Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Physics

Understanding how physics graduate students transition from students to researchers and teachers is important for multiple domains. In physics, an understanding of how physics students become researchers may help us to keep on training physicists who will further advance our understanding of physics. In physics education research, an understanding of how graduate students learn to teach will help us to train better physics teachers for the future. In cognitive science in the domain of expert/novice differences, researchers are interested in defining and understanding what expertise is. This work aims to provide some insight into some of the components of expertise that go into becoming a competent expert researcher in the domain of physics. This in turn may contribute to our general understanding of expertise across multiple domains.In this dissertation, I study physics graduate students' approaches to learning, teaching, and research through semi-structured interviews. The collected data is interpreted and analyzed through a framework that focuses on students' epistemological beliefs and locus of authority. The data show that students' perception of the learning, teaching, or research environment influences their choice of approach. Physics graduate students learn "the language of physics" from the core courses, but don't learn many transferable research skills from taking courses. Constrained by the teaching environment, many graduate students are not motivated to teach as teaching assistants. Some graduate students have clearly become confident and able researchers, while others remain dependent on their advisers for even the simplest direction. The data also show that it is possible for a single graduate student to hold distinct beliefs about learning and teaching between classroom and research settings. It is possible for a well-motivated graduate student to take unfavorable approach toward learning when the environment does not support learning for deep unders (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Gordon Aubrecht II (Advisor); Bruce Patton (Committee Member); Mohit Randeria (Committee Member); Alan Van Heuvelen (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Physics; Science Education

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2006, Graduate School

Committee: Not Provided (Other) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2024, Anatomy

Anatomy training is important for clinician and health professional development. Anatomy teachers are in demand but there's a shortage of qualified teachers. Currently, the components of a US graduate anatomy education are unclear, and little is known about the training and responsibilities of US anatomy teachers. Therefore, this investigation aimed to outline the components of a graduate anatomy education and to describe the current cohort of US anatomy teachers. This investigation also set out to establish training recommendations for future anatomy teachers. In part I of this investigation, stakeholders in 71 graduate programs (doctoral, master's, and graduate certificate) were surveyed regarding graduate anatomy education in the US. Respondents indicated that 17 doctoral, 28 master's, and 9 graduate certificate programs existed. Anatomical subdiscipline coursework in these programs was inconsistent, varying from no required anatomical training to required training in all the subdisciplines. Respondents also indicated that most programs were designed to prepare students to teach. Given the low number of doctoral programs, individuals with master's or graduate certificate level anatomy training should be considered for future anatomy teaching positions. In part II of this investigation, 1764 US anatomy teachers were surveyed regarding their training and responsibilities. Most respondents had completed graduate training in roughly 2 subdisciplines, leading to the idea that about 40% of professional level instructors lacked graduate training in embryology, histology, and/or neuroanatomy. Approximately 70% of undergraduate instructors lacked similar training. On average, professors spent about 56% of their time effort teaching, 13% completing research, 10% engaged in service, and 12% completing administrative duties. Concern surrounds the limited amount of protected research time for anatomy teachers. Part III of this investigation surveyed the 1764 teach (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Joy Balta (Advisor); Claudia Mosley (Advisor); Kristin Stover (Committee Member); Christopher Pierson (Committee Member); James Cray Jr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Anatomy and Physiology; Education

Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Administration

In this study, the impact of learner-learner interactions on sense of community in an online doctoral degree program is explored through a quasi-experimental mixed methods approach. Survey data and analysis from 46 enrolled students in an online EdD program at a private religiously affiliated Midwestern research university, along with qualitative interviews from 20 participants, suggest a positive link between sustained learner-learner interactions and the development of a meaningful sense of community among online students. The research findings emphasize the importance of intentional program design that ensures continuous opportunities for virtual learners to engage with one another. The implications of this study underscore the evolving nature of online education, urging university leaders, faculty, staff, and students to proactively engage in its ongoing development while recognizing the inherent value learner communities provide as essential wellsprings of intellectual exploration in the digital age.

