines of the classroom; therefore, it limited their access to the materials to the free time allowed them in the classroom. This could have affected the results of the study. (Contains 31 references and a table of data. Appendixes contain permission letters and recommended book lists.) (Author/RS)

Emotional intelligence has been defined as "the ability to recognize the meanings of emotions and their relationships, and to reason and problem-solve on the basis of them" (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 1999, p. 267). Despite the relevance of emotional intelligence to social work education, limited research has focused on the assessment of emotional intelligence as a predictor of academic success in social work education. This predictive correlational study explored the relationship between emotional intelligence and student success in a Master of Social Work (MSW) program, including the extent to which the completion of the first-year MSW curriculum impacted a student's emotional intelligence. The main findings of this study indicated that a student's level of emotional intelligence was not a significant predictor of student success, either at entry into an MSW program or at the conclusion of the first year of study in an MSW program. An unexpected finding of this study was that participants' levels of emotional intelligence actually declined over the course of completing 1 year of coursework, including field experience in the MSW program. Although this study's student success regression model was found not to be a significant predictor of graduate student thriving, secondary findings did reveal that a student's level of emotional intelligence at entry into an MSW program was a significant predictor of Graduate Thriving Quotient (Petridis & Schreiner, 2013) total mean scores, indicating pre-emotional intelligence predicts thriving in a graduate MSW program. Additionally, despite the decline of emotional intelligence over the course of the first year of study, students' end-of-year level of emotional intelligence was found to be correlated with their levels of thriving within the MSW program. The connection between emotional intelligence and graduate student thriving offers social work educators an alternative approach to measuring and defining student success by identifying factors that help students to thrive and succeed within a Master of Social Work program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation project represents a 2.5-year ethnographic study in a second-grade bilingual classroom and the homes of seven emergent bilingual children of Mexican-origin. This study examines how educational assessment policies shape the ways in which emergent bilingual children are socialized to express social and academic identities during literacy events. The data includes school-based artifacts such as assignments and benchmark assessments, over 200 hours of audio-recorded interactions during routine activities such as independent writing at school and homework completion at home, and informal interviews with administrators, teachers, Mexican-born mothers, and the focal children. The findings of the study show that elementary-school administrators and teachers implement classroom-based assessments and develop "pedagogical remedies" aimed at monitoring student progress and increasing student achievement on federal- and state-mandated tests of academic performance. Pedagogical remedies have two important features: first, they are informed by ideologies regarding effort and intelligence related to language learning; and second, they are enacted through classroom pedagogy and school language policy. The analysis specifically tracks the ways in which teachers and emergent bilingual students, along with their peers and immigrant parents, interpret and implement pedagogical remedies such as homework assignments and peer groupings. As teachers, parents, and students interpreted and implemented pedagogical remedies during routine classroom and household activities, they socialized the second-grade emergent bilingual students to express identities as 'hard-working' and 'smart' students. These remedies were rooted in conflicting values of individualism and cooperation, ideologies that prioritize speed and the mechanics of written English literacy, and school language policies that position Spanish as an instructional tool but not a linguistic and academic goal. Seeking to fulfill teachers' expectations for performance on assessments, immigrant mothers drew upon bilingual resources to socialize children to develop test-taking behaviors during homework completion. Second-grade emergent bilingual students engaged meaningfully in peer helping routines by translating and giving bilingual directives, but resorted to copying English texts to insure accuracy when help was unavailable or denied. This study helps to identify how educational assessments and classroom-level interventions can limit or provide opportunities for meaningful teacher-student, peer-peer, and parent-child interactions. With the recent federal authorization of Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states have been granted greater autonomy over assessment and accountability measures. This study can inform state-level educational policymakers, school administrators, and educators to make decisions about which assessments and interventions best support emergent bilinguals' language and literacy learning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Facebook studio groups/pages are commonly used by applied music faculty to communicate with current students, recruit new students, share students' activities, and promote faculty members' professional performances and academic endeavors. However, the blurred lines between academic, professional performance, and social activities in the field have led to a wide variety of approaches to Facebook use by music faculty. This dissertation documents the first generation of music faculty social media users and investigates the beliefs, intent, and lived experiences of music faculty who use Facebook studio groups/pages to communicate with their students. Four music faculty were interviewed and a semester's Facebook studio group/page data collected for each faculty member. Interviews and Facebook data were analyzed using Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to identify emergent, and ultimately super-ordinate, themes from the data. The three super-ordinate themes that emerged were: Impact of Social Media on Studio Teaching and Learning, Learning through Enculturation, and Faculty Lived Experiences with Facebook Studio Groups/Pages. Findings of the study included: faculty concerns about personal and professional risk; the observation that teaching and learning are occurring through these Facebook studio groups/pages by way of the process of enculturation, but without evidence of a Virtual Community of Practice; and, a multitude of group/page management practices developed in isolation that suggest a need for discussion/debate and training in the field to determine best practices for using Facebook studio groups/pages as an extension of the physical studio. Recommendations include training for music faculty that situates Facebook studio groups/pages within the enculturation process of students pursuing careers in music, music department development of guidelines for Facebook group/page creation and management based upon their institutions' rules and oversight procedures, and the sharing of exemplar Facebook studio groups/pages by professional music education organizations to encourage discussion of best practices for teaching and learning in informal environments. