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- Title
- VARIABLES THAT PREDICT SUCCESS WITH ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING STUDENTS AT A COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN FLORIDA.
- Creator
-
Miles, Linda, Taylor, Rosemarye, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this exploratory, retrospective study was to determine if student demographics and academic variables predicted student persistence and success in an associate degree nursing program in Florida and to investigate the variables in Tinto's Longitudinal Model of Dropout (1975).The sample population (N=304) for this study was students enrolled in one of the initial courses of the associate degree nursing program at Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC) in Daytona Beach, FL...
Show moreThe purpose of this exploratory, retrospective study was to determine if student demographics and academic variables predicted student persistence and success in an associate degree nursing program in Florida and to investigate the variables in Tinto's Longitudinal Model of Dropout (1975).The sample population (N=304) for this study was students enrolled in one of the initial courses of the associate degree nursing program at Daytona Beach Community College (DBCC) in Daytona Beach, FL from August 2002 through August 2003. Students were assigned to one of three groups (a) passing group, (b) failing group, or (c) withdrawing group. The convenience sample of (N=304) included: 242 students who successfully completed the nursing program, 32 students who failed a nursing course, and 38 students who withdrew from a course prior to successful completion. Demographic variables, admission and college science course grade point averages, and Nurse Entrance Test (NET) scores were collected on the sample population. Descriptive statistics were used to identify any unique differences that may have existed between the three groups, and multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the variables that best predicted success in the associate degree nursing program. Students in the passing group were found to be slightly older than students in the failing and withdrawing groups. The passing group had a higher percentage of females; the failing and withdrawing groups had higher percentages of males. The failing and withdrawing groups also contained higher percentages of minority students and students with English as a second language. Ethnicity was considered a significant predictor for student success in this study. Grade point average (GPA) score at the time of admission to the nursing program and college mean science course GPA scores were significant predictors. Students in the passing group had higher mean admission grade point averages than the failing and withdrawing groups. Students in the passing group also had noticeably higher mean grade point averages in all college science courses. NET scores were not considered significant predictors, at least for students who met the requirements for admission, and minimal differences were noted between the three groups in the study. The results of the study supported the use of variables identified in Tinto's Longitudinal Model of Dropout (1975) for predicting program success with nursing students. Individual attributes and pre-college experiences were predictors of student success for this sample, and demographic differences were identified between successful and unsuccessful students. Based on the results, the nursing department should consider placing more emphasis on admission and college science course grade point averages during the application process. A future conceptual model should include college science course GPAs, specifically anatomy and physiology and microbiology, and admission grade point average. Remedial or support services should be emphasized for minority students and students with English as a second language. Strategies should be implemented to retain men in the nursing program.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0001344, ucf:46978
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001344
- Title
- INFLUENCE OF PEER MENTORSHIP ON NURSING EDUCATION AND STUDENT ATTRITION.
- Creator
-
Gisi, Brittany, Heglund, Stephen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Peer mentoring is the exchange of skills or knowledge from a more experienced individual to a novice in the same field. Due to the constraints placed on nursing education, many students struggle to complete the nursing curriculum. This leads to high attrition rates within colleges of nursing. Without maximizing graduate rates, the current nursing shortage is exacerbated. This integrated literature review examines the impact of more experienced nursing students mentoring their junior peers....
Show morePeer mentoring is the exchange of skills or knowledge from a more experienced individual to a novice in the same field. Due to the constraints placed on nursing education, many students struggle to complete the nursing curriculum. This leads to high attrition rates within colleges of nursing. Without maximizing graduate rates, the current nursing shortage is exacerbated. This integrated literature review examines the impact of more experienced nursing students mentoring their junior peers. With implementation of peer mentoring attrition rates were reduced. Additionally, the research showed that mentees experienced an enhanced feeling of support and were able to learn more efficiently. Mentors benefited from the arrangement with enhanced leadership and teaching abilities. Instructors of nursing programs also benefited from the arrangement by having decreased demand for review sessions, which could be taken over by the mentors, and could focus on enhancing their lessons or other educational obligations.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFH0003778, ucf:44752
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0003778
- Title
- Overcoming Beginning Teacher Attrition.
- Creator
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Adcock, Jill, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Hopp, Carolyn, Vitale, Thomas, Ellis, Amanda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The goal of this research was to increase the retention of beginning teachers in a large urban public school district in Central Florida through the refinement of the current induction program. In order to understand the needs of beginning teachers, four key stakeholders were surveyed using an online pilot survey developed by the researchers. Beginning teachers, mentors, instructional coaches, and principals each provided their perspective and perceptions on the needs of beginning teachers....