Committee: Ricardo Garcia (Committee Chair); Michael Christakis (Committee Member); Matthew Witenstein (Committee Member) Subjects: Continuing Education; Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Technology; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Arts in Medical Ethics and Humanities, Northeast Ohio Medical University, 2021, College of Graduate Studies

Despite 20% of its population living with a disability, the United States continues to produce physicians who are inadequately trained in delivering equitable healthcare to disabled patients (United States Census Bureau, 2012; Wen, 2014). With patients and healthcare providers alike acknowledging this discrepancy, the medical education system ought to integrate the lived disability experience into existing medical curricula and establish standardized training requirements and competencies for trainees (Santoro et al, 2017). As a solution, I propose a disability-focused medical curriculum. Centered around the theory of care ethics, this longitudinal curriculum redefines “care” as a mutual exchange amongst team members, with the patient as the expert of his or her body, experiences, and community (Kittay, 2011). Both medical students and residents are exposed to didactics and practical experience- based learning that provide a strong understanding of (1) this theory of care ethics, (2) the combination of the positive elements of the medical and social models of disability, and (3) intersectionality. Upon successful implementation of this curriculum, trainees will acknowledge and affirm the patient's lived experience, heal patients in accordance with their personal values, desires, and goals, and work towards the alleviation of any extra burdens endured by patients who exist at multiple intersections of marginalization (Reynolds, 2018). As medical students and residents master these competencies, they will build a medical community that humanizes their patients rather than reinforcing the cycle of misconceptions fashioned by their predecessors.

Committee: Julie Aultman PhD (Advisor); Rachel Bracken PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Medical Ethics

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

The provision of graded supervision affording progressive autonomy is fundamental to the progression of a medical learner towards competency for independent practice; the decision of how much supervision versus trust and autonomy to provide a trainee in the execution of clinical care constitutes an entrustment decision. Despite entrustment decision making occurring both daily in practice and summatively at points of matriculation through stages of medical training, the factors influencing entrustment decisions remain poorly understood across clinical contexts. This study was designed to explore the central research question of: How are entrustment decisions made in the medical intensive care unit? This qualitative case study utilized semi-structured interviews with attending pulmonary and critical care physicians in the medical intensive care unit at a major midwestern medical center to explore the entrustment decision making process as it was enacted in the clinical environment. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) Task, circumstance, and trainee factors contribute to entrustment decision making, (2) Ad hoc entrustment decisions are enacted by supervisors with a consideration of the care team as a unit, not only an individual, (3) Autonomy does not arise only out of entrustment, but outcomes of prior autonomy inform ongoing intention to entrust, (4) Entrustment decision making includes a social process of back-and-forth akin to negotiation, and (5) Entrustment decision making is a learned skill. The process of entrustment decision making in the ICU is more complex than prior frameworks have captured; a model with more complete incorporation of the factors that influence entrustment in the ICU is presented. Lastly, recommendations for the application of our model of entrustment to improve the quality of entrustment decisions in order to better inform the use of entrustment decisions for assessment are discussed.

Committee: David Stein PhD (Advisor); Daniel Clinchot MD (Committee Member) Subjects: Continuing Education; Education; Educational Psychology; Educational Theory; Health Care; Health Education; Health Sciences; Medicine; Science Education

