Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2019, Biological Sciences

Although numerous studies have documented the benefits of using scientific practices in K-12 education, many in-service teachers continue to use traditional pedagogical practices. In order to address the underlying deficiencies in teacher pedagogical design capacity (PDC) for practices, we developed a lesson study (LS) based professional learning (PL) program, which we implemented at a low socio-economic status (SES) school district. Using classical content analysis and supplementary assessments, I investigated the impact this LS based PL program had on teacher PDC for scientific practices (particularly the practice of argumentation), student argumentation competency, and teacher self-efficacy. My results demonstrate that teacher PDC for the several scientific practices, particularly scientific modeling, argumentation, and communicating findings, increased due to our PL program. However, student argumentation competency and teacher self-efficacy remained stagnant, possibly due to the short timescale (1 year) of our intervention and the lack of support from upper-level administrators.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Physical Activity and Educational Services

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and understand the decision-making process that resulted in the board establishing mandatory continuing professional education (MCPE). This study involved understanding interpersonal actions among board members and the educational, economic, and political interests that served as a foundation for these actions. How these variables influenced the decision to establish MCPE was of specific interest to adult education program planners, in that it informed how a decision in the context of a professional licensing board was made. The study involved the content analysis of interviews conducted with board members involved in program planning and of various documents used during program planning. Four themes described how and why the Midwest engineers' licensing board established MCPE were developed—For Every Cause There is a Champion; MCPE: It's About Personal Interests; Embracing a Myth; and the Last Man Standing. For Every Cause There is a Champion provided how a champion, advocate, or campaigner was needed for causes to be realized. MCPE: It's About Personal Interests provided how interests served as the bases for assertiveness and actions of people involved in the planning context. Embracing a Myth provided how a belief could result in people taking a stand absent supporting evidence. The Last Man Standing explored the struggles of the only remaining person representing what they believed to be right—a dissenter among the majority. Five major conclusions were developed as a result of the study: (a) reasons for establishing MCPE were compelling to overcome opposition to MCPE; (b) a powerful advocate was instrumental in ensuring that a cause was satisfied; (c) negotiation was unlikely among decision-makers in deciding whether to establish MCPE when a powerful advocate was present; (d) the composition of the decision-making group likely affected the ultimate decision whether MCPE was established; and (e) decisions (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Education (MEd), Bowling Green State University, 2012, Human Movement, Sport and Leisure Studies /Sport Administration

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences demographics with regards to perceived importance (PI) and frequency (F) of practice of professional behaviors in athletic training. The difference in perceived importance and frequency of practice of the professional behaviors was also investigated. There was minimal research in athletic training on the perceptions and practice of professional behaviors as defined in the Foundational Behaviors of Professional Practice. Methods and Procedures. Two instruments were developed, using the behaviors listed in the Foundational Behaviors of Professional Practice of the NATA's Educational Competencies and from the Code of Professional Responsibility in the BOC's Standards of Professional Practice. Surveys were distributed to students, young professionals and program directors. Data analysis included one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post-hoc analysis as well as independent-sample t-tests and paired-sample t-tests. Validity and reliability were established through Pearson r correlations and Cronbach alphas. Results. The overall mean for F of practice of behaviors was higher than that of PI, with fewer differences being noted in PI for individual demographics. Significant differences were seen between males and female for several behavior categories. Students reported significantly lower scores for F and PI than any other demographic group. Conclusions. Fewer differences for PI indicate a consistent knowledge of athletic training professionals of the demographic behaviors. The lower scores in students require further investigation to determine whether differences were due to the educational background or lack of athletic training experience and practice.

Doctor of Education, Ashland University, 2009, College of Education

This dissertation describes research designed to investigate the influence of select teacher and school characteristics on the perceived professional development needs of in-service physical educators in the state of Ohio. Data were collected using a self-report survey instrument comprised of the Professional Development Needs Questionnaire-Physical Education (Conkle, 1994), and the Teacher Concerns Questionnaire-Physical Education (McBride, 1993). Additional demographic data were collected and categorized according to grade level taught (elementary, middle school, high school, or some combination), and school setting/location (urban/inner city, suburban/small city, and rural). Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were analyzed to determine the strength of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Multiple regression using stepwise method was further conducted to determine the degree to which a teachers' stage of concern, grade level taught and school setting influenced their perceived professional development needs. Results indicated that participants' perceived professional development needs were driven primarily by issues of concern rather than teaching situation (e.g. grade level taught; school setting/location).

