Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2023, Anatomy

Neurophobia, defined as the fear of and lack of confidence with clinical neurology, is a well-documented phenomenon in medical students and junior doctors. Previous studies have identified low knowledge of basic neuroanatomy as one of the largest drivers of neurophobia, often stemming from ineffective pedagogical approaches. It is thought that neurophobia begins when students first encounter academic neuroscience; however, the prevalence and associated risk factors of neurophobia in undergraduate students is not known. Investigating these relationships in this population is relevant because they represent a pipeline for future neurologists and associated healthcare professionals. Furthermore, interventions for phobias are most effective when started early. The aim of the first study was to provide an in-depth analysis of the prevalence and factors contributing to neurophobia among undergraduate students enrolled in an introductory neuroanatomy course at The Ohio State University. The presence of neurophobia in this population was found to be comparable to that reported in medical students and junior doctors. Additionally, neurophobic students were found to have significantly higher cognitive load, assessment anxiety, and perceived difficulty, as well as lower intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and course grades compared to their non-neurophobic peers. This highlights the urgent need for early intervention, suggesting that techniques to manage cognitive load and enhance motivation could be beneficial. Based on the principles of cognitive load theory, self-determination theory, and social cognitive theory, 11 e-learning modules were developed for the two most difficult blocks in the undergraduate neuroanatomy curriculum. Featuring interactive slides with toggleable animations, practice questions with explanations, video content, and clinical scenarios, these modules aimed to manage cognitive load and enhance motivation of neuroanatomy learners. The aim of the sec (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Eileen Kalmar (Advisor); James Cray Jr (Advisor); Claudia Mosley (Committee Member); Christopher Pierson (Committee Member) Subjects: Anatomy and Physiology; Neurology; Neurosciences

Doctor of Education, University of Akron, 2012, Educational Leadership

This research study examined the impact of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program on students' self-efficacy and academic achievement outcome measures at the middle and high school level. AVID is a college readiness system designed to prepare at-risk students in the fourth through 12th grade for college. The main focus of this study was to determine if there was a difference in students' self-efficacy based on the number of years in the AVID program and if there was a difference in AVID students' academic achievement outcome measures between seventh and eighth grade in reading and math. Participants included seventh through 11th grade AVID students in one suburban school district within northeast Ohio (N = 239). These students reported perceptions of their self-efficacy on the My Voice Survey (QISA, 2010). Student achievement data were obtained from the 2010-2011 Ohio Department of Education Local Report Card. Through multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) the data were analyzed. Findings from this study indicated that there were statistically significant differences in students' self-efficacy based on the number of years in the AVID program and statistically significant differences in academic achievement outcome measures between seventh and eighth grade AVID students in reading and math. AVID students' active engagement was statistically significant in year 1 of the AVID program when compared to year 2, year 3 or more. Seventh grade AVID students' math scores had a statistically significant higher mean score (414.66) than did eighth grade AVID students' math scores (403.02). These results suggested that AVID students' self-efficacy and academic achievement outcomes did not increase as they progressed through the program. The data showed that perhaps the AVID program may not be the answer to the problem that was posed in this study and that the AVID program alone may not be the reason for the findings of the study. The results may be at (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Renee Mudrey-Camino Dr. (Advisor); Sharon Kruse Dr. (Committee Member); Xin Liang Dr. (Committee Member); Susan Kushner Benson Dr. (Committee Member); Cynthia Reynolds Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2024, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