PHD, Kent State University, 2019, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences of individuals with visual impairments in counselor education and supervision doctoral programs. Six participants from counselor education doctoral programs around the United States were purposefully sampled and interviewed to ascertain their lived experiences of their doctoral experiences and their thoughts about the doctoral process as result of these experiences. Data were analyzed using a five-step process and revealed seven overall themes: (a) the presence of ableism in the doctoral process, (b) the inaccessibility of the doctoral process, (c) advocacy for self, (d) feelings of social isolation, (e) positive experiences in the doctoral process, (f) the evolving identity as a doctoral student with a visual impairment, and (g) recommendations for improving student experience. Participants' collective academic, social, and professional experiences while in their doctoral programs were mirrored in the identified themes and used as a basis for understanding the experiences of this population within counselor education doctoral programs. The findings of this study revealed participants feeling as though they experienced ableism throughout the doctoral process; feeling as though they experienced issues related to inaccessibility in their doctoral experience; feeling as though they were social isolated whether due to the nature of the doctoral program or because of their visual impairment; feeling as though the role of advocacy played a significant role in their doctoral experiences, feeling as though they did have positive experiences that helped them to grow as counselor educators, and feeling as though their identities as doctoral students with visual impairments evolved throughout the doctoral process. The findings also revealed participants providing recommendations for improving the experiences of future counselor education and supervision doctoral student with visual impairments. T (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: John Rainey (Committee Co-Chair); Marty Jencius (Committee Co-Chair); Phillip Rumrill (Advisor) Subjects: Counseling Education; Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Higher Education Administration

Mentoring in graduate education is considered a vital component of graduate education. The purpose of this qualitative research was to hear the stories Black women in doctoral programs (BWDP) tell about their faculty mentoring experiences. The theoretical frameworks used to ground this study were Critical Race Feminism and Hunt and Michael's (1983) framework for the study of mentorship. The participants were nine Black women currently enrolled in doctoral programs across the United States. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who self-identified as being Black and enrolled in a doctoral program. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or virtually. Through a `creative nonfiction' style, the stories BWDP shared about their faculty mentoring experiences were illuminated. Findings revealed that faculty mentoring for BWDP was about guidance, relationships, and having a faculty mentor who is culturally competent. The discussion section linked previous literature to the current study. This study contributes to the knowledge base on mentoring and doctoral education. It also illustrates the importance of centering the needs and the lived experiences of BWDP to counter dominant mentoring approaches within doctoral education.

Committee: Maureen Wilson Dr. (Advisor); Dafina-Lazarus Stewart Dr. (Committee Member); Hyun Kyoung Ro Dr. (Committee Member); Louis Katzner Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; African American Studies; Black Studies; Education; Educational Leadership; Ethnic Studies; Gender Studies; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Pedagogy; Womens Studies

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2017, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Online higher education has expanded extensively. Graduate health science disciplines have experienced significant growth in online education (Lytle, 2011). Applied patient practices benefit from technological tools for effective instructional formats. Unfortunately, the occupational therapy (OT) profession has not embraced the online education transition: The American Occupational Therapy Association ([AOTA], 2017) reported fewer than 10 percent of programs across the country offer more than 75% of their curriculum online. Given the shortages of OTs projected to continue across the country (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015a; Lin, Zhang, & Dixon, 2015) and the recent requirement for clinical doctoral preparation for entry level therapists by 2027, effective online educational could promote greater opportunities for future therapists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reflective journaling (RJ) and self-regulated learning (SRL) and how to apply this information to online education for OT graduate students. The self-determination theory ([SDT] Ryan & Deci, 2000) was the foundation for this study because students, particularly those in graduate online education programs, must be competent and self-directed for optimal success. SDT recognizes three basic human needs which are the foundation for motivation and behaviors (autonomy, competence, and relatedness). Self-regulated learning (SRL), a process by which students influence their academic success, involves goal setting and planning, selection and implementation of metacognitive and behavioral strategies for effective learning. Students must then evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies through self-reflection and adjust the strategies to best meet their academic goals. Schon (1983) applied self-reflection to professional practice which underscores reflective practice for increasing competence of health care professionals. The study context was an online, graduate (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Kay Seo Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Marcus Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christopher Swoboda Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Instructional Design

PHD, Kent State University, 2017, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies

The purpose of this qualitative, naturalistic study was to explore the ways in which hidden curriculum might influence doctoral student success. Two questions guided the study: (a) How do doctoral students experience the hidden curriculum? (b) What forms of hidden curricula can be identified in a PhD program? Data were collected from twelve doctoral students within a single program at one university. Participants took part in three sets of semi-structured interviews and data were analyzed using a cross-case analysis. Findings suggest that doctoral students experience mixed messages related to the values and norms of the program when the intended, explicit curriculum is contradicted by a hidden curriculum. The hidden curriculum is communicated through and related to the structure and organization of the program, the social structures inherent in the program, and the identities students are encouraged to value. The hidden curriculum is interpreted through each student's unique self-lens. These findings suggest doctoral programs should examine their curriculum with a focus on contradictory cultural messages from the perspectives of past and present students. Only when administrators, faculty, and students examine the hidden curriculum together and reflect on their part in (re)producing that hidden curriculum can we remove the invisibility cloak from doctoral education and improve doctoral student satisfaction and success.

Committee: Alicia Crowe PhD (Committee Chair); Joanne Kilgour Dowdy PhD (Committee Member); Tricia Niesz PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Higher Education

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2016, Leadership and Change

Patient-centered care requires robust physician leadership in all aspects of healthcare in order to lead organizations to this ideal. Programs in Graduate Medical Education provide inconsistent and limited exposure to formal leadership development experiences for physicians in their final year of residency training. Literature addressing leadership training for residents focuses on the scarcity of effective programs that deliver adequate training and provide measurable outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore how chief medical and surgical residents develop leadership awareness and experience training in leadership and engage chief residents, faculty mentors, and program administrators in a collaborative process, developing a leadership training model within an independent (non-academic) residency training program. To understand the residents' and the institutional experience in this realm, focused interviews were conducted with chief residents from Family Medicine and Surgery, faculty mentors, program administrators, and regional subject matter experts. Professional identity development of the residents was investigated and related to their experiences. Action research was the framework for this study due to the iterative and participative nature of the methods. Subsequent to the interviews, outgoing and incoming chief residents engaged in collaborative sessions during which peak leadership experiences were discussed. The outcomes of the sessions and analysis of the interviews were discussed with the program directors for future consideration of curriculum change. The findings indicated a change in leadership awareness among chief residents demonstrating that stimulus and subsequent reflection prompted the residents to review their roles as leaders, seeking opportunities to apply leadership awareness to their daily work. In order to teach and role model leadership, training has to be implemented that interposes the same rigor as in clinical training. Expe (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Laura Morgan Roberts PhD (Committee Member); Jon Wergin PhD (Committee Member); Dianne Shumay PhD (Committee Member); Lynn Wooten PhD (Other) Subjects: Adult Education; Behaviorial Sciences; Education; Educational Theory; Health Care; Health Care Management; Health Education; Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2016, Health Education

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to survey the directors of internal medicine residency programs in the United States to determine the current status of end-of-life care education for internal medicine residents. Methods: The study featured a cross-sectional design with total population sampling. All 403 internal medicine residency directors in the United States were surveyed using a 4-wave data collection method to ensure an optimum return rate. The response rate was 52.4% (211/403). Results: Residency directors reported very high outcome expectations regarding the potential positive outcomes of providing residents with formal training in end-of-life skills. More than 90% of directors believed that the quality of care for patients at the end-of-life phase would increase if their residents were taught specific knowledge and skills related to end-of-life care. Although directors believed in the potential benefits of providing end-of-life training to their residents, nearly 1 in 4 programs (24%) reported not having a formal end-of-life curriculum in place. Another 39% had recently decided to implement an end-of-life curriculum or had implemented a curriculum in the last 3 years. Thus, 63% of residency programs either did not have a formal end-of-life curriculum in place or just recently implemented one. Only 36% of programs reported having formal end-of-life curriculum in place for more than three years. Most programs reported spending nine or less hours of instructional time during residency on multiple end-of-life topical areas such as socio-cultural issues (71%), patient care (56%), professionalism (54%), ethical issues (50%), and communication (46%). The majority of residency directors reported that their programs do not formally evaluate residents' competence in end-of-life topical areas such as socio-cultural issues (77%), patient care (60%), and ethical issues (55%). The most common method used to evaluate residents' skill competence in ca (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Timothy Jordan PhD (Committee Chair); Jiunn-Jye Sheu PhD (Committee Member); Joseph Dake PhD (Committee Member); Ragheb Assaly M.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Curricula; Education; Gerontology; Medicine

