The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Jeffrey (Brian) Smith

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

June 18th, 2014 at 2:30 p.m.

Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Master of Science, Behavior Analysis and Therapy, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Psychology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale

Associate of Science, Wabash Valley College

Advisory Committee

Laura Casey, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Mark Conley, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

James Meindl, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Neal Miller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership specializing in Special Education

Period of Preparation:  2010 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed:  April 2013

Evaluating the use of Video Observations With

Behavioral Clinical Supervision

Abstract

The current study evaluated three methods by which clinical feedback may be delivered to practicum students and their effect on various aspects of supervision.  Specifically, participants were asked to deliver feedback simultaneously to a student while watching them practice behavioral activities with a client via video, viewing a video of a student and waiting a duration of time before providing supervision, and to offer feedback when no video was observed of the student engaging in practicum activities.  Measures were developed to help assess the quality of supervision delivered within these three conditions and included: (a) the duration of time it took for feedback to be provided, (b) identifying and addressing erroneous student practices, (c) the number of principles, concepts, and practices discussed, (d) and whether participants followed through with what may be considered important components to providing effective supervision.  Results indicated that a statistically significant difference between means existed for the dependent measures of duration, components to supervision, and the number of task items addressed.  Participants spent a mean of 3184 seconds providing supervision to the student during the condition involving simultaneous feedback, which was longer than the other two conditions combined.  Likewise, participants also performed better in the real time video condition in terms of addressing task list items (M = 12) and including key components of supervision (M = 3.5).  However, participants identified and discussed more behavioral misuses (M = 4.9) during the no video condition.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Jerry Anthony Hunnicutt

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

June 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm

301 Browning Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Master of Education, Secondary Education, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Master of Secondary Education, Business Education, University of Central Arkansas

Advisory Committee

Barbara Mullins-Nelson, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Katrina A. Meyer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Jeffery L. Wilson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

James E. Selbe, Ed.D., Adjunct Member, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Higher Education Administration

Period of Preparation:  2003 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: 2009

ONLINE COURSE ATTRITION IN ARKANSAS TWO-YEAR COLLEGES

Abstract

This study investigates the attrition in online courses at two-year colleges in the state of Arkansas.  For the purpose of the study, the Survey of Barriers for Online Learning was disseminated to a sample of 283 students from four two-year colleges in the central area of Arkansas during 2013.

Three research questions were the driving catalyst for the study: 1) What are the perceptions of students regarding the pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical barriers to online learning?   2)  Do all student respondents and respondent subgroups perceive the four kinds of barriers to online learning (pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical) to be equally difficult?   3) To what extent do the demographic characteristics of students, student status variables, and student perceptions of four types of barrier predict attrition rate?

This study utilized a combination of repeated measures analysis of variance, hiearchical regression, and step-wise regression on demographic, student success, and student barrier variables to predict online course attrition rate.

Results indicated that as a student’s grade point average increases, the attrition in online classes decreases.  Technical barriers were not significant for the purpose of this study; however it was found that pedagogical and mangerial barriers were more signficant. Conclusions were made that students possessed the technological skills to be successful in an online course and were more concerned with the navigation and curriculum delivery style within the individual courses.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Archandria Colette Owens

for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

May 13, 2014 at 01:00 pm

207 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Texas Tech University

Master of Arts, University of Detroit-Mercy

Advisor Committee

Sara K. Bridges, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research, Committee Chair

Nancy Nishimura, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and     Research

Elin Ovrebo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research

Ronnie Priest, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Counseling Educational Psychology, and Research

Major Field of Study

Counseling Psychology

Period of Preparation:  2010-2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: August, 2012

Life Role Salience in African American Men:  The Impact of Race-Related Stress, Hypermasculinity, and Sexual Self-Concept

Abstract

This study explores life role salience in African American men and the contextual factors that affect how African American men feel towards being in committed relationships and towards parenting.  African American men in the United States of America have unique encounters with racism and discrimination, a distinctive navigation of masculinity ideology, and a sociopolitical lens from which views on sexual self-concept hinge due to the complex intersection of their race and gender.  With research demonstrating the components of healthy families include consistency within the relationship of the parents, overall stability of the household, and parents who are present to their children, especially fathers, it is important to explore not only how African American men value the role of husband and father, but also what positively or negatively impacts their decisions to commit to these roles.  227 African American men completed self-report surveys addressing their socioeconomic status, experiences of racism, racial identity development, experience of their masculinity, and their definition of their sexual self-concept.  These contextual and personal factors were then assessed to understand how they affected role salience for African American men in being in committed relationships as well as being a parent.  Results from this study found that African American men demonstrated a heavy reliance on income in order to define both their valuing and commitment to these roles.  In addition to this, racial identity development, or one’s meaning-making system around their minority status, consistently affected all aspects of role salience over and above actual experiences of racism and discrimination.  Findings from this study could be utilized by mental health professionals to start facilitating dialogues with the African American men they work with concerning broadening their definition about what it means to be a good partner and parent.  These dialogues and interventions should also be aimed at helping African American men integrate healthier views of themselves as racial beings.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Vonda K. Scipio

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

May 15, 2014 at 1:00 pm

405 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Human Resources Management, Upsala College

Master of Arts, Reading Specialization Adult Literacy, Kean University

Advisory Committee

Vivian Gunn Morris, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Satomi I. Taylor, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

J. Helen Perkins, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Jerrie Scott, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Louis Franceschini, Ph.D., Research Associate II, Center for Research in Educational Policy

Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Period of Preparation:  2007 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: August 2013

Improving Teacher Effectiveness in an Urban School District through a

High Quality Induction and Mentoring Program

Abstract

Induction and mentoring programs are being implemented throughout the nation by school districts as intensive professional development for new teachers. These programs are designed to accelerate the development of novice teachers as a strategy for improving the academic achievement of students enrolled in P-12 classrooms. In an effort to assess the relative importance of school-level factors that might further such teachers’ growth, the purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of three cohorts of mentored teachers with respect to five working conditions at their assigned schools—namely, (a) colleagues contribution to professional growth; (b) principal support of professional growth; (c) adequate classroom space; (d) sufficient materials and supplies and (e) collaboration with veteran teachers—and to determine if there were differences in their perceptions by such respondent characteristics as years teaching, time working with their mentors, and level of education.

