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  • 1. Ochola, Monica The Next Generation of Donors: An Investigation of Millennial Alumni Donors.

    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2024, Leadership Studies

    Higher education, like most charitable organizations, is dependent on alumni funding as donors pour a tremendous amount of dollars into these organizations. However, the nature of donor involvement in higher education institutions has evolved over the last four centuries. The generational change of the donor base from the Boomers to the Millennials in the wake of a generational wealth transfer has placed the future of philanthropy in higher education in the hands of the Millennial generation. This technology-centered generation of alumni donors continues to challenge the traditional view of philanthropy held by the previous generations and demands a donor-centered relationship that is based on engagement with their alma mater. This non-experimental quantitative research study explored whether there was a relationship between alumni giving and alumni attitudes regarding Feelings of Connectedness, College Experience, Perceptions about Student Loans, and Perceptions about Institutional Mission. Findings within this study indicated that alumni attitudes regarding Perception about Student Loans and Feeling of Connectedness had a non-significant relationship to alumni giving. Significant differences were reported between students who donated and those who did not donate when groups were compared. Women and First-generation alumni reported their attitudes regarding College Experience were significantly related to their decision to donate or not donate. Implications of the study highlighted the need for higher education administrators and fundraising professionals to maximize alumni engagement, thus resulting in sustainable alumni-institutional relationships that are donor-central.
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    Committee: Paul Johnson Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Luis Garcia Ph.D. (Other); Joshua Harraman Ph.D. (Committee Member); Christy Horner Ph.D. (Committee Member); Patrick Pauken Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Organization Theory; Organizational Behavior

  • 2. Dobbins, Deanna Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of the Impact of School-Wide Positive Behavior Support

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2024, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    What do teachers perceive to be the impact of positive behavior management systems on supporting teachers, students, and families? This research investigated the implementation and impact of school-wide positive behavior support systems as a crucial approach to addressing behavior challenges and supporting both teachers and students. Recognizing the significant challenges teachers face in managing student behavior alongside their essential duties, this study delves into the potential benefits of positive behavior support systems as an alternative to punitive discipline methods. Building upon previous research, the results of this investigation underscored the positive outcomes associated with school-wide positive behavior support systems. The research employed a qualitative phenomenological case study involving 12 diverse educators, providing valuable insights from those directly responsible for classroom management. The findings revealed that these systems effectively reduced situations involving exclusionary practices, enhanced student-teacher relationships, and contributed to the establishment of a positive classroom culture and climate. Supported by observations, interviews, and artifact collection, the participants identified key factors influencing the success of positive behavior support systems, including administrative and parental support, access to professional development opportunities, and collaborative experiences among teachers and school administration. The study further highlighted the importance of consistent school-wide expectations, procedures, and guidelines in managing student behavior and advocates for tailored support for students with diverse backgrounds. Notably, positive restorative practices and training for teachers contribute to meeting the needs of all students and result in increased overall student achievement. Despite the evident benefits, the need for ongoing refinement of school-wide positive behavior support systems, (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Jane Beese Ed.D. (Advisor); Christopher Basich Ed.D. (Committee Member); Victoria Kress Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Early Childhood Education; Education; Education Philosophy; Educational Evaluation; Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Educational Sociology; Elementary Education; Teacher Education; Teaching

  • 3. Brown, Gerica Engineering Faculty Perspectives on Their Role in the Success and Persistence of Underrepresented Minority Students

    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2021, Educational Leadership

    The perspectives of engineering faculty have been explored in this study to answer research questions related to their perceptions of their role in the success and persistence of underrepresented minority students and self-efficacy related to the implementation of evidence-based teaching practices in engineering. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 faculty participants and interpreted through interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). This study resulted in key findings which provides the host institution with insights which can inform faculty development and student success and persistence strategies for engineering administrators. The key findings from this qualitative research indicate engineering faculty in this study had a keen awareness of the high demand for engineering talent in the US, and also an awareness that engineering students have varied lived experiences, strengths, and challenges which can influence their educational engagement. Faculty also demonstrated the perspective that they play an important role in building critical relationships with students, which can serve as a catalyst to student support, guidance, encouragement, and persistence. Additionally, faculty discussed the importance of students having a broader support system, of especially peers, as well as the importance of having an internal motivation to succeed and persist in engineering. Finally, many engineering faculty expressed not originally considering teaching as a career path. This along with their expressed limitations in time, and the lack of required training early in their faculty careers, has resulted in a lack of self-efficacy in implementing evidence-based teaching practices known to promote URM student success and persistence in engineering.
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    Committee: Mary Ziskin (Committee Chair); Margaret Pinnell (Committee Member); Matthew Witenstein (Committee Member); Novea McIntosh (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