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study looked at the effects of Tier 1 Response to Intervention (RtI) on elementary school reading fluency using I-Station assessment and intervention. The study included four elementary schools within the same school district that represented the four quadrants of the school district so that a variety of factors and the district's demographic make-up were represented. This allowed for both vertical and horizontal comparison and alignment. The universal screener and diagnostic assessment from I-Station were administered at the start and end of the school year in September and May 2017 to all students in grades K-4 excluding only those students who were working on a functional individual educational plan. In addition, surveys that evaluated teacher self-efficacy with RtI were administered at the same intervals in the year to the teachers of the students sampled. Finally, teachers were asked to volunteer to participate in interviews regarding their perceptions towards the RtI process. Results indicate significant growth between the pre and post-test screenings on the I-Station reading fluency assessments. Teacher responses on the surveys did not change significantly across the school year and when evaluated through the context of the teacher interviews, the data highlights the importance of the professional development and follow up coaching piece of the implementation of the intervention. Future research indicates further need for training, education, and fidelity of implementation when it comes to RtI intervention and programming in schools. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation explores the ways that instructors at a community college perceive instructor-student rapport in online and face-to-face classes. While instructor-student rapport has been shown to play an important role in student retention and success (Benson, Cohen, & Buskist, 2005; Granitz, Koernig, & Harich, 2009; Murphy & Rodriguez-Manzanares, 2012), it has only recently been examined in the context of online education, and generally only from the student's perspective and not from the point of view of faculty. This study utilized grounded theory methods to create a theory of online instructor rapport building to improve best practices in both online and face-to-face classrooms. Interviews with 22 instructors at a large community college indicated that online rapport-building is often more time-consuming and difficult than face-to-face rapport-building, with autonomy, media richness, and uncertainty reduction, all playing a role in establishing rapport between instructors and their students. Using the collected data, I built on Joseph Walther's Social Information Processing Theory (SIPT) by placing it in the context of higher education, and created a Theory of Instructor-Student Rapport Online (TISRO) to explain what makes rapport feel strong, weak, or non-existent, from the perspective of instructors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study investigated whether use of the Achieve 3000 differentiated reading internet program correlated with increased incidence of ELL students achieving proficiency and/or with improvement in reading and literacy scores. It also examined attitudes among district ELL teachers. Results supported DI and CALL methods as instructional approaches. Achieve 3000 was most strongly related to improved literacy among students who completed 80 activities or more. Number of activities scoring at least 75% was the strongest predictor of improvement. Lexile score was related, but Lexile growth was not. When not used according to company recommendations, correlations were much weaker. Only 4.2% of district ELL students followed those recommendations. Relationships did not hold true for the lowest, beginning English proficiency students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The study adapted Astin's I-E-O model and utilized multiple regression analyses to predict faculty attitudes toward developmental education. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey design to survey faculty members at 27 different higher education institutions in the state of Alabama. The survey instrument was a self-designed questionnaire that included closed-ended demographic, background, and behavior questions about the participants, as well as closed-ended, Likert-scale questions that addressed attitudes about developmental education and developmental students. The questions contained within the questionnaire stemmed from both the researcher's hypotheses (e.g., age or gender), as well as characteristics examined within the literature (e.g., length of service or tenure). A pilot test of the survey instrument was conducted in order to determine the validity and reliability of the survey, and based on the pilot test, the instrument was deemed both reliable and valid. Faculty members' personal, institutional, and professional characteristics were examined in order to determine any that might predict positive or negative attitudes toward education, focusing on developmental instructors in the state of Alabama. The final sample number utilized in the analyses was 113 developmental education faculty members from the state of Alabama. The study found that there were three predictors in the model that could be used to predict faculty attitudes toward developmental education. There was a statistically significant relationship between the independent variables of gender, field of study, and journal reading and faculty attitudes toward developmental education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Test anxiety is a construct that includes cognitive, physiological, and behavioral symptoms occurring in response to anxiety prior to, during, or following examinations. The current literature on test anxiety has evaluated a number of possible predictors, including demographic variables, academic indicators, and self-perceptions. The movement toward school accountability and higher academic expectations of students has increased the severity of consequences occurring as a result of poor academic achievement. Thus, test anxiety is a critical concern that may impact student academic success. The current study evaluated a structural equation model to determine the strength of associations between trait anxiety, academic achievement, academic self-efficacy, and parental pressure, as well as how each of these variables predicted test anxiety among college undergraduates. The results indicated that trait anxiety and academic achievement predicted academic self-efficacy, and trait anxiety and academic self-efficacy predicted test anxiety. Factors that may have influenced the need for modifications to the structural model will be discussed, including psychometric concerns and theoretical implications. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This practicum paper documents the development and distribution of a handbook for child care administrators designed to increase parent involvement. It provides a review of the literature on parent involvement in day care centers and outlines the process used to develop the 12-page handbook. The handbook includes ways in which to measure the current level of parent involvement in child care settings and suggestions to increase future parent involvement. The handbook was distributed to 10 child care administrators for evaluation. A survey of the administrators found that most responded favorably to the handbook and considered it a useful tool to increase parent involvement. (Ten appendices include copies of cover letters, administrator surveys, administrator comment forms, implementation plan, and the handbook itself. Contains 31 references.) (MDM)

This thesis undertakes an exploration of teaching at the margins in an effort to articulate teaching assumptions to improve education of multicultural groups. The methodology of retrospective dialogue is explained in chapter 1. Chapter 2 describes two theories that have been advanced for the education of poor/immigrant/working class children--traditional/acculturationist and multicultural/assimilationist. The assumptions of these theories are presented and contrasted with evolving ones. The dialogue of chapter 3 recapitulates the experiences and thought processes as they have interacted with experiences across classrooms and over the years. Through a dialogue on philosophy and pedagogy, the idea of synthesis emerges. Chapter 4 articulates the dialogue's emergent ideas about teaching socioeconomically and educationally underprepared adults. It presents an alternative model of Multicultural Education against Marginality, which reconciles ideological partisanship and commitment to the tenets of multiculturalism with the principles and practices of effective teaching. Contains 73 references. (YLB)

This qualitative study explores the experiences of low income women undergraduates in a community college classroom anchored in decolonial feminist pedagogy. Analyses of in-depth interviews, student writings, and questionnaires are offered to further understanding of the impact of decolonial feminist pedagogy on the experiences and learning outcomes of low-income women undergraduates in community college, and also works to shed light on how the praxis of decolonial feminist pedagogy disrupts traditional hierarchies and claims to epistemic authority in the community college classroom. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This dissertation study seeks to determine whether feedback in the online Technical and Professional Communication classroom impacts student performance. This dissertation proposes that online Technical and Professional Communication instructors consider adopt such a feedback methodology in order to engage students with writing practices that better align with workplace writing activities. My research encompasses two parts: a small pilot study and a larger study. The larger study was developed from the results of an initial pilot study assessing impact of feedback on student performance in Technical and Professional Communication courses. Based on quantitative research through the analysis of student artifacts by outside reviewers, this larger dissertation study sought to determine the quantifiable impact collective feedback had on student performance versus that of individual feedback in online Technical and Professional Communication writing courses. Then, this study consulted participating faculty to determine hesitation or willingness of the instructor to adopt such pedagogical changes in their online courses. This feedback provided insights into how instructors respond to large shifts in pedagogy and impacts future adaptation of this study. Furthermore, this study also surveyed professionals within technical fields to gain a better understanding of the writing practices that take place within the workplace. Because a central aim to Technical and Professional Communication courses is to prepare students for workplace practice as technical writers, this study sought to determine if current academic practices align with those in the field. Through qualitative feedback from the field, this study proposes that collective feedback better prepares students for workplace practice than do academic feedback strategies currently used in the Technical and Professional Communication classroom. Ultimately, this study proposes that collective feedback provides opportunities for more efficient, workplace oriented practices in online pedagogy that would allow faculty to engage in more meaningful interactions with online students. Furthermore, efficiencies in online writing instruction can allow for redistributing tome saved to other pedagogical activities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The number of graduate students who chose to participate in study abroad experiences has grown within recent years. As this population of study abroad participants continues to expand, it is necessary for study abroad faculty and staff to understand the learning outcomes that graduate students experience after their study abroad program. This study sought to uncover the long-term impact of a study abroad experience on a graduate student participant. By utilizing narrative inquiry as a methodology, the researcher collected lived experiences from four graduate student study abroad alumni. Each participant's narrative story was re-told and analyzed for growth experienced as a result of their study abroad experience. The study identified four themes that graduate students who participate in a study abroad program experienced. The themes included increased self-confidence, an appreciation for diversity, self-reflection, and career and learning development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This study examines the perceptions of faculty members regarding conflict experiences with administrators. It is driven by the question, "To what extent are faculty perceptions of positive and negative outcomes of faculty-administrator conflict associated with domain, nature and disciplinary context of the conflict," where domain refers to the administrative or academic area of the conflict situation and nature refers to whether the conflict is task-based or interpersonal. The analysis is based on quantitative study of survey results. The results indicate that task nature of conflicts has greater association than relationship nature with positive and negative outcomes of conflict. These findings suggest that working to remedy task-related conflicts in these domains might improve the outcomes of conflict experiences between faculty and administrators. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]