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Title: “I MADE MY OWN LANE AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE, DROVE IT, BUT FIGURED OUT I WANTED TO CONTINUE ON FROM THERE:” A NARRATIVE STUDY ON THE HERO’S JOURNEY OF LATINO MALE TRANSFER STUDENTS.
Creator: Johnson, Ronald Romances, Salinas Jr., Cristóbal, Floyd, Deborah L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: Excelencia in Education (2016) reported that 21% of traditional age college male students were Latino males, second only to White males. The report further noted that Latino males are ranked the lowest in degree attainment – of whom only 20% have earned an associate’s degree or higher (Excelencia in Education, 2016). As an insufficient number of Latino males are graduating with post-secondary degrees, more research must be conducted to explore their educational journey from the community...
Show moreExcelencia in Education (2016) reported that 21% of traditional age college male students were Latino males, second only to White males. The report further noted that Latino males are ranked the lowest in degree attainment – of whom only 20% have earned an associate’s degree or higher (Excelencia in Education, 2016). As an insufficient number of Latino males are graduating with post-secondary degrees, more research must be conducted to explore their educational journey from the community college to the university and how to best support them through their transition. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative narrative research study was to explore the stories of Latino male students as they transfer from a community college to a university. To capture the essence of Latino male students’ stories through the community college transfer experience to university, the research questions focused on what motivated and influenced their journey through the community college to a university. The research questions that guided this study were: What motivated and influenced Latino males’ decisions to enroll in a community college? What motivated and influenced Latino males’ decisions to transfer from a community college to a university? How do Latino male transfer students describe their transition from community college to a university? In this qualitative narrative research study, 10 participants participated in in-depth, semi-structured virtual interviews and completed two journal prompts. To assist in triangulation and validity, participants reviewed the data for accuracy, and thick rich descriptions were used to provide breadth and depth to their narratives. Once the data were collected, it was organized through the qualitative research data management software MAXQDA and analyzed using in vivo, descriptive, and pattern coding. The conceptual frameworks that informed this narrative study were the hero’s journey by Joseph Campbell (2008) and transition theory by Nancy K. Schlossberg (2011).
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013922
Subject Headings: Transfer students, Latin American students, Education, Higher
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: “IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE MORE STUFF ABOUT INDIAN CULTURE”: AN EXPLANATORY SEQUENTIAL MIXED METHODS STUDY OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS’ LIVED EXPERIENCES, MATRICULATION, AND RETENTION.
Creator: Coulson-Johnston, Katherine E., Salinas Jr., Cristóbal, Vásquez-Colina, María, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand Native American students’ matriculation, retention, and lived experiences at Sunshine University (SU). Through a sequential design, academic profile, first-generation status, gender, age, campus involvement, enrollment status, and academic major were analyzed in how it predicts matriculation and retention of Native American students at SU. To provide a deeper understanding into Native American students at SU this...
Show moreThe purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed methods study was to understand Native American students’ matriculation, retention, and lived experiences at Sunshine University (SU). Through a sequential design, academic profile, first-generation status, gender, age, campus involvement, enrollment status, and academic major were analyzed in how it predicts matriculation and retention of Native American students at SU. To provide a deeper understanding into Native American students at SU this study centered Native American students’ voices as it relates to their lived experiences in matriculating and persisting at SU. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analyses (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007; Ivankova et al., 2006; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009). A sequential mixed methods design is conducted through sequences, in this study, phases, beginning with quantitative data collection and analyses and followed by qualitative data collection and analysis (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007; Ivankova et al., 2006; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016; Teddlie & Tashakkori, 2009). This study was conducted in a three-phrase process: 1) quantitative data collection and analyses; 2) qualitative data collection and analysis; and 3) meta-inference and integration of the phases.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013824
Subject Headings: Indians of North America, Students
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: “LIVING IN A BORROWED SPACE:” RACIAL EXPERIENCES OF BLACK MALE ALUMNI AND THEIR NAVIGATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DUALITIES AT PREDOMINATELY WHITE INSTITUTIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
Creator: Davis, Myron J., Salinas Jr., Cristobal, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: This phenomenological study examined the experiences of Black male alumni in higher education to gain an in-depth understanding of the aspects that facilitated or impeded their desire to persist to degree completion. This study situated the internal and external aspects that supported or inhibited Black male persistence. And, this study examined how Black male alumni navigate race and racism in higher education. Critical race theory (CRT) is used in this study to examine the lived experiences...
