Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Education, Guidance and Counseling|Education, Educational Psychology|Education, Technology of'

Emergent popularity and student consumer/educational administrator demand for online technology in counselor education is also increasing the need to research its impact and potential effectiveness/ineffectiveness as a pedagogical tool. Research shows that the trend toward online coursework is likely to increase in the future and also that the new trend is moving away from asynchronous text-based delivery toward virtual environments using video and audio (Robey, 2009).

Counselor educator led preparation programs are experiencing more pressure to join the online bandwagon and yet lag behind other professions in utilizing technologies in education (Karper, Robinson, & Casado-Kehoe, 2005). Although some studies have investigated the use of online technology in counselor education, very few studies have explored using virtual simulated clients in counselor education in order to develop counseling skills (Engen, Finken, Luschei, & Kenney, 1994; Hayes, Taub, Robinson, & Sivo, 2003; Karper et al., 2005).

Furthermore, self-efficacy is a critical component of counseling skill development for counselors-in-training (CITs; Levitt & Jacques, 2005). Therefore, the purpose of this mixed-methods dissertation was to investigate whether online learning technology using synchronous, online, video-based, computer-guided, simulated-client microskills drills in real time influenced microskills development for counselors-in-training.

Further, I used Counselingskills on Demand (COD) online virtual client microskills drills within the framework of Bandura's (1977) social cognitive theory that performance is the best indicator of self-efficacy and explored how online microskills drills influence counseling student microskills performance and developmental process.

Qualitative data analysis suggested that participants were comfortable with online learning, found virtual client microskills drills most beneficial while developing a basic understanding of the difference between microskills and how to use them, and less useful once a basic understanding and ability to use the microskills was established. Overall, study results appeared to indicate that online learning technology using synchronous, online, video-based, computer-guided, simulated-client microskills drills in real time may be beneficial, may assist counseling students in the developmental process of increasing cognitive complexity and self-efficacy, could lead to decreased anxiety when doing counseling, and might help develop microskills understanding and basic proficiency.

Eating disorders have become an ever-increasing phenomenon in the cultural landscape. The irony of a culture of abundance that produces either abnormally abstemious or indulgent food practices is staggering. This study is a qualitative analysis of recovery from three major eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. It is a phenomenological and existential analysis of the lifeworld of those who have had relief from the symptoms for three years or longer. The Maintenance phase recovery in the Stages of a Change model is used as criteria for participation in this study. Terror Management Theory was used as one lens to elucidate that experience to better understand the psychological and emotional changes the subjects encountered throughout their recovery process, Additionally, Van Manen's (1997) four lifeworld existentials defined the phenomenological glance that the study sought to understand the experience of recovery. Five main themes emerged from the data. These themes characterized the experience of the recovered person. These main themes were 1) a change in self-esteem based on honesty towards self and others, 2) a new relationship with the body, 3) a positive change in family relationships, 4) a new autonomy and competence/spirituality, and 5) optimism in the face of adversity/spirituality. A discussion of implications for and uses in counseling and of further research possibilities conclude this dissertation.

The present study built on the design and results from the pilot study in an attempt to explore the relationship between psychologists' personal ideologies and the decisions they make in school-based counseling. Of particular interest was whether higher levels of self-reported ideology were related to support of relevant school policies. Participants included 166 psychologists who responded to an online survey that included questions related to personal and professional ideologies, attitudes toward school policies, training and preparedness in four areas of interest, and hypothetical scenarios. Consistency among responses in areas including theoretical orientation, political party, and training and preparedness in ethics and multicultural issues limited the analyses that could be performed to compare different populations. Correlation data indicated that there was no relationship between those who reported to be religious and those who reported that they were not religious, though slight differences were noted qualitatively. There was also no difference between responses of individuals who had not taken a class but felt prepared as compared with responses of the rest of the population. Correlation data also indicated some associations between the school policies related to liberal/conservative political views and the vignette designed toward that ideology.

As our nation has become more aware of severe, yet usually rare, crisis events in schools, the need for crisis planning is more evident. Although the severity of crises can differ greatly (e.g., school shooting versus physical assaults), crisis preparedness is an essential component of schools' responsibilities in order to effectively respond to a variety of situations. A total of 70 participants, from multiple states across the United States, completed an online questionnaire about demographic characteristics, resources for school crisis planning, and training on crisis topics. Participants also submitted a copy of their school's crisis plan to be evaluated using a recently developed checklist to assess the comprehensiveness of plans. The results indicated that school crisis plans were often lacking recommended components in the prevention, intervention, and postvention areas. Further analyses revealed that demographic variables did not significantly impact the variation in plan quality, and the total training score did not significantly predict plan quality. However, the regression analysis for the total resources score was significant in predicting plan quality. Another important finding of this research was that plans often included essential crisis procedures that were not included on the checklist used for evaluation. These results hold several implications for schools. First, schools should be revising and updating crisis plans on a regular basis. The lack of certain components based on the checklist should be taken into account when revising these plans. Schools may also want to invest in factors that will positively influence their crisis planning. The current study suggests that resources are a significant predictor of plan quality, and thus this should be an area where schools focus time and funding.