K-12 schools in Ohio are partially evaluated on their ability to successfully graduate students with their four-year cohort. Educators have been tasked with improving graduation rates. This study examined one urban high school to understand and provide insights to increase its graduation rate. This school recently received a poor score from the State's Department of Education in relation to graduation success. The study sought to examine the following research question: How do recent graduates from the past two years describe what supported their motivation to reach high school graduation? As a dissertation in practice, a qualitative research design was implemented using basic interviewing techniques to examine the experiences reported by recent alumni from the graduating classes of 2022 and 2023. Through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examined what participants deemed influential to their high school experience and, ultimately, their graduation. SDT provides a framework for understanding an individual's motivation through the basic needs of autonomy, competency, and relatedness (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Data supported the importance of these SDT concepts on participants' motivation during high school, leading to their timely graduation. Seven significant themes with an additional seventeen subthemes were established during data analysis. Major themes followed the SDT concepts of autonomy, competency, and relatedness. Themes included participants' sense of lack of control regarding high school career, internal ownership of academic success/outcomes, disruptive behavior effect on the learning environment, welcoming behavior from peers and staff (school climate), the role of the family in academics, the role of staff in academics, and lesson presentation. Findings from this study will be provided to the participants' alma mater to support educators as they implement academic planning and develop school programming.

Committee: Eric Parker (Committee Chair); Blake Renner (Committee Member); Crissie Jameson (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2024, Education

Statement of the Problem: Despite growing participation in dual enrollment programs, little is known about the decision-making process high-school students use when selecting courses, especially in STEM. Existing literature lacks insight into the factors motivating students to choose dual enrollment courses and how these align with their interests and future aspirations (Fink, 2021; Jenkins & Fink, 2020; Marken et al., 2013; Taie & Lewis, 2020). Purpose of the Study: This study aims to address the gap in existing literature by examining the motivations and aspirations of College Credit Plus (CCP) students enrolled in an environmental science course, with the goal of providing actionable strategies for fostering their postsecondary aspirations and educational outcomes. Methodology: Through a mixed-methods approach involving AIR Self-Determination Scale and demographic quantitative surveys and qualitative focus group interviews, this research draws upon the experiences of ten CCP and four non-CCP students enrolled in an environmental science course taught by a university instructor at their high school. Findings: The findings reveal that CCP students perceive their coursework as a strategic pathway to early exposure to college-level academics, significantly enhancing their future educational and career prospects. Moreover, analysis highlights that CCP students exhibit a heightened level of self-determination and a forward-looking perspective compared to their non-CCP counterparts. This underscores the crucial role of nurturing students' autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as emphasized by self-determination theory. Building upon on the framework, the study reveals how CCP students approach dual enrollment courses with a future-oriented mindset, recognizing them as instrumental tools to realize their long-term educational and career aspirations. Their engagement reflects integrated regulation, seamlessly aligning with their identity and broader objectives, showc (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Christine Denecker Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Amanda Ochsner Ph.D. (Committee Member); Gregory Timberlake Psy.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Education Policy; Environmental Science

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership

Teacher educators play a multifaceted role in designing and implementing curriculum to nurture preservice teachers' growth in content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and teaching efficacy. Amidst evolving educational landscapes and diverse classroom environments, there's an increasing emphasis on fostering teacher agency and autonomy to navigate these complexities effectively, particularly in unique contexts such as School-based Agricultural Education (SBAE). Self-Determination Theory was used as a guiding lens for this study and offers a comprehensive framework for understanding human motivation. Supporting the basic psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence can enhance students' motivation, academic outcomes, self-regulation, and well-being. Research on motivation within the context of SBAE has seen considerable growth in recent years. Scholars who investigate the relationship between motivation and engagement agree that engagement consists of three main components: behavioral engagement, emotional/affective engagement, and cognitive engagement. However, scholars applying Self-Determination Theory to the study of student engagement have delved into how autonomous motivation encourages a fourth type of engagement, agentic engagement. Through this grounded theory study, I aimed to conceptualize the beliefs of agriculture teacher educators regarding student motivation and agentic engagement within the context of SBAE teacher preparation programs. Two research questions guided this study: (1) What do SBAE teacher educators believe about student motivation and agency within a teacher preparation program? and (2) How do SBAE teacher educators integrate beliefs of student motivation and agency within a teacher preparation program? Grounded theory was used to generate a substantive theory for SBAE teacher educators to conceptualize student agency and motivation. Working under a pragmatic lens, I aimed to capture SBAE teacher educators' experiences with (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Amanda Bowling (Advisor); Shannon Washburn (Committee Member); Kellie Claflin (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Educational Psychology

