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A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study of the U.S. Army’s Performance Evaluation Process and Its Impact on Minority Groups: Bias, Diversity, and Military Readiness
Get PDFThis study analyzes the impact of the U.S. Army’s Officer Evaluation Report process on minority groups. Through a constructivist grounded theory framework, this research unravels the dynamics that influence performance evaluations and examines the Army’s ability to be a developmental organization. As the military sharpens its focus on identifying near-peer threats and updating the National Defense Strategy for large-scale combat operations, diversity and inclusivity policies are increasingly recognized as fundamental to military readiness. This study uncovers disparities that emerge from the organizational practices within the Officer Evaluation Report process. The finding highlights the implications for minority groups and the systemic impact on their career progression and sense of belonging. The study seeks to underscore the significance of addressing bias within performance evaluations to improve the U.S. Army’s ability to achieve individual and collective goals. This research contributes to the existing knowledge body by exploring the interconnections among performance evaluation processes, biases, diversity, and military readiness within the U.S. Army. The findings inform policy changes, training programs, and strategies that can lead to a fairer, more inclusive, and ultimately more effective U.S. Army
Stations: Do They Affect Students\u27 Learning in a Music Classroom?
Get PDFStudents in a middle school band class were taught using traditional strategies the first three weeks of the study, then randomly placed into station groups for the final three weeks where they completed a variety of activities at different stations. Data was collected through assessment rubrics of the musical concepts, individual and focus group student interviews, along with a student opinion survey. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, displayed using pie charts and bar graphs, and the qualitative data was analyzed using the comparative method. The findings indicated that there was not a significant change in the speed at which they learned musical concepts, but their mastery rate on each assignment increased, along with more positive feelings about the stations-based approach compared to the traditional teaching method
Assessing Nurses\u27 Knowledge of the Prevention of Pressure Injuries
Get PDFAbstract Pressure injuries are rated as the third most costly health problem, with deaths of about 60,000 in the United States due to complications annually and with a high mortality rate from complications. Incidences of pressure injury differ in various clinical settings, although the incidence rate ranges from 4% to 38% in hospitalization and mortality. Secondary complications among older individuals are approximately 68%. Pressure ulcers are injuries caused by unrelieved pressure, shear, friction, or a combination of all these to the skin or underlying tissues. Pressure ulcers develop from a prolonged tissue compression between a bony prominence and an external surface. They cause patients pain and discomfort and can lead to decreased quality of life, delayed healing, and prolonged hospital stays. People with medical conditions that limit their ability to change positions or those who spend most of their time in bed or chair are mostly at risk of pressure ulcers. The purpose of this project was to determine if evidence-based educational sessions provided to nurses would help to improve their consistent utilization of evidence-based assessment tools to perform comprehensive skin assessment, leading to a reduction in the incidences of pressure injury. Also, nurses should be encouraged to consistently use evidence-based assessment tools, such as the Braden Scale, to help reduce incidences of pressure injuries. The researcher used the pressure injury preventive bundle to provide education to medical-surgical nurses to help increase awareness in preventing pressure injuries using the bundle. The researcher also evaluated nurses’ self-efficacy in their use of evidence-based assessment tools to prevent pressure injuries in at-risk patients in healthcare v clinical settings. Participants’ post education knowledge assessment, practice, and attitude levels significantly improved after they received the education and training
Lost in the Identification Process: Where are Gifted Blacks and Other Minorities in Gifted and Talented Education?
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The underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students in gifted and talented (GT) education has persisted for decades, prompting a need for deeper investigation into the policies and procedures governing GT identification. The aim of this research was to investigate whether variations in practices for GT identification and the definition of giftedness, contribute to this underrepresentation. This qualitative case study used predetermined criteria outlined in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students to examine the contents of each district’s GT identification plan available in electronic or downloadable form using document analysis. I also used archived data from the Office of Civil Rights Data Collection to compile data to compare overall and GT enrollment percentages for each of the 20 districts. In addition to the document analysis of the district GT plans, I curated a questionnaire to delve deeper into the practices of districts with proportional representation using the OCR data, but of the five districts identified with proportional representation of African American or Hispanic students, none of the districts responded. The findings revealed that while there were no significant disparities in screening processes or the IQ and aptitude testing instruments used across districts with proportional versus disproportional representation of racial/ethnic groups, disparities were evident in the information available to parents about GT education. This suggests that communication practices may play a pivotal role in influencing the representation of certain student groups in GT programs. Interestingly, the study did not uncover substantial differences in district definitions of giftedness compared to the state\u27s definition, indicating that discrepancies in how districts define giftedness may not significantly contribute to the underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities. This study underscores the importance of equitable communication practices and transparency in the GT identification process, as well as the need for further research to explore other potential contributors to the underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students in GT programs. By identifying areas where disparities exist in information accessibility, policymakers and educators can develop targeted interventions to promote inclusivity and equity in GT education.