This study considers how advising ePortfolios are uniquely situated to address a current challenge in the application of educational technologies: using the right tool for the right job for the right reason at the right time. The particular problem identified for investigation lies at the intersection of two central issues: first, in the age of accountability in higher education, academic advisors lack both a tool and a metric for assessing advising; second, the current ePortfolio field struggles to prove methodological validity with regard to design, development, delivery, and evaluation. These ePortfolios were systematically studied using an approach that provided a workable method for conceptualizing the advising ePortfolio, its design, and its development to improve faculty-student engagement with first-generation students.

The sample was composed of 10 first-generation first-year students at the University of Notre Dame. The overall methodology followed design and development research for product/tool use and evaluation. Data were gathered using surveys, interviews, and observations. This study answered the following questions: What procedures were undertaken to facilitate the design and development of a validated advising ePortfolio tool? In what ways is the advising ePortfolio prototype practical in meeting the requirements specified for the target group—first-year first-generation students? To what extent is the advising ePortfolio effective in impacting student engagement, particularly with first-year first-generation students?

Key findings indicate that the advising ePortfolio was easy to learn, easy to use, and highly enjoyable. In addition, participants reported that the advising ePortfolio improved the effectiveness of the advising process and, as a result, had a clear impact on increasing student engagement. Beyond the overall positive impact on student engagement, two significant outcomes and contributions emerged: first, the development of the blended advising model, which uses the ePortfolio to deepen the engagement cycle; second, enhanced assessment, learning analytics, and data triangulation models which qualitatively and quantitatively data mines the ePortfolio to create next generation learning analytics that could measure student engagement.

Treatment integrity of school-based interventions is discussed within the dropout prevention and the Check & Connect (C&C) mentoring program framework. Treatment integrity factors and increasing and measuring it are explored. The psychometric properties of the C&C Survey, an online administered self-report treatment integrity measure, used 2010/2011 data from 24 mentors and middle school mentees. Estimation of the C&C Survey's criterion and content validity through mixed methods included data across multiple factors of treatment integrity and mentee outcomes. Aspects of the C&C Survey correlate to improved mentee attendance and, less so, to decreased mentee GPA. Qualitative data showed mentors with higher C&C Survey scores have more comprehensive knowledge of C&C interventions. Experienced mentors found the C&C Survey accurately reflected their activities. The C&C Survey was deemed to have adequate psychometric properties. The frequent use of online administered treatment integrity measures for school-based interventions is proposed and further investigation posited.

This study sought to better understand the phenomenon of Math anxiety as experienced by female elementary school teachers, teaching grades 2-5. Using qualitative research methods to collect and analyze data, ten participants were recruited for open-ended interviews designed to collect data in the form of verbatim statements. The analysis of this data resulted in qualitative descriptions of the lived experience of Math anxiety by focusing on what Math anxiety is and how it precipitates. In addition, a description of the meaning and essence of Math anxiety was constructed. Results of this study include teachers' descriptions of factors they associate with Math anxiety including frequently changing Mathematics curriculums, student and parental issues, mandatory statewide online Mathematical assessments, teacher evaluations that require statewide student Mathematical assessment scores and parental input, and budgetary decisions adversely affecting students and faculty. Participants described time restrictions, painful past memories, feelings of Mathematical inadequacy, and Mathematics/gender issues. In addition, participants described how Math anxiety may decrease with humor, greater Mathematical experience, and/or by understanding Mathematics on deeper levels due to the newly adopted Common Core Mathematical Standards. Up until the completion of this dissertation, the researcher has not been able to locate any studies describing the lived experience of Math anxiety in female elementary school teachers. Through the voices of the teachers themselves, it is hoped that this novel approach may increase the understanding of Math anxiety for educators, parents, students, administrators, and researchers.

The objective of this examination was to determine if there were significant differences in reported levels of motivation across five teaching tasks, as well as time allocated to each teaching task, among online and onsite university-level social science faculty. One hundred thirty-six social science faculty members were allocated into two groups that reported teaching in either online or onsite settings. Each participant completed the WTMST measuring various types of motivation across various types of teaching tasks. A measure of estimated time spent on each of the five teaching tasks was also obtained. The two groups showed several similarities in amount of motivation across teaching tasks and types of motivation with greater motivation for teaching, class preparation and evaluation of students than administrative and complementary tasks and greater motivation for teaching than class preparation. Both groups showed greater identified regulation than intrinsic motivation and greater intrinsic motivation and identified and external regulation than introjected regulation and amotivation. However, the onsite group reported greater motivation for teaching and class preparation than evaluation of students that was not shown for the online group and the onsite group reporting greater external regulation than intrinsic motivation and greater introjected regulation than amotivation that was not shown for the online group. The onsite group reported more time teaching than evaluation of students while the opposite finding was shown for the online group. The onsite group reported more time on class preparation than the other tasks except teaching while the online group reported less time, or no difference in time, spent on class preparation compared to other tasks. Reported time estimates and motivation scores were shown to be positively correlated across teaching tasks. The patterns of motivation scores across teaching tasks and types of motivation are described relative to self-determination theory. Differences within groups in motivation scores, and reported allocation of time, across teaching tasks, and corresponding positive correlation between motivation scores and reported time estimates suggests a relationship between the distribution of required duties of faculty and their motivational experiences. The findings are discussed relative to potential future qualitative and quantitative research of college faculty motivation and time allocated to various tasks, and relative to benefits to college level faculty, administrators and faculty services, and to students, toward facilitating quality of the academic experience.