EDD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

This study aimed to identify athletic training student intrinsic motivation, with subscales of interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, pressure/tension, perceived choice, value/usefulness, and relatedness, based on the intrinsic motivation inventory (IMI). It also evaluated the effects of feedback as facilitators and barriers to intrinsic motivation in clinical education. Athletic training student feedback was obtained by asking open-ended journaling questions related to how their preceptor interacted with them and provided feedback in their clinical rotation. A mixed-methods approach was utilized for this study. There was a significant difference in pre-post IMI scores in subscales of interest/enjoyment, perceived choice, and value/usefulness. Qualitatively, athletic training students identified active communication, autonomous practice, theory to practice, culture and setting, and nature of feedback as key facilitators to motivation from preceptor feedback. Athletic training students identified key barriers to intrinsic motivation as excessive downtime at clinical sites, extrinsic factors, placement alignment, preceptor stress, and stagnant environment.

Committee: Kimberly Peer (Committee Chair); Hannah Harnar (Committee Co-Chair); Noelle Selkow (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Health Care; Health Education; Health Sciences; Sports Medicine

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

This project explores the relationship between freedom and well being. Through reviewing the literature of positive psychology and existential psychology, clearer pictures of well being and freedom emerge, allowing for statistical analysis. By adopting Seligman's well being theory as a model that incorporates hedonic and eudaimonic elements of well being and self determination theory's conceptualization of autonomy as a proxy for freedom in existential psychology, this study explores the relationship between these constructs and their theorized factors through correlational analysis. A potential measurement model for an overall well being measure incorporating freedom as a factor is proposed and tested using confirmatory factor analyses. The effects of demographic factors on well being and freedom are also explored through analyses of variance. The results of this project suggest a moderate positive correlation between well being and freedom, although the hypothesized measurement model fails to achieve good fit when tested using confirmatory factor analysis. Through model modifications, an acceptable fitting model emerges that reflects the relationship between freedom and well being described in the literature review and bolstered by the data. This model, however, requires further study and verification due to the nature of its emergence. Certain identity and demographic factors are also identified as having effects on well being and autonomy. These results are discussed, along with the limitations of this study. Future directions for research and theoretical investigation are highlighted, including revisiting the measures used in this study through exploratory factor analyses or exploratory structural equation modeling. Clinical implications are identified and discussed, with suggestions for clinical practice also included, such as the need for clinicians to assess a person's level freedom and well being as an element of motivation to change. This dissertation is a (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Martha Straus PhD (Committee Chair); Barbara Belcher-Timme PsyD (Committee Member); Vincent Pignatiello PsyD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Psychology; Psychotherapy

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Psychology/Industrial-Organizational

Despite overwhelming evidence that structured interviews are better than unstructured interviews for selecting more effective employees (Sackett et al., 2021), many interviewers still utilize and show a preference for unstructured interviews (Risavy et al., 2021). There has been limited research, however, that examines the potential for differential resistance to specific aspects of structure in interviews (Roulin et al., 2019). This study used a hypothetical scenario to examine interviewers' willingness to implement aspects of structure in an interview process and also examined their perceptions of those aspects in terms of cost, prevalence, autonomy, and chance to make a personal connection. Results suggest that practitioners are resistant to aspects of structure that are more costly, less commonly used, allows less autonomy, and allows less chance to make a personal connection. Paying attention to different aspects of structure may help to develop structured interviews that practitioners are more willing to adopt.

