732 research outputs found
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Identifying Effective Cybersecurity Team Behaviors In Order to Transform Cybersecurity
No full textThe purpose of this study was to identify the team behaviors that cybersecurity professionals should possess to identify and prevent cyber threats, identify the organizational elements that should be in place for the effective deployment of cyber professionals to prevent cyber-threats, and identify the organizational barriers and solutions to effective deployment of cybersecurity professionals. For this mixed-method Delphi study, 25 cybersecurity experts were selected from the healthcare industry, actively employed at one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers (Kaiser Permanente) as well as one of the largest healthcare device manufacturers (General Electric). The researcher collected data, tabulated mean scores and consensus was established using standardized scoring. Based on the findings of this study and supported by literature, 1) being result-oriented, 2) having integrity and honesty, 3) accepting responsibility, 4) respecting coworkers’ opinions, 5) and having an acceptable degree of emotional intelligence are the top team behaviors a cybersecurity team member needs to possess in order to effectively defend against cyber threats. Also, based on the findings of this study 1) having a proper budget, 2) executive support, 3) a good work-life balance, 4) and an organization’s understanding of the value of security and privacy and their willingness to treat cybersecurity as an essential part of the business are the most important organizational elements that need to be in place to deploy cyber professionals to identify and prevent cyber threats. It can be concluded, based on the findings, that 1) a cybersecurity professional must possess a combination of behavioral traits, 2) the human resource team of an organization plays a key role, 3) educational institutions should have more classes focused on non-technical abilities, 3) executive support for cybersecurity and availability of needed cybersecurity budget are direct evidence of one another, 4) organizations need recruiters that have cybersecurity knowledge, and 5) cybersecurity leaders should take a risk management approach. Based on the lack of behavioral research data on cybersecurity employees and teams, further research is recommended to be done on cybersecurity teams irrelevant of industry and on a global scale
Alternative to Exclusionary Discipline: Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)—A Delphi Study of Riverside County School Districts’ Directors of Student Services
No full textPurpose: The first purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the degree to which Riverside County directors of student services or administrators who oversee student discipline perceive that positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) components reduce exclusionary discipline and promote a positive school culture. The second purpose of this study was to identify key facilitators and barriers to PBIS implementation within the school districts of the experts who participated in this study.
Methodology: Using the Delphi method, the first questionnaire allowed participants to give broad-based responses from which themes were derived to be coded, stratified, and then presented through a Likert scale for participant rating with the second questionnaire. The second questionnaire was provided to the participants with data from the themes derived from their initial responses along with a Likert scale to rate the importance of the themes. The third questionnaire required the participants to review the aggregated results of the Round 2 questionnaire and categorize the results according to the importance of each emergent theme using another Likert scale.
Findings: Expert consensus revealed that consistent communication of expectations and common agreement of language, rules, and expectations for all school areas were important to reducing exclusionary discipline; understanding and addressing student needs was important to a positive school culture, as was praising students for their strengths and expressing value for them; a lack of professional development (PBIS training) was important as a barrier to the implementation of PBIS within a school district; and a reduction of exclusionary discipline (suspensions and expulsions) was important as a facilitator to the implementation of PBIS within a school district.
Conclusions: Consistent communication and common agreement of language, rules, and expectations have the greatest impact on reducing behaviors that contribute to student discipline; understanding student needs has the greatest impact on enhancing behaviors that contribute to a positive school culture; a lack of professional development is important as a barrier to the implementation of PBIS within a school district; and reducing exclusionary discipline is important as a facilitator to the implementation of PBIS within a school district.