Show moreThis phenomenological study examined the experiences of Black male alumni in higher education to gain an in-depth understanding of the aspects that facilitated or impeded their desire to persist to degree completion. This study situated the internal and external aspects that supported or inhibited Black male persistence. And, this study examined how Black male alumni navigate race and racism in higher education. Critical race theory (CRT) is used in this study to examine the lived experiences of Black male alumni at predominately white institutions (PWIs) in higher education. The focus on alumni aids in implementing an anti-deficit approach to highlight Black male success. Anti-deficit research rejects the perpetuation of at-risk research, which presents Black males as incapable of thought production, lazy, criminal and violent. Instead, an antideficit approach illuminates Black male academic achievement and is strategic in replicating success for future Black male collegians. This approach was deemed necessary to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of Black male alumni at PWIs.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013721
Subject Headings: Men, Black, Education, Higher, Critical race theory
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: “WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MASCULINITY”: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF MASCULINITY AND THE UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCES OF LATINO MEN.
Creator: Camacho Jr., Lazaro, Cristóbal Salinas Jr., Bloom, Jennifer, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: This study addresses existing gaps in the literature concerning the undergraduate experiences of Latino men students as examined through an intersectional and masculinities-based lens. Due to a dearth in literature centering the exclusive study of Latino men in higher education, researchers are challenged to offer a comprehensive understanding of their postsecondary experiences and outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how currently enrolled Latino...
Show moreThis study addresses existing gaps in the literature concerning the undergraduate experiences of Latino men students as examined through an intersectional and masculinities-based lens. Due to a dearth in literature centering the exclusive study of Latino men in higher education, researchers are challenged to offer a comprehensive understanding of their postsecondary experiences and outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand how currently enrolled Latino men undergraduate students make meaning of their undergraduate experiences. Relying on the lived experiences of Latino undergraduate men, this study collected data through three sets of interviews (Seidman, 2013). The examination of data was considered through the Multilevel Model of Intersectionality (Núñez, 2014a), which allowed for the participants’ lived experiences to be examined at multiple levels of intersectionality and centered in social oppression and privilege. The findings center the role of the Latino family, navigating and overcoming pan-ethnic discrimination, and evolved understandings of masculinity. Recommendations include the incorporation of the Latino family into the postsecondary experiences of Latino men, discontinuing the study of Latino masculinities as a homogenous concept, and equity based institutional policies that center the intersectional needs of Latino men undergraduate students related to academic and personal success.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013694
Subject Headings: Latino Man, Masculinity, Male college students, Intersectionality (Sociology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A CASE STUDY OF THE COLLEGE CHOICE PROCESS FOR CONTINUING-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AT MIAMI DADE COLLEGE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
Creator: Perez, Georgette T., Floyd, Deborah L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: A review of the literature revealed the need to further explore continuing-generation college students attending community colleges. This case study sought to understand the choice process of continuing-generation, direct-entry college students who enrolled in Miami Dade College (MDC), a baccalaureate community college. This research was planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet was conducted during the pandemic, creating a unique context for the study. A total of 25 participants were...
Show moreA review of the literature revealed the need to further explore continuing-generation college students attending community colleges. This case study sought to understand the choice process of continuing-generation, direct-entry college students who enrolled in Miami Dade College (MDC), a baccalaureate community college. This research was planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, yet was conducted during the pandemic, creating a unique context for the study. A total of 25 participants were interviewed, including continuing-generation students, parents/family members, and high school personnel. This study used Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) choice model as the conceptual framework to address how and why continuing-generation college students decided to pursue higher education in a community college rather than a traditional four-year college or university. The study derived five findings: financial considerations, addressing affordability and cost in the choice process; family influence and support, describing the role family play in the college selection process; proximity and accessibility, addressing how MDC is a good choice for being “close to home” and being accessible to students who may not have otherwise accessed higher education; institutional reputation, and its importance in the selection process as related to students’ knowledge of MDC, transferability options, faculty and opportunities; and college preparedness, addressing the choice process in terms of student exposure, academic readiness, and college transfer preparedness.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013923
Subject Headings: College students, College choice, COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-, Miami Dade College
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A CASE STUDY OF THE POST DEGREE EXPERIENCES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE BACCALAUREATE GRADUATES TRANSITIONING TO UNIVERSITY MASTER’S PROGRAMS.