Committee: Margaret Brooks Ph.D (Committee Chair); Meagan Docherty Ph.D (Committee Member); Scott Highhouse Ph.D (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2023, Social Work

Concerns over youth mental health are rising in tandem alongside national and local agendas aimed at addressing these concerns. Sport is one such space that can promote positive youth mental health yet drop-out rates among youth sport participants are rising. To keep youth in sport, researchers examined motivation for continued participation through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). SDT suggests that when key actors, like coaches, use behaviors to promote youth's needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness (need-supportive coaching behaviors), youth are more likely to continue participating in sports. However, coaches do not always use these behaviors, leading to further examinations of what influences coaches' uses of need-supportive coaching behaviors. Coach stress and burnout are two lesser-studied potential predictors of need-supportive coaching. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among coach stress, burnout, and need-supportive coaching behaviors. Additionally, experiences of stress, burnout, and need-supportive coaching behaviors were examined across demographic characteristics, sport contexts, and organizational factors. Using a cross-sectional design, data from 353 coaches across the country were examined using descriptives, ANOVAs, t-tests of independence, and linear regression. Results revealed that coaches are experiencing high levels of stress but low to moderate levels of burnout. Additionally, while stress and burnout were negatively correlated with need-supportive coaching behaviors, linear regression analyses revealed that only burnout predicted coaches' use of need-supportive coaching behaviors. These findings suggest the need for further examinations of burnout as a predictor of need-supportive coaching behaviors. In addition, these findings suggest that coaches need support to mitigate the risks for burnout to ultimately use positive behaviors associated with broader youth mental health outcomes (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dawn Anderson-Butcher (Advisor); Jacqueline Goodway (Committee Member); Samantha Bates (Committee Member) Subjects: Social Work

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Mathematics/Mathematics (Pure)

In gamification, one of the most used game design elements is the leaderboard, a scoreboard showing participants' current scores and rankings. Though many studies suggest the positive effects of the leaderboard on participants' learning and motivation (Kalogiannakis et al., 2021), research also shows that not all students benefit from the use of the leaderboard (Andrade et al., 2016). A study was designed around the leaderboard game element, based on Self-Determination Theory (Ryan and Deci, 2017), to determine if students' perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness during the mathematics game are related to their enjoyment and intention for future participation in such activities. This study was conducted during the Spring 2022 and Fall 2022 semesters in MATH 1190, Real World Math Skills, at BGSU. During a class session, students answered 24 problems in the form of a gamified quiz while a leaderboard was projected in real-time. At the end of this activity, students completed a survey made up of Likert questions related to their perceived competence, autonomy, and relatedness, and their enjoyment and intention of continued participation in the math game. Students' perceptions of the leaderboard-based game were articulated in their open-ended responses. This work will help math education researchers and educators understand why and how students respond to gamified activities differently. It will also provide insights about how to tailor leaderboard-based activities to optimize their effects on students.

Committee: Kimberly Rogers Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Mihai Staic Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Mathematics; Mathematics Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Leadership , Franklin University, 2023, International Institute for Innovative Instruction

Student perceptions of Doctoral Faculty Advisors (DFAs) and how they support motivation in an online, Professional Doctorate (PD) program were investigated in this dissertation. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how DFAs support online doctoral student motivation to progress in their PD at a private, professionally-focused university. The conceptual framework of Tinto's (1975, 2012) Student Integration Theory and Deci and Ryan's (1985, 2012a, 2012b) Self-Determination Theory guided the investigation of several identified gaps in the literature relating to doctoral student attrition. Specifically, gaps in the literature directed additional research towards online, non-traditional, PD student perceptions of factors which contribute to their feelings of isolation and motivation, academic and social integration, student-faculty relationships, and faculty advising. Five themes emerged from 16 semi-structured interviews: (1) DFA-Student Pairing Process and Expectations, (2) Academic Integration, (3) Social Integration, (4) Motivation, and (5) Non-traditional Student Experience. Implications to practice were identified to improve services offered by DFAs at the university. One recommendation of this study was to increase the sample size. In addition, it was recommended that the study be replicated at similarly populated universities. Other recommendations were to explore student demographic correlations in the DFA-student relationship, DFA commitment, DFA perceptions, resiliency and its connection to the DFA-student relationship, and institutional program evaluations of offered services and programs to meet the needs of their student populations' motivation. A final recommendation of this study was to include multiple research methods to increase triangulation. These recommendations will support the continued development of DFA-student relationships.