Show moreThe goal of this research was to increase the retention of beginning teachers in a large urban public school district in Central Florida through the refinement of the current induction program. In order to understand the needs of beginning teachers, four key stakeholders were surveyed using an online pilot survey developed by the researchers. Beginning teachers, mentors, instructional coaches, and principals each provided their perspective and perceptions on the needs of beginning teachers. Through the analysis of the qualitative results, several commonalities emerged. These themes included discrepancies regarding knowledge and completion of district induction requirements, as well as between the implementation of school-based induction programs. Based upon the themes of the research and the literature on supporting beginning teachers, a framework was developed to meet the needs of the beginning teachers in order to reduce attrition within the large urban school district. The framework entailed the refinement of the district induction program and the development of a school-based induction program. The amendment of the district induction program included accountability for all stakeholders, three years of induction support for beginning teachers, structures for tracking the completion of induction requirements by beginning teachers, and training for mentors, instructional coaches, and administrators regarding the district induction requirements. The school based induction framework contains support for a beginning teacher's first three years including specific support by mentors, instructional coaches, and administrators. The framework has been developed based upon the needs of the large urban school district in Central Florida but also has the potential to be applied to any large urban school district. The nature of the framework is that it provides the basic structure and can be customized to meet the needs of any district or school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006242, ucf:51072
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006242
- Title
- THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADMISSION CREDENTIALS AND THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS ADMITTED TO A PHYSICS DOCTORAL PROGRAM.
- Creator
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Wilkerson, Teresa, Tubbs, LeVester, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The researcher developed this study based on the Hardgrave, et al. (1993)statement that for a doctoral student, it was "more than just standardized scores, previous academic performance, and past work experience ultimately affects whether the candidate will be successful in the program" (p. 261). This study examined both the subjective and quantifiable aspects of application materials to a physics doctoral program to explore potential relationships between the credentials presented in the...
Show moreThe researcher developed this study based on the Hardgrave, et al. (1993)statement that for a doctoral student, it was "more than just standardized scores, previous academic performance, and past work experience ultimately affects whether the candidate will be successful in the program" (p. 261). This study examined both the subjective and quantifiable aspects of application materials to a physics doctoral program to explore potential relationships between the credentials presented in the application and the ultimate success of the admitted students. The researcher developed questions with the goals of addressing the problem of attrition in doctoral programs and gaining a better of understanding the information provided in students' application packets. The researcher defined success as either enrolled four years after admission or attainment of the degree. This study examined the records of a population of students admitted to a physics doctoral program from the fall of 1997 to the fall of 2003 to determine their level of success as of August 2006. An exploratory analysis of the data provided answers to each of the research questions as well as an extensive understanding of the students admitted into the program during this time. This study examined both admission credentials and constructs identified by past researchers. An evaluation of the data gathered in this research revealed no relationships between these and student success as previously defined. In 1974, Willingham stated simply, "the best way to improve selection of graduate students will be to develop improved criteria for success" (p. 278). To this end, recommendations emerged regarding the decision-making process and suggestions for future research. This study was not developed to prove or disprove past research findings that predicted success from admissions information; rather, the researcher developed this study to explore each of the credentials that a student presents with his or her application packet, and to tell the story about the nuances of these credentials as they related to student success in a physics doctoral program.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001524, ucf:47154
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001524
- Title
- Second-Year to Third-Year in College: Identifying Factors in the Decision 'Not to Return'.
- Creator
-
Viau, Paul, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Haciomeroglu, Erhan, Griffiths, Barry, Ehasz, Maribeth, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this research was to determine if there are characteristics that can be identified as predictors in an undergraduate's second year of college that may forecast the possibility of students' attrition prior to their third year. This current research was based on the literature that identified the following variables as impacting issues of retention and attrition between the second and third years in college: Term of admission offer, type of admission offer (Roth-Francis, 2013),...
Show moreThe purpose of this research was to determine if there are characteristics that can be identified as predictors in an undergraduate's second year of college that may forecast the possibility of students' attrition prior to their third year. This current research was based on the literature that identified the following variables as impacting issues of retention and attrition between the second and third years in college: Term of admission offer, type of admission offer (Roth-Francis, 2013), home mailing address (Tierney, 2000), gender and age (Schaller, 2010), college enrolled in and major (Graunke (&) Woosley, 2005; Pascarella (&) Terenzini, 2005), ethnicity (Miller (&) Herreid, 2009; Sciarra (&) Whitson, 2007), first generation status (Paulsen (&) St. John, 2002), hours completed (Pattengale, 2000), overall grade point average and university grade point average (Gohn, Swartz, (&) Donnelly, 2001; Pascarella (&) Terenzini, 2005), residency status (Paulsen (&) St. John, 2002), and ACT score and SAT score (Miller (&) Herreid, 2009). The cohorts examined consisted of students who began their freshman collegiate careers in the Summer or Fall terms from 2009 to 2013, and had completed two years at a university located in a southeastern state. When merged, there were 26,957 rows of data collected.The results of the Multicollinearity and Path Analysis indicated, among other things, three attrition areas at the end of the second year. These variables included university GPA, hours completed, and major. Regarding recommendations, it was suggested to build a second-year advising, mentoring, and faculty/professional staff outreach infrastructure to increase the retention rates of second-year students who may be at-risk of attrition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006411, ucf:51471
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006411
- Title
- TEACHER ATTRITION AND RETENTION IN EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION: AN EVALUATION OF THE SKILLS, TIPS, AND ROUTINES FOR TEACHER SUCCESS (STARTS) INITIATIVE OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA SCHOOLS.
- Creator
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Speidel, Mary, Magann, Douglas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Teacher attrition affects the quality of services for students in K-12 education and poses an ongoing challenge for educational leaders, especially in the area of special education. Special educators leave the profession at higher rates than general educators. As a growing state, Florida has identified special education as a critical teacher shortage area. This study evaluated the Skills, Tips, and Routines for Teacher Success (STARTS) initiative of Volusia County Schools, a large district in...
