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A Holistic Case Study on Leaders in the Division of Enrollment Services’ Experiences Implementing Interdepartmental Partnerships in Higher Education
Get PDFThe purpose of this holistic case study was to understand the experiences of higher education leaders in the division of enrollment services at a public research university who experienced departmental realignments or mergers because of performance-based funding initiatives. The study addresses the gap in the literature on the effect of change on interpersonal relationships in higher education. The theory guiding the study is Tierney’s theory on organizational behavior among college employees. The research methodology consisted of three phases. I conducted focus groups, individual interviews, and document analyses. The setting was a large research university in an urban city. There were 15 participants. The data analysis process consisted of coding responses into categories and examining the codes to identify consistent themes. The central research question guiding this study was, “How do higher education leaders in the enrollment services division describe their experiences implementing or managing organizational change in their departments?” The results revealed that stress and job dissatisfaction were minimal because of merged departments. There was some frustration related to high employee turnover which limited staff training and development. Participants generally attributed turnover to the growing student population and administrative work. Some employees mentioned that merging departments led to morale clashes
Utilization and Perception of Individual Performance Assessments Among Instrumental Music Educators in Northeastern Pennsylvania
Get PDFThis qualitative grounded theory study aimed to develop a theory explaining how secondary instrumental music educators in Northeastern Pennsylvania select, implement, and perceive performance assessments. Teachers need actionable data to determine the next steps in the learning process. The study design included twelve semi-structured interviews of Pennsylvania-certified music educators and a content analysis of any scoring tools or rubrics that they provided. The analysis process included open, axial, and thematic coding with the development of the core category and theory. Despite some prior research into performance assessments in music education, the literature lacked research with explanatory power over teachers’ assessment practices and choices. The study\u27s results yielded three main themes and a core category as a theoretical answer to the research question
Lightning Bolt of Liberty: The Legacy of James Otis and His Role as a Pre-Revolutionist
Get PDFThe research conducted for this project has examined the life of James Otis and his role in the development of revolutionary thinking and as a revolutionary leader in Boston from 1761 to 1769. Due to Otis burning all his personal and professional papers on several different occasions, this project relies heavily on primary source material authored by Otis’s political supporters and political rivals, such as John Adams, Thomas Hutchinson, and Francis Bernard, and the multitude of essays found in the Boston Gazette and Boston-Evening Post. Through these primary sources and many others, the researcher and his audience can travel back to 1760s Boston and live vicariously within the revolutionary period that led to the Revolutionary War. To understand the role James Otis played in the revolutionary movement in Boston, this dissertation examines the importance of his formal and personal educational pursuits of ancient history and the writings of the Enlightenment. Both avenues of study were influential in the development of Otis’s arguments against the Writs of Assistance in 1761 and his continued advocacy for the American colonists right to the same inherent natural born rights as Englishmen as if they had been born in England itself. A vital component towards understanding, or misunderstanding Otis revolves around the instability of his mental state towards the latter part of the 1760s until his death in 1783. The instability of Otis’s mental faculties often led to discrepancies in his ability to differentiate between his loyalties to the king and Parliament. Early witness accounts recognized that despite his genius, Otis’s mental deficiencies afflicted the man whom John Adams would later credit with sparking the flame towards what became the American Revolution from maintaining control of his behaviors, emotions, political allegiances, and oratory. By the second half of the 1760s, the shifting of loyalties led to Otis slowly losing his leadership role within the Sons of Liberty and the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he was leader of the Popular Party. The end of the decade found Otis’s role as a revolutionary leader in Boston come to an untimely end when in September 1769 a head injury received during a coffee-house brawl exacerbated the decline of his mental state and relegated him to a mere figurehead of the revolutionary period. Cast away to recover and recuperate on the Massachusetts coast and in the countryside, Otis would live the remainder of his days nearly forgotten for his role in the early revolutionary period. Seeking to recover and defend their friend and brother, John Adams and Mercy Otis Warren led the effort to ensure Otis was remembered as one of many in the cast of characters who contributed to the American Revolution. As the revolutionary period generation faded from history, so did Otis as the only major single-scope biography detailing his influence in the revolutionary period was published in 1823. Several dual and triple biographies have since been published, placing Otis on the same stage as his constituents, however the need for a modern biography on this forgotten revolutionary is necessary
