The profession of nursing is affected by a nursing and nursing faculty shortage that is impacting the ability to produce adequate numbers of nurse graduates to address the healthcare needs of the future. Nursing schools are increasingly using simulation and/or role-playing to supplement the decreased number of nurse faculty and clinical sites in order to be able to continue to enroll nursing school applicants. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of nursing students with role-playing and simulation and the extent to which role-playing with simulation is perceived by students as beneficial for learning within the nursing program at the study site. Constructivism theory and experiential learning theory were the theoretical frameworks used to evaluate the student perceptions of combining simulation and role-playing. Seven students from a bachelor's of nursing program volunteered to participate in the study and individual interviews were conducted. Interview transcripts were open coded and analyzed for patterns and themes. The results of the study indicated that the 7 students preferred the combination of simulation and role-playing over the use of either technique independently. It is recommended that simulation coordinators use the combination of role-playing and simulation to enhance student learning in the simulation laboratory. This study promotes positive social change by providing data to the local site on students' perceptions of the benefits of a technique that is able to support instruction and maintain student enrollment during nursing faculty shortages.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the meaning of music education to middle school students in general music classrooms.Specifically, this study addresses the following questions:1. What meaning do middle school general music students derive from their musical education?2. Do underlying dimensions exist in this meaning? If these dimensions do exist, what are they and what relationships exist among them?To answer these questions, a two-part study was proposed. In part one, a survey instrument was created by gathering middle school students' responses to an open-ended question. The 178 participants generated 670 responses. These responses were analyzed and then reduced to 147 relatively distinct statements of meaning. Responses were analyzed qualitatively by grouping the items with others that appeared similar. In the second part of the study, student responses were used to construct a survey, called the Music Meaning Survey (MMS). The survey was first piloted in Tucson, Arizona with a sample of students (N = 96), in order to test the clarity and usability of the MMS. The results of the pilot survey were factor analyzed using principal components analysis and a varimax rotation. The factor analysis confirmed the existence of five factor categories: Psychological, Future Music Goals, Academic-Musical, Performing/Music Making and Integrative (social).A total of 50 statements of meaning were used for the final version of the Music Meaning Survey. The MMS was then administered during the spring of 2005. According to the MMS, subjects did ascribe particular meaning to music education. In particular, it was found that the meaning students derived from their music education experience could be assimilated into four categories: Vocational (career-oriented outcomes for learning about music), Academic (academic aspects of music class such as reading music, learning about composers, and musical styles), Belongingness (social interactions between individual students and groups of students), and Agency (related to students' self-esteem, motivation, and emotional development). The primary conclusion that can be drawn from this study is that for middle school students, music class can be a meaningful and multi-faceted experience.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF CHRISTINE E. WIGGS, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in EDUCATION, presented on October 19, 2012, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: UNDERSTANDING READING THROUGH THE EYES OF THIRD-GRADE STRUGGLING READERS MAJOR PROFESSORS: Dr. Marla H. Mallette / Dr. Lynn C. Smith Within the vast research base on struggling readers, very few studies address the nature of struggling readers from their own perspectives; that is, how struggling readers experience reading instruction. The purpose of this qualitative case study research was to gain a deeper understanding of how three third-grade struggling readers viewed themselves as readers and how they experienced reading instruction in their classroom setting. In turn, this study captured their realities of being a struggling reader from their own perspectives. Data sources included measures of reading affect (i.e., attitude, motivation, and self-perception), interviews, classroom observations, work samples, records, and drawings. Data for each of the three cases were first analyzed separately using Boeije's (2010) Spiral of Analysis model, and then through a cross case analysis. In looking across the three cases, the unique and complex perceptions of each student were situated in three broad similarities: (a) their perceptions of reading centered on the idea that reading is about hard words, (b) their perceptions of themselves as struggling readers revealed their internal struggles, and (c) their sensitivity to the social in their perceptions of others' perceptions of them. The findings capture the important and often missing voice of the students, a major stakeholder in their own education, which leads to educational implications for reading instruction.