Recommendations: Research recommendations are a longitudinal case study of PBIS implementation in Riverside County, regional study of school culture, exclusionary discipline societal cost study (fiscal and criminal), regional zero-tolerance study, regional parental involvement study, regional behavioral student need study, and regional nutritional and basic needs study
The Effect of Professional Learning Activities on Implementation of California’s Quality Professional Learning Standards in Alignment With the Local Control Funding Formula Priority 2
No full textThe purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the professional learning activities that experts perceive are necessary for local education agencies (LEAs) to effectively implement California’s Quality Professional Learning Standards (QPLS) in alignment with the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Priority 2. The study also examined the degree of importance that the identified professional learning activities will have and those most likely to be implemented. This study involved descriptive statistics using a Delphi study method. The Delphi panel consisted of 18 experts in the field of education and professional learning activities. The Delphi study consisted of 3 rounds of electronic questionnaires. The first round consisted of an open-ended question to elicit professional learning activities that may be necessary for LEAs to utilize in order to effectively implement California’s QPLS in alignment with the LCFF Priority 2. Round 2 requested the expert panelists to rate the degree of importance and likelihood of implementation for each activity that was collected in Round 1. Lastly, Round 3 requested that the panelists review and compare their ratings with the median panel rating for each activity and change their ratings if they so desired. The analysis of quantitative data from the Delphi panel’s ratings indicated that 37 professional learning activities were considered to be of high priority in this study. Secondly, 24 professional learning activities received consensus on high rankings of importance, and 9 professional learning activities received consensus on high rankings of likelihood of implementation. Finally, 8 professional learning activities received consensus on high rankings of importance and likelihood of implementation. Based on the research findings, 7 conclusions were drawn. Further research is advised in the following areas: (a) replication of this study using a different panel with the same criteria, (b) a study to identify the effectiveness of specific professional learning activities that were identified to have high importance in this research, and (c) a phenomenological study at two or more school sites to examine the experiences and perceptions of teachers when engaging in collaborative professional learning activities at their schools of employment
The Effects Classroom Experiences and Student Conduct Have on a Teacher\u27s Self-Efficacy in Schools With Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this mixed-methods phenomenological study was to describe elementary school general education teachers’ perceptions of how their efficacy, as teachers, was affected by their experiences in implementing the PBIS framework. This study also sought to determine a better understanding of the skills necessary to impact all students while increasing teachers’ efficacy and their ability to carry out their obligations in facilitating student academic success and student discipline.
Methodology: Consistent with a mixed-methods approach, the instruments used in this study collected descriptive data and perceptual data from a group of elementary general education teachers from Riverside County, California. Through an electronic format, two different surveys were administered to participating elementary school teachers. In addition, principals of participating PBIS elementary schools referred teachers from their sites to participate in semistructured interviews.
Findings: Findings showed that the implementation of PBIS had positive effects on teachers’ efficacy, thus affecting their classroom experiences and student conduct. To understand teachers’ perceptions of how the implementation of PBIS was affecting their efficacy, the researcher first had to understand the teachers’ perceptions of how PBIS was being implemented at their sites. Findings demonstrated that teachers did not have a clear understanding of PBIS. However, teachers did understand and used the strategies learned through the implementation of PBIS. They included the opportunity to model, practice, and apply appropriate behavior and the strategies.
Conclusions: Teachers perceived that they were able to influence the three domains of teacher efficacy—student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management—and the skills within each; learn the strategies and supports to redirect student behavior; and influence classroom management. Findings from this study also revealed that teachers could redirect student behaviors by providing students with clear expectations, praise, positive student recognition, and rewards.
Recommendations: Further research should be conducted on the effects a framework such as PBIS can have on teachers’ efficacy
Perceptions of Restorative Justice in Urban High Schools
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine, understand, and describe the elements of restorative justice programs (relationships, community building, accountability, empathy) that high school principals and teachers in public school districts located in San Bernardino County, California perceive as most beneficial for changing at-risk student behaviors.
Methodology: The researcher selected a qualitative research design, a phenomenological study, to describe and understand the key elements of restorative justice from the perspectives of principals and teachers. Qualitative inquiry allowed the researcher to capture and understand diverse perspectives, observing and analyzing behaviors in context. Through in-depth interviews, the researcher provided a detailed examination of the elements of restorative justice and restorative discipline practices (relationships, community building, accountability, empathy), from the perspectives of principals and teachers in high school sites.
Findings: Analysis of the data revealed that restorative justice required the commitment of the entire school community to improve the culture and climate of urban high schools. The theme of relationships between students and staff emerged as the foundation for change and interconnected to the themes of community building, accountability, and empathy. Relationships, whether adult to adult or adult to student was the most critical element in changing the at-risk behaviors of students. Circle conferences, a key practice of restorative justice, allowed for school staff, students, and parents to come together in finding solutions to at-risk behaviors.