Show moreTeacher attrition affects the quality of services for students in K-12 education and poses an ongoing challenge for educational leaders, especially in the area of special education. Special educators leave the profession at higher rates than general educators. As a growing state, Florida has identified special education as a critical teacher shortage area. This study evaluated the Skills, Tips, and Routines for Teacher Success (STARTS) initiative of Volusia County Schools, a large district in east central Florida. Implemented in 2001 for new ESE teachers, STARTS offered four days of training in policies and procedures, curriculum, and classroom management. Research questions addressed whether STARTS influenced retention of new ESE teachers. Because the literature cited age, ethnicity, special education program area, and grade level assignment as factors in attrition, these were assessed as well. Incorporating employment histories from school year (SY) 1998-1999 through SY 2003-2004, the study evaluated 771 new ESE teachers. Of these, 422 teachers did not participate in STARTS; 349 teachers participated in STARTS. The study reported whether they returned the following year to an ESE position, a general education position, or exited the school system. Contingency table analysis with crosstabulation was used to evaluate statistical relationships among variables. Effect size was assessed with Cramer's V and the contingency coefficient. All analyses were conducted with an alpha of .05. A significant difference existed between the retention rates of new ESE teachers hired before STARTS and during STARTS. In 2000-2001, the school year preceding STARTS, 54.3% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position whereas in the first year of STARTS, 71.1% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position, an increase of 51%. By SY 2003-2004, 89.7% of new ESE teachers returned to an ESE position, an increase of 65% from the SY 2000-2001 baseline.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000412, ucf:46409
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000412
- Title
- BEGINNING TEACHER SATISFACTION WITH EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: RELATIONSHIP TO ATTRITION.
- Creator
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Donnell, Derrick, Holt, Larry, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The United States Department of Education predicts that the nation will need more than one million new teachers by the year 2010 (U.S.DOE, 1996). At the same time, 43% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years of employment. Southwest Florida is experiencing a tremendous growth rate. This growth rate pattern has been predicted to continue through the year 2010. The school districts of Southwest Florida find themselves scrambling to build new schools in order to keep pace...
Show moreThe United States Department of Education predicts that the nation will need more than one million new teachers by the year 2010 (U.S.DOE, 1996). At the same time, 43% of teachers leave the profession within their first five years of employment. Southwest Florida is experiencing a tremendous growth rate. This growth rate pattern has been predicted to continue through the year 2010. The school districts of Southwest Florida find themselves scrambling to build new schools in order to keep pace with the growth. These new schools must be staffed with qualified teachers. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 coupled with the Class Size Reduction Amendment IX, has also increased the demand for qualified teachers. A child's teacher, next to the family, is the single most influential entity in their educational experience. A competent, caring, qualified teacher will make a lifelong impact on both the learning and development of a child. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that caused dissatisfaction for beginning teachers, and to determine if there was a relationship to attrition. A total of 99 full-time Southwest Florida teachers participated in this study. The number of teachers from Charlotte County was 20, the number of teachers from Hendry County was 17, and the number of teachers from Lee County was 62. Data regarding dissatisfaction factors were analyzed to determine if a significant difference was observable between the three counties. In addition, the study addressed the racial and gender variables between counties as it related to dissatisfaction factors. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the dissatisfaction factors between the races and counties. Analysis of the data suggested that there was no significant difference between race and county for any of the six factors. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also used to compare the dissatisfaction factors between the gender and counties. Analysis of the data suggested that there was no significant difference between gender and county for five of the factors but there was a significant difference observed in factor 3, Safe Equipment, for gender. The results of this study indicate that there are distinct factors that cause dissatisfaction for beginning teachers. The results presented in the current study offer implications that although a single factor cannot be directly linked to teacher attrition, it does suggest that a combination of factors may lead to attrition. This data can inform educators that supervise beginning teachers of areas of concern. Decreasing the number of dissatisfaction factors can increase the probability that beginning teachers will not leave the profession within their first five years of employment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- Identifier
- CFE0000214, ucf:46256
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000214
- Title
- AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNSELING SELF-EFFICACY AND COUNSELOR WELLNESS AMONG COUNSELOR EDUCATION STUDENTS.
- Creator
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Curry, Jennifer, Robinson, Edward, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Recent research in counselor training has focused on the difficulties and challenges facing counseling practitioners that result in high stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and counselor impairment. The American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics has addressed the ethical issues inherent in counselor impairment. Further, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has focused on the development of counselors that will...
Show moreRecent research in counselor training has focused on the difficulties and challenges facing counseling practitioners that result in high stress, burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and counselor impairment. The American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics has addressed the ethical issues inherent in counselor impairment. Further, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) has focused on the development of counselors that will assist them in being resilient to workplace stressors. Wellness is a theoretically based construct that holds much promise for bolstering the resilience of pre-service counselors. In addition, counselor self-efficacy has been linked to greater advocacy for self and others, the use of higher order counseling skills, greater problem solving practice, and more self-regulated, ethical decision making. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between counselor self-efficacy and counselor wellness. A total of 88 participants completed both the Five Factor Wellness Evaluation of Lifestyle Inventory and the Counseling Self-Efficacy Scale. Demographic and descriptive statistics were included along with a Multiple Regression Analysis. Results did not indicate a statistically significant relationship. Potential limitations, implications for counselor educators, and future research directions were elucidated.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2007
- Identifier
- CFE0001614, ucf:47187
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001614
- Title
- A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF SEVEN URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS RELATED TO RETENTION.