Creator: Lopez-Acevedo, Jessica, Floyd, Deborah L., Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs have proliferated during the past two decades but research on post graduate educational pathways CCB graduates follow is limited. The purpose of this multiple case embedded design comparative study (Yin, 2012) was to describe and further understand the experiences of CCB graduates as they explored educational pathways after they graduated from the community/state college, specifically post degree education. The study also examined if faculty in...
Show moreCommunity College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs have proliferated during the past two decades but research on post graduate educational pathways CCB graduates follow is limited. The purpose of this multiple case embedded design comparative study (Yin, 2012) was to describe and further understand the experiences of CCB graduates as they explored educational pathways after they graduated from the community/state college, specifically post degree education. The study also examined if faculty in master’s programs at universities are aware of the CCB graduates’ intentions to enroll in their master’s programs. A multi-case study was conducted in South Florida utilizing qualitative research methods. Building on literature from scholars about 2+2 Transfer, articulation of programs between community/state colleges and universities, and the CCB (Cohen et al., 2014; Floyd et al., 2012; Floyd & Walker, 2009; Ignash, 2012; Skolnik, 2016), as a conceptual framework, this study explored educational pathways for CCB graduates and the students’ perceptions about their experiences.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013712
Subject Headings: Community college graduates, Case studies, Graduate education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A COACHING CONNECTION FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS TO PREPARE ASPIRING LEADERS IN BUILDING AND SUSTAINING EQUITABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
Creator: Policastro, Katherine Rena, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Demographics of the United States’ school system continue to change and diversify. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is critical to the success of all children. Building and sustaining equitable learning environments has proven to be a challenging task for school leaders. Barriers that hinder equity continue to plague schools and are rooted in systems of organizational injustice. Research suggests that leaders who are able to utilize socially just and culturally responsive leadership...
Show moreDemographics of the United States’ school system continue to change and diversify. Meeting the needs of diverse learners is critical to the success of all children. Building and sustaining equitable learning environments has proven to be a challenging task for school leaders. Barriers that hinder equity continue to plague schools and are rooted in systems of organizational injustice. Research suggests that leaders who are able to utilize socially just and culturally responsive leadership practices build and sustain equitable learning environments. School leaders have a large impact on the equity driven practices that exist within the organization; however, research indicates that they may not be prepared to lead such practices. Therefore, supporting the path of aspiring leaders through coaching, since they will eventually lead the charge, has great potential to be critical in the success of equity in our schools, and was the focus of this study. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and describe the coaching relationship between the principal and aspiring leader in order to understand how this relationship furthers the development of the aspiring leader into a school leader devoted to building and sustaining equitable learning environments.
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Date Issued: 2023
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014355
Subject Headings: School principals, Educational leadership, Educational policy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Comparative Look at Student and Faculty Perceptions of Professors at a State College.
Creator: Duff, Suzanne M., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: Research shows that there is a disconnect between student and faculty perceptions in a range of areas. One area that has not been researched is comparing student and faculty perceptions regarding desirable and undesirable traits in professors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify what students perceive are the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect their overall college experience. This study also identified what professors thought...
