Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1967, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Education, Miami University, 2020, Educational Leadership

Students make a choice to attend the Career Technical Centers (CTC) in Ohio. This choice involves leaving their home school district(s). Students are leaving the known to go to the unknown. The research question is, "Why did students choose to attend a CTC, and how did their career outcome expectations influence their decision to attend?" The data were collected utilizing both a quantitative questionnaire and a qualitative focus group. Utilizing the theoretical framework, Social Cognitive Career Theory, the data were analyzed through the lens of a student's self-efficacy, career interests, and career outcome expectations. The analysis indicated three themes: career education, decision-making, and career and college readiness. The participants in the study were current second year students at the career center, which made them seniors in high school. These students had made the choice to attend a CTC and also made the choice to return and stay for a second year. Participants voluntarily participated and completed an anonymous survey and also volunteered to participate in a focus group. The survey and focus group questions focused on the reasons students enrolled in the CTC. The results indicated a strong influence of a student's self-efficacy in the decision process that included career interests and career outcome expectations. The quantitative data of the questionnaire provided statistical analysis of questions asked; the qualitative questions provided additional details and specific examples. The research project was a problem-in-practice, and the data gathered will be utilized to implement strategies to maintain and grow enrollment at the Ohio CTC. The final analysis indicated five areas of implication to the problem-in-practice. The study collected the research data directly from the students who experienced the decision-making process personally. This is their opportunity to tell their story.

Committee: Kathleen Knight Abowitz Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); Lucian Szlizewski Dr. (Committee Co-Chair); James Swartz Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Vocational Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1980, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1973, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1972, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1965, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2007, Classroom Teacher

A purposive literature review was used in this study to develop a knowledge base on motivational factors impacting enrollment of African-American students in postsecondary vocational education program specifically in the STEP II program. This study examined books, articles, reports, and data from student interviews to understand what motivational factors influence decisions. It was found that low enrollment of African- American students in post-secondary vocational education is not only dependent on motivational factors emanating from the students themselves, but also stem from the institutions that offer training programs.

Committee: Colleen Dr. Finegan (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 1971, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 1969, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Educational Studies

While Perkins V legislation and newer career and technical education programs were designed to prepare students for success in both college and career pathways and modern career and technical education programs are supposed to expand college and career readiness outcomes for students, there is a lack of research examining supports that promote the academic engagement and success of Black male students in high school career academies. Career academies are a type of high school reform initiative that is designed to prepare students for college and careers in career fields such as engineering and informing technology (Fletcher & Tan, 2022; Fletcher et al., 2018). In the 1970s, career academies were designed as career-oriented schools that delivered college preparatory instructional curriculum, and operated as smaller schools within larger schools (ACTE, 2019; NAF, 2023). Comprehensive school reform efforts like career academies are likely to ensure that Black male students are prepared for college and careers with personalized resources and services such as trade and apprenticeship pathways, work-based learning, early career exploration, guidance counseling, and college-level examination programs. In this study, I described the need for research to examine college and career readiness of high school Black male students at a NAF (formerly known as the National Foundation Academy) Academy of Engineering. I utilized the theoretical frameworks of college and career ready by Stone and Lewis (2012) and culturally relevant pedagogy by Ladson-Billings (1992) to review the research questions, background of the problem, problem statement, purpose statement, and significance of the study. Since Black males are a vulnerable group of youth with lower academic achievement and performance and barriers to career prospects and access to higher education (Brown et al., 2019; Hines et al., 2014; Wright, 2019), I explored the role of career academies, culturally relevant education for Bla (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Edward Fletcher Jr. (Advisor); Christopher Zirkle (Committee Member); Antoinette Errante (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; Black Studies; Cultural Resources Management; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Education Policy; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Ethnic Studies; Gender Studies; Mathematics; Mathematics Education; School Administration; Science Education; Secondary Education; Sociology; Teacher Education; Teaching; Technology; Vocational Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2020, EDU Physical Activity and Educational Services

This dissertation explores the theme of vocational instruction using visual supports for students with severe disabilities. It consists of a brief introduction, three stand-alone papers, and a research statement. Chapter 1 presents brief background information to introduce the research questions posed in Chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 2 provides a systematic review of the literature on using visual supports to teach vocational skills to students with intellectual disabilities. Chapter 3 presents a research study that evaluated and compared the effects of two types of visual supports, video prompts and picture prompts, on the vocational performance of four students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Chapter 4 is a practitioner paper that draws on the findings of Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 to provide recommendations using visual supports in the workplace. Finally, Chapter 5 provides a research statement that discusses the place of this dissertation in my work and future directions for my research.

Committee: Matthew Brock (Advisor); Helen Cannella-Malone (Advisor); Moira Konrad (Committee Member); Charis Wahman (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Vocational Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2018, Agricultural and Extension Education

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand why the youth of Choluteca, Honduras decided to shift away from a no work and no school attitude, and why they decided to return to study at the Vocational School. Data was collected by individual interviews and included the students as active participants, using photovoice methodology. The most emergent theme of the study was the issues that contributed to the students being “ninis” (out of school and out of work). There were two major sub-themes of not studying and not working. These two themes, along with the ages of the students (15-17-year olds), are the three defining factors of being a “nini” in Latin American Countries. The sub-theme of not studying included the categories of economic needs, system failure, lack of student incentive, and student's suggestions for improving their options for education. In the second sub-theme, the students' lived experience of not working is described and interpreted.

Committee: Tracy Kitchel Dr. (Committee Member); Graham Cochran Dr. (Committee Member); Caryn Filson Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1988, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1987, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1987, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1986, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1986, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1985, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1984, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 1984, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects: Education