Conclusions: The researcher concluded that restorative justice has been instrumental in changing the culture and climate of the high schools that participated in this study. Key elements of restorative justice, such as the circle conference, contributed to successful student outcomes and decreased at-risk behaviors. In addition, the researcher concluded that through conversation and dialog during the circle process, students became more self-aware and gained a deeper understanding of how their actions impact the victim, school community, and themselves.
Recommendations: For future research, many schools would benefit from understanding how restorative justice and its practices create a more equitable school experience for all students. Eight areas were recommended for further study
Counseling Faculty Perceptions of Challenges and Benefits of Online College Success Courses in California Community Colleges
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the implementation barriers, quality of instruction, and faculty preparation of the online College Success Course as perceived by California Community College (CCC) Counseling. Furthermore, the purpose of this study was to identify and describe the challenges and benefits of delivering the Colleges Success Course online in the perception of CCC Counselors.
Methodology: A mixed method research design approach was conducted to examine counseling faculty perceptions of challenges and benefits of online College Success Courses in CCC. The data collections included online survey data techniques to determine counseling faculty perceptions of implementation methods. In addition, the study conducted semi-structured interviews to broaden the understandings of counseling faculty pertaining to training, challenges and online programs preparation for implementation. This study conducted research in four out of 114 community colleges. The 23 counseling faculty drawn for this study selection came from two districts: one in northern California and one in southern California. The chief investigator analyzed the quantitative, and qualitative data on counseling faculty perspectives on the challenges and benefits of College Success Courses online.
Findings: The overall results of the study revealed counseling faculty perspectives are vital to adoption or disengagement to the implementation of College Success Courses online. Additionally, this study determined CCC would benefit from investing in counseling faculty professional development in online curriculum training in three primary areas: (1) course enrichment, (2) course material and (3) pedagogical practices.
Conclusions: Based on the data analysis this study researcher concluded CCC leaders must remember that the implementation of College Success Courses requires integrated faculty development programs driven by institutional data on students, and faculty perspectives.
Recommendations: This study suggests successful implementation of College Success Courses online requires responding to counseling faculty concerns towards integrated technology pedagogical practices through local colleges’ investigation of counseling faculty perspectives on distance learning
Stress and the Female Superintendent: Contributing Factors and Stress Management Strategies from the voices of California Female Superintendents
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify personal and professional factors that create stress for California female superintendents, describe the strategies used to manage stress, and provide recommendations for addressing stress from California female superintendents.
Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological methodology is used to seek the inner feelings and lived experiences of California female superintendents. This phenomenological study used in-depth interviews to gather qualitative data to address the RQs. Data gathered on stress related factors and stress management strategies were analyzed and discussed. In order to maintain validity and reliability and minimize internal and external threats, the researcher used qualitative inquiry processes. These processes included convenience sampling, interview questions aligned with the study’s purpose and research questions.
Findings: Major findings include personal and professional factors creating stress for California female superintendents, as well as stress management strategies used to minimize both personal and professional factors identified.
Conclusions: Numerous conclusions were drawn based on the major findings, and from these findings, a list of implications for action were generated. One implication for action is that school boards should provide coaches to help superintendents learn to balance work and life time structures, manage priorities, and manage personal and professional stressors, among other implications.
Recommendations: Recommendations for further research are described in Chapter V, including duplicating this study for various target audiences including male superintendents in order to compare the differences between women and men
An Exploration of African American Male Community College Students\u27 Experiences Impacting Higher Education Matriculation
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this replication qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American male community college students concerning barriers that hinder progress and factors that influence academic achievement, as perceived by first-year African American males in community college.
Methodology: Ths research was accomplished by interviewing 12 African American male community college students who completed at least 12 community college units in northern California.
Findings: Participants presented information that racial discrimination and stereotyping, financial assistance, support from family and friends and lack of encouragement from some teachers/professors as a barrier that hindered their progress for academic achievement.
Recommendations: Further research is advised to interview a larger population of African American males who are attending a California Community College. It is further recommended that professors and administrators be required to attend diversity training sessions on a regular basis
