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Implementation of a Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention to Lower Perceived Stress Levels in Undergraduate Nursing Students
Get PDFThis project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing stress levels and improving academic performance among nursing students. Participants’ demographic information was be collected using a custom-generated questionnaire. The Perceived Stress Scale was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the mindfulness intervention. The project participants were selected from a convenience sample of full-time nursing students enrolled in either the Licensed Vocational Nurse Transition Program or the Associate Degree Nursing program at the project site with a device compatible with the mindfulness application. The research procedures included informed consent and the use of a mindfulness application daily for 10 minutes over 6 weeks. The investigator conducted pre- and postintervention assessments, along with a demographic survey. The collected data were analyzed to conclude the effects of the intervention
EFFECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MASTERY GRADING IN AN INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY COURSE
Get PDFThe purpose of this mixed methods, exploratory study is to investigate what happens when mastery grading is implemented for summative assessments in a majors introductory biology course. Summative assessments included an initial Learning Objective (LO) exam and the opportunity for students to earn a retake exam. First and second iterations of the LO exams covered the same material but did not have the same questions.
Components of this study included a qualitative analysis of students’ perceptions of the mastery grading structure as well as quantitative analyses to determine whether correlations exist between factors such as SAT/ACT scores and degree of grade improvement. Quantitative analyses are also included to assess the extent to which retesting improved exam scores
Dismantling Barriers: Exploring Effective Support Systems for African American Success in STEM at Community Colleges
Get PDFThis dissertation explores the barriers and effective support systems for African American male students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at community colleges. Given that African Americans represent a significant portion of community college students but a disproportionately small percentage of STEM graduates, this research sought to identify the factors contributing to this disparity. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the support systems that can enhance academic and social success for African American men STEM majors. Questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and archival records were the data collection methods used to examine African American male students at a predominantly White community college in Texas. The findings reveal that mentoring, faculty relationships, peer support, and institutional resources play crucial roles in student retention and success. This study also underscores the impact of community college environments and social networks on the persistence and transfer rates of these students. The results highlight the need for tailored support systems that address both academic and social challenges, aiming to increase STEM graduation rates among African American male students. This research contributes to the broader discussion on diversifying the STEM workforce and offering recommendations for community colleges to implement effective strategies that foster the success of African American students in STEM fields
Impacts of Class Size on Online Students’ Academic Achievements and Cost of Instruction
Get PDFThis research was designed to assess the impacts of class size on online students’ academic achievements and the cost of instruction in the online learning environment. Two research questions revolved around this purpose. Since the 1950s, class size research has focused more on traditional but little on the online learning environment. Therefore, this research addressed this knowledge gap by focusing on the online learning environment. Pritchard and Woollard’s (2010) classroom dynamics and Blum’s (2005) connectedness theories served as the theoretical frameworks for this research. The research employed an ex post facto comparative design using random samples to determine if there were significant differences between small and large classes concerning academic achievements and the cost of instruction. IBM SPSS Statistics software was used to analyze the data, and the Mann–Whitney U test was used to interpret the results. Class size had a moderately significant impact on online students’ academic achievements, as measured by the graduation rates within 4 years, and a statistically significant impact on the cost of instruction, as measured by the instructional expenditures per student. The results confirmed that students in small classes had better academic outcomes than large ones, but smaller classes were costly. The results will have important implications for stakeholders, such as higher education institution administrators, instructors, student parents, students, and accrediting agencies. Keywords: academic achievements, class size, classroom dynamics theory, connectedness theory, graduation rate within 4 years, instructional expenditures per student, large class, small class, and stakeholder
Oral history interview with Tracy Klimisch
Get PDFAbstract provided by interviewer Amanda Klimisch.
Tracy Klimisch attended Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas from 1985-1990. This oral history interview takes a look into the experiences of a former student at Abilene Christian University in the late 1980s, focusing on dormitory rules, student expectations, and gender roles during that time. The interviewee, Tracy, speaks about the strict regulations surrounding dormitory life, including curfews, visitation policies, and dress codes, which were influenced by the university\u27s Christian values. She also discusses the expectations placed on students in terms of behavior and academic performance. Tracy also reflects on past gender roles at ACU.