Committee: Valerie Storey (Committee Chair); Crissie Jameson (Committee Member); Rachel Althof (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Theory; Higher Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The purpose of this study was to better understand how students use instantaneous automatic online feedback in introductory level tertiary mathematics courses and what factors may influence their use. This study delved into two factors such as a student's mathematical attitude and their self-determination and explores the relationship between the reported use of feedback and student course success. This quantitative study consisted of a sample of 350 undergraduate students enrolled in introductory level mathematics courses that utilized ALEKS or MyMathLab. Analysis consisted of using Rasch modeling to validate a constructed instrument to gauge the reported use of feedback (Action Based Feedback Survey) and two other survey instruments that have been modified. Other forms of analysis include SEM to assess the relationship between a student level of self-determination, mathematical attitude, and reported use of feedback. Spearman Rho correlation was used to assess the relationship between a student's reported use of feedback and course success via self-reported course grades. Analysis revealed that the Action Based Feedback Survey can distinguish between the levels of use of feedback. Findings suggest that students use automatic feedback from computer-based learning platforms to get the right answer on similar problems rather than spending the time to learn from it. Findings support claims made about the relationship between student mathematical attitudes and motivation as well as student motivation and the use of feedback. No relation was found between a student's mathematical attitude and use of feedback nor between a student's reported use of feedback and their course success.

Committee: Scott Courtney (Committee Co-Chair); Karl Kosko (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Mathematics Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2022, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

Gamification is a promising method proposed to solve the motivational problems of online learners and enhance their performance. However, the evidence regarding why and how gamification might work and its effects on these outcomes is inconclusive. In order to provide more evidence to the ongoing discussion in the gamification field, the current study searched for the effectiveness of gamification on the intrinsic motivation, the psychological need satisfaction, and the performance of online learners. Applying the tenets of self-determination theory as a theoretical background, a gamified online learning environment with badges and freedom of choice was created in the TalentLMS. The results showed that badges have the potential to decrease the intrinsic motivation of learners and they do not fulfill the need for competence. However, freedom of choice indirectly increases the intrinsic motivation of learners through fulfilling the need for autonomy. Neither badges nor freedom of choice increased the performance of learners. In addition, it was found that different badge implementation designs (expected badges versus unexpected badges) yielded similar nonsignificant results. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

Committee: Bradley J. Morris PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Educational Psychology; Educational Technology; Instructional Design

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2022, College of Education

This dissertation researches the lived experience of Black males ages 18-39 and their level of participation with the Baptist church in Columbus, Ohio. Recent researchers have identified specifically the mass exodus of Black men leaving the church (Lampley, 2017). The PEW Research Center reported in a 2014 Religion Landscape Study that the decline in the presence and engagement of the young adult population within Christian religious communities has become a worldwide issue, not limited to a single denomination, race, or location. Recent studies suggest that the church has always satisfied the spiritual need to help Black men in providing leadership to their families and community (Collins et al., 2015). However, this study will identify and understand the mitigating factors absent in past research that motivate this group of Black men's commitment to attending and participating in church. This dissertation uses Ryan and Deci's (1985) self-determination theory and Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory (1943) as frameworks within which to understand this phenomenon.

