Academic advising is associated with increased student retention and academic success. However, advising at an urban graduate school of education in Tennessee has been criticized for limited advisor availability, poor communication, and lack of advising knowledge. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the reasons for student satisfaction or dissatisfaction and to identify techniques to improve academic advising. This study was guided by the conceptual frameworks of Kelly's personal construct theory and Daloz's psycho-developmental perspective. The research question addressed the perceived role of academic advisors that graduate students associated with academic success. The data were collected using 4 focus groups. Group 1 consisted of 10 graduate students; group 2 included 5 professors; group 3 was comprised of 2 advisors; group 4 consisted of 3 administrators. A thematic analysis was performed on the data, and member checking was used to improve data quality. Findings revealed that students were satisfied with the positive attitude of advisors, but were dissatisfied with advisors' relational skills and knowledge of college programs. Findings also revealed that students, professors, and administrators were dissatisfied with advisor's limited availability and lack of training. Based on these research findings, a 3-day professional development workshop for advisors was developed. The workshop included training about techniques to improve advisor communication skills and knowledge of effective advising practices. Implementation of this professional development workshop could bring about positive social change by improving the effectiveness of the advising program and the quality of graduates.

Ongoing professional development is an integral part of a child welfare agency's strategy toward the provision of services to children and families involved with a child welfare intervention. Electronic learning (E-Learning) is popular as a fiscally responsible and flexible way to deliver such trainings. There is a gap in the research addressing the problem of how child welfare professionals are motivated to engage in the E-learning process. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of child welfare professionals regarding their motivation to use an agency provided E-learning program. Eight child welfare professionals employed by a Midwestern private child welfare agency participated in semi-structured interviews, which were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. A pattern matching logic model was used to extrapolate relevant themes. The themes from this study were that work environment, irrelevance of content, and emotional aspects of child welfare work were barriers to engaging in E-learning during a work day. The implications for positive social change are that using E-learning as a delivery system for training in child welfare needs to be combined with a concerted effort to develop programs that first consider the work environment of the child welfare professional and the relevance of content. Providing more effective training is expected to result in better trained workers, which leads to more effective child welfare interventions. More effective child welfare interventions are needed to resolve the current crisis within the field of child welfare, which protects one of society's most vulnerable populations.

Poor completion rates in the radiation therapy associate's degree program offered through a community college did not meet the standards set by the college and damaged the program's reputation. The relationship between admission criteria and program completion was not known. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any relationships between the admission criteria (GPA in prerequisite courses, interview scores, writing sample scores, and preadmission testing scores) and students' completion of a radiation therapy associate's degree program. This correlational study used 2 stages of Tinto's retention theory: (a) recruitment and admission to college and (b) pre-entry assessment and placement. Retrospective data, collected from an accredited radiation therapy program offering a 2-year degree, provided a sample size of 70 anonymous student records. The point biserial coefficient was used to analyze the data. The results yielded a significant, moderate, positive relationship between the interview score and student completion. No other significant relationships were found. The professional development program that was derived from the study sought to teach program directors about interview skills and tactics. The ability to identify at-risk students in the admission process is expected to contribute to social change by improving completion rates; improving satisfaction among students, faculty, employers; and ultimately improving the quality of patient care.

No method exists for evaluating the effectiveness of professional development (PD) for teachers in Boston Public Schools. Often PD does not contribute to teacher quality, which can hinder student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of PD among K-8 teachers and to examine the alignment of PD in the schools with the 4 prerequisites of professional learning outlined by Learning Forward. These 4 prerequisites served as the conceptual framework. Of the research questions, 4 reflected the topics of the 4 prerequisites: commitment to students, readiness to learn, collaboration, and learning styles. The fifth research question was based on PD in general. In this case study, data from interviews from nine teachers were analyzed typologically. Key teacher perceptions included a commitment to students, overall lack of relevance and usefulness of PD and therefore lack of readiness to learn, failed efforts to promote collaboration, and lack of attention to teachers' learning styles. Strained partnerships with colleagues and lack of time hampered the effectiveness of the PD. Based on these outcomes, a professional learning opportunity for administrators was created to teach them how to develop effective professional learning for teachers based on the 4 prerequisites. This professional learning opportunity can be implemented at the local level to promote the design of more effective professional learning in Boston Public Schools. By improving the effectiveness of professional learning and subsequently teacher quality, social change in the form of improved student outcomes can be initiated.

Several studies posit a positive relationship between class attendance and student performance. Grades for students enrolled in Introduction to Management during the fall 2015 semester at a community college in Jamaica revealed that evening students on average scored a grade higher than students enrolled in the day sections. Lecturers noted day students missed more classes than evening students but the relationship between attendance and performance was not known. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the relationship between attendance and performance, measured by grades. Guided by Knowles's theory that adults are self-directed, this study was designed to explore the relationship between attendance and performance for first year day (n=99) and evening students (n=40). Pearson's Correlation was used to assess the correlation between students attendance and performance regardless of their attendance status. Additionally, independent t tests were used to compare the means of day and evening students' attendance and performance variables. Findings revealed that attendance and performance were significantly positively associated. Further, findings indicated that there were significant differences in the mean performance and mean attendance variables between day and evening students. Students with partial matriculation attended fewer classes and performed poorer than students with full matriculation. To address the results, a policy recommendation was developed to provide guidance on attendance in the local setting. The study contributes to social change by offering an approach to class attendance as a means to improve students' grades.

