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Job-Related Factors Affecting Special Education Teachers in the PK-12 Classrooms Technology Proficiency: A Predictive Correlational Study
No full textThe purpose of this predictive correlational study was to determine if a linear combination of job-related factors could predict special education teachers’ technology proficiency. The study is critical because teachers’ technology proficiency in a special education setting directly impacts students’ inclusivity, engagement, productivity, and achievements in the classroom. This study adds to the literature regarding special education teachers’ technology proficiency by examining specific job-related factors (experience, educational level, amount of technology-related professional development training, frequency of technology use, specialty, and job placement). The participants for this study were drawn from the population of special education teachers employed in pre-K through 12 public schools in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (this area is also referred to as the DMV or the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Region). The Technology Proficiency Survey for Educators (TPSE), created by Johnson and Christensen, was used to collect data for the criterion variables in this study. A total of 169 teachers were surveyed. The participants included teachers from the five service settings: resource, inclusion, self-contained, separate school, and medical placements. A multiple regression analysis was the primary statistical procedure for this predictive correlational study. The study found that education level and job placement are the strongest predictors of technology proficiency. The study contributes to a growing understanding of the factors influencing technology proficiency among professionals. Further studies might explore qualitative dimensions to better understand why specific job placements foster higher proficiency and how individuals experience and internalize technology-related professional development
Breastfeeding and Blood Pressure: Investigating the Association Between Breastfeeding and Hospital Readmission for Hypertension
No full textThe United States faces a public health crisis characterized by a high maternal mortality rate, with hypertensive disorders being a leading cause of maternal death. This quantitative retrospective cohort study examined the relationships between breastfeeding, race, blood type with Rh factor, and the likelihood of hospital readmission for hypertension within 30 days of childbirth. The study filled a gap in the literature regarding the immediate postpartum period, a high-risk time for complications. The study included 40,478 patient records from the University of Maryland Medical System between 2014 and 2024. Of these, 436 patients were readmitted for hypertension, while 40,042 were not. Data was collected from electronic health records and analyzed using Chi-Square tests of independence. The findings showed statistically significant associations between all three variables and hospital readmission for hypertension. Specifically, women who exclusively breastfed had a lower likelihood of readmission, while Black or African American women had a higher likelihood compared to other racial groups. Women with B+ and AB+ blood types also had a slightly higher proportion of readmissions. The study concludes that while breastfeeding offers a protective effect, certain biological and social factors are associated with increased risk. The findings suggest a comprehensive biopsychosocial approach is needed to address systemic racial inequities, which appear to be the dominant driver of negative health outcomes. Future research should replicate this study across multiple medical systems or apply a prospective design to better understand these temporal relationships
Exploring the Influence of a Faith-Based NGO on the Causal Agency of Children with Disabilities Living in Informal Settlements Outside Nairobi: A Case Study
No full textThe purpose of this case study was to explore the influence of a faith-based non-governmental organization’s (NGO’s) special needs supports on the causal agency of children with disabilities living in an urban settlement outside Nairobi, Kenya. The theory guiding this study was Shogren et al.’s causal agency theory as it looks at the fundamentals of self-determination in interaction with the demands and support available within a specific context. The central research question was: How does interaction with a faith-based NGO’s special education supports influence the ability of children with disabilities and living in an urban informal settlement to be active causal agents in their own lives? This was a case study design. Participants included staff members of the NGO and parents of students who had received special education services from the NGO. The settings were locations where the NGO provided special education supports for students living in a slum outside Nairobi, Kenya. There were three sources of data collection: interviews, field observations, and focus groups. Analysis was based on theoretical propositions and included a multi-step process of coding. Evidence was then triangulated to locate meaningful patterns. Themes that emerged from data analysis indicated the organization used a comprehensive approach, sought transformation through relationships, held conformity as a social value, and experienced remaining challenges. All stakeholders reported the organization had a positive influence on skills related to causal agency. Recommendations included suggestions for government investment, teacher training, and continued research in non-Western contexts