Show moreResearch shows that there is a disconnect between student and faculty perceptions in a range of areas. One area that has not been researched is comparing student and faculty perceptions regarding desirable and undesirable traits in professors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify what students perceive are the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect their overall college experience. This study also identified what professors thought students perceive as the most and least desirable qualities in professors, and how those qualities affect students’ overall college experience. The findings indicate that the largest disparity in perceptions between students and faculty was faculty perception that students rate them based on class rigor and assigned grades, which were two of the least important qualities according to students. The largest similarity that faculty and students agreed upon is that students desire professors who are knowledgeable, passionate, engaging, and able to connect with students. Both groups also perceive that students do not like professors who are boring and monotone. In addition, students and professors agree that students perceive professors as playing an important role in their lives that affect their ability to learn, the grades they receive, and also impact their overall college experience and trajectory in life. The two groups differed when describing how professors’ undesirable qualities can negatively affect students’ emotions and self-confidence. Faculty and students were in agreement in a variety of areas, but they were disconnected in several areas as well. This is a problem as we move into the future. Cox (2009) said, “the traditional college student is no longer the typical college student” (p. 7), especially when it comes to state and community colleges. Professors would benefit from listening to students instead of assuming that their ratings are untrustworthy and based on how hard or easy the class was or what grade they received. The researcher asserts, along with others in the literature, that expertise in content area is no longer good enough to be an effective educator in higher education. Faculty also need to be experts in understanding students.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004967, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004957
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Teacher-student relationships., College teachers., Student evaluation of teachers.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A CORRELATIONAL ANALYSIS OF TEACHER JOB SATISFACTION AND JOB STRESS IN BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
Creator: Rodney-Hillaire, Renee, Shockley, Robert, Bogotch, Ira, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: This study aimed to analyze factors that predict job satisfaction and stress among Broward County teachers. A modified version of the WeBS survey was used to collect data on teachers' demographics, attitudes, and experiences related to job satisfaction. The sample used in this study was delimited to include only full-time teachers in Broward County Schools. Six research questions provided the foundation of the study, which was operationalized by Astin's (1993) input environment outcome model ...
Show moreThis study aimed to analyze factors that predict job satisfaction and stress among Broward County teachers. A modified version of the WeBS survey was used to collect data on teachers' demographics, attitudes, and experiences related to job satisfaction. The sample used in this study was delimited to include only full-time teachers in Broward County Schools. Six research questions provided the foundation of the study, which was operationalized by Astin's (1993) input environment outcome model (IEO). A descriptive analysis described the sample's individual and institutional characteristics and demographics. Correlational analyses were conducted to determine the strength of the relationship between variables. Finally, the data were analyzed using hierarchical, multiple regression. The regression model explored factors predicting job satisfaction and job stress among teachers. This study reported statistically significant results for each regression model. Statistically significant at p < .001, the factors that explained 55% of the variance in the final job satisfaction model included: How do background characteristics (e.g., sex, ethnic origin, and age), behavioral factors (e.g., openness, intrinsic motivation), and institutional variables (autonomy, student behavior, leadership, and school climate and culture) predict teacher job stress in Broward County? Implications for policy, practice and future research regarding job satisfaction and stress are included.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013959
Subject Headings: Teachers--Job satisfaction, Broward County (Fla.), Teachers--Job stress
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A few of us (algunos de nosotros): a multiple case study using critical race theory to examine lived experiences of Latino/a senior student affairs officers at selected public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities.
Creator: Mena, Terry, Wright, Dianne A., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine the voices of Latino/a Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) in terms of described challenges in becoming a SSAO and how the intersection of race influences their lived experiences as SSAOs at selected public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. Latino/a SSAOs are dramatically underrepresented in American colleges and universities. The lived experiences of this unique group have been ignored in existing empirical...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the voices of Latino/a Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) in terms of described challenges in becoming a SSAO and how the intersection of race influences their lived experiences as SSAOs at selected public and private two- and four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. Latino/a SSAOs are dramatically underrepresented in American colleges and universities. The lived experiences of this unique group have been ignored in existing empirical literature. A particular focus of this research was to gain a better understanding of how Latino/a SSAOs experience and respond to what they perceive as racism, if any, and/or other forms of discrimination during this experience. The theoretical lens used in this research study was Critical Race Theory (CRT).