Bachelor of Science, Wittenberg University, 2024, Education

In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which forced teachers and students to learn within a virtual format, the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (GSMIT) searched for a way to educate teachers on how to execute nature-based STEM lessons under such unconventional circumstances. GSMIT responded with the creation of the School Yard Network (SYN), a virtual network of teachers who model best practices within the outdoor, experiential learning realm. This research will outline how the current organizer of the SYN continues to shape its structures to match the ever-changing needs of teachers within the network. Specifically, this research highlights the ways in which a highly effective professional development program utilizes inquiry-based learning, community building, and teacher-centered practices to advance experiential and outdoor learning for future educators.

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Counselor Education & Supervision

This multilevel mixed methods investigation examines the experiences of developing self-evaluation skills for simulation fellows in an interprofessional simulation fellowship program. Interprofessional fellows (N = 12) and faculty (N = 4) engaged in a three-phase study using video-assisted learning tools to explore the differences in self-evaluation (perceived performance) and faculty evaluation (actual performance) in developing debriefing skills. For the quantitative component, fellows and faculty completed the DASH© tool to evaluate the quality of debriefing to help close the gaps between fellow self-evaluation and faculty evaluation. For the qualitative component, video-stimulated think-aloud and video-assisted debriefing the debriefer were utilized to understand how video-assisted learning tools contribute to self-evaluation skills from each level separately. A combined focus group and thematic analysis were utilized to identify facilitators and barriers to self-evaluation. Integrative case examples of developing self-evaluation skills are restoried for mixed analysis and data integration. Through which, meta-inferences are drawn out to understand the experiences, interactions, and mechanisms of the multilevel phenomenon. The results indicated that fellows generally overestimate their skills performance, and video-assisted learning tools support in the development of more realistic self-perception eliminating underestimation and closing the gap between perceived and actual performance. A model for interprofessional collaboration is proposed for scaffolded feedback practices to promote self-evaluation of skills and performance. Implications for counselor education, healthcare simulation, and health professions education are presented.

Doctor of Ministry , Ashland University, 2024, Doctor of Ministry Program

The project's purpose was to create a resource for providing an academically integrated Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Program, to be implemented by providers, for graduate students pursuing professional chaplaincy, that includes the required four units of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education accredited Clinical Pastoral Education within the required preparatory academic courses, concurrently. The method was creating a "Resource Guide" outlining model elements and requirements of the collective accrediting bodies and organizations. Representatives of those entities were surveyed to assess to what extent it was helpful. The results demonstrated strong agreement for the usefulness of the "Resource Guide" and model it espoused.

PHD, Kent State University, 2023, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Whiteness remains an intractable problem in American society broadly and within higher education specifically. In this project, I explore white emotionality among professionals in higher education and student affairs (HESA). Each chapter engages a different approach to understanding white emotionality, including autoethnographic research methods, phenomenological research methods, the literature from Critical Whiteness Studies (CWS) in education, and the literature from Settler Colonial Studies (SCS) and decolonial thinking in education. From much of the literature in CWS, I identify a trap I call always-not-yet-but-maybe-someday-soon whereby attachment to the possibility of redemption defers the necessary but deeply unsettling emotional work of confronting whiteness. To address this, I turn to SCS and decolonial thinking and consider how the maintenance of whiteness through always-not-yet-but-maybe-someday-soon is interconnected with what Tuck and Yang (2012) refer to as “settler futurity.” Using key concepts from CWS, SCS, and decolonial thinking including unsuturing (Yancy, 2018), a politics of disappointment (Jones, 1999), and the scyborg (la paperson, 2017), I propose using professional development (PD) as one way to combat always-not-yet-but-maybe-someday-soon and settler futurity among HESA professionals. In contrast to accumulative and developmental perspectives on HESA professionals and multicultural competence (Pope et al., 2019), this vision of unsettled PD offers few guarantees but aims to provide opportunities for sustenance and accountability as HESA professionals grapple with the depths of white emotionality.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2022, Higher Education

