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.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Tracy McAllister

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March, 28, 2016 10:00 AM

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science in Education, Early Childhood Education, University of Central Arkansas

Master’s of Science, Library Media Information Technology, University of Central Arkansas

Advisory Committee

Clif Mims, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Co-Chair

Carmen Weaver, EdD, Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Co-Chair

Deborah Lowther, PhD, Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Trey Martindale, PhD, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design and Technology

Period of Preparation: 2010 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: March 2015

Examining Perceptions of Higher Education Faculty who Teach Online

Abstract

With the advent of computer aided technologies and the internet, students are now equipped to avail themselves of courses offered across a broad spectrum of fields and for a variety of degree levels. Institutions of higher learning have identified the need to keep pace with competing institutions by offering courses online. As colleges and universities continue to meet the demand of students seeking enrollment in online courses, the need for recruiting, hiring, and developing faculty trained to teach in an online format continues to increase as well. Quality instruction cannot exist without systems of support to advance and improve faculty (Khan & Chishti, 2012). Employing teachers with pedagogical knowledge and technology skills necessary to teach effectively continue to influence decisions of chief academic officers and other stakeholders who realize quality instruction cannot be maintained without qualified and competent faculty. The purpose of this research was to explore various aspects of higher education online instruction by examining the perceptions of instructors who teach online courses and who complete a prescribed faculty development intervention for online teaching. The research addressed three questions: What are faculty perceptions of online instruction? Does participation in a faculty development intervention, “Instructional Strategies for Online teaching and Learning”, affect faculty members’ decisions to alter their online instruction? What do participants in a faculty development intervention, “Instructional Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning”, identify as challenges to implementing new strategies to their online instruction”? Data were gathered about faculty perceptions of online instruction. Research participants engaged in a prescribed faculty development which addressed strategies specific to online instruction. Participant perceptions of the effectiveness of the training and challenges to implementing strategies were collected. The results revealed faculty members generally have a positive attitude about online instruction. The data indicated faculty members have specific preferences and that faculty development should address adult learning theory. Indications of challenges to implementing instructional strategies for online practice include time, institutional incentives and student participation.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Claire Louisa Knowles

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

April, 1^st at 1:00 pm

320 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

B.A., Spanish, Flagler College

M.A., Romance Languages, University of Memphis

Advisory Committee

Deborah Lowther, Ph.D., Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership, Committee Chair

Carmen Weaver, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership

Lee Allen, Ed.D., Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum and Leadership

Errol O’Neill, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Foreign Languages & Literature

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design and Technology

Period of Preparation: 2013 –2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: September 16, 2015

INVESTIGATING INSTRUCTOR PERCEPTIONS OF ONLINE MACHINE TRANSLATION AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION WITHIN MOST COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGE COURSES

Abstract

As the cost of mobile devices and computers has decreased and access to the Internet has increased, so too has student access to online machine translators, such as Google Translate. Many institutions of higher education have reacted to the increasing prevalence of this tool by creating prohibitive policies that ban student use of online machine translation (OMT) tools. Consequently, many second language (L2) instructors are uncertain about how to treat student use of OMT. The current literature regarding OMT use in the L2 classroom is limited to the examination of instructor and student perceptions and attitudes, the comparison of L2 writing with and without the aid of OMT, and instruction for detecting and preventing student use of OMT.

The purpose of the research was to investigate whether attending a lecture intervention changed participants’ perceptions, attitudes, confidence, and inclination to integrate OMT. An instructional intervention was developed as part of an instructional design project to teach instructors about Google Translate and to offer resources to effectively integrate this tool. This mixed-methods study examined quantitative data collected through pre- and post-survey instruments and qualitative data through a semi-structured interview protocol. Significance was observed around the following research questions: perceptions and understanding regarding how OMT works, confidence explaining and integrating OMT, and inclination to integrate and assess student use of OMT. Interviews with participants revealed divergent perceptions of the limitations and benefits of OMT, as well as differing opinions on how to treat and integrate this tool.  The findings of this study support literature on the need for language programs to rethink students’ use of OMT and to provide language instructors access to OMT training. The implications of this research are important to L2 department deans, supervisors, instructors, and students.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Thomas Kristian King

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

March 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm

406 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Business Administration (BBA), Business, Delta State University