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004392, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004392
Subject Headings: College student development programs -- Case studies, Minority college administrators -- Case studies, Racism in higher education -- Case studies, Student affairs administrators -- Case studies, Student affairs services -- Case studies
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A GROUNDED THEORY OF OVERCOMMITMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Creator: Adam, Molly, Bloom, Jennifer L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: This qualitative grounded theory study created a theory, including a definition, of overcommitment in undergraduate students at a four-year public institution. Although overcommitment has been studied for decades, the concept of overcommitment in undergraduate students has not been thoroughly explored. Undergraduate students can overcommit in a variety of domains, including academics and co-curricular activities. The central research question for this study is, how do full-time undergraduate...
Show moreThis qualitative grounded theory study created a theory, including a definition, of overcommitment in undergraduate students at a four-year public institution. Although overcommitment has been studied for decades, the concept of overcommitment in undergraduate students has not been thoroughly explored. Undergraduate students can overcommit in a variety of domains, including academics and co-curricular activities. The central research question for this study is, how do full-time undergraduate students define overcommitment? Overcommitment has been tied to several mental and physical health issues. With student mental health issues on the rise on college campuses, it is imperative that overcommitment in undergraduate students be explored and defined. This study included 21 undergraduate college student participants, who met the following criteria: (1) enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student; (2) identified by a higher education professional as committed or overcommitted. Data was collected through a demographic survey, as well as, 60-minute semi-structured interviews on Zoom with each student participant. Data were analyzed through three rounds of coding: (1) open coding, (2) axial coding, and (3) selective coding. Three major themes emerged from the analysis of the undergraduate students’ overcommitment definitions: doing too much, lack of basic self-care, and detriments to mental and physical health. After synthesis, it was determined that undergraduate students define overcommitment as “taking on too many commitments to the overall detriment of mental and physical health, due to the lack of basic self-care.” The interview codes were ultimately developed into themes to create the theory of undergraduate student overcommitment as evidenced in the Undergraduate Student Overcommitment Model and answer the remaining research sub-questions about identification, challenges, benefits, and social supports and strategies. The theory explains undergraduate students’ rationale for overcommitting and has six levels: self, family, peers, school, future dreams and goals, and society.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013829
Subject Headings: Undergraduate college students, Grounded theory, Undergraduates--Mental health
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A MINDFULNESS MEDITATION INTERVENTION TO DECREASE STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION AMONG MEDICAL AND PREMEDICAL STUDENTS.
Creator: Smith, Bridget Statler, Bloom, Jennifer, DeDonno, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: The challenges inherent in pursuing a medical education can leave many students at risk of experiencing stress and burnout. Premedical and medical students have been found to experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (Fang et al., 2010; Niemi & Vainiomaki, 2006; Vitaliano, Russo, Carr, & Heerwagen, 1984). The sources of stress for premedical and medical students include academic obligations, the financial burden of paying for medical school, and family relationships. If...
Show moreThe challenges inherent in pursuing a medical education can leave many students at risk of experiencing stress and burnout. Premedical and medical students have been found to experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (Fang et al., 2010; Niemi & Vainiomaki, 2006; Vitaliano, Russo, Carr, & Heerwagen, 1984). The sources of stress for premedical and medical students include academic obligations, the financial burden of paying for medical school, and family relationships. If excessive stress is left untreated it can result in negative health risks such as depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, and other physiological distress disorders. There are proven ways to reduce the stress levels of students, including eating well, exercise, and peer support. Mindfulness meditation is also known to be a useful method for lowering perceived stress and improve academic performance. This study investigated how participation in a 7-week mindfulness meditation intervention impacts the perceived stress, depression, and anxiety levels of premedical and medical students. Self-regulation theory (Fiske & Taylor, 1991; McClelland et al., 2018) was used as the theoretical framework for this study to indirectly discover if mindfulness meditation is a practice that can improve students’ ability to calm themselves when facing high stress situations and to focus their thoughts on a goal.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013415
Subject Headings: Medical students, Stress & Anxiety, Depression, Mindfulness--methods, Meditation
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Model for Improving Teacher Engagement Through Administrative Support.