The present phenomenographic research aimed to explore the qualitatively different ways early childhood educators experienced career pathway transitions from a Child Development Associate credential to an associate degree program. I applied Schlossberg's Transition Theory as a data collection and analysis framework. I collected narratives from fifteen early childhood educators across Ohio who earned their credentials and transitioned to or graduated from associate degree programs in early childhood education within the past five years. I interpreted the data and created the outcome space identifying six categories of description highlighting the context, conditions, motivation, support, strategies, and progress of the collective transition experience. From the categories of the outcome space, I produced six key findings: (1) level of support needed, (2) impact of star-rating on the decision to transition, (3) swirling movement, 4) motivation despite obstacles, (5) benefits of higher education on teaching preparedness, and (6) a new application of Schlossberg's Transition Theory. The findings point to potential, actionable strategies to support early childhood educator professional development, including continued and increased scholarship funding to early childhood educators, empowerment of program administrators/directors, individualized higher education recruitment practices, and advocacy efforts to promote the profession by showcasing success stories.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2022, Engineering Education

This work describes the design and implementation of an online education program designed for working engineers. The program is offered through a university research center and covers topics in Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The relatively recent digital transformation of the engineering workplace requires the use of advanced computational engineering tools such as FEA, and the engineering workforce is being challenged to learn how to adapt to new tools and methods to fully realize the benefits of this digital transformation. Universities are uniquely positioned to develop and offer continuing education programs to support engineers in learning and adapting to these new tools and methods. The conceptual framework underlying this research is the Theory of Reasoned Action, to frame the understanding of how engineers engage with a continuing professional education program using a novel online delivery design. This framework relates beliefs, attitudes, and intentions to understand behaviors, in this case, participation in the online course. A learning transfer framework was used to describe the initial course design, and the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) was used to preliminarily evaluate learning transfer for the learners. The initial offering of the course was studied using a naturalistic inquiry design, investigating the experiences of the first four learners as described in their own discussion post writings. In a subsequent study which considered several course offerings in the program, course evaluation results were analyzed to determine sentiments of the learners on various aspects of the course including assignments and program participation. The course design is further described using the framework of Project Based Learning to describe the approach taken to present relevant theoretical topics which can be directly applied to modeling decision making and application. Based on the research data collected, the engineers participating in this progra (open full item for complete abstract)

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

To maintain job satisfaction, occupational commitment, self-efficacy, and levels of motivation, it is important for a teacher to develop a professional teaching identity that tells them who they are (Day, 2002). The purpose of this study was to better understand the development of teacher identity in preservice agriscience teachers during an early field experience (EFE) placement. Data for this phenomenological study were triangulated through the collection of written reflections and photovoice reflections along with a in a semi-structured exit interview after the completion of their early field experience. Data were analyzed with an axial and open-coding process where “key words” can help to outline important information within the reflections (Corbin & Strauss, 2008). Four themes that emerged from this study: 1) Change of Personal Feelings from Excitement to Anxiousness; 2) Understanding Multiple Roles of the Agriscience Educator; 3) Adoption of Professional Roles Throughout the EFE; and 4) Understanding the Need for Passion with the Profession. Throughout the experience, preservice agriscience teachers experienced a change in emotions, understanding of the roles of an agriscience teacher, and ultimately decided whether they could see themselves entering the profession. Further research was recommended to develop deeper understanding of the identity development in preservice teachers before student teaching.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2021, Counselor Education (Education)