Educated and Unemployed: A Case Study to Understand the Challenges Formerly Incarcerated Individuals Face After Release
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative intrinsic case study was to understand the phenomenon of formerly incarcerated individuals who have received a postsecondary degree while incarcerated, yet were unable to obtain employment that was commensurate to the degree earned. Sixteen participants in the United States were recruited for this study. Formerly incarcerated individuals and prospective employers gave insight and examined why formerly incarcerated individuals have an enormous number of issues obtaining employment after reintegration. The Tadros theory of change provided a theoretical lens for this inquiry and gave understanding of the changes that the formerly incarcerated needed while incarcerated to accomplish and obtain an education to ensure sustainability once reintegrated into society. The theory highlighted legal, environmental, and societal changes that will also be necessary for the sustainability of the formerly incarcerated. As an incarcerated individual, recognizing the need to enhance human capital is essential; therefore, accomplishing the completion of a degree in higher education builds that human capital with the hope of finding employment commensurate to the degree earned. The data collection included interviews, focus groups, and analysis of statistical and national archival reports that shed light on this phenomenon. Codes emerging from the data were developed into themes to create an understanding of this phenomenon. The data was synthesized, following the method outlined by Yin through thematic, narrative, and content analysis. Themes emerged throughout this study included the need for a postsecondary degree and the willingness to employ formerly incarcerated individuals
The Lived Self-Care Experiences of Parents of Children with Severe Intellectual Disabilities: A Phenomenological Study
Get PDFThe purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the lived self-care experiences of parents of children with severe intellectual disabilities (CWSID) who attend a special needs school accommodating children with various learning disabilities. Self-care is defined as a deliberate action to control problems that lead to an improved quality of life and good health. The theory guiding this study was the transactional model of stress and coping theory. The study\u27s central research question was, “What are the lived self-care experiences of parents of children with severe intellectual disabilities (SID)?” The qualitative phenomenological design allowed the data to be collected about the lived experiences of people in their natural settings, and a collective meaning of essence was created, including the researcher’s experiences and understanding of the phenomenon. Ten parents with children with SID participated in the study. Data was collected through individual interviews using semi-structured questions, journal prompts, and artifacts. Data analysis used Moustakas’s 1994 modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method of analysis. Four themes were extracted from the findings: loss and transformation of self-care, barriers that prevent self-care, benefits of practicing self-care, and coping strategies in practicing self-care. The results indicated that parents sacrificed their self-care, redefined and deprioritized it, as they prioritized their child\u27s needs over their own well-being
Impact of Education for Bedside Nurses in a Community Hospital to Increase Intent or Utilization of a Career Ladder Advancement Tool
No full textThis scholarly project is centered on lack of engagement in a new career ladder program. This project includes the creation of career ladder education with an intent to help with understanding, support, and engagement of the nursing caregivers. Education was created to propel the work of the career ladder within a small rural hospital. The program is 12 weeks long and covers eligibility criteria, activity details, technology education, and one-on-one support for understanding of the career ladder program. The hopes for the educational program were to increase nursing satisfaction, with the intent to stay with the organization, and foster participation in career ladder for professional development. The hopes for institution of the education are that caregivers feel supported by their leaders in completing the career ladder challenge and are successful in the submission for professional growth. A survey pre-education implementation will be compared to post-education implementation to assess whether the educational tools made a difference regarding the nursing caregivers’ feelings pertaining to the program
Citizenship Christian Values Education Empowerment in Papua New Guinea Through Integration of Curriculum, Funding, and Professional Training