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2016, Design

“Design is a problem–solving process and the fundamental skills of the designer are the ability to look for meaningful problems, frame them into appropriate contexts, and design a process for developing and implementing a solution” (Irwin, 2015). This definition of design and the role of the designer are a significant departure from its original definition by the Bauhaus where the objective of all creative effort in the visual arts was to give form to space and where the source of creative imagination was in developing a proficiency in the craft (Gropius, Bayer, & Gropius, 1938). Design as a discipline has evolved and is expanding its impact from individual physical objects and spaces to experiences and organizations. There is increasing interest in design thinking and human-centered design methodologies. Organizations are discovering the value and potential of design. Although definition and the sphere of design influence have changed, design education has remained rooted in the craft skills. Design education has two trains of thought: the foundation and the progression. The foundation skills of observation and application have remained consistent through the history of design but the progression of design is in constant change (Foster,O.,2015 as cited by Currey, 2015). “If design is to live up to its promise it must create new, enduring curricula for design education that merge science and technology, art and business, and indeed, all the knowledge of the university” (Norman & Klemmer, 2014). What is that promise that design has to offer? How can design schools lay the foundation to deliver that promise? How can or should design education prepare future designers for this expanding sphere of design influence? This research attempts to addresses these questions by exploring the future and value of graduate design education. This multidisciplinary research and design thesis combined design research methodologies with business strategy concepts and tools for de (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Elizabeth Sanders (Advisor); David Staley (Committee Member); Mary Anne Beecher (Committee Member) Subjects: Design; Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2015, College of Education and Human Services

The study explored the relationships between curriculum, field practice, and individual moral reasoning and a critically reasoned belief system for graduate social work students. Effective competency-based education enables individuals to develop the cognitive skills necessary to behave according to professional standards. Field practice enables individuals to transfer learning from classroom theory into practice, and dialogues with faculty, field supervisors, peers and veteran social workers inform individuals' moral reasoning skills. Students from seven graduate schools of social work were invited to participate in an online survey consisting of three subscales, the POS-9, Field Placement, and the Pike Moral Reasoning Scale as well as several demographic questions. The POS-9 had a Cronbach's alpha of .987. The Field Placement Scale had a Cronbach's alpha of .982. Pike (1996) reports a Cronbach's alpha of .78 on the Moral Reasoning Scale. A multiple regression analysis (n = 94) revealed that gender and scores on the POS-9 significantly predicts critically-reasoned beliefs. The overall effect size on responses to the three subscales was 8.262507: For the POS only, the effect size is 3.5851525, for the Field Placement, it is 10.57968, and for the Moral Reasoning scale it is 1.872507. Levels of moral reasoning were found to be more rule-based than reason-based. Based on these findings, it is recommended that graduate social work programs incorporate more problem-based learning strategies to enhance students' levels of critical reasoning. The study offers the following recommendations: a.) continue to explore what is occurring for graduate social work students in their field placements; b.) to continue to what it means to be a professional and professionally educated by conducting other studies in graduate social work schools. Finally, it is recommended that there be additional research in the potential shifts in the social consciences and consciousness of graduate (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Maggie Jackson Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Joshua Bagaka's Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Anne Galletta Ph.D. (Committee Member); Jeremy Genovese Ph.D (Committee Member); Karl Wheatley Ph.D. (Committee Member); Larry Foster Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Ethics; Social Work

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2014, College of Education and Human Services

There is little evidence of the effectiveness of ethics education in improving ethical outcomes in psychology graduate students. Most ethics education is conducted using remedial approaches that emphasize rules, laws, and codes. Positive ethics is as an approach to ethics instruction that uses ethical acculturation to improve ethical decision making processes and increase desired ethical outcomes. This study asked 201 doctoral psychology students to describe their ethics courses according to theoretical positive ethics factors and respond to hypothetical ethical situations. Data were analyzed to identify positive ethics factors and their relationship to ethical decision making. Analysis of the Ethics Course Experience Questionnaire revealed five positive ethics factors that may influence the ethics learning process. Positive ethics education was found to statistically significantly increase students' resolve to follow through on the action they deemed ethical. Specific positive ethics factors and participant demographics influenced ethical sensitivity, reasoning, and resoluteness responses.