Counseling leaders have published guidelines for enhancing professional counselor identity. The goal of these calls to action is to strengthen and unify the counseling profession in order to differentiate the field from other helping professions and to solidify a definition of professional counselor identity. One facet of professional counselor identity lies in counselors' level of engagement with research engagement, otherwise defined as research identity. Counselors must consistently engage in research activities in order to utilize evidence-based clinical practices and evaluate the efficacy of treatment interventions. However, counseling scholars discuss the need for increased research engagement across the profession. The training of counselors begins at the master's level in counseling education programs, which provide the foundation for professional counselor identity, including research engagement. Many scholars have discussed research identity development among doctoral counselor education students, but little information exists which explicates this concept among master's students. This study provides quantitative data regarding counselor education master's students research identity, specifically in relation to three key constructs of research identity: research motivation, research competence, and advisory working alliance. Through this study, I accomplished three objectives: (1) describe the level of self-reported perceived research competency among master's-level counselor education students in CACREP-accredited programs in the NCACES region, (2) describe relationships among participants' self-reported research competency, research motivation, and perceptions of advisory working alliance, and (3) describe relationships among participants' self-reported research competency, research motivation, and perceptions of advisory working alliance and age, gender, program specialty area, undergraduate major, number of terms in the master's program, and number (open full item for complete abstract)

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2020, Leadership and Change

Inservice teachers' influence and power are vital components for academic success among Black children. Previous research has shown that when teacher/student interactions are culturally responsive, engaging, and equitable, student learning is positively impacted (Banks, 2001; Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 2011; Sleeter, 2000; Warren, 2018). However, equity gaps between Black and White k-12 students continue to exist within classroom settings (Grant & Sleeter, 2012; Ladson-Billings, 2018). Using a mixed-method approach that includes Repertory Grid Technique underpinned by Personal Construct theory to identify the teaching perceptions of inservice teachers, I gathered data that indicate how k-12 teachers understand what enables Black students to learn. The findings reveal that respondents shared five key constructs as being important to Black students' learning: “professional and skills development,” “impacts of administrative responsiveness and supports,” “caring,” “trust,” and “inclusion of lived experiences.” However, what is important to note is that my study indicates that neither Black nor White teachers held the entire picture of what enables Black students to learn. By integrating the results of both Black and White teachers' responses, I theorize a framework which represents a path for Black student learning. I call this framework Culturally Collaborative Teaching, which takes into account both Black and White teachers' understandings of what the critical factors are when educating Black students. Culturally Collaborative teaching is a framework in which teachers, regardless of their race and cultural background, can integrate and develop a shared set of skills and values. The inclusion of administrator support and understanding of cultural practices, serves as the foundation for positively impacting academic learning for Black students. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2020, College of Education and Human Services

The largest group of students receiving special education services in the United States qualify under the category of Specific Learning Disability (SLD) (Cottrell & Barrett, 2015). The most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) was the first time that federal special education law substantially changed the way in which Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) could identify students with SLDs. Because of their specialized training, school psychologists are considered to be the disability identification expert of the team (NASP, 2010). This instrumental case study investigated school psychologists' experience of identifying SLDs in urban schools and how they make sense of the process. This study was conducted with school psychologists who have at least five years of experience and currently work in an urban school in Cuyahoga County. Seven school psychologists from six districts consented to participate in this study. Participants completed a brief demographic questionnaire and two semi-structured interviews, answering interview questions to address the following primary research questions: (1) What resources and existing knowledge do school psychologists draw on in the processes of SLD identification; and (2) What challenges occur for them in the SLD identification process. Participants identified themes regarding resources and existing knowledge that they use during the identification process as well as challenges related to their training, professional development, team dynamics, school and community resources, the legal definition of SLD, inconsistent application of policy, and SLD guidance and policy during this study. These findings highlighted the need for changes to university-level educator training programs, professional development, and community outreach and inclusion, as well as the need to recommit to students' right to a Free Appropriate Public Education.

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2020, Art Education

Research suggests that museums are not reaching their full potential for including visitors with disabilities (Bienvenu, 2019; Ginley, Goodwin, &, Smith, 2012; Kudlick & Luby, 2019; Rappolt- Schlichtmann & Daley, 2013; Sandell, 2019). Recently, scholars have critiqued art museums for their lack of accessibility (Kudlick & Luby, 2019) and exhibitions that misrepresent disability history (Sandell, 2019). The history of outsider art demonstrates how artists with disabilities are discriminated against in the art world (Prinz, 2017). Creative art centers, programs which provide artistic mentorship for adults with disabilities, are often positioned within outsider art discourse (Wojcik, 2016). Due to discrimination against artists with disabilities, art museums can increase inclusion through engaging with artists at creative art centers. Therefore, I utilized action research methodology to design and implement an integrated art museum professional development workshop for artists with disabilities at Open Door Art Studio, a creative art center, and community artists. The primary objective of the study was to explore how museum practitioners can collaborate with creative art centers to develop inclusive programming for creative art center artists and community artists. Based on interviews with Open Door Art Studio artists and staff members, I structured the workshop around time in the museum gallery for discussion and a collaborative art making exercise in the museum's studio space. For the time in the studio, I paired artists from Open Door Art Studio with community artists to create collaborative art pieces. From the post-workshop interviews, I found that the workshop, especially the collaborative portion, supported social connection between artists from Open Door Art Studio and the community artists. This social connection was demonstrated in the way that artists found things in common with each other, spoke about how they enjoyed meeting each other, (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2019, Education