Business Administration (MBA), Business, Delta State University

Advisory Committee

Trey Martindale, Ed.D, Associate Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Deborah Lowther, Ph.D., Professor Chair (Retired), Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Lee Allen, Associate Professor & Interim Chair, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Carmen Weaver, Assistant Professor, Instruction and Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instructional Design & Technology

Period of Preparation: 2010 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: April 2013

DESIGNING EFFECTIVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

FOR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS

Abstract

Substitute teachers are brought into a classroom in the absence of the permanent teacher to ensure continuous instruction occurs and students are afforded a safe learning environment (Duggleby & Badali, 2007). Most substitute teachers must immediately ask themselves two questions when they walk into the classroom: “Do I have control?” and “What am I supposed to do?” (Bontempo and Ardeth, 2003). Unfortunately, maintaining instructional continuity is not always possible simply due to the challenges substitute teachers must face in this position as a temporary teacher. The purpose of this study was to create an online orientation course to identify what instructional topics best prepare substitute teacher candidates to enter a K-12 public classroom.

Data were collected from the literature and participants to identify the skills they believed were needed to prepare substitute teachers for the classroom. The data collected guided the development of an online instructional intervention administered to 12 substitute teachers in a rural Mississippi high school. The results of the study aligned with the existing research and identified a need for continuous professional development in classroom management and teaching strategies to further develop and equip quality substitute teachers.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Shelly Roush Burr

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

April 1, 2016 at 11:00 am

207 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Recreation and Park Management, The Pennsylvania State University

Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education, University of Pittsburgh

Advisory Committee

Celia Rousseau Anderson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership, Committee chair

Angiline Powell, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Erika Bullock, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Alistair Windsor, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences

Major Field of Study

Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

2008 – 2016

Comprehensive Examination Passed: November 2011

Changing for the Common Good

Abstract

The purpose of this single instrumental case study is to understand the implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative at Southern Elementary School, an elementary school in an urban area in the mid-south.   This study utilized a conceptual framework developed by Spillane, Reiser, and Reimer (2002).  The following research questions guided the study: (1) What are the individuals’ understandings of the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Mathematics; (2) How do individuals understand their roles in the implementation process of the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Mathematics; and (3) How do individuals understand the school’s role in the implementation process of the Common Core State Standards Initiative for Mathematics?  Data in this study were collected from five participants utilizing observations, interviews, and document analysis.  Although the participants in this study showed initial apprehension towards the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, their comfort level grew over time as they became supportive of the transition toward the Common Core.  One overarching factor that appeared to have assisted in the implementation process at Southern Elementary School was the team approach utilized within the school, which was evident in individual classrooms, professional learning communities, faculty meetings, and between various stakeholders in informal settings.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Laura E. Demarse

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 9, 2015 at 11:00 am

Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelors of Arts, Psychology, Marymount Manhattan College

Masters of Science in Education, Counseling, Fordham University

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, PhD, Professor, Leadership, Committee chair

Reginald Green, Ed.D, Professor, Leadership

Mary Boudreaux, Ed.D, Assistant Professor, Leadership

Ernest Rakow, PhD, Professor, Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Research

Major Field of Study

Adult Education

Period of Preparation: 2011-2015

Comprehensive Examination Passed: March 2015

CASE STUDY ON SPIRITUALITY IN SENIOR CENTER EDUCATION:

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN ADULT EDUCATION

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the deeply personal role of spirituality in adult education as seen through teaching seniors and examined the personal manifestation of spirituality through the life experiences of five adult educators. The research questions will examine how the participants implement spirituality in their teaching practice, principally informed by their personal definitions of spirituality and how these personal experiences of spirituality influence and shape their work as adult educators. The case study will use non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews, which provide the narratives that informs the basis of this study.

Keywords: spirituality, adult education, transformation learning, case study, educators

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Tisha LiThel White

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 6, 2015

Room 405 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Arts, English: Technical and Professional Writing, University of Memphis, 1999

Masters in Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Freed-Hardeman University, 2002

Education Specialist, Administration and Supervision, Freed-Hardeman University, 2004

Advisory Committee

Beverly Cross, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Alfred Hall, II, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Teri Evans, Ed.D., Adjunct, Department of Leadership

William Hunter, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Instruction & Curriculum Leadership

Major Field of Study

Instruction and Curriculum

Period of Preparation: Summer 2010-Fall 2015

Comprehensive Examination Passed: February 2014

TEACHER SELF-EFFICACY: HOW DO HIGH-PERFORMING BLACK TEACHERS IN UNDER-PERFORMING SCHOOLS NEGOTIATE SELF-EFFICACY?