This interview provides primary source information on ACUs student life, dormitory rules, and student expectations during the late 1980s
“Christ for the World We Sing”: What Twentieth-Century Churches of Christ Sang about Missions
Get PDFWhat twentieth-century members of acapella Churches of Christ sang to one another about missions informed, reinforced, and reflected congregational perspectives and practices. Fifty-four missions hymns from hymnals used within Churches of Christ suggest thirty-nine themes that encourage urgent and empathetic responses to spiritual distress, near and far. Hymns resonate with the trajectories of missions among Churches of Christ and provide insight into the ethos of congregations
Oral history interview with Amy Boone
Get PDFAbstract provided by interviewer Molly Fortner.
Amy Boone attended Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas from 1988 to 1992. She graduated with a communications degree and currently works as both a Teaching and Learning Specialist and an adjunct professor on campus. ACU prides itself on cultivating spiritual and intellectual growth for its students, and preparing them for Christian leadership in the world outside of campus. Throughout this interview, Mrs. Boone touches on how heavily influenced ACU was by traditional viewpoints of the Church of Christ, and how these influences affected student life in relation to gender and sexuality. She denotes her personal experiences with defying gender norms and discusses women\u27s roles on campus, at church, in leadership and in ministry, as well as describing her exposure to dormitory regulations, the school dress code and code of conduct and how those differed for men and women. She also shared her observations on how little conversations surrounding sexuality were initiated during her time as a student. As a current staff member, Boone provides a unique perspective on the campus’s growth and development regarding gender and sexuality.
This interview is a primary source that provides information on the gender roles of students and conversations surrounding sexuality at ACU in the late 1980s through the early 1990s and the influence of a deeply Christian environment on student life and expectations, in both the past and the present
Oral history interview with Joshua Alkire
Get PDFAbstract provided by interviewer Thatcher Graybeal.
Joshua Alkire attended Abilene Christian University (ACU) in the years 2006-2010. Mr. Alkire is now an adjunct teaching classes at ACU and is auditing the Gender and Sexuality History course at ACU. Before the interview Mr. Alkire provided a bulleted and categorized list of topics and events he would like to use in the interview. During the interview reference is made to this list from which topics of discussion are pulled. Mr. Alkire in the interview tackles a wide range of events and conversations had at ACU during his time. Topics covered include the SoulForce freedom riders, Sally Gary and CenterPeace, chapels at acu, dorm and freshman life, and curfews among others. Mr. Alkire seems to have been a person caught in the midst of a lot of events involving religion and sexuality throughout his time at ACU. He provides excellent primary source information on how students, professors, and the university perceived and affected matters of gender and sexuality on campus
Middle Management Role in Informally Managing Conflict, Incivility, and Bullying in Higher Education Institutions
Get PDFMiddle-level managers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) encounter various stress-related conflicts, including instances of incivility and bullying, yet literature on their role in improving workplace interpersonal relationships and suitable conflict-management training is limited. This article represents findings from the qualitative study that delves into conflict management through the lens of HEI middle-level managers within the manager-to-subordinate relationship. Through in-depth interviews with 10 managers, four overarching themes emerged: structural challenges, sources of conflict, conflict training, and managing conflict. Surprisingly, findings revealed that managers did not extensively apply knowledge from conflict-management training, instead crafting their own tactics and strategies. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of conflict management for HEI middle-level managers, shedding light on effective tools to navigate incivility and bullying within educational institutions
Impact of Workplace Spirituality on Turnover Intention, Employee Engagement, and Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Study on Allied Health Care Professionals in the United States
Get PDFHealthcare organizations may experience high expenses, turnover costs, and low morale, which may limit their ability to keep allied healthcare employees engaged and satisfied, resulting in high turnover. Yet, little is understood concerning the impact workplace spirituality may have on job outcomes such as turnover intention, job satisfaction, and employee engagement among allied healthcare workers in the United States. Job embeddedness and social exchange theories guided this study. An online survey incorporating workplace spirituality, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and employee engagement was administered to 133 United States allied healthcare employees. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to describe the data and determine the relationships between the variables. Results from this study indicated that workplace spirituality was associated with increased job satisfaction and employee engagement and decreased turnover intention among the participants. The findings of this study contribute to positive organizational and societal transformation by illustrating to healthcare leaders, administrators, and human resources managers that workplace spirituality seems likely to be associated with positive outcomes for employees and the organizations. Enhancing workplace spirituality could reduce problems faced in retaining skilled and qualified healthcare workers who are paramount to healthcare organizations’ productivity and welfare