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The purpose of this dissertation study was to consider the ways in which middle school students made meaning of their experience with exclusionary discipline, specifically in-school suspension (ISS). While ISS has historically been positioned as an alternative to exclusionary discipline, ISS programs are often designed in ways that are exclusionary. Current research on exclusionary discipline points to the ways in which suspensions and expulsions impact students academically, socially, and emotionally. Very little of that research, however, considers the perspectives of the students who have been the recipients of exclusionary discipline. Thus, seeking to more fully understand the lived experiences of students who have been in ISS, I chose to apply a phenomenological methodology to the study. The research took place in a large school system in the Southeast, specifically with 13 middle school students in grades six through eight. The participants had been suspended between four and 14 times, for between eight and 37 days. Situating the study within a social constructionist framework, I viewed student behavior as socially constructed within interactions with school personnel. Drawing on an interpretive approach to phenomenological inquiry, I developed verbal portraits of each student in the form of first person accounts of their experiences with ISS. I also conducted a thematic analysis of the 13 interviews, developing five themes that illustrated how they made meaning of their experience. The themes, expressed in the words of the participants, are: (1) Gettin’ Written Up, (2) There are Some Teachers, (3) Sometimes it’s Boring. Sometimes it’s Fun. Sometimes it’s Torture. (4) The ISS Teacher’s a Nice Lady with a Snoozy Attitude, and (5) Our Learning Time. Based on these findings, implications are presented for both educators and educational researchers. Implications include (1) the need for students’ input into educational decisions and educational research, (2) the need to research and design ISS programs that benefit students rather than simply punish them, (3) the need for discussions around teachers who bully students and the ways in which students resist such treatment (or don’t), and (4) the need to further investigate the role of the ISS teacher in student discipline.

abstract: Meeting state and federal standards is a consistent challenge for schools and their students. Although states were mandated under the No Child Left Behind Act to provide Supplemental Educational Services, such as tutoring, to underperforming schools, the current education policy under the Obama administration does not specifically address the issue of tutoring. Rather, the Recovery Act implemented in 2009, asks states to reform and improve their education systems and schools to increase success and achievement for all students. One method for increasing student achievement and decreasing the gap between groups--thereby meeting the standards mandated by local, state, and federal governments--is tutoring. Obtaining information about and seeking views on tutoring is crucial before it can be applied to school reform. The present study utilized an online poll about tutoring to obtain students' views and to examine meaningful outcomes with regard to demographic variables. Results indicated that the polls' response items had more significant relationships with the variables of age, grade, and school than with those of gender and ethnicity. The response rate for items exhibited the most differences within ethnic groups and age, grade, and school. Each question provided insights to help inform school decision-making and improvement plans; for example, students in younger grades needed more support in spelling and math, whereas adolescents in upper grades reported more difficulty with science and math. Using the results of the present study, schools and districts can tailor and implement changes accordingly; for example, they can develop the best method for a particular demographic group to relay information about tutoring. In this way, strategies can be created and applied for individualized subgroups, thereby maximizing success for all students. The insights gained about tutoring from the ones who have the most at stake--the students--will provide the basis for designing and implementing effective tutoring programs in the schools. Electronic polls are an effective method for gathering student perceptions, providing the foundation for successful school reform and student success, in addition to building a learning community for all stakeholders. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Educational Psychology 2010

The voices of Black male students labeled ED are seldom heard regarding their perspectives on education and their lives in general. By excluding their opinions, educators are missing an important aspect that could improve educational services for Black males with ED. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine the implications of Web-based mentoring as a platform for Black male students with ED to articulate their thoughts on the factors that impact their behaviors and achievement. Mentoring as an intervention granted Black males with ED a platform to share their thoughts. Technology was used as an educational resource to academically engage students with ED. Mentoring and technology were combined in a Web-based mentoring model designed to simulate traditional mentoring. Individual mentoring was simulated using live video conferencing. Role modeling was simulated by featuring video clips of the mentor in authentic capacities and group mentoring discussions were simulated by featuring a participant blog on the web site. To determine the implication and emergent themes of Web-based mentoring, two Black males with ED in high school participated in the study. Results of the study revealed that the participant's behavior and achievement were impacted by negative school and home environments. For Student One, negative school environments, specifically poor peer relations, resulted in aggressive behaviors that interfered with his academic progress. He stated, "I thought it would be different in high school, but it is the same as middle school. Student Two expressed disappointment with his home environment stating, "With all I got going on, it is hard to focus on school." Implications of the model on attendance, achievement, and behavior did not demonstrate an appreciable impact. However, both student participants expressed satisfaction with the model and the opportunity to share their thoughts openly.

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