  • 4. Miller Ricketts, Amanda Improving Students' Perceptions of Teacher Care Through Teacher Professional Development

    Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Leadership Studies

    The purpose of this mixed-method study was to determine if teacher professional development focusing on ethic of care influenced students' perceptions of teacher care. The study also examined if at-risk students perceived teacher care differently than non-at-risk students and if students' perceptions of teacher care growth differed by risk status. The current study is of vital importance as it illuminates the chasm that exists between students' perceptions of caring student-teacher relationships and teacher professional development intended to bridge the relational gap. Four English teachers from a high school NW Ohio participated in teacher professional development. Quantitative data were gathered from 286 students who completed the Student- Teacher Relationship Student Survey (Wilkins, 2014) prior to and following the teacher professional development. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven students following the intervention. Changes in students' perceptions of teacher care were analyzed with quantitative and qualitative data. A paired-samples t-test revealed an overall decline in students' perceptions of teacher care, indicating teacher professional development did not improve perceptions of teacher care. Student interviews revealed significant changes occurred within student-teacher relationships during the study period. A t-test of independent samples was used to compare at risk and non-at-risk students' perceptions of teacher care prior to and following teacher professional development. Group differences in pre and post-subscales revealed that students' perceptions of teacher care differed according to risk status. Non-at-risk students reported higher pre and post scores on all subscales when compared to at-risk students. An Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), which controlled for pretreatment differences, did not reveal significant differences in gain scores between at-risk and non-at-risk students. However, results indicated (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Judith May Ph.D. (Advisor); Nermis Mieses D.M.A. (Other); Michael O'Shea Ed.D. (Committee Member); Patrick Pauken Ph.D. (Committee Member); Rachel Vannatta Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory

  • 5. Winek, Kirsten Writing Like a Lawyer: How Law Student Involvement Impacts Self-Reported Gains in Writing Skills in Law School

    Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2019, Higher Education

    Do any law school involvement activities influence law student self-reported gains in writing skills? With Alexander Astin's Involvement Theory and I-E-O model as frameworks, this quantitative dissertation sought to answer this question. This study used a dataset containing survey responses from 3,803 full-time, third-year law students to the 2018 Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE). A blocked form of stepwise linear regression determined which independent variables related to law school involvement activities had a statistically significant impact on the dependent variable of law student self-reported gains in writing skills. The results showed that fifteen variables had a statistically significant relationship to student self-reported gains in writing skills. This dissertation has both academic and practical significance. It builds upon the limited number of studies analyzing law students' perceptions of their writing skills, dissertations utilizing LSSSE data, and research extending Astin's Involvement Theory and I-E-O model to legal education. Its findings can be used by law schools to help law students develop their writing skills before they graduate, since good writing is critical to bar exam passage and new lawyers' success early in the practice of law.
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    Committee: Ronald Opp Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Eric Chaffee J.D. (Committee Member); Robert Detwiler Ph.D. (Committee Member); Penny Poplin Gosetti Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Law; Legal Studies

  • 6. Beltz, Jeffrey Transitioning Middle Level Students Through a Tuition Model in Pennsylvania's Public School System

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2018, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    This quantitative research study used seven hypotheses to detail a unique tuition model practice occurring within five Pennsylvania public school districts: Bryn Athyn, Duquesne City, Midland Borough, Saint Clair, and Wilkinsburg. These five districts do not have a high school and tuition resident students to neighboring school districts to meet graduation requirements. The purpose of this study was to identify middle level student and parent perceived similarities and differences towards transition factors prior to students being tuitioned to a secondary school located outside of the district. Through the use of surveys, a convenience sample study was selected for the design structure. The sample population (N = 108) was targeted to collect perceptual data from student (n = 54) and parent (n = 54) groups. Survey items were aligned into five construct categories: peer interaction, access services, teacher support, academic rigor, and school safety. By focusing on the mean of created construct data sets, descriptive statistics measured the relationships between student and parent grouped variables for statistical significance (p < .05). Parents generally displayed more concern for survey items and constructs than students recorded. Both groups offered their highest level of concern towards academic rigor and teacher support constructs. The largest concern level differences between student and parent groups existed within peer interaction and school safety constructs, which also eclipsed the statistical significance expectation and rejected two null hypotheses. From these findings, recommendations for practice were illustrated to establish a successful transition program by addressing tuitioned families' concerns to overcome perceived barriers.
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    Committee: Jane Beese Ed.D. (Committee Chair); Xin Liang Ph.D. (Committee Member); Charles Jeffords Ed.D. (Committee Member); Matthew Paylo Ph.D. (Committee Member); Charles Vergon J.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership; Middle School Education; School Administration; Secondary Education