Exploring the Differences in Personal Transformations of Travel Types: A Comparative Study of Self-Efficacy, Grit, and Memorable Experiences Amongst Solo and Group Travelers
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative research study was to use survey data to explore personal transformations that occur through travel experiences, with a primary focus on comparing any differences of self-efficacy, grit, and memorable travel experiences between solo travelers and those who traveled with a group or companion. A correlational and quasi-experimental design was used consisting of online survey data using measurements of general self-efficacy, grit, and memorable traveling experiences from 128 participants (61 solo and 67 group travelers). Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and multivariate analyses of variance were used to analyze the relationships and differences between the study variables. Although results indicated no significant differences between the two groups on the combined variables of self-efficacy, grit, and memorable travel experiences, follow-up univariate analysis revealed a statistically significant difference in memorable travel experiences. Solo travelers reported statistically more memorable experiences (M = 6.26, SD = 0.60) than group travelers (MD = 5.94, SD = 0.85). Additionally, correlational analyses revealed positive relationships among the three constructs. The findings contribute to the understanding of transformative learning theory and self-efficacy theory by suggesting that memorable travel can be tied to personal growth. Implications for the counseling and tourism industry include promoting memorable and reflective travel opportunities to help travelers develop lasting changes after their experiences
The Turning of the Years
No full textThis thesis explores the exquisite interplay of moments that matter in brief human interactions. The Critical Paper focuses on the contrasting literary theories of Reader-Response Criticism and Psychoanalytic Criticism, which illustrate the varying ways readers engage with written works. The Artist Statement provides insight into the origin story of the writer and the variety of influences that led to the lyrical field of writing. The Creative Manuscript features a substantial portion of the writer’s memoir. Titled “The Turning of the Years,” this memoir-style work is anchored by significant life events that occurred near the writer’s impactful birthdays. An undercurrent of the thesis topic highlights the numerous people and experiences the writer encountered, both at home and abroad, and how these brief moments monumentally shaped the writer. The reader is challenged to consider the people they bump into and how these seemingly insignificant interactions shape the fabric of their lives
Exploring John Maxwell’s 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication as a Possible Framework for Public Speaking Success: A Qualitative Content Analysis of the Top 20 TED Talks and Their Alignment with the Principles
No full textThe qualitative content analysis aimed to discover whether Maxwell’s 16 undeniable laws of communication are applied to the top 20 TED Talks of all time based on view count catalogued on the TED website and inform a framework for public speaking success. Through the lens of Fisher’s narrative paradigm of coherence and fidelity, while situated in Craig’s rhetorical tradition, which builds on ethos, pathos, and logos, the study examined the gap in workplace competence moving beyond theory to practical guidance. Additionally, the study was guided by three research questions that were answered in the study. Through an immersive multimodal examination of the videos, transcripts, and audio versions of the TED Talks, transferable principles emerged. The employment of an a priori deductive reasoning approach to content analysis and codebook capture, resulted in the emergence of eight laws. These eight laws provide a roadmap for speakers to garner attention, foster shared meaning, enhance comprehension, while building trust to achieve desired outcomes. Storytelling, Simplicity, Connecting, Visual Expression, Credibility, Preparation and Content form the core that when incorporated lead to speaker acumen. The study advances the McIntyre Model (Authenticity, Authority, Audience Current Understanding(ACU), Clear, Concise, Compelling, Imagery, and Intent) which frames the eight laws that support the design and delivery of a talk
Infotainment and Youth Political Perceptions in Pakistan: A Qualitative Uses and Gratifications Study