Keywords: disproportional, gifted and talented education, underrepresentatio
Texas High School Counselors’ and Advisors’ CCMR Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Descriptive Study
Get PDFIn the last 20 years, there has been a growing emphasis on ensuring high school graduates are prepared for college and career in the 21st century. This is especially true in Texas, a state that has not only instituted college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) policies but has also monetarily incentivized schools and districts for meeting specific CCMR accountability metrics. Although Texas high school counselors and advisors are responsible for ensuring students across the state have access to CCMR information, support, and resources, not much was known about Texas high school counselors/advisors’ self-efficacy as it relates to postsecondary planning or about the barriers these professionals face around implementing CCMR programming. This qualitative descriptive study addressed this need in the literature by utilizing a triangulated data collection procedure, analyzing responses from 22 questionnaire participants across the state of Texas, 11 of whom also participated in semistructured interviews. Data analysis showed that, although Texas high school counselors/advisors believe they understand state CCMR guidelines, inadequate measures of postsecondary readiness coupled with large caseloads, numerous noncounseling duties, and reduced knowledge in noncollege pathway options make it difficult for them to provide the support they believe students need during their postsecondary planning process. This study determined that Texas high school counselors/advisors’ self-efficacy around postsecondary planning could be improved with greater consideration for professional development and qualitative factors of postsecondary readiness as well as improved support for protected individual advising time with students
The Perceptions of Teachers’ Beliefs and Attitudes on Technology Integration: A Suburban Middle School Case Study in the South-Central United States
Get PDFSchools have been increasingly challenged with preparing students via technology based on changing standards for students achieving academic success. However, technology integration has barriers, often including teachers’ beliefs and attitudes associated with integrating technology in their classrooms. Therefore, in this qualitative case study, I attempted to understand better the perceptions of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School about teachers’ beliefs and attitudes regarding technology integration and how to use this knowledge to inform teacher professional development. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School via the Zoom teleconferencing network. Findings indicated that teachers, professional support staff, and administrators perceived that teachers who are more comfortable with technology integration and possess more knowledge and skills tend to use technology in student learning more successfully and with a higher degree and quality. Additional findings revealed that teachers, professional support staff, and administrators perceived that pertinent and timely ongoing professional development coupled with updated technological hardware and software could positively impact teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward technology integration. Recommendations for positively impacting teachers’ beliefs and attitudes toward technology integration included school districts allocating more funds toward technology-integrated professional development and providing opportunities for teacher-elected and teacher-represented professional development, including teachers having a voice in choosing the type and extent of technology integration training.
Keywords: attitudes, autonomy, beliefs, first-order barriers, perceptions, professional development, second-order barriers, teacher-driven, technology integratio
A Phenomenological Study of School Psychologists: The Influence of Implicit Bias on the Disproportionate Identification Rates of African American Students Evaluated for Emotional Disturbance
Get PDFAs advocates, school psychologists remain ethically responsible and uniquely positioned to identify social injustices and promote nondiscriminatory practices in prekindergarten through grade 12 public education institutions. Implicit bias and its influence on African American students is one such practice. In public education, implicit bias contributes to discipline disproportionality, differentiated teacher support, pedagogical practices, and adult perceptions and expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviors. These factors directly correlate to the disproportionate identification rates of African American students for special education and related services. Therefore, this phenomenological qualitative study examined the personal, lived experiences and perceptions of school psychologists regarding implicit bias in education and its influence on the disproportionate identification rates for African American students identified with an emotional disturbance (ED) in Texas prekindergarten through grade 12 educational settings. The research participants, seven school psychologists working as independent contractors, were asked about their experience with implicit bias in prekindergarten through grade 12 education, their perception of the impact implicit bias has on the disproportionate identification rates of African American students, and their lived experiences advocating for African American students when implicit bias materialized during the special education evaluation process. The materials utilized were two semistructured interviews, a reflective journal, and a focus group. Study findings indicate that research participants perceived implicit bias negatively influences the disproportionate identification rates of African American students with ED. Furthermore, cultural differences between school personnel and students, bias in the evaluation data, and the ambiguous definition of ED intensify the influence of implicit bias during the special education evaluation process. Consequently, school psychologists and other vii school personnel are urged to examine their implicit biases, identify and revise educational practices and policies plagued with bias, and attend professional development sessions on social justice and implicit bias. Additionally, as practitioners, school psychologists should remember the ambiguous definition of ED when interpreting evaluation data and make eligibility recommendations mindfully
Adjunct Faculty Perceptions of Leadership and Cultures of Engagement, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Value Through a Social Capital Theory Framework
Get PDFAt the time of this study, there were more adjunct or part-time teaching positions at colleges and universities than full-time or tenure track positions. It is predicted this trend will persist because it is fiscally beneficial to educational institutions; adjuncts will work for a quarter of the salary and with fewer benefits, no real job security, unpredictable teaching schedules, and no commensurate voice in faculty decisions. This case study expanded the understanding of the reasons behind contingent faculty\u27s perceptions of satisfaction and their decisions to remain in instructional positions even with the positions\u27 blatant inequities. According to Bourdieu\u27s social capital theory, a society\u27s status-related inequities can be transcended, so membership can collectively gain and retain enduring qualities for interpersonal capital. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand adjunct faculty\u27s current perspectives on whether they feel valued and supported by their departmental administrators because of institutional systems in place. Adjunct faculty were asked about their perceptions of leadership and cultures of engagement, inclusion, collaboration, and value. Similarities and differences amongst adjuncts\u27 perceptions were examined. Findings indicated that adjuncts perceive they are valued by various means including student engagement and enlightenment, opportunities to educate future generations, the work itself, additional take-home pay, and the depth of interaction and satisfaction with their department chairs. Consequently, it is the internal drive, the understanding and acceptance of the position\u27s defined parameters, and the intrinsic motivators that promote adjuncts\u27 self-satisfaction and continued commitment to participate as contingent faculty