Empirical evidence of docent training practices in nationally accredited museums in the United States is limited. Much information can be found in the literature on recommended educational theories that can serve as a basis for docent training practices as well as prescriptive advice for quality docent education; however, detailed information about the actual practices being implemented in docent training programs is sparse. Studies have shown that museum educators agree with and encourage documented educational theories in museums in terms of the exhibits and interpretive materials, however, when instructing the docents within their museums, the museum educators may not be utilizing the theories that they espouse. The evidence in teacher education as well as museum education shows that modeling of the intended strategies is the preferred method for instruction, but evidence of docent training practices gives little proof of this idea being practiced. The current study was designed to uncover the actual practices and theories being utilized in docent training programs across the United States in museums that are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Additionally, the Adult Learning Model for Faculty Development (Lawler & King, 2000), a model recommended for the planning and implementation of adult education is applied as a map to guide the inquiry regarding docent training programs.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2017, Curriculum and Instruction (Education)

Over the past 65 years, the roles of the reading specialist have continually evolved. Historically, reading specialists have been hired by schools to work predominantly with struggling readers (Bean, Cassidy, Grumet, Shelton & Wallis, 2002; Bean, Swan & Knaub, 2003). Reading specialists today serve in a variety of roles within their positions. Reading specialists play an instrumental role in facilitating reading achievement (IRA, 2000; Bean & Dagen, 2012; Helf & Cooke, 2011; Bean et al., 2015). It is important to understand how reading specialists currently fulfill their roles, specifically in public school districts with exemplary literacy programs. Nationally, reading specialists are considered to assume the roles of both teacher leader and expert teacher, teaching struggling readers as well as coaching teachers on multiple levels (Bean & Dagen, 2012; Helf & Cooke, 2011; Kern, 2011). However, there is scant research pertaining to the roles of the reading specialist specific to Ohio's public elementary schools. Further, studies focusing on the roles of reading specialists in exemplary schools were completed more than a decade ago (Bean et al., 2003). Updated research is needed to analyze the evolving roles of reading specialists in contemporary classrooms. This research seeks to answer the question: What are the roles of reading specialists in Ohio's public elementary schools? Further, are there differences in the ways in which Ohio reading specialists are spending their time in schools with high performing literacy programs (exemplary schools) versus low performing literacy programs (non-exemplary schools)? These findings will have direct implications as to the specific roles of reading specialists that are most effective, serving as important information for administrators who hire reading specialists as well as reading specialists themselves. Furthermore, findings may produce implications for those who prepare reading specialists, specifically Ohio Reading E (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2017, Instructional Technology (Education)

Social Media has been a worldwide phenomenon for the last ten years. This phenomenon became an important component of many people's daily lives. Social media has also been a vital tool for several governmental institutions and business organizations. However, the higher education industry is believed to have remained behind as far as the fast evolution of social media. This study aims to address the utilization of social media technology in higher education teaching and learning. This qualitative research has been conducted to obtain the understanding and perception of utilizing social media in higher education teaching and learning by faculty members at Ohio University's Patton College of Education (PCOE). The results of this research present a clearer picture of the current status of social media utilization from the PCOE's faculty member's perspectives based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and the constructivist learning theory. The results of this research, based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with ten faculty members, demonstrate that the advantages of using social in higher education teaching and learning outweigh the disadvantages. The findings also show the urgent need for the development of all-inclusive social media policies at the institutional level.

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

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)