This study was a program evaluation of an American Sign Language internship program that was established in 2006 at a 4-year private college in the Midwestern United States but had never been evaluated. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of this internship program in preparing students for employment in the field of interpreting. An expertise-oriented program evaluation case study was conducted using the lens of experiential learning theory. Research questions were used to investigate the strengths and weaknesses of the program and the ways in which the policies, objectives, and assignments prepare students to work as interns and later as professional interpreters. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 2 former administrators who helped establish the program, 13 graduates of the program between 2013 and 2015, and 8 of the internship site directors who worked with interns between 2013 and 2015. The interview data were coded and analyzed following Merriam's approach to identify themes, and document review was used to support the themes. Key findings were that the program provided effective training for interns transitioning to professional employment, but students tended to lack self-confidence in their performances Interviewees also indicated that program documents were helpful but difficult to use, and mentors needed guidance in giving constructive feedback. An evaluation report was constructed as a research project deliverable to provide specific recommendations for program enhancement. The study promotes positive social change by providing stakeholders with the evidence-based data needed to implement further growth for the internship program, and to more effectively train interpreters to work with the Deaf community.

As higher education moves increasingly to online and hybrid programs, more students will be taking art appreciation courses virtually. The research that exists on student perceptions related to hands-on art making suggests that active creation is valuable in fostering creativity, inspiring knowledge, and supporting and motivating students. The purpose of this case study was to explore non-art major, college-level students' experiences, perceptions, and reflections of an active learning component within an online art appreciation class delivered at a public university in the southeastern United States. Three research questions were developed to explore the students' experiences, perceptions, and reflections of this hands-on art making component. The conceptual framework was based on the combined work of prominent theoreticians, educators and scholars in the arts including Dewey, Piaget, Bruner, Gardner, and Eisner. To complete this case study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 non-art major, college level students (enrolled in online art appreciation during the 2015-16 academic year) and included discussion about a specific art work that each student made. The interview data was analyzed using open-coded thematic analysis. The overall findings indicated that: there is an emotional response to hands-on art making, appropriate faculty instruction is an important factor in actively engaged learning, and students gain knowledge through the active learning component of the online art appreciation class. Findings were used to design a 3-day professional development workshop. Implications for educators include advocating for variations in art coursework for online students.

Nursing education courses and professional development (PD) do not include coping and resilience training for registered nurses (RNs) who work in emergency departments (EDs). Exposure to traumatic events, death, and dying may lead to health issues, substance abuse, stress symptoms, nursing staff turnover, and compassion fatigue among ED RNs. Without training, the pattern of adverse outcomes may continue. The purpose of this study was to explore ED RNs' experiences with occupational traumatic stress (OTS), and their recommendations for change to nursing PD programs, using a qualitative bounded intrinsic case study. The conceptual framework for this study included social learning and experiential learning theories. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 7 licensed and employed ED RNs with more than 1 year in EDs and who volunteered to participate in the study. Data were examined analytically using descriptive, emotion, and patterns coding strategies and In Vivo to identify categories and themes. Based on nurses' experiences, ED RNs require a collaborative team training approach in learning and sharing opportunities regarding preparatory, de-escalation, and self-care strategies to overcome OTS. Based on the findings, a 3-day interactive PD workshop program was created for ED nurses to address those needs. These endeavors may contribute to positive social change by increasing wellness, cohesive ED teamwork, healthy stress management practices, better patient care, and reduced turnover for ED RNs. Furthermore, nurse educators may benefit from adding coping and resilience training to the nursing education curriculum to address and possibly mitigate the effects of OTS.

Graduate nurses are being employed to provide care in high acuity care areas, and this becomes a problem of significance as the literature suggests that graduate nurse's experience a deficit in integrating theoretical concepts in the clinical environment, described as the theory-practice gap; which can result in a risk to patient safety and the potential for negative outcomes. Cognitive constructivism was the conceptual framework that guided this study. A qualitative phenomenological design was used to explore the lived experiences of 13 graduate nurses employed at a community hospital in northern New Jersey. After recruiting the participants through purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with them utilizing a researcher-developed interview protocol based on the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey. The research questions addressed the graduates' clinical experiences and their perceptions of simulation in facilitating the integration of theory to practice. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed to identify 4 themes: (a) the theory-practice gap, (b) effective educational pedagogy, (c) theory-practice integration, and (d) simulation-based learning. The crucial finding was that graduate nurses perceived the theory-practice gap could be reduced through the use of high-fidelity simulation utilizing scenario-based learning exercises in prelicensure programs prior to entry to practice. Based on these findings, the recommendations presented in a white paper will help the administration of the school of nursing at the local site make informed decisions to effect curricular changes that promote the students' integration of theory into practice. Further, the results of this study impact social change by serving as a model for similar programs to improve the preparation of graduate nurses to provide care to optimize positive patient care outcomes.

Retaining students, particularly in the 16- to- 24-year-old category, is a constant challenge for adult basic education programs nationwide. Educators need to understand factors that affect adult learners' experiences, have a better understanding of ways to motivate adult students in a nontraditional school setting to enhance their engagement, and apply research-based techniques and targeted, practical strategies to improve student persistence. The primary objective of this case study was to investigate the perceived factors that students considered influential on their persistence and retention in adult basic education programs. Knowles's andragogy theory and Tinto's persistence theory were the theoretical frameworks for this study. The research questions were designed to understand the factors that motivate students to remain engaged in academic courses. Ten students enrolled in a high school equivalency program in a large northeastern city participated in semi-structured, individual interviews. Coding and thematic analysis were used to identify, describe, and interpret the data collected. The findings indicated that factors such as individual drive, the instructor's encouragement and high expectations, relevant topics, and connection to school all contributed to sustain a learner's persistence. A professional development project was designed from the findings to provide instructors with research-based best practices and techniques to increase students' motivation and persistence through active learning experiences in student-centered classrooms. The project will impact social change by helping educators to have more insights on theories about adult learning styles and a deeper understanding of current approaches to inspire active participation, sustain learner motivation, and improve student academic performance.