- Creator
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Dunn, Lu, Boote, David, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Background: Job satisfaction is essential to retain teachers in classrooms. Increased challenges in today's classrooms discourage many teachers from reaching veteran status. Teachers with a perception that they are making a difference appear to have more resilience in the difficult times in their classrooms. Purpose: To investigate the experiences of middle school science teachers. This study explored the influence of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences on job attrition and teacher...
Show moreBackground: Job satisfaction is essential to retain teachers in classrooms. Increased challenges in today's classrooms discourage many teachers from reaching veteran status. Teachers with a perception that they are making a difference appear to have more resilience in the difficult times in their classrooms. Purpose: To investigate the experiences of middle school science teachers. This study explored the influence of perceptions, beliefs, and experiences on job attrition and teacher satisfaction; and helps explain the cumulative effects that contributed to teachers' dissatisfaction. This study analyzed the intensification of the teaching profession and the increased emotional stress this causes for teachers. Setting: Five public middle schools in a large urban school district in central Florida. A total of seven teachers participated in the study. Subjects: Seven middle school science teachers were selected based on their years of experience, method of teacher training, and ability to participate in the entire study. Research Design: Phenomenological. Data Collection and Analysis: The data were collected through focus groups, interviews, journals, and classroom observations. The audio-taped portions were transcribed then analyzed with NVivo/NUD*IST, Revision 1.2 to find common themes. The initial themes were subsequently reduced for manageability. The teachers stories were separated to provide support as the themes emerged. Findings: Teachers who were more experienced by years on the job or more extensive initial training appeared to have more resilience for the difficulties in their job. Satisfaction with their job seemed to be influenced by professional identity, teacher preparation, personal experiences, curriculum policy, and cultural diversity. Conclusions: Analyzing the perceptions and beliefs of teachers who are in classrooms can provide insights to improve conditions to encourage teachers to stay. The analysis strongly suggests that teachers who feel supported and valued are more likely to remain in the classroom in spite of the challenges they encounter.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2008
- Identifier
- CFE0002494, ucf:47687
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002494
- Title
- A SURVEY OF THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS AMONG ELEMENTARY TEACHERS.
- Creator
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Rohani, Afrina R, Roberts, Sherron, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This research examined the possibility that personality traits play a part in career longevity and job satisfaction in the education field. The current study examined trends among the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) and their relation to job satisfaction in the elementary classroom. This researcher hypothesized that some common personality traits that are shared by teachers who persist in the classroom for...
Show moreThis research examined the possibility that personality traits play a part in career longevity and job satisfaction in the education field. The current study examined trends among the Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) and their relation to job satisfaction in the elementary classroom. This researcher hypothesized that some common personality traits that are shared by teachers who persist in the classroom for five or more years, who are satisfied with their jobs and do not intend to leave. This researcher hypothesized that more experienced teachers would be high in Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness. This researcher hypothesized that less experienced teachers would have Big Five personality scores that are more diverse than those of experienced teachers and that are more representative of the personalities of the general population. This researcher also hypothesized that teachers who score higher in the areas of Neuroticism and lower on Conscientiousness and Extraversion, would be dissatisfied with their jobs. The survey was completed by 202 participants. Experienced teachers (those working in the classroom for five or more years), and less experienced teachers (those working in the classroom for four years or less) completed the Big Five personality survey, along with additional survey questions that assess job satisfaction, and intent to leave. This research found no trend among personality traits in experienced teachers compared to inexperienced teachers. There was, however, a correlation between intention to leave and Neuroticism as well as a correlation between job satisfaction and Neuroticism, Extraversion, and Conscientiousness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFH2000257, ucf:45965
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000257
- Title
- The Effectiveness of Placement Exams and a Free Remedial Summer Program at a Midsized Selective Private University.
- Creator
-
Mullins, Kadie, Murray, Kenneth, Baldwin, Lee, Doherty, Walter, Lindsley, Boyd, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
In order to explore the effectiveness of MSSPU's remedial placement practices and the impacts of participation in the Free Remedial Summer Program on student outcomes, this ex post facto study examined performance in remedial courses, persistence to graduation, and time to graduation as it relates to mathematics and English composition placement level, high school grade point averages, entrance exam scores, and participation in the Free Remedial Summer Program. Five unique statistical tests...
Show moreIn order to explore the effectiveness of MSSPU's remedial placement practices and the impacts of participation in the Free Remedial Summer Program on student outcomes, this ex post facto study examined performance in remedial courses, persistence to graduation, and time to graduation as it relates to mathematics and English composition placement level, high school grade point averages, entrance exam scores, and participation in the Free Remedial Summer Program. Five unique statistical tests were utilized to address fifteen hypothesis related to seven research questions. Several major findings were a result of this study. First, students who complete the mathematics placement exam and enroll outside of their recommended level, either above or below their placement level, perform better in both their first and second mathematics courses, on average, than those who enroll at the recommended level. The same was found for English composition. Second, students who place at a non-remedial level are more likely to persist to graduation, statistically. Third, neither high school grade point average nor entrance exam scores alone are strong indicators of time or persistence to graduation. However, fourth, the factors of high school grade point average, entrance exam score, and placement exam performance may be a better indicator of persistence to graduation when analyzed in a combined fashion. Finally, students who enroll in the Free Remedial Summer Program are less likely to persist to graduation than those who enroll in remedial coursework as part of their first term. These students also are more likely to fail their first and subsequent mathematics courses. This study concludes with a brief analysis of implications for practice, recommendations for further research, and a review of best practices.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006150, ucf:51138
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006150
- Title
- Organizational Factors that influence the Retention of Special Education Teachers in Osceola County.