Creator: Campbell, James C., Bogotch, Ira, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: School leaders in the elementary and secondary levels are continually in search of ways to raise student achievement. It is acknowledged that a quality teacher is the most effective means to ensure student success. However, school leaders cannot stop at hiring quality teachers. They must take steps to provide support for those teachers so they will remain engaged in their jobs. This research study sought to examine how various supportive actions by school principals can affect teacher...
Show moreSchool leaders in the elementary and secondary levels are continually in search of ways to raise student achievement. It is acknowledged that a quality teacher is the most effective means to ensure student success. However, school leaders cannot stop at hiring quality teachers. They must take steps to provide support for those teachers so they will remain engaged in their jobs. This research study sought to examine how various supportive actions by school principals can affect teacher engagement. It addressed the research questions of “Can administrative support factors predict teacher engagement?” and “Can teacher engagement predict student achievement?” This was accomplished through a literature review of the topics associated with teacher engagement as well as a quantitative analysis of responses solicited from high school teachers in a large urban school district in the Southeastern United States. The results indicate that administrative support factors can predict teacher engagement as the model predicted that a significant amount (54%) of the variance in teacher engagement was due to the predictor variables. It was found that the social events factor significantly predicted teacher engagement (b=.419) with the next highest weight being the assessment factor (b=.246). However, the study did not show a predictive relationship between teacher engagement and student achievement.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004887, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004887
Subject Headings: Teachers--In-service training., Teachers--Quality of., School improvement programs., Educational leadership., Teacher-principal relationships., School management and organization., School principals--Professional ethics., Mentoring in education.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A new look at distributive leadership in title I and non-title I schools: does distributive leadership impact student achievement and school culture?.
Creator: Givens, Keietta Latraill, Mountford, Meredith L., College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership,...
Show moreThe purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a difference in how leadership is distributed in Title I and Non-Title I schools and to examine the relationship between distributive leadership and student achievement in Title I and Non- Title I schools. Additionally, the study investigated the relationship between distributive leadership and school culture in Title I and Non-Title I schools. Finally, this study determined if the relationship between distributed leadership, school culture, and student achievement is moderated by Title I status. This study was significant in the realm of education as it explored distributive leadership, its working definition, and possible relationship to increased student achievement and positive school culture. A quantitative method, including three statistical analyses, was implemented to answer each of the five proposed research questions and five corresponding null hypotheses. A bivariate correlation analysis revealed there was not a relationship between distributive leadership and school culture; distributive leadership and student achievement in a middle school setting. Further, a moderation analysis determined that distributive leadership and school culture, distributive leadership and student achievement were not moderated by Title I status. Additionally, a t-test showed there was not a difference in how leadership was distributed within Title I and Non-Title I schools. A discussion of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations for K-12 were explained in detail, followed by suggestions for future research.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004022
Subject Headings: Academic achievement, Distributive leadership, Educational accountability, Educational leadership, School management and organization
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Phenomenological Exploration of Familial Entrepreneurship as an Employment Option for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.
Creator: Percival, Jennifer Pollack, Bryan, Valerie C., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: Individuals with developmental disabilities, especially those with high support needs, are less likely to obtain competitive employment through traditional means than their neurotypical peers. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of seven familial entrepreneurs who responded to the lack of opportunities for their loved ones by creating a business to provide them a job. Findings from this study revealed that familial entrepreneurship is a hybrid-type of...
Show moreIndividuals with developmental disabilities, especially those with high support needs, are less likely to obtain competitive employment through traditional means than their neurotypical peers. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experience of seven familial entrepreneurs who responded to the lack of opportunities for their loved ones by creating a business to provide them a job. Findings from this study revealed that familial entrepreneurship is a hybrid-type of employment that has similar characteristics to traditional pathways of employment, but is distinct. It offers a post-secondary option in an environment where individuals with developmental disabilities can develop work skills, have social relationships, interact with members of the community, and in some situations, earn income. The businesses also provide training programs, settings for evaluations and assessments, and become vendors of government-supported employment programs, expanding their impact from the person they are designed to support, to the broader community. Employees and participants at the businesses experience an improvement in quality of life, access to a supportive community, and belonging. For the familial entrepreneurs, the study found that they encounter an immense learning curve in the areas of industry knowledge; business practice; supervising, employing and training individuals with developmental disabilities; and how to gather resources and support. This study also revealed that more clarity is needed to determine if this pathway can provide long-term sustainable employment outcomes.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013252
Subject Headings: Developmentally disabled--Employment, Phenomenology--Research, Family business
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY: LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK PARENTS THROUGH THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IDENTIFICATION PROCESS.