Committee: Elizabeth Welfel Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Michael Horvath Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kathryn MacCluskie Ed.D. (Committee Member); Julia Phillips Ph.D. (Committee Member); Sarah Toman Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Education; Ethics; Higher Education; Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2010, Higher Education (Education)

This study investigated two major sources of influence (institution and individual characteristics) on the earnings of graduate degree recipients. These factors have been shown in previous research to influence the initial earnings of graduates at the undergraduate level. This research seeks to build on previous studies by Perna (2003, 2005) that focused on the benefits of education to undergraduate students based on racial and gender differences; and Strayhorn (2008) that focused on the relationship between African American graduates from an Historical Black College or University (HBCU) and the graduates economic outcomes (i.e. occupational status, and job satisfaction). This study is designed to extend this line of inquiry by examining the salary of 1993 baccalaureate graduates who attained a graduate degree by 2003, ten years after earning a bachelor's degree. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were used to explore institutional type, major choice, gender, race/ethnicity, parental education and work experience using the Baccalaureate and Beyond survey. Major findings of institutional characteristics revealed higher salaries for individuals who attained a graduate degree. Attending a private institution and majoring in a STEM graduate program were also found to be positive salary determinants. Individual characteristics indicated that men earned higher salaries than females across all variables. For example, on average, women earned almost $20,000 less than men who attained a graduate degree. Race/ethnicity did not have a significant impact upon earnings. The salary of individuals whose parents earned a bachelor's degree or higher earned more than those whose parents earned less than a bachelor's degree. Graduate degree holders with less than six years work experience earned more than those who with seven or more years work experience.

Committee: Valerie Martin Conley PhD (Committee Chair) Subjects: Economics; Higher Education

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2007, Leadership and Change

A hundred years ago, the problem with professional education was that it lacked a sound scientific foundation and opportunities for clinical practice. Throughout the past three decades, discussions on graduate professional education have focused on how to improve the theory/practice continuum, either through new formats or strategies, or by emphasizing one over the other. However, with the new century, new problems have emerged within the professional education arena. This dissertation has focused on two main problems in graduate professional education in the early 21st century: students are focusing too much on technical expertise and not enough on becoming transformed into authentic professionals who serve the public good; and educators are using technical expertise to plan for technical learning without intentionally planning for their students to transform into genuine professionals, or those who profess their expert knowledge for the public good. Both problems stem from deeply held assumptions that the rational, cause/effect linear approach is the best way to plan curriculum and the best way for students to learn. This dissertation demonstrates that both assumptions are flawed. This study proposes in a new theory, one which integrates the learning theory of Jack Mezirow with the deliberative curriculum theory of Joseph Schwab to break the technical/rational grip on curriculum work and professional education. Graduate professional education needs to be transformative, and in order for that to happen, curriculum planning must be done in a deliberative fashion. The new transformative-deliberative approach to curriculum planning can be implemented by using the Curriculum Caucus Guide, a heuristic developed to help educators use this new approach to curriculum work and to begin to effect needed change. The electronic version of the dissertation is accessible at the Ohiolink ETD center http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd/.

Committee: Jon Wergin (Advisor) Subjects:

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2013, Antioch New England: Clinical Psychology

The field of clinical psychology is in the midst of redefining graduate school education with a push for competency-based approaches and measurable learning outcomes. This dissertation explores the best-practice knowledge regarding the education of professional clinical psychology graduate students and uses cooperative inquiry to richly detail the educational approach of a thus far “silent stakeholder,” Dr. Colborn W. Smith, a long-time teacher and training director. This inquiry is intended to help me [Hannah Lord] understand an important personal educational experience, to explore the tangible art of teaching that made such an experience possible, and to contribute to the evolving discourse on training within the field of professional clinical psychology. In the paper that follows, the project is introduced, the relevant literature is reviewed, the research approach is detailed, and the findings are discussed.

