There exists a critical need to boost the overall number of baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses to accomplish goals for providing high-quality healthcare for all United States citizens (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Given the limited number of sites needed to facilitate clinical learning experiences for pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing…

Digital badges are electronic icons used to recognize learning or participation in activities. Open digital badges offer the additional affordance of embedded metadata that can link to the criteria for earning the badge, evidence of the skill, and other information including issuer details. Badge systems have prompted instructional designers to…

As schools move from more traditional educational curricula and systems to practices more innovative and relevant to 21st-century learning, it is necessary to understand the actions and attributes that are effective for creating innovative learning environments. This study explored how 21st-century learning environments and practices are…

Teamwork and communication are essential concepts for new graduate registered nurses working as members of the interprofessional team. Studies have shown the efficacy of applying these interprofessional education concepts by allowing student nurses to round with health teams before graduation. The innovative practice of rounding significantly…

Perception is reality. No matter how you view yourself, your profile as a leader will be designed for you by those with whom you work and interact. It is vital that your leadership style have an understanding of the human complexities. Well-versed leaders inspire others while educating themselves as part of the continuum of learning (Tinney,…

The purpose of this study is to determine the levels of concern of Illinois principals regarding the adoption of an evaluation system modeled after Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching. Principal demographics and involvement in the use of and professional development surrounding Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching were studied for…

This qualitative study introduces a new framework for describing teachers who act innovatively in public schools--teachers as "hackers." It examines the characteristics and conditions under which teachers "hack" their classroom pedagogy to create disruptive innovation in the public education system and identify implications for…

Aspiring entrepreneurs give and receive support in growth-fostering interactions with seasoned entrepreneurs, mentors, peers, and others. This dissertation investigates viewpoints held by entrepreneurs about their experiences of effective mentoring support. Little is known about how an entrepreneur learns through interacting with different…

This case study developed an instructional technology assessment process for the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (GGSE). The theoretical framework of Adelman and Taylor (2001) guided the development of this instructional technology assessment process and the tools to aid in its facilitation. GGSE faculty, staff, and graduate students…

The implementation of instructional technology innovations in the United States high schools is influenced by many factors. In order to facilitate successful implementation of video conferencing in the classroom, school administrators must be aware of teacher concerns. The primary goal of this quantitative study was to investigate the concerns of…

For decades, technology integration into the classroom and curriculum has been at the forefront of education. Although public perception and technology funding assumes that teachers are integrating technology into the curriculum, research shows that actual integration is still far from being fully implemented. This study detailed how first-year…

The purpose of this research was to conceptualize an R & D based learning-to-innovate (LTI) model. The problem to be addressed was the lack of a theoretical L TI model, which would inform science pedagogy. The absorptive capacity (ACAP) lens was adopted to untangle the R & D LTI phenomenon into four learning processes: problem-solving via…

Children today are born into a world with endless amounts of information at their fingertips, the ability to instantly connect with others, and smartphones with an app for virtually everything. It is a world that is vastly different than that of their parents or grandparents. As these students sit in classrooms all over the world, their teachers…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the implementation of educational technology in selected medical schools. This study utilized Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory to investigate the perspectives of educational technology leaders at four different medical schools in the United States. In the coming years,…

This dissertation describes how entrepreneurial superintendents of educational service agencies (ESAs) recognize, determine and address common and distinct innovative characteristics within emerging or established regional educational environments. Because internal and external factors assist in recognizing innovative practices, this study…