Committee: Judy Alston (Committee Chair) Subjects: Educational Leadership

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.), Franklin University, 2022, Business Administration

The problem facing organizations is that of high employee turnover and lack of employee engagement. The lack of employee commitment caused by skill shortages and economic growth undermines the organization's ability to survive and compete. Previous work ethic and job satisfaction research have established a statistically significant positive correlation between reduced employee turnover and employee commitment. This quantitative research study uses a purposeful sample of MBA students to examine if and to what extent a relationship exists between work ethic and job satisfaction in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. This population was selected because they are both students and full-time employees across multiple industries. Rather than rely on religious or cultural values, the study is based on Self Determination Theory (SDT), which provides a universal base to explore a possible relationship between an individual's work ethic and job satisfaction. This theoretical perspective shifts the focus of traditional work ethic and job satisfaction values from cultural and religious to individual development as it interacts with the perceived opportunity. This research establishes a universal base that can apply across similar and dissimilar cultures. Finding from this data indicate a strong correlation between Employability Skills Assessment (work ethic) and job satisfaction A moderate correlation was established between the sub-factors of initiative, dependability, and interpersonal skills. Graduating students who master the necessary employability skills will be more successful according to the ESA scores and more likely to achieve job satisfaction.

Committee: Beverly Smith (Committee Chair); Charles Fenner (Committee Member); Daniel Dayton (Committee Member) Subjects: Business Administration

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2021, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Social media's presence has increased in the lives of college students in the generations following its creation roughly two decades ago. It is important for us to examine its effects on our behaviors and motivations for activity participation, especially those that alter our health. Fitness content, or “fitspiration”, is a popular subcategory of social media that is of particular interest, due to its large followings across various social media platforms, as well as its proposed effects on various health-related behaviors. A sample of nearly 370 Health Sciences students a large, Midwestern university completed a printed survey regarding their interaction with fitness content on social media, exercise behaviors (frequency, length, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), interest in fitness), and motivation towards exercise. Participants were categorized and analyzed according to their interaction with fitness content on social media. Significant differences in exercise frequency were found between those that only view fitness content and those that post and view fitness content, as well as between those that have no interaction with fitness content and those that post and view fitness content. There were also significant differences in length of exercise sessions between those that have no interaction with fitness content and those that view fitness content, as well as those that only view fitness content and those that post and view fitness content. Moreover, there were significant differences in interest in fitness across those that have no interaction with fitness content and those that only view it, those that have no interaction and those that post and only view it, and those that only view it compared to those that post and view it. There were no significant differences found in motivation towards exercise across groups. This study depicts the significant impact that passive interaction with fitness content on social media has on behaviors and emphasizes t (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kristen Welker (Advisor); Jill Clutter (Committee Member); Georgianna Sergakis (Committee Member) Subjects: Health

Master of Science, Miami University, 2021, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health

There are many health benefits to sport participation, however, there is a large chance of experiencing injury while participating in sport. Due to the high likelihood of an athlete experiencing injury, it is necessary for athletes to feel comfortable and confident approaching their coach when injured. It is critical to know which coaching styles allow for open conversation about athletes' health and well-being. For the purposes of this study, coaching styles can be described in two ways: need supportive and controlling. These styles fall under the selfdetermination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2002) that claims individuals have three needs to become fulfilled: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of coaching behaviors on athletes' willingness to self-report injury. The participants of this study were collegiate NCAA Division I athletes (N=190). The results of this study showed that coaching behaviors had a significant influence on their injury reporting behaviors. Athletes who experienced controlling coaching behaviors were more likely to play through pain than athletes who experienced need supportive coaching behaviors.

Committee: Robin Vealey (Advisor); Thelma Horn (Committee Member); Callie Maddox (Committee Member) Subjects: Kinesiology; Psychology; Sports Management