- Creator
-
Keenum, Carla, Boote, David, Little, Mary, Vitale, Thomas, Hayes, Grant, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The loss of special education teachers is a problem for all school districts. The effects of special education teacher attrition are felt in the classrooms and by all school district personnel. The impact on student achievement can be profound, especially if the teacher leaves in the middle of a school year. This study examines the organizational factors that influenced the attrition of special education teachers in one Central Florida school district.Participation in the anonymous survey was...
Show moreThe loss of special education teachers is a problem for all school districts. The effects of special education teacher attrition are felt in the classrooms and by all school district personnel. The impact on student achievement can be profound, especially if the teacher leaves in the middle of a school year. This study examines the organizational factors that influenced the attrition of special education teachers in one Central Florida school district.Participation in the anonymous survey was voluntary. Invitations to participate were sent directly to 385 special education instructional personnel and distributed to all district personnel using an e-mail forum. After removing participants who did not meet the inclusion criteria, 250 completed surveys were included in the analysis. In addition to quantitative items, the survey also included open(-)ended items at the end of the survey. While special education instructional personnel were the focus of the study, data from general education instructional personnel were also collected for comparison. The findings indicated that the major organizational causes of attrition among exceptional education teachers were in the areas of the human resources, political and structural frames. Human resource factors included the emotional, physical, and mental toll of daily classroom responsibilities and the perceived lack of district administration support. The main structural frame factor was the lack of compensation for the extra duties that special education teachers must perform. The main political factor was the lack of time needed by the special education staff to complete assigned duties during an average school day. In addition, the symbolic frame factors suggested a lack of perceived support from the general education staff; however, respondents did not indicate that this was major factor affecting in the attrition of special education teachers in this district. The school district has implemented strategies to support teachers to meet State certification requirements, Federal mandates of being highly qualified, and with monthly district level support visits. However, based on these data, the school district needs to recognize organizational factors affecting attrition. The district should pinpoint and alleviate the daily factors that cause undue stress on the special education staff. It should also reallocate resources and personnel to provide more frequent district and school level administrative support. Additional monetary or non-monetary compensation for the extra duties or reducing the workload on the special education teachers may also reduce attrition.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005816, ucf:50035
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005816
- Title
- An Examination of Job Analysis: Developing Interdisciplinary Strategies in Human Resource Management Facilitative of Mitigating Propensities of Teacher Attrition.
- Creator
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DeVere, Julio, Folger, Robert, Storey, Valerie A., Fisher, Thomas, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Despite repeated attempts by school administrators, policymakers and researchers to diagnose and correct rising occurrences of teacher turnover, there has been little change in the actual efforts to retain teachers in academy organizations. In response, this study was conducted to describe process constraints within the academy organization that are responsible for managing teacher turnover. To provide a description of current teacher retention efforts by school administrators, a survey...
Show moreDespite repeated attempts by school administrators, policymakers and researchers to diagnose and correct rising occurrences of teacher turnover, there has been little change in the actual efforts to retain teachers in academy organizations. In response, this study was conducted to describe process constraints within the academy organization that are responsible for managing teacher turnover. To provide a description of current teacher retention efforts by school administrators, a survey instrument was administered to school teachers in the State of Florida. The population sample was dispersed throughout the entire state and closely reflected the demographics of Florida school teachers.The survey addressed two issues: Whether or not there is a consistent effort by school administrators to gauge a teacher's desire to remain in their current position and whether or not the teachers perceive related administration decisions to be fair. To describe perceptions of fairness, a two-prong model was used to measure perceptions of Voice and Equity. Of the 215 respondents, only about 25 percent were administered a survey within the last year that gauges their desire to remain in their current position. Of these respondents who were given a retention survey by their administrators, results were mixed, with only about half of all respondents leaning towards a favorable perception of fairness. The results indicate that there is a logical need for process improvement within the administration of academy organizations before teacher turnover could be managed effectively.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005480, ucf:50342
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005480
- Title
- PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE DROP-OUT RATE IN ADOLESCENT SPORTS.
- Creator
-
McClone, Nicole, Biddle, Jeffrey, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Children are dropping out of sport at alarming rates. With the highest numbers of drop-out occurring between the ages of ten and seventeen, the focus of this research is on the drop-out rates of adolescents from sport. Athletic participation has been linked to positive academic performance, key development of leadership skills, and increased engagement in the community. The research that has been conducted related to sport persistence has had a greater focus on examining factors related to...