  • 7. Senita, Julie Defining Critical Thinking Experiences of Senior Nursing Students

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

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate and describe nursing students' and clinical instructors' understandings of critical thinking and to discover which clinical experiences were significant in allowing students to develop critical thinking abilities. Interpretive qualitative methodology was used to explore students' and instructors' perceptions of critical thinking experiences that occurred during clinical education. Data were obtained from 11 student participants and 4 instructor participants using responses to prompts defining critical thinking experiences and follow-up interviews. There were three overarching findings from this study: (a) students and instructors described similar characteristics of clinical experiences that were significant in developing critical thinking including complex situations warranting independent identification, interpretation, and decision making by students; (b) students and instructors described critical thinking as the ability to process an unclear situation, understand the significance of the context, and know what to do next; and (c) students and instructors revealed a disconnect regarding instructor significance and role during clinical experiences. The findings of this study have demonstrated the importance of clinical experiences and preparing for them and debriefing after them for students and the development of their critical thinking. Implications for nursing education include the need to implement certain strategies that maximize critical thinking experiences in the clinical setting, the need for education and training for clinical instructors, and the need for improved discourse between students and instructors regarding clinical experiences.
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    Committee: William Kist (Committee Chair); Alicia R. Crowe (Committee Member); Susan Stocker (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Nursing

  • 8. Lee, Megan MSW Thesis: An Exploratory Study on the Relationship Between Race, Student Perceptions of School Environment, and Student Outcomes

    Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2016, Social Work

    This study examines the relationship between student perceptions of teacher support, student centeredness, and microaggressions, and sense of school belonging and engagement among Black, Latino, and white students. We first hypothesized that student perceptions of teacher support, student centeredness, and microaggressions would be significantly related to their sense of belonging and engagement. Secondly, we hypothesized that Black and Latino students would report more negative perceptions of their school environment, as well as a weaker sense of school belonging and engagement than their white peers. We analyzed data from a sample of 9536 middle and high school students provided by the Student Success Profile using structural equation modeling. Given prior knowledge on the microaggressions scale, we tested the other constructs in the model for invariance across the two groups (students of color and white students). We found that the measures of teacher support, student-centeredness, belonging, and engagement had too many statistically different factor loadings across the groups to be considered equivalent, which required us to test Black and Latino students separately from white students. Though we could not statistically compare results from the two models, we found that teacher support, student centeredness, and microaggressions are directly and indirectly related to sense of school belonging and engagement among Black/Latino and white students. Findings from this study provide evidence that can be used to guide future research on possible effects of student perceptions of school environment and school outcomes, and inform school practices to improve school experiences for students across racial groups.
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    Committee: Natasha Bowen (Advisor); Carla Curtis (Committee Member); John Emmerich (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Social Work

  • 9. Ball, Annahita Educator Readiness to Adopt School Mental Health Approaches

    Master of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 2008, Social Work

    To help children achieve academic success and healthy youth development, new models of school improvement must include effective methods to address mental health needs. To improve the implementation of school mental health approaches, this thesis had two main goals: (1) To determine any relationships between educator stress, professional support, teaching self-efficacy, and perceptions of student mental health needs and educators' readiness to adopt school mental health approaches; and, (2) To determine if educator stress is moderated by professional support, teaching self-efficacy, or perceptions of student mental health needs to predict educators' readiness to adopt school mental health approaches. This study used hierarchical regression to analyze primary data from 122 educators. Results indicated that educator stress was the greatest predictor of educator readiness to adopt school mental health approaches. Teaching self-efficacy and perceptions of student mental health needs also were related to readiness to adopt school mental health approaches.
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    Committee: Dawn Anderson-Butcher PhD (Committee Chair); Tamara Davis PhD (Committee Member); Jerry Bean PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Behaviorial Sciences; Education; Mental Health; Social Work; Sociology; Teaching