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2021, Leadership Studies

Prior research confirms academic advising has a significant and positive impact on student retention and persistence to graduation (Astin, 1993; Habley, 1994; Klepfer & Hull, 2012; McGillin, 2000; Noel, 1978; Tinto, 1987; Wyckoff, 1999). The purpose of this research was to explore the motivational factors of full-time, professional, female academic advisors at four-year public institutions in Ohio on their career decisions to remain in the field of advising, leave their positions or attempt to ascend in academic advising. Thirteen full-time, professional, female academic advisors employed at five different four-year public institutions in Ohio served as the participants in this phenomenological study. All interviews were conducted via phone due to severe travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of this study were analyzed using Creswell's (2012) streamlined version of the Moustakas' Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen modification. Three overarching concepts emerged from the findings. First, while no singular motivation was offered as a motivation to leave the profession, compensation or salary was the area of frustration mentioned most frequently. Second, career ascension was pursued by academic advisors predominately motivated by a desire to have a greater impact or make a difference for an increased number of students. Third, the motivation to remain in their current positions originated from their desire to help others. Novel themes emerging from the current study not present in existing literature include the impact of furloughs, the tendency of the supervisors of academic advisors to remain in their position for prolonged periods of time, and the need to seek advancement by leaving the institution or field of academic advising.

Committee: Judy May PhD (Advisor); Madeline Duntley PhD (Other); Christy Galletta-Horner PhD (Committee Member); LaDonna Moore PhD (Committee Member); Chris Willis EdD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2021, Agricultural and Extension Education

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face unique developmental challenges and vulnerabilities with food security. In particular, Caribbean Island SIDS continue to remain vulnerable to drastic shifts in global markets and natural disasters. Moreover, they are exposed to the inequities, fragilities, and underlying risks in the global food system. In the case of The Bahamas, explicitly, this reality holds as the country suffers from the lack of structured and sustainable agricultural programs that can supply agricultural products for the entire country. One solution to this ongoing food dilemma may be to shift developmental focus towards enhancing sustainable urban agricultural practices, such as backyard gardening. To that end, this descriptive quantitative research study appraised residents' current behavioral intentions on the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama to adopt and engage in the practice of backyard gardening. This study also explored the current status of social and economic well-being on the two islands. The adoption of this behavior was analyzed using the theory of planned behavior and was supplemented by self-determination theory. Results indicated that there was a positive sense of economic and social well-being among residents. Concerning behavioral adoption, the inverse relationship with perceived behavioral control and positive relationship with subjective norms explained 16.7% of the variance in the model. Conclusions determine that residents had a stronger perceived sense of capability toward the practical aspect of backyard gardening versus the technical side. Further, the intention to engage was driven by a desire to be sustainable for the country's greater good. Recommendations include formulating backyard gardening programs that improve residents' technical abilities while promoting food sovereignty and food capacity.

Committee: Mary T. Rodriguez Dr. (Advisor); Amanda Bowling Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Caribbean Studies; Sustainability

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2021, Leadership and Change

The purpose of this research study was to examine how novice teachers make sense of the realities of their chosen profession, given their initial motivations for entering the profession. My research into teacher motivation and retention provided evidence that teachers did enter the field for altruistic reasons and that as many as 50% of all new teachers in urban schools did not last beyond five years. When they begin teaching, they find a field that is heavily impacted by strict accountability standards and required mandated testing. I used Sensemaking Theory and Self-Determination Theory to examine how beginning teachers make sense of their chosen profession, how the principles of Self-Determination Theory interact with sensemaking to influence teachers' decisions to stay or leave teaching, and whether teachers would indicate points of influence that school leaders had used to help them decide to keep teaching. I used narrative inquiry to interview 21 teachers who were in their 3rd to 6th year of teaching from public schools at different grade levels and specializations. My interviews suggest that teachers who decide early in their lives to become teachers were more likely to have trouble making sense of the urban school classroom compared to teachers who decided to become teachers as adults, especially after working in a different field. This suggests that school leaders should consider teachers' motivation to enter teaching as they design professional development opportunities and assign teachers to teams. This dissertation is available in open access at Antioch University Repository and Archive (AURA), https://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, http://etd.ohiolink.edu/.

Committee: Jon Wergin PhD (Committee Chair); Philomena Essed PhD (Committee Member); Todd Hawley PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Teacher Education; Teaching