Participants in this study were 169 mentored teachers who taught from one to three academic years, from 34 schools, in a predominately African American district in the southeastern United States. While enrolled in a school district-university sponsored induction and mentoring program over a three-year period, the mentored teachers completed an anonymous online Induction Survey that was developed and administered by the New Teacher Center, Santa Cruz. Derived from successive administrations of the Induction Survey, the data were brought together in a single file were subjected to secondary analysis. Obtained through the application of a variety of non-parametric statistical procedures, the findings indicated that the mentored teachers rated those items highest that pertained to the “social context” of the school: namely, colleagues’ contribution to their professional growth, collaboration with veteran teachers, and support of principals. Conversely, the more “material” conditions of the school—specifically, the adequacy of the room in which they taught and sufficiency of materials and supplies for instruction—were consistently rated lowest by these teacher respondents.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Carol Lee Shelly Wallace

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

May 8, 2014 at 1:00 pm

301 Browning Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Foods and Nutrition, Marymount College

Master of Science, Public Health Nutrition, University of Tennessee

Advisory Committee

Mitsunori Misawa, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee Chair

Barbara Mullins Nelson, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Ruth Williams-Hooker, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Health and Sport Sciences

William Akey, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Major Field of Study

Higher and Adult Education

Period of Preparation:  2008 – 2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: April 2012

LEARNING TO PRACTICE:

A CASE STUDY OF THE EXPERIENCES OF PUBLIC HEALTH

REGISTERED DIETITIANS IN PROFESSIONAL LIFELONG LEARNING

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the experience and perspectives of registered dietitians practicing as public health nutrition professionals, in meeting their continuing professional education and professional learning needs in their workplace, and the relationship to adult learning theories. Adult learning theories and strategies reviewed including andragogy, self-directed learning, transformational learning, experiential learning, informal and incidental learning, and critical reflective practice. Data was collected during an eight month period from registered dietitians within a county public health nutrition department. Data collection methods included observation, document elicitation using the participant’s professional development portfolio using an unstructured guide, semi-structured interviews, and artifact collection. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, and findings were represented in themes, supported and illustrated by representative quotes from the participants. The five themes that emerged during analysis about CPE and professional learning were (1) the availability of opportunities, (2) the variety of methods for customizing learning, (3) that learning has a purpose, (4) learning is enhanced by enjoyability, and (5) RDs want to be prepared professionally.

The registered dietitians in this study reported experiences that aligned with literature about andragogy, self-directed learning, transformational learning, experiential learning, and informal and incidental learning. Barriers they reported were primarily cost, time, and scheduling, with some technology access problems. There was little self-reporting of reflective practice, although there was indication that they were reflecting, but did not consider it as learning. Four directions for future research are suggested, including expanding to other public health clinical settings in rural areas or in other parts of the country, or to experiences of RDs in other practice area such as clinical, wellness, chronic care, research, or education; the role of reflective practice in CPE and workplace learning for RDs; the growing role of social media in informal learning for the heath care professional providers and for patients or clients; or a comparison of the proliferations of CPE “freebies” mentioned frequently by these RDs, which are often produced by commercial companies, with more traditional CPE offerings from universities or other agencies.

The College of Education, Health and

Human Sciences

Announces the Final Examination of

Robin Jay Brooksby

for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

May 2, 2014 at 2:30 pm

103 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Psychology, Brigham Young University – Idaho

Master of Arts, Community Counseling, Gonzaga University

Advisory Committee

Sara Bridges, PhD, Associate Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, committee chair

Douglas Strohmer, PhD, Professor and Chair, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research

Lisbeth A. Berbary, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo

Elin Ovrebo, PhD, Assistant Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research

Major Field of Study

Counseling Psychology

Period of Preparation:  2009-2014

Comprehensive Examination Passed: September 2011

Social Media: A Case of Publicness

Abstract

Brooksby, Robin J. Ph.D. The University of Memphis. August 2014. Social Media: A Case of Publicness. Major Professor: Sara K. Bridges, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Counseling Psychology

Social Media has become one of the most popular ways to communicate and use the Internet. Previous research has shown that Internet use can have both positive and negative effects on users’ wellbeing, network quality, and life satisfaction. Further, self-disclosure is greatly increased and facilitated online, resulting in a loss of privacy. The aim of this case study was to provide an understanding of online publicness through an in-depth investigation of three social media users who maintained public profiles with minimal or no privacy settings. Participants included three individuals with publicly accessible blogs, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Results showed they were either naturally public people that found sharing online easy and an outgrowth of their personalities, or they had encountered circumstances that required their publicness, like being visible to past friends on Facebook, participating in public discourse through their blog, or talking with celebrities on Twitter. My findings also showed that my participants maintained their publicness online due to a variety of benefits, including making friends, convenient communication, conversation, their network, and celebrity connections. These benefits were also juxtaposed with several negative effects that publicness caused online and off. My participants negotiated these effects by being vulnerable, filtering harmful or hurtful content, maintaining their identity, accepting little privacy, and coping with the negative reactions of others.