No full textThe research presents the problem of infotainment as a media genre and its contribution to the political perceptions, civic behavior, and cultural attitudes of youth in Pakistan. The uses and gratifications theory, situated within the sociopsychological tradition and the transmission model of communication formed the basis of the research where the integration of information and entertainment was viewed as a process that changes the political awareness among the youth. A qualitative exploratory research design was utilized. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with students at the university who participated in the study because of purposive selection. NVivo software was used to conduct thematic analysis which identified six major themes and subthemes that were repeated as they relied on political exposure, engagement, and distrust in mainstream news. The results indicated that infotainment offers an easy point of entry to political debate through its presentation of complex matters in an amusing, familiar, and emotionally relatable manner. The respondents indicated that through these programs they were more aware of politics, debate was encouraged, and their perception of media content became more critical. Nevertheless, the research also revealed that infotainment can simplify or sensationalize politics thus leading to a biased knowledge of political phenomenon and creating distrust of traditional journalism. On the whole, the study shows that infotainment performs two roles simultaneously: it facilitates the increase in the democratic involvement, and at the same time, encourages shallow understanding of the political reality
Childhood Trauma and Adult Psychological Disorders: A Case Study
No full textChildhood trauma including experiences of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect and exposure to violence has been widely recognized as a significant risk factor for the development of psychological disorders in adulthood. Such early life adversities can disrupt emotional, cognitive, and social development which can contribute to long-term mental health challenges. This qualitative study aimed to explore and understand how childhood trauma influenced adult psychological disorders, not only by examining direct impacts but also by identifying perceived moderating factors that shaped incarcerated individuals’ outcomes. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research investigated the lived experiences of adult incarcerated males who have experienced childhood trauma and subsequently developed a psychological disorder. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews that incorporated a set of predetermined questions while also allowing open-ended responses for in-depth exploration. By identifying common themes and individual variations, the study aimed to contribute to the development of targeted interventions and prevention strategies tailored to individuals with a history of childhood trauma. Findings from both the literature and participant interviews consistently demonstrate that childhood trauma plays a central role in the development of a wide range of mental health disorders. Research highlights how trauma disrupts emotion regulation and attachment as well as brain functioning, often leading individuals to adopt maladaptive coping strategies
A Causal-Comparative Examination of the Impact of Male and Female Secondary Students\u27 Social Anxiety Enrolled in Blended Courses
No full textThe purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if a difference existed in male and female students’ social anxiety scores in the pedagogical approach of blended learning. This study was essential because social anxiety impacted students\u27 quality of life, affecting them long after leaving high school. The ramifications of social issues impacted future earnings, relationships, and psychological well-being; therefore, this study added to the literature on social anxiety and blended learning pedagogy. The sample was comprised of 79 students in blended learning with flipped instructions and 79 enriched virtual. All students were from a rural high school in North Carolina, grades 9th-12th. Data was collected using Google Forms administered by classroom teachers for the Social Anxiety Scale for E-Learning Environments. The results indicated that students\u27 social anxiety was not increased as a result of the classroom pedagogy. It was recommended that additional research be conducted on the impact of class and graduation
A Transcendental Phenomenological Study: Exploring Special Education and General Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy Teaching Phonemic Awareness to English Language Learners
No full textThe purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study described teachers\u27 experiences teaching phonological awareness to English Language Learners in New York State. The theory guiding the study is Bandura’s work on self-efficacy from his social cognitive theory (SCT). Bandura’s work on self-efficacy provided a framework to answer the central research question: what are the lived experiences of kindergarten through grade 5 special education and general education teachers regarding self-efficacy teaching phonemic awareness to English Language Learners (ELLs)? There were 10 special education and general education teachers who have a master\u27s and have worked with ELLs within the last 5 years. Purposeful, convenience sampling, and snowball sampling were chosen. Data collected through individual interviews and focus group sessions were analyzed. Collection results generated the themes of teacher self-efficacy. Empirical, practical, and theoretical implications of data analysis and recommendations for future research were revealed. The findings also suggested there is a need for professional development for teachers to effectively support English language learners in the classroom setting. In addition, the research indicated that not all teachers are equipped with the same support. These findings suggest that to increase teachers’ self-efficacy in delivering explicit instruction in phonological awareness to English language learners, it is imperative that school districts offer teachers clear direction and related professional development