Show moreChildren are dropping out of sport at alarming rates. With the highest numbers of drop-out occurring between the ages of ten and seventeen, the focus of this research is on the drop-out rates of adolescents from sport. Athletic participation has been linked to positive academic performance, key development of leadership skills, and increased engagement in the community. The research that has been conducted related to sport persistence has had a greater focus on examining factors related to the physical domain. Attention is now beginning to shift however, and researchers are looking outside the physical domain and analyzing sport attrition more through sociological and psychological domains. The purpose of this research is to conduct a literary analysis on the psychological factors that impact the drop-out rate of adolescents from sport with adolescents being defined as children between the ages of ten and seventeen. Research in this domain is fairly limited; however numerous psychological theories have recently emerged as framework for conducting research as it relates to participation and drop-out in adolescent sports. These include self-determination theory, basic needs theory, achievement goal theory, and leisure constraints theory. The developmental model of sport participation is also a tool that is widely used to study sport persistence and drop-out. Foundationally based on psychology, this literature analysis was constructed to explore drop-out factors related to adolescent sport with the intent to collect data that either supports or disputes the relational connections between sport attrition or persistence. These relationships include but are not limited to the athlete/athlete, athlete/coach, athlete/parent, and athlete/self.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFH0004901, ucf:45498
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004901
- Title
- The relationship between caregiver intimate partner violence, posttraumatic stress, child cognitive self-development, and treatment attrition among child sexual abuse victims.
- Creator
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Delorenzi, Leigh, Daire, Andrew, Young, Mark, Lambie, Glenn, Abel, Eileen, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide problem, with two-thirds of all cases going unreported. A wealth of research over the last 30 years demonstrates the negative emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, academic, and social effects of CSA. As a result, researchers and mental health professionals frequently attempt to measure the efficacy of treatment modalities in order to assess which treatments lead to better outcomes. However, in order to effectively study treatment outcomes,...
Show moreChild sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide problem, with two-thirds of all cases going unreported. A wealth of research over the last 30 years demonstrates the negative emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, academic, and social effects of CSA. As a result, researchers and mental health professionals frequently attempt to measure the efficacy of treatment modalities in order to assess which treatments lead to better outcomes. However, in order to effectively study treatment outcomes, researchers must be able to track the status of child functioning and symptomology before, during, and after treatment. Because high levels of treatment attrition exist among CSA victims, researchers are unable to effectively study outcomes due to large losses in research participants, loss of statistical power, and threats to external validity (Kazdin, 1990). Moreover, due to the high prevalence of concurrent family violence, caregivers with intimate partner violence are more than twice as likely to have children who are also direct victims of abuse (Kazdin, 1996). Caregivers ultimately make the decisions regarding whether or not a child stays in treatment, and therefore, it is important to examine the influence of both parent factors (e.g., intimate partner violence) and child factors (e.g., traumatization and/or disturbances in cognitive self-development) on treatment attrition. This two-pronged approach of examining both child and family characteristics simultaneously with attrition patterns offers a more complete picture for the ways concurrent family violence influences treatment than looking at child and caregiver factors separately.The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between caregiver intimate partner violence, child posttraumatic stress (Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children [TSCC]; Briere, 1996), child cognitive self-development (Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale [TABS]; Pearlman, 2003), and treatment attrition. The statistical analyses in this study included (a) Logistic Regression, (b) Poisson Regression, and (c) Chi-square Test for Independence. Elevated TSCC subscale scores in posttraumatic stress predicted both an increased number of sessions attended and increased number of sessions missed. Elevated TABS subscale scores in self-trust predicted an increased number of sessions attended and decreased number of sessions missed. Elevated TABS subscale scores of other-intimacy and self-control predicted an increased number of sessions missed. Moreover, the presence of past or current caregiver intimate partner violence predicted a decrease in number of sessions attended. While no relationship existed between child posttraumatic stress or cognitive self-development and whether a child graduated or prematurely terminated from treatment, children with parents who confirmed past or current intimate partner violence were 2.5 times more likely to prematurely terminate from treatment.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004369, ucf:49439
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004369
- Title
- Overcoming Beginning Teacher Attrition.
- Creator
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Husko, Neva, Cox, Dr. Thomas, Hopp, Carolyn, Vitale, Thomas, Ellis, Amanda, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The goal of this research was to increase the retention of beginning teachers in a large urban public school district in Central Florida through the refinement of the current induction program. In order to understand the needs of beginning teachers, four key stakeholders were surveyed using an online pilot survey developed by the researchers. Beginning teachers, mentors, instructional coaches, and principals each provided their perspective and perceptions on the needs of beginning teachers....
Show moreThe goal of this research was to increase the retention of beginning teachers in a large urban public school district in Central Florida through the refinement of the current induction program. In order to understand the needs of beginning teachers, four key stakeholders were surveyed using an online pilot survey developed by the researchers. Beginning teachers, mentors, instructional coaches, and principals each provided their perspective and perceptions on the needs of beginning teachers. Through the analysis of the qualitative results, several commonalities emerged. These themes included discrepancies regarding knowledge and completion of district induction requirements, as well as between the implementation of school-based induction programs.Based upon the themes of the research and the literature on supporting beginning teachers, a framework was developed to meet the needs of the beginning teachers in order to reduce attrition within the large urban school district. The framework entailed the refinement of the district induction program and the development of a school-based induction program. The amendment of the district induction program included accountability for all stakeholders, three years of induction support for beginning teachers, structures for tracking the completion of induction requirements by beginning teachers, and training for mentors, instructional coaches, and administrators regarding the district induction requirements. The school based induction framework contains support for a beginning teacher's first three years including specific support by mentors, instructional coaches, and administrators.The framework has been developed based upon the needs of the large urban school district in Central Florida but also has the potential to be applied to any large urban school district. The nature of the framework is that it provides the basic structure and can be customized to meet the needs of any district or school.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006330, ucf:51553
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006330
- Title
- Falling Behind in Pay: A Longitudinal Test of Equity Theory Among Florida Municipal Police Agencies' Salaries.