  • 10. Imperial, Dorothy The relationship between organizational climate and multicultural education on student achievement in elementary age children of military parents (comp) schools

    Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2005, Teaching and Learning

    There exists a school system that is closing the performance gap on standardized tests between Caucasian and minority students. This research studied 10 American schools serving Children of Military Parents (COMP) in North America, Asia and Europe which serve as a model for closing the minority performance gap. The environmental tone of schools is considered to have a profound effect on student learning. This research investigated the environmental tone that is contributing to success for all students. This study investigated organizational climate factors and multicultural perceptions that are contributing to the success of all students at COMP schools. The environment of schools closing the performance gap was studied by means of a climate analysis and multicultural perception survey. The research design is a web-based survey, composed of the Perceptions of Multicultural Education (PME) survey, an original survey, and the Organizational Health Inventory (OHI) survey previously established by Hoy et al. (1991). This study introduced an original survey for measuring perceptions of multicultural education, the PME survey. The PME survey was found both highly reliable and valid. The PME survey was used to measure attitudes towards multicultural education. PME results were then analyzed in relation to student performance on standardized tests. Findings from this study are based upon an overall response rate of 82%. A major finding of this research, revealed a unique relationship between environments highly valuing multicultural education and student performance. Specifically, biracial students were shown to excel in environments highly valuing multicultural education. Other significant findings confirm previous research, which found healthy school environments to be beneficial for all students. Additionally, healthy environments were found to be specifically beneficial for Black, Asian, American Indian, and White students. Previous climate research has shown “Academic (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Cynthia Tyson (Advisor) Subjects:

  • 11. Brett, Martin A qualitative analysis of revenue producing sport student-athletes' perceptions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

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

    An examination of the NCAA's history reveals that the association was formed primarily to protect the health, safety, and welfare of student-athletes. However, aside from the initial reforms to the game of football, many critics of the Association contend that the NCAA has focused more on commercial gains than the needs of their student-athletes (Byers, 1995; DeVenzio, 1986; Knight Foundation Commission, 2001; Sperber, 1990). Both Cedric Dempsey and Myles Brand have expressed the need for the NCAA to become more aware of the conditions student-athletes face both on and off the field. Therefore, this study utilized face-to-face individual interviewing method, to investigate varsity student-athletes in revenue producing sports (a) general perceptions of the NCAA and (b) whether these perceptions match the NCAA's stated purposes and goals. Taken as a whole, the study sought to render qualitative data to better understand what factors played a role in student-athletes' perceptions, what experiences have had the greatest influence on these perceptions, and what are the greatest concerns of student-athletes in revenue producing sports. In this study, the researcher discusses how the identified themes help answer the research questions and relate to or expand upon the literature. The researcher also discusses the emergence of a new theory that is grounded in the data. Lastly, the author offers several recommendations based on the study's findings and discusses future research on this topic.
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    Committee: Janet Fink (Advisor) Subjects:

  • 12. Fischer-Kinney, Julie Biracial/Multiracial Student Perceptions of Student Academic Support Services at a Predominantly White Public Institution

    Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2012, Higher Education

    This study attempted to contribute to national research on biracial/multiracial students, a growing diverse population in higher education. A lack of literature exists on biracial/multiracial college students, particularly as it pertains to student academic success at predominantly white institutions (PWI). The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of biracial/multiracial college students regarding student academic support services at one PWI. In order to address barriers to student success, the voices of biracial/multiracial students are greatly needed by institutions to enhance and develop services, programs, policies, and procedures. This phenomenological study used Padilla‘s Theoretical Framework for Modeling Student Success to understand the barriers to student success perceived by biracial/multiracial students at one PWI. The qualitative study employed triangulation through three phases of research. In phase one, a demographic study was used to identify students at the PWI who self-identify as biracial/multiracial. The demographic study responses also guided conversations in the second phase of research, focus group meetings. Phase two consisted of three focus groups comprised of 11 biracial/multiracial students. Phase three consisted of member checking within and between focus groups, and during data analysis, for clarification and agreement of findings. The culmination of the study was the creation of a Local Student Success Model (LSSM) for the PWI, a blueprint for biracial/multiracial student success consisting of recommended student and institutional actions. The study found that focus group participants at the PWI were unaware of the location and function of some student academic support services. Participants believed that new student academic support services are needed, such as peer mentoring in the major, in addition to the evaluation and modification of existing student academic support services, such as faculty mentoring, to aid in b (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Penny Poplin Gosetti PhD (Committee Chair); Jamie Barlowe PhD (Committee Member); Shanda Gore EdD (Committee Member); Debra Gentry PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Academic Guidance Counseling; African American Studies; Asian American Studies; Black Studies; Educational Leadership; Ethnic Studies; Higher Education; Higher Education Administration; Hispanic American Studies; Minority and Ethnic Groups; Multicultural Education; Native American Studies