Creator: Quinn-Lunny, Maryellen, Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: This study is an informative, phenomenological inquiry, investigating the lived experiences of Black parents and guardians through the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identification process. Through semi-structured oral interviews, parent questionnaires, and parent journaling, the researcher identified participants’ lived experiences. Data were collected, participant interview responses, parent questionnaires, and parent journal entries were analyzed, a list of significant statements was...
Show moreThis study is an informative, phenomenological inquiry, investigating the lived experiences of Black parents and guardians through the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) identification process. Through semi-structured oral interviews, parent questionnaires, and parent journaling, the researcher identified participants’ lived experiences. Data were collected, participant interview responses, parent questionnaires, and parent journal entries were analyzed, a list of significant statements was categorized and grouped into meaning units, and textural, structural, and composite descriptions of the phenomena were identified (Moustakas, 1994). Categories and themes, as well as perceived facilitators and barriers were identified. Review of the literature indicates little research has been conducted in investigating the lived experiences of Black parents through the autism identification process. Recommendations from the study are provided to inform parental training needs and supports, to assist in the facilitation of effective identification, as well as necessary recommendations for how educators and health care professionals can better support Black parents through the ASD identification process.
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Date Issued: 2021
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013853
Subject Headings: Autism Spectrum Disorder, African American mothers, Phenomenology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY: THE PERCEIVED EFFECTS OF A POVERTY SIMULATION ON GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES’ ATTITUDES AND SOCIAL EMPATHY TOWARD INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN POVERTY.
Creator: Green, James E., Bryan, Valerie, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Abstract/Description: The problem of the current study was the challenges experienced by those living in poverty can be propagated by poor attitudes and lack of empathy among the social service workers tasked with helping them. A key factor in individuals’ attitudes and empathy are their understanding of the experiences of others, as well as an awareness of their personal biases. While poverty simulations can help increase individuals’ awareness of personal biases and difficulties experienced by individuals living...
Show moreThe problem of the current study was the challenges experienced by those living in poverty can be propagated by poor attitudes and lack of empathy among the social service workers tasked with helping them. A key factor in individuals’ attitudes and empathy are their understanding of the experiences of others, as well as an awareness of their personal biases. While poverty simulations can help increase individuals’ awareness of personal biases and difficulties experienced by individuals living in poverty (ILP), little was known about how poverty simulations may influence the perceived social empathy and attitudes of participants who work for local government organizations. Accordingly, the purpose of the current phenomenological study was to examine the perceived effects of a poverty simulation on social service providers working for a local governmental agency tasked with distributing funds to assist ILPs. Specifically, the researcher explored participants’ perceptions of changes in social empathy and attitudes toward ILPs following participation in the Cost of Poverty Experience (COPE) poverty simulation exercise. Data were collected via semi structured interviews with 10 social service providers employed at the study site location, who had completed the COPE poverty simulation within the last 6 years. Data were analyzed following Groenewald’s approach to phenomenological analysis. The themes included: Participation in the COPE simulation influenced participants’ attitudes, participation in the COPE simulation influenced participants’ social empathy, and the system is broken, but participants feel disempowered to change it. The subthemes included: Developed an understanding of system flaws, developed an understanding of struggles faced by ILPs, uncovered personal attitudes/biases, the COPE simulation produced emotional reactions among participants, and the COPE simulation created empathy through simulated experiences of poverty.
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Date Issued: 2022
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013989
Subject Headings: Poverty, Empathy, Phenomenology
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE: INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
Creator: Tracy, Maria Calzadilla, Shockley, Robert, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education
Abstract/Description: Ever since No Child Left Behind in 2001 to the present, school accountability reform initiatives have concentrated on raising achievement. Critical to figuring out the relationship between instructional practice and student achievement is forming an awareness of the relationship from the perspective of school leaders—both principals and teachers—charged with improving student achievement. The study, a quantitative quasiexperimental design using the School Survey of Practices Associated with...
