The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a correlation exists between teacher dispositions, grounded in Perceptual Psychology, and student results on the Kentucky Student Voice Survey (KSVS), a 25-question survey adapted from Cambridge Education's Tripod survey. A correlation was found between teacher dispositions and KSVS question…

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the advent of healthcare information technology was a viable career pathway for the people of northeastern Kentucky. The qualitative study used the Delphi Method to conduct and examine interviews with nine experts in Kentucky's workforce development, economic development, education, and healthcare…

In order to compare the accessibility, need, and extent of professional development, technology, and its relationship to low socioeconomic (SES) schools and achievement, data were accessed from the Kentucky Department of Education, Division of School and Community Nutrition Qualifying Data Report to identify schools with a greater than 50% free…

College students, on average, do not consume enough fruits and vegetables. Contributing to poor eating habits is an overall decline in young adults' cooking skills as compared to previous decades, with today's college students often relying on ubiquitous convenience food options. The detriments associated with these food choices are linked to a…

The purpose of this study was to determine if a significant relationship existed between principal leadership practices, as perceived by teachers, and teacher's sense of self-efficacy. The target population was rural Appalachian teachers that worked for a principal that had been in administration for at least three consecutive years. This study…

Early childhood professionals have established a set list of characteristics that denote a high quality early care and education environment for children under the age of kindergarten, but these may not be the same characteristics that parents consider in the decision-making process. The researcher used survey research to obtain quantitative…

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the role of the superintendent in the turnaround process in persistently low achieving school districts. This research identified common threads, principles, and suggestions on turnaround processes and the role of the superintendent through examination of research on leadership and school…

This mixed-methods study explores the self-efficacy beliefs of foreign language teachers in central Appalachia, which encompasses eastern Kentucky, north-central Tennessee, southwestern Virginia, and southwestern West Virginia. The participants in this study are high school foreign language teachers in the region; 81 participants completed an…

This capstone examined the differences in support services provided for undergraduate versus graduate students. From the research, a centralized advising system was designed and implemented for graduate students at a public state supported university in Kentucky to help students be more satisfied with their graduate school experience and increase…

The purpose of this study was to investigate how faculty, administrators, and staff perceived the climate for shared governance at 36 member institutions of the Appalachian College Association (ACA), based on standards for sound shared governance in higher education as outlined by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). Numerous…

This project researched faculty perceptions of learning spaces and their possible impact on student persistence at two community colleges in Kentucky. The researchers found through literature review, surveys, and interviews that learning spaces that enhanced student engagement and collaboration could positively impact student persistence. The…

The project researched faculty perceptions of learning spaces and their possible impact on student persistence at two community colleges in Kentucky. The researchers found through literature review, surveys, and interviews that learning spaces that enhanced student engagement and collaboration could positively impact student persistence. The…

The concept of instructional leadership has emerged as a vital characteristic of the role of school principal. Yet there remains a lack of a universally accepted definition for instructional leadership within the research literature. Concepts such as transformational leadership, shared instructional leadership, integrated leadership, and balanced…

Parent-child sexual health communication (PCSHC) can have a positive impact on adolescents' sexual health choices, outcomes, and capabilities for communicating with others about sexual health. Many parents are hesitant and feel unprepared for and uncomfortable with communicating about sexual health with their children. Other parental factors as…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the educator's perception of the optimal professional development experience. Research studies have concluded that the biggest indicator to predict student achievement is teacher effectiveness (Aaronson, Barrow, & Sander, 2007; Marzano, 2003; Sanders & Horn, 1998; Wong 2001). Guskey…