- Creator
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Lord, Robert, Gau, Jacinta, Wolf, Ross, Paoline, Eugene, Folger, Robert, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Prior research has found equity theory explains employee responses to falling wages in relation to other comparable workers. The present research attempts to contribute to the criminal justice literature by directly testing equity theory within the policing context, something no study has done to date. Applied to policing, equity theory predicts sworn officers employed by departments with falling or inequitable salaries (i.e., their salaries fail to keep up with those at other regional...
Show morePrior research has found equity theory explains employee responses to falling wages in relation to other comparable workers. The present research attempts to contribute to the criminal justice literature by directly testing equity theory within the policing context, something no study has done to date. Applied to policing, equity theory predicts sworn officers employed by departments with falling or inequitable salaries (i.e., their salaries fail to keep up with those at other regional agencies) will reduce their work input (i.e., discretionary arrests) and/or quit in higher numbers than before (i.e., increase attrition). The present study also attempts to quantify how far officer salaries can fall behind the mean regional police pay before a municipal agency experiences negative outcomes. The research questions are examined using data from Criminal Justice Agency Profile (CJAP) Reports from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), with historical salary and attrition data for 122 municipal law enforcement agencies in Florida from 2001-2011, and Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Part II Arrest Data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for the same time period. A time-series cross-sectional (TSCS) analysis is conducted over 11 annual data points. This study attempts to bring an additional theory into the fold of the policing literature by testing it against a large, law enforcement specific data set. This is in part an effort to answer the call for what has been described as a need for more theory in the criminal justice and policing literature (Cooper (&) Worrall, 2012; Mears, 2010). It should also enable police administrators to gauge, relative to regional competitor salaries, at what point to anticipate negative consequences from the underpaid condition of police officers working at their municipal police agencies. The findings suggest Florida municipal police officers do not reduce their work inputs, as measured by UCR Part II arrests, but do quit their jobs in larger numbers in response to stagnant or falling salaries as predicted by equity theory. Policy implications include a better understanding by police administrators as to what they can expect and prepare for when municipal police officers' salaries become stagnant or fall as compared to pay at other regional law enforcement agencies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006136, ucf:51170
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006136
- Title
- NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA-TRENDS, ATTRITION, AND RETENTION1997-2005.
- Creator
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Norburn, Jill, Tubbs, LeVester, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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The purpose of this study was to examine the trends, attrition and retention rates of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida between the years of 1997 to 2005. This study was intended to provide information for higher education practitioners, faculty, and administrators to help them better understand the expectations and current trends of National Merit Finalists. The problem was to determine how to increase recruitment and retention while decreasing the attrition rates...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine the trends, attrition and retention rates of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida between the years of 1997 to 2005. This study was intended to provide information for higher education practitioners, faculty, and administrators to help them better understand the expectations and current trends of National Merit Finalists. The problem was to determine how to increase recruitment and retention while decreasing the attrition rates of these highly desirable students. The importance of this study includes identifying trends that may aid in future recruitment efforts for National Merit Finalists; finding the causes of dissatisfaction towards the University among these students; and identifying specific areas in which to alleviate those dissatisfactions. The results will hopefully provide insight into specific recruitment, services, and programming options for these students. The study examined data that was collected from the University of Central Florida's Burnett Honors College database known as FileMaker 8.0. The data examined characteristics such as grade point averages (high school and college); valedictorian and salutatorian status; test scores (SAT and ACT); Honors in the Major (undergraduate thesis) students; Honors and university status (withdrawn, probation, removed, disqualified, enrolled, graduated); Honors college attrition; university attrition; ethnicity; gender ratios; majors; and, prestigious scholarships awarded in college (such as the Rhodes, Truman, Marshall). The actual size of the sample was one hundred ninety-eight National Merit Finalists. Data was also collected from a survey given to all University of Central Florida National Merit Finalists. Descriptive statistics were reported for each of the components examined. This data examined the types of scholarship packages that National Merit Finalists were offered; the reasons students chose the University of Central Florida over other universities; the college recruitment process; hours studied for the PSAT; siblings; perceptions on being a National Merit Finalist; the number of times students changed their majors; job status; transportation; computer attainment; disabilities; and the potential disadvantages of being labeled as a National Merit Finalist. The data could be utilized to examine the trends of our National Merit Finalists, in order to see what is working and what is not in terms or recruitment and retention; and also to further examine what these students want from their institutions. Findings indicated that problems exist in regard to the following: the recruitment of female and minority National Merit Finalists; males historically score higher on the SAT than females; decreasing the attrition rates of this population at the University of Central Florida; the majority of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida come from Florida; the majority of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida do not tend to be high school salutatorians or valedictorians; high school counselors seem to be the least effective tool for recruiting National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida; and the majority of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida did not study at all for the PSAT test. However, the University of Central Florida is extremely competitive with other institutions of higher education with regard to scholarship packages. Results also revealed the following: the SAT is a more widely accepted tool for determining NMSC status as opposed to the ACT; the majority of National Merit Finalists have a GPA between 3.600 and 3.999 at the University of Central Florida; the University of Central Florida is succeeding in making its National Merit Finalists feel special during the recruitment process; the most influential reason that National Merit Finalists are choosing UCF is based upon the financial scholarship packages they are offered; and the majority of National Merit Finalists at the University of Central Florida do not feel that there are disadvantages toward being labeled as such. This data provides a basis for further research on National Merit Finalists trends, attrition, and retention. Practical considerations are revealed in the data that will influence future recruitment methods and lead to higher retention rates and increased student satisfaction. Several other recommendations are made to conduct further research studies on the trends, attrition, and retention rates of National Merit Finalists.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2006
- Identifier
- CFE0000931, ucf:46760
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000931
- Title
- Understanding and Mitigating Sources of Teacher Dissatisfaction.