Get PDFSince 2018, the Papua New Guinea Education Department has opened the door for Christian Citizenship Value Education, but previously, no organization has successfully addressed this opportunity. The problem is that the CCVE program in PNG does not integrate curriculum, funding, and professional training. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to develop and deploy the CCVE Empowerment plan. Through a survey given to CCVE teachers and multiple focus groups with six different CCVE leaders, the CCVE Empowerment plan was developed. The plan included a new organizational structure, the prayer model, the self-teaching student journals, sufficient funding, and applied creativity training. Five more schools conducting CCVE in Eastern Highlands Province at the start of 2025 were determined to be a successful outcome of efficacy. In 2024, the new organization Christian Citizenship was launched to integrate curriculum, funding, and professional training. The CCVE Empowerment plan has seen five more schools conducting CCVE in their provinces and CCVE empowerment spread out to five provinces from 2024 to 2025. Christian Citizenship Inc., with an ever-expanding group of passionate, actively engaged teachers, gives public school students an opportunity to become genuine citizens of heaven. The CCVE Empowerment plan has the potential to be applied to other countries internationally that are struggling to conduct CCVE
Technological Attitudes, Social Media Usage, and Work Ethics Among Educators
Get PDFThis study examines the relationship between social media use, technological attitudes, and work ethics among K-12 educators in the United States. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many educators to transition to remote work and online teaching, individuals have more online presence and social interactions. Understanding how these interactions influence the values associated with work is essential. The decision to utilize a particular social media platform for personal use depends on educators’ individual needs, preferences, and circumstances. Positive and negative attitudes toward technology usage and dependence on technology were examined. The researcher found a negative correlation between technological attitudes and social media usage. But no correlation was found between attitudes toward technology and with work ethics. Social media usage was found to be higher among females, non-White individuals, and those in the 18-25 age group. Social media use decreases with the number of years spent teaching. This study revealed more positive attitudes toward technology among male participants. However, attitudes towards technology decreased with the number of years active as an educator. A negative correlation between attitudes toward technology and media usage was found. But no correlation was found between attitudes and work ethics. Similarly, media usage negatively correlated with work ethics
La contextualización de las misiones cristianas en Quito, Ecuador: Celebrar la cultura al comunicar la verdad
Get PDFSin un conocimiento adecuado de cómo contextualizar su ministerio en contextos culturales únicos, los misioneros no podrán honrar a la gente local, llegar a sus corazones e invitar a todas naciones a la meta unida de glorificar a Dios. Aunque bien existen muchos recursos sobre regiones amplias o aun continentales, pocos existen que ofrezcan una comprensión de comunidades específicas. Para rellenar este vacío, la investigación actual intentó recopilar información sobre una región especifica—Quito, Ecuador—y examinar las implicaciones para misiones cristianas actuales en Quito.
Para contestar estas preguntas, se realizó un estudio etnográfico cualitativo mientras que la investigadora vivía en Quito. Utilizando el muestreo de conveniencia, se recopilaron los datos entre los meses de octubre a diciembre de 2024 mediante una entrevista semiestructurada. Luego, la grabación en audio fue transcrita y analizada con el análisis temático. Este proceso reveló cuatro temas principales—la fe, la comunidad, el respeto, y la necesidad de tener un cambio espiritual—que se utilizaron para proponer estrategias apropiadas culturalmente para contextualizar las misiones cristianas en este ámbito
An Overview of Ghana\u27s Investment Opportunities for Virginia Businesses
Get PDFGhana and the US have a strong history of partnership in trade and investment. While Ghana\u27s economy is currently navigating some challenges, the country is on an overall positive trajectory of growth. To foster trade between the US and Ghana, both countries must work together to identify viable opportunities and recognize potential risks. In addition, the US and Ghana must find common ground and develop local partnerships to ensure mutually beneficial trade agreements. The purpose of this project is to identify viable investment opportunities in Ghana and begin facilitating connections between these opportunities and Virginia businesses. Specifically, Ghana has investment opportunities in the real estate, energy, agriculture, and education sectors. Several VA-based businesses could take the first step of investing in these opportunities on a smaller scale. For long-term and sustainable investment in Ghana, US investors must address the country\u27s infrastructure needs. A strong infrastructure creates the foundation for the growth of other key industries and helps Ghana develop into a self-sufficient economy. One challenge of infrastructure-focused investment is the added timeline for developing infrastructure and securing government funding. Future research could explore the possibility of a trade mission to connect VA investors with local officials and businesses in Ghana