Show moreEver since No Child Left Behind in 2001 to the present, school accountability reform initiatives have concentrated on raising achievement. Critical to figuring out the relationship between instructional practice and student achievement is forming an awareness of the relationship from the perspective of school leaders—both principals and teachers—charged with improving student achievement. The study, a quantitative quasiexperimental design using the School Survey of Practices Associated with High Performance, representing instructional practices associated with improving student performance, collected survey data via social media from teachers, principals and other school leaders in Florida public schools. The SSPAHP grouped instructional practices into five domains: effective leadership, curriculum, professional development, school culture, and ongoing use of data for school improvement, which served as the predictor variables. Achievement data from the Florida Standards Assessment for the schools mentioned by participants in the survey functioned as the criterion variable. While 130 surveys were collected, only 84 of the responses reflected schools that took part in the FSA and met the criteria for data analysis.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013532
Subject Headings: Student achievement, Academic achievement, Instruction, Principals and teachers, Educational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A private school leadership perspective on highly qualified middle school science teachers.
Creator: Bogaski, Carolyn Siniscalchi, Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to determine how Florida (FL) private, middle school (MS) leaders define highly qualified (HQ) MS science teachers, and how congruent their definitions are. The study also determines how congruent these leaders’ definitions are with FL, national, and National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) definitions. Lastly, the study determines the major challenges these private MS leaders have in hiring MS science teachers who meet the NSTA definition of HQ.
Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004349, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004349
Subject Headings: Comparative education, Educational leadership, School management and organization, Science -- Study and teaching (Middle school)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Qualitative Examination of Strategic Planning and Process Improvement in Public Universities: Dynamics of the Relationship to State Funding, Competition, and Undergraduate Degree Completion.
Creator: Ford, Stanford E., Wright, Dianne A., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Abstract/Description: Public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are facing many challenges including state funding, competition, and maintaining the best possible graduation rate. This study: (1) examined the strategic plans and strategic planning processes to explore how, and to what extent, these tool are being used to address these challenges; and (2) explored the extent to which continuous process improvement is included in strategic planning efforts. A qualitative research design employing a grounded theory...
Show morePublic Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are facing many challenges including state funding, competition, and maintaining the best possible graduation rate. This study: (1) examined the strategic plans and strategic planning processes to explore how, and to what extent, these tool are being used to address these challenges; and (2) explored the extent to which continuous process improvement is included in strategic planning efforts. A qualitative research design employing a grounded theory approach was used in this study. The researcher reviewed the perceptions of the participants at each of four selected public institutions regarding strategic planning processes, including their beliefs with regard to process improvement as a component of the strategic planning process. Perceived facilitators and detractors of strategic planning and its implementation were also examined. Finally, the researcher sought to design an improved model for strategic planning in higher education that takes continuous process improvement into consideration as a basic component of the approach to planning. The dominant theme that emerged from the data analysis concerned state funding, as performance-based funding offers an opportunity to acquire additional funds. Graduation rate was identified as a core component of student success. Competition from emerging sectors was not a specific topic of discussion during the strategic planning processes. Forty-one percent of participants indicated that some form of process improvement structure exists at their institution, often related to accreditation reviews and was outside of the strategic planning process. 53% of the responses to the question, “What do you believe would be the impact of having process improvement as an integral component in the strategic planning process?” replied that it would be good or beneficial if it were carried out in a meaningful manner. Twenty-nine percent of the 53% stated that process improvement efforts are often performed for it’s own sake, and that including process improvement in the strategic planning process should be done in a manner that adds value to the strategic planning process and the institution. Through the analysis of the approaches to strategic planning examined in this study, the researcher offers a new strategic planning model for HEIs grounded in the findings.
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Date Issued: 2018
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005993
Subject Headings: Public universities and colleges, Strategic planning, Higher education and state, Education, Higher--Planning
Format: Document (PDF)

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