- Creator
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Howard, Carl, Boote, David, Hopp, Carolyn, Vitale, Thomas, Hayes, Grant, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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This dissertation in practice focuses on a review of literature to answer the guiding question, what can teachers and other educational stakeholders do to help address their sources of dissatisfaction in order to build a positive school climate? The author used a modified frame analysis from Bolman and Deal, other published literature, and personal experience to identify seven different, but sometimes related, domains that affect teachers and school climate. These seven domains include...
Show moreThis dissertation in practice focuses on a review of literature to answer the guiding question, what can teachers and other educational stakeholders do to help address their sources of dissatisfaction in order to build a positive school climate? The author used a modified frame analysis from Bolman and Deal, other published literature, and personal experience to identify seven different, but sometimes related, domains that affect teachers and school climate. These seven domains include operations/management, contract application, professional development, classroom management, interpersonal, financial, and unanticipated events. The modified frame analysis was used to help empower teachers to solve problems that affect their performance and motivation, to prevent burnout, attrition, as well as help build and maintain a positive school climate. This dissertation promotes the notion that school climate is composed of and constructed from these seven domains as constituent parts that combine to create the school climate. The author-created tool, Tools for Teachers to Address Domains of Dissatisfaction, enables teachers to quickly reference potential solutions to problems faced. The tool is a prototype, created based on professional literature sources focusing on research-based strategies to identify problems and methods a teacher can use to solve a problem, thus preventing a negative school environment for the students, staff as well as other stakeholders. The domains of dissatisfaction were tested against real-life issues submitted to a Faculty Advisory Committee in order to provide veracity and justification of the domains.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005956, ucf:50796
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005956
- Title
- Evaluating Improvisation as a Technique for Training Pre-Service Teachers for Inclusive Classrooms.
- Creator
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Becker, Theresa, Hines, Rebecca, Beverly, Monifa, Hopp, Carolyn, Hamed, Kastro, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
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Improvisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little...
Show moreImprovisation is a construct that uses a set of minimal heuristic guidelines to create a highly flexible scaffold that fosters extemporaneous communication. Scholars from diverse domains: such as psychology, business, negotiation, and education have suggested its use as a method for preparing professionals to manage complexity and think on their feet. A review of the literature revealed that while there is substantial theoretical scholarship on using improvisation in diverse domains, little research has verified these assertions. This dissertation evaluated whether improvisation, a specific type of dramatic technique, was effective for training pre-service teachers in specific characteristics of teacher-child classroom interaction, communication and affective skills development. It measured the strength and direction of any potential changes such training might effect on pre-service teacher's self-efficacy for teaching and for implementing the communication skills common to improvisation and teaching while interacting with student in an inclusive classroom setting. A review of the literature on teacher self-efficacy and improvisation clarified and defined key terms, and illustrated relevant studies. This study utilized a mixed-method research design based on instructional design and development research. Matched pairs t-tests were used to analyze the self-efficacy and training skills survey data and pre-service teacher reflections and interview transcripts were used to triangulate the qualitative data. Results of the t-tests showed a significant difference in participants' self-efficacy for teaching measured before and after the improvisation training. A significant difference in means was also measured in participants' aptitude for improvisation strategies and for self-efficacy for their implementation pre-/post- training. Qualitative results from pre-service teacher class artifacts and interviews showed participants reported beneficial personal outcomes as well as confirmed using skills from the training while interacting with students. Many of the qualitative themes parallel individual question items on the teacher self-efficacy TSES scale as well as the improvisation self-efficacy scale CSAI. The self-reported changes in affective behavior such as increased self-confidence and ability to foster positive interaction with students are illustrative of changes in teacher agency. Self-reports of being able to better understand student perspectives demonstrate a change in participant ability to empathize with students. Participants who worked with both typically developing students as well as with students with disabilities reported utilizing improvisation strategies such as Yes, and..., mirroring emotions and body language, vocal prosody and establishing a narrative relationship to put the students at ease, establish a positive learning environment, encourage student contributions and foster teachable moments. The improvisation strategies showed specific benefit for participants working with nonverbal students or who had commutation difficulties, by providing the pre-service teachers with strategies for using body language, emotional mirroring, vocal prosody and acceptance to foster interaction and communication with the student.Results from this investigation appear to substantiate the benefit of using improvisation training as part of a pre-service teacher methods course for preparing teachers for inclusive elementary classrooms. Replication of the study is encouraged with teachers of differing populations to confirm and extend results.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004516, ucf:49273
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004516