Committee: Theodore J. Ellenhorn PhD (Committee Chair); Peter Baldwin PhD (Committee Member); John T. Murray PsyD (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Higher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Akron, 2024, Counseling Psychology

Health service psychology (HSP) students are at a high risk of burnout and physical and mental health problems (El-Ghoroury et al., 2011; Rummell, 2015). Research has begun to explore environmental factors within training programs that cause or prevent burnout (e.g., Kovach Clark et al., 2009; Swords & Ellis, 2017). Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model of burnout (Bakker & Demerouti, 2017; Demerouti et al., 2001), the present study assessed the relationships between demands, resources, and burnout symptoms in a sample of HSP doctoral students. Structural equation modeling was used to test the JD-R model and compare the relative contributions of perceived workload, weekly work hours, sense of community, work environment, and relationships with academic advisors and clinical supervisors to students' symptoms of exhaustion and disengagement. Analyses of variance were used to explore demographic group differences to better understand the experiences of diverse students, especially those with minoritized identities. Participants reported high levels of burnout symptoms, especially exhaustion. The hypothesized JD-R model, which contains unique and separate pathways representing the processes by which job demands sap energy and job resources promote engagement, did not yield interpretable parameters and thus was not a good fit to the data. However, an alternative model containing additional pathways between job demands and resources and burnout symptoms fit the data well and collectively predicted about half (50.8%) the variance in exhaustion and about a third (31.8%) of the variance in disengagement. The results demonstrated HSP doctoral students' experiences of burnout are highly linked to environmental factors. High demands impair students' health and create exhaustion, while lacking resources impair motivation and create disengagement. Perceived workload, sense of community, and the work environment had the largest effects on burnout sym (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Margo Gregor (Advisor); Joelle Elicker (Committee Member); Ingrid Weigold (Committee Member); Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich (Committee Member); John Queener (Committee Member) Subjects: Clinical Psychology; Counseling Psychology; Education; Health Sciences; Multicultural Education; Occupational Health; Psychology; School Counseling

Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Contemporary Music

This paper explores the intersection of U.S. graduate music student experiences and mental health. A literature review discussing nineteenth-century mechanist piano pedagogy practices, Carl Seashore's Measures of Musical Talent, the impact of neoliberal capitalism on students, and an overview of current U.S. studies on university music student mental health underscore the need for further inquiry into the student experience. I held eight semi-structured interviews with current or former U.S. graduate music students focused on their experiences as a music major. Through poetic inquiry and qualitative content-coding, the interview transcripts were analyzed and organized into poetic portraits representing the collective essence of the lived experiences of the interviewees. The set of eight poems, “Portraits of a Wonderful Musician,” explores uncovered codes including: identity, self-perception, pressure, expectations, urgency, anxiety, the pursuit of perfection, guilt, depression, criticism, comparison, and burnout. Grounded in phenomenology, this paper foregrounds the subjective lived experiences of those interviewed and demonstrates how these rich understandings can inform current music education trends and practices. Poetic inquiry and coding revealed a correlation between traditionalist pedagogical practices and students exhibiting fixed mindset traits, which are associated with the negative lived student experiences. Influenced by the historical, social, and cultural constraints of music pedagogies, teachers and students can benefit from student-centered learning approaches, deliberate practice strategies, and modeling growth mindsets to proactively challenge detrimental traditions.

Committee: Solungga Liu D.M.A. (Committee Chair); Monica Longmore Ph.D. (Other); Ryan Ebright Ph.D. (Committee Member); Laura Melton D.M.A. (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Education; Education History; Education Philosophy; Educational Sociology; Educational Tests and Measurements; Epistemology; Higher Education; Mental Health; Music; Music Education; Pedagogy; Performing Arts; Philosophy; Social Research; Sociology