  • 13. Boakye-Yiadom, Michael Perceptions of the Work of Deans of Students in Selected Ghanaian Universities

    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2012, Higher Education (Education)

    Available research and scholarship to serve as the basis for improving student services in Ghanaian universities are limited. The purpose of this study was to understand the perceptions of the work by deans of students at Ghanaian universities and to further understand the ways in which their experiences, values and philosophy influence their roles on campus. In particular, the deans of students' understanding of their work in providing student services, promoting student learning, student engagement, student development and success is of special interest in this study. Available literature on traditional and innovative models of student affairs practices in the United States served as the theoretical framework of the study. Interviews, observations, and document analysis were used as sources of data collection in four selected Ghanaian universities. Research findings from the data analysis showed that the traditional leadership mindset of many Ghanaian university staff members conflicted with the more liberal orientation of many students, leading to student-staff tension on the university campuses. I also found out that many deans of students' offices in Ghanaian universities use an administrative-centered model of student affairs practice which is often bureaucratic and less student-centered. Again, the study revealed that many students were not satisfied with the services provided by the deans of students' offices. While the deans of students perceive students as children who need parental care on campus, students are demanding more innovative and progressive approaches to providing student services on campus. Both students and staff acknowledged inadequate resources as a major challenge in the service delivery efforts of the deans of students.
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    Committee: Peter Mather PhD (Committee Chair); Bob Young PhD (Committee Member); Francis Godwyll PhD (Committee Member); George Johanson ED.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

  • 14. Hackman, Clifton Parents, Perceptions and Partnerships: How Parents and Teachers View Successful Methods of Parental Involvement

    Doctor of Education , University of Dayton, 2024, Educational Administration

    This dissertation examines parents and teachers' perceptions of effective parental involvement in education, situated within Epstein et al.'s (2009) framework of six typologies of parental participation. The study, through a comprehensive comparative analysis, reveals critical insights into the disparities and commonalities in how parents and teachers perceive effective parental involvement and its impact on student achievement. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative measures of parental and teacher perceptions alongside qualitative insights gained from the Turkleton Community Schools (TCS) environment.
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    Committee: James Olive Ph. D (Committee Chair); Mary Beth Reardon Ph. D (Committee Member); Derek Arrowood Ph. D (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Elementary Education

  • 15. Allen (Kurstak), Elise Motivational Costs and Teacher-Student Relationships: An Intensive Longitudinal Analysis of Patterns of Change and Dynamic Relations in High School English

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

    Students' cost perceptions represent a negative aspect of motivation that may undermine academic success. To date, little is known about how costs change over time in high school, and how they might dynamically relate to other important contextual factors in learning environments. Thus, it is important to examine these patterns of change and factors that may limit the negative effects of cost perceptions, such as teacher-student relationships. There is a robust literature on teacher-student relationships; however, there is considerably less research on these relationships during high school despite their potential benefits. These relationships have also rarely been examined at a fine-grain level that can identify how they develop over shorter timeframes. Finally, the demographic predictors of these relationships have been understudied within high school settings. To address these gaps in the literature, this study examined (a) patterns of change for four dimensions of cost (task effort, outside effort, loss of valued alternatives, and emotional) and two dimensions of teacher-student relationships (teacher-positivity and teacher-negativity), (b) dynamic relations between these cost dimensions and students' positive and negative conceptualizations of their relationships with their teachers in English Language Arts, and (c) gender identity and socioeconomic status (SES) as predictors of the initial values of these constructs. I recruited ninth grade students (N = 189) in their English I course in a large suburban school district and administered nine weekly surveys during one academic quarter to investigate these research questions. Results from univariate and bivariate latent change score model analyses indicated several noteworthy findings. First, students' cost perceptions were higher at the outset of the academic term and declined over time, with the exception of loss of valued alternatives cost. Second, a decreasing trend was also found for both subscales (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Shirley Yu (Committee Chair); Christoper Wolters (Committee Member); Patrick Beymer (Committee Member); Eric Anderman (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology

  • 16. Thornton, La'Sharae Supporting Student Engagement: Examining Title 1 High School Teachers' Perceptions of Social Networking Sites as Pedagogical Tools

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

    Declining student engagement has been an ongoing concern for educators, education researchers, school administration, and policymakers for the last 40 years (Axelson & Flick, 2011), with socioeconomically disadvantaged students being the most susceptible to disengagement (Finn, 1993; Jensen, 2013). The discourse surrounding declining student engagement includes exploring effective pedagogy as an intervention and influencing optimal academic development and successful school completion. Innovative pedagogical tools have been studied to provide a more engaging learning experience, evolving from chalkboards to tape recorders, projectors, computers, digital games, and the latest social networking sites (SNSs) (DeCoito & Vacca, 2020), such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Though the integration of SNSs into the curriculum in secondary education is still being fine-tuned, many educators have adopted them into their teaching strategies because of their growing popularity in society and, more recently, due to the pause in traditional learning caused by the coronavirus pandemic (Cavus et al., 2021; Iivari, 2020). However, concerns about a need for more guidelines on how SNSs should be integrated, their effectiveness, and teachers' preparedness are apparent (Pedler et al., 2020; Van Den Beemt et al., 2020). The study aimed to determine teachers' perceptions of the impact SNSs as pedagogical tools have on student engagement. A secondary purpose was to determine whether teacher perceptions of student engagement when SNSs were used as a pedagogical tool differed based on their years of experience, assignment integration, the type of SNS(s) used, and time spent per week using SNSs for varying assignments. Title 1 high school teachers were surveyed and answered a series of 5-point Likert scale questions rating their level of agreement with statements about SNSs as pedagogical tools and teachers' perception of their impact on different engagement indicators. The sum of the resp (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Donis Toler (Committee Chair); Matthew Barclay (Committee Member); Valerie Storey (Committee Member) Subjects: Education Policy; Educational Technology; Educational Theory; Secondary Education; Teaching

  • 17. Wagner, Amiee Perceived Usability Evaluation Of Hands-On And Virtual Science Laboratories: Using The System Usability Scale (SUS) To Determine Adult Learners' Preferred At-Home Laboratory Experience

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

    Despite an extensive amount of research examining students' perceptions of alternative laboratory experiences, little focus has been aimed at the perceptions of adult learners. This two-phase mixed-methods study investigated the preferred at-home laboratory experience, and the factors that played a significant role in the user experiences, of adult learners in an online, undergraduate science course. A modified version of Brooke's (1996) System Usability Scale (SUS) was utilized in Phase I (quasi-experimental crossover phase); students self-selected between an at-home hands-on (AHHO) and virtual (VL) laboratory experience in Phase II. The SUS is a normed, validated, product-agnostic questionnaire that measures the quality of the user experience based on factors that support adult learners' needs (effectiveness, efficiency, engagement, error tolerance, ease of use, and self-efficacy). Both phases showed no significant difference in preference for the AHHO or VL experience; and both the quantitative and qualitative strands showed that effectiveness, engagement, and ease of use were the most important factors for a good laboratory experience. The findings imply that the laboratory medium (AHHO or VL) is not as important to adult learners as the clarity of the laboratory instructions and the usability of the laboratory materials; and that a blend of AHHO and VL experiences would be the most beneficial to learners. Moreover, as the self-selection and crossover data arrived at the same conclusion, the modified SUS proved to be an effective instrument to measure the perceived usability, its sub-factors, and the quality of the user experience for laboratory experiments.
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    Committee: Valerie Storey (Committee Chair); Patrick Bennett (Committee Member); Bora Pajo (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Curriculum Development; Education; Higher Education; Science Education

  • 18. Evans, Kaitlyn Exploring the Perceptions of Ohio Agriscience Education Teachers on Mental Health Wellness in Their Schools

    Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2022, Agricultural and Extension Education

