The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Jennifer T. Townes

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March 29th, 2016 at 10:00 am

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Education, The University of Tennessee, Martin

Master of Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Tennessee State University

Advisory Committee

Carmen L. Weaver, EdD, Assistant Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Helen Perkins, EdD, Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Nicole Thompson, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Deborah K. Watlington, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design & Technology

Period of Preparation: 2013 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: September 2015

TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION STRATEGIES FOR TEACHERS FACED WITH LIMITED ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

The driving forces for integrating technology are to prepare students for the workforce and to increase student knowledge and skills. However, technology is not transforming education as it should, and studies show the teacher is a significant component in whether technology is effectively being integrated into the classroom. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ plans to increase technology use in their classroom. The views of teachers who participated in professional development were examined.  The research included addressing the specific barriers of limited hardware, software, and Internet connectivity teachers face when implementing technology.  The study asked if teachers would increase technology integration that focused on student use after strategies that address the barriers to working with limited access to technology were provided.

This mixed methods study examined quantitative data collected through the Teachers Technology Questionnaire-R (TTQ-R) and the Technology Skills Assessment-R (TSA-R) and qualitative data through an interview protocol. Differences in the data collected from the pre and post instructional intervention survey using a paired samples t-test were not found to be statistically significant; however there were observable differences. Participants’ perceived general readiness to integrate technology decreased after completing the instructional intervention as shown through the TTQ-R.  However, confidence related to integrating technology focused on student use of technology did increase.  The change in confidence could be due to the fact that the participants were not aware of the increased emphasis on the effective use of technology in schools to prepare students for the 21st century.

The themes of levels of student use, benefits and barriers of technology use and, perceived readiness emerged through the analysis of data collected through the interview protocol and the TTQ-R. The participants in this study recognized many of the same benefits and barriers found in the literature.  Access to more and better resources, increased motivation and student engagement listed as benefits (Cuban, 2001; Gaffner, 2014; Weaver, 2012).  The barriers the teachers reported facing include limited access to hardware and Internet connectivity, time constraints, (Cuban, 2001; Weaver, 2014), classroom management and student behavior, (Kopcha, 2012) and skill level (King, 2013).

The findings of this study contribute to the existing body of literature in two ways. The findings support the current literature that examines the benefits and barriers of technology integration.  Second, the findings provide support for the need of content-specific professional development for integrating technology.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Trevor Thompson

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March 30, 2016 at 3:30 pm

123 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Xavier University of Louisiana

Masters of Arts, History, University of Mississippi

Advisory Committee

Dr. Reginald Green, Professor, Department of Leadership, Committee chair

Dr. Ronnie Davis, Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Dr. Charisse Gulosino, Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Dr. Ruth Williams, Associate Professor, School of Health Studies

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation: 2007 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: February 2012

A STUDY OF PARENT INVOLVEMENT REGARDING CHILDREN LIVING WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE AND THEIR PARENTS PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR CHILDREN’S 504/INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLAN

ABSTRACT

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) affects approximately 30,000 students in the United States and due to stroke, silent cerebral infarction, and cognitive impairment, these students suffer academically. This study examined parents’ perceptions of how their children fared in the education system. Nine parents of children with SCD were interviewed and the following themes emerged: the Star Coordinator from the hospital was key to their child’s academic success, seven of nine children had cognitive issues, All nine parents said their child was allowed to go to rest room, keep water/snacks in class, all nine were advocates for their child and all nine parents said education was the key to success. All nine parents indicated that their children fall behind academically when they are absent from school because of having a sickle cell crisis. The three primary sources of evidence for this study were semi-structured interviews, image elicitation, and document analysis; these were analyzed through the development of individual responses for each participant, which resulted in a cross-case analysis narrative depicting the study’s findings.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Clay Andrew Woemmel

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 10:00 am

207 Ball Hall, The University of Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Psychology and Public Relations, Southeast Missouri State University

Master of Science, Counseling and Personnel Services, The University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Richard James, Ph.D., Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research, Committee Chair

Pamela Cogdal, Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research

Rosie Phillips Bingham, Ph.D., Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research

Colton Cockrum, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, Leadership

Major Field of Study

Counseling

Period of Preparation: 2012-2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: April 2015

Title of Dissertation

A Descriptive Study of the Career Perceptions of Diverse Freshmen Students in a First-year Experience Course

Abstract

This study examined archival data gathered from freshmen students who completed a career exploration unit in a first-year experience course during a recent four-year time span (2011-2014) in an effort to determine how levels of career confidence differed among students based upon race, gender, and place of college residence. Four specific research questions were examined: (1) How does confidence in the ability to identify the skills necessary for a desired career differ among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate residential status; (2) How does confidence in chosen academic major vary among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate residential status; (3) How does confidence that academic major will lead to a specific job/career path differ among freshmen students based on race, gender, and collegiate residential status; and (4) How does confidence in the ability to choose a second major when the first choice did not work out vary among freshmen students based on race, gender, and residential status.

Participants were 1953 freshmen students who enrolled in a first-year experience course, ACAD 1100, and completed the ACAD Career Exploration Unit and its associated learning assessment during the years 2011-2014. Fifty of the participants identified as Asian/Asian American, 1009 identified as Black/African American, 68 identified as Hispanic/Latino, and 826 identified as White/Caucasian. Six hundred forty-two were male while 1311 were female. Eleven hundred were residential students while 853 were commuter students.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Kimberlee Fair Josey

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March 29, 2016 at 2:00 pm

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis,

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Secondary Education, Mississippi State University

Master of Science, Instructional Design and Technology, University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Clif Mims, Ph.D., Associate Professor Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee co-chair

Carmen Weaver, Ed.D., Assistant Professor  Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee co-chair

William Hunter, Ed.D., Assistant Professor  Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Deborah Lowther, Ph.D., Professor Chair  Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee co-chair

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Period of Preparation: 2013 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: September 2015

Technology-Enriched Universal Design for Learning Strategies in Postsecondary Education: A Case Study of Faculty and Their Perceptions

Abstract

While studies on technology professional development (PD) report the need for faculty to remain current in their knowledge of instructional technologies, relatively few promote the capabilities of such technologies to assist faculty in implementing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles (Higbee, 2008; Levy, 2009; Wilson et al., 2011). Likewise, very few studies have highlighted the perceptions of faculty about UDL and how these perceptions influence practice and the implementation of such principles. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of faculty who had participated in an online module on technology-enriched UDL strategies, and how this participation impacted perceptions about the needs of students with disabilities (SWDs), the application of technology to meet the needs of SWDs, and the application of technology-enriched UDL strategies to meet the needs of SWDs. A qualitative case study was conducted with five faculty members who taught lower-division undergraduate language courses. This study revealed faculty perceptions related to the following three themes: awareness of learner variability and challenges faced by SWDs, benefits and barriers of applying technology-enriched UDL strategies, and the impact of UDL-focused PD on perception and practice. Findings suggested, after participating in an online module on technology-enriched UDL strategies, participants perceived: (a) SWDs need to be accommodated, but may not always disclose learning needs, (b) SWDs and all learners need materials in multiple, accessible formats, (c) technology reduces barriers to learning, (d) technology enables customization and self-regulation of learning, and (e) technology-enriched UDL strategies are beneficial. Findings also indicated the online module may have had an impact on these perceptions.