Abstract

Despite the vast research on efficacy and teacher efficacy, little research focuses on the work of high-performing black teachers’ self-efficacy who work in low-performing urban schools. This research fills the gap of our understanding of high-performing black teachers and provides voice to a population under-represented in research. To answer the questions that served as a catalyst for this research, the following methods were used: focus groups, semi-structured interviews, storytelling, and reviewing student work samples. Each method allowed me to strategically and incrementally delve deeper into the research. As a result, I learned that high-performing black teachers in under-performing urban schools have specific practices that demonstrate their personal self-efficacy. They are reflective, inquisitive, and these teachers maintain a positive outlook in all situations. The teachers in this study also carefully adapt their practices by focusing on strong relationships with students and growing their practices so they are more effective instructors. Finally, the participants’ self-efficacy practices of this study are distinguished in under-performing urban schools by teachers having a deep understanding of the needs of black children. These teachers also welcomed students with challenging behavior and felt empowered to change that negative behavior to positive. Finally, these teachers encouraged and cared for the classroom environment so it would be safe, welcoming, and rigorous. There are multiple implications from this research including a focus on K-12 education, higher education and learning, and non-profit entities and their collaboration with legislative bodies. Future research includes (but is not limited to) a focus on challenging students, high-performing students and self-efficacy, and district curriculums and the Common Core’s relationship to self-efficacy.

The College of Education

Announces the Final Examination of

Angela Lynnette Barnes Hargrave

for the degree of

Doctor of Education

November 9, 2015 at 9:00 AM

123 Ball Hall, University of Memphis

Memphis, TN

Biographical Sketch

Bachelor of Science, Elementary/Special Education, Grambling State University

Master of Science, Educational Leadership, University of Mississippi

Educational Specialist, Curriculum and Leadership, Union University

Advisory Committee

Larry McNeal, Ph.D., Professor, Committee Chair, Department of Leadership

Reginald Green, Ed.D., Professor, Department of Leadership

Charisse Gulisino, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership

Momodou Keita, Ed.D., Adjunct Professor, Shelby County Schools

Major Field of Study

Leadership and Policy Studies

Period of Preparation: 2011 – 2015

Comprehensive Examination Passed: November 2014

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARTICIPATION IN ATHLETICS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF MALE AFRICAN AMERICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

Hargrave, Angela Lynnette. Ed.D. The University of Memphis, December 2015. The Relationship Between Participation in Athletics and Academic Performance of Male African American High School Students. Major Professor: Larry McNeal, Ph.D.

A dramatic gap in the academic achievement of African American males and the academic achievement of Caucasian males across this country continues to exist. African American males fail to complete high school at an increasingly high rate or are ill-prepared for postsecondary education upon completion of high school. The disengagement of African American males in schools has been linked to the continuance of this achievement gap. This study was conducted to investigate the impact on academic achievement that high school athletics had on African American male students who participated in high school athletics against African American male students who did not participate in high school athletics from 2008 to 2012. The foundational theories of this study are Bechtol’s Sports Participation Theory and the Self-Determination Theory, which indicate that participating in athletics has a positive and lasting effect on academic outcomes for students.

The results of this study provide educators and researchers further insight into contributors of the achievement gap and a significant means of improving the educational experiences of African American males. This secondary analysis of existing data was conducted using categorical data, with the independent variables of participation or nonparticipation in athletics and socioeconomic status (SES) being measured against dependent variables of academic achievement. The results were measured by the cumulative grade point averages (GPA), the composite results of the American College Test (ACT) exam, and high school completion type of the African American males who participated in athletics and those African American males who did not participate in athletics while in high school.

The results of this study indicate that participation in high school athletic programs does have a significant impact on the academic achievement of African American males. Results of this study further indicate that athletic participation proved to have a substantial impact on the completion of high school and the cumulative GPAs of African American male students and should be considered an important resource for influencing the academic aspirations of African American males. This study also highlights that SES further impacts the academic achievement of African American males. The findings of this study show that athletic participation should be considered a viable means of engaging African American males and moving them toward high school completion and postsecondary readiness.