    This descriptive study explored the perceptions of Ohio agriscience education teachers on mental health wellness in their schools. This study will specifically focus on agricultural education teachers' perceptions, roles, and impacts of their program on student mental health wellness. The purpose of this study of this study is to explore School Based Agricultural Education teacher's perceptions of mental health among their agricultural education students. Participant data were collected from Ohio School Based Agricultural Education teachers who are currently teaching in the pathway AO Agribusiness and Production Systems. The results indicated that schools do not go beyond supporting the student within school, including their family and community, and that most teachers believe in supporting student mental health wellness. The results also indicated that teachers perceive students' mental wellness improving because of their agricultural education program. However, conflicting views were found in agricultural education teachers identifying and supporting mental wellness. Future research should seek to explore data related to mental health wellness in other pathways in agricultural education, explore how teacher education programs prepare preservice teachers to manage mental health wellness in their classrooms, explore if years of teaching experience correlates with comfort level of managing student mental health wellness in classroom, and what additional resources schools need to promote mental health wellness. The results of this study should be used in teacher preparation programs and professional development events with school district and agricultural education associations.
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    Committee: Caryn Filson (Committee Member); Jeff King (Advisor) Subjects: Agricultural Education; Mental Health

  • 19. Sharshan, Kimberly My Teacher and Me: A Mixed-Methods Study Comparing Teacher Perceptions and Student Illustrations of their Caring Experiences

    Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2022, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

    Current educational practices acknowledge student and staff social-emotional needs; however, there is also an emphasis placed on student compliance and achievement. Impersonal, test-driven approaches and the recent demands of a teaching career can cause teacher-student relationships to suffer. The emphasis on data, rigor, and accountability, together with increased public scrutiny, leaves little time for teachers to focus on compassion and care. The intent of the current mixed-methods study is to consider the phenomenon of caring and the interrelated perceptions from both teachers and students. An additional outcome of this study is to inform teachers of how their competency of care in the classroom is perceived by their students, particularly those at-risk. The current study took place in a highly-rated public school district located in Northeast Ohio. An adaptation of the Pianta Student-Teacher Relationship Scale was used to collect the quantitative data from teachers disclosing 41 student profiles. Utilizing a pre-existing student drawing task, 283 first through fourth-grade student drawings were explored to determine a correlation, if any, between students at-risk and their typical-learning peers regarding their perception of teacher care. As a result of the qualitative analysis, four themes of caring-uncaring behaviors emerged: nice, kind, and helpful, mad and yells, teaches content, and praises students. The drawing-task results propose that student discernment of teacher care does not always align with educator beliefs. However, descriptive statistical data indicates that there is no association between a child's risk status, a child's grade, and a child's artwork depictions. By giving voice to students, especially learners in need, it is the hope that this study will bring awareness to not only the barriers that may mitigate teacher care but to the importance of caring for students, and to the significance of understanding how teachers' expressions (open full item for complete abstract)
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    Committee: Karen Larwin PhD (Committee Chair); Sherri Harper Woods DM (Committee Member); Carrie Jackson EdD (Committee Member); Patrick Spearman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Leadership; Educational Theory; Elementary Education; Pedagogy; Teacher Education; Teaching

  • 20. Pettiegrew, Robin AN EXPLORATION OF POSITIVE BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS IMPACT ON DISCIPLINE, ACHIEVEMENT, AND PERCEPTIONS OF SCHOOL CLIMATE IN AN URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICT

    Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2021, College of Education and Human Services

    As the call for reducing school suspensions and academic achievement improvement moves across the country, schools are responsible for implementing discipline restructure and academic growth programs. In various research studies, positive student and school behavior outcomes have been associated with Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) since its implementation in schools in the late 1990s. However, additional research in understanding the impact of PBIS practices on reported school suspension, school climate perceptions, and student academic achievement (i.e., standardized test scores) would be useful. This study could potentially contribute to the literature and fill a gap not yet explored on the relationship between PBIS implementation and discipline practices impacting African American students, school climate perceptions, and student achievement. School officials can utilize this study's findings to determine their dedication and commitment to PBIS as a behavior intervention within school systems. Utilizing data collected from a large urban school district in Ohio, this study will examine the association between PBIS implementation, the suspension rate of all students, individual student achievement, and school climate perceptions while emphasizing PBIS' impact on African American students. The research data in this study will focus on grade levels elementary through high school. The data will be analyzed using linear regressions. Limitations of this study will be discussed.
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    Committee: Frederick Hampton (Advisor); Frederick Hampton (Committee Chair); Mittie Jones (Committee Member); Mark Freeman (Committee Member); Dakota King-White (Committee Member); Adam Voight (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Leadership