Matching Items (15)
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- All Subjects: Educational leadership
- Creators: Smith, Stephanie
Description
Many medical students are reluctant to seek help during the course of their four years of medical school. When they do finally ask for help, some are already burned out or in a crisis. One of the main reasons students are apprehensive about seeking help is stigma. This mixed methods action research study was conducted to explore whether a help-seeking, anti-stigma campaign improved help-seeking behaviors. The innovation was an anti-stigma campaign consisting of three components: (a) video vignettes of upper class students normalizing help-seeking, (b) a Friends and Family of Medical Students session to educate those closest to the student about medical school, and (c) an anonymous, online mental health screening tool. Data from the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, individual interviews, and institutional data from the medical school provided information about the effects of the campaign and determined factors influencing help-seeking. Using these strategies, I hoped to normalize help-seeking and break down the barriers of stigma. Major findings included: Students were more likely to seek help from personal resources (close family and friends); Students may be more proactive with personal resources, but need prompting for college or formal resources; Students’ beliefs and attitudes were influenced by those closest to them and; First year students were more likely to seek help than their second year classmates. In addition, data inspired future research ideas and programming regarding the topic of help-seeking in medical school.
ContributorsSmith, Stephanie (Author) / Marley, Scott C. (Thesis advisor) / Buss, Ray R. (Committee member) / McEchron, Matthew D. (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
Description
Across the nation, incoming first-year undergraduates enter the university with a major that they selected before they had any lived-experiences as a college student. With more students changing their major than keeping the one they initially enrolled with, an inequity arises between those students whose pre-college experiences prepare them to make these informed decisions and those students who are otherwise unable to make these decisions due to personal barriers that prevent them from investing in their own career aspirations. As these students acclimate to their new identities as college students, they must also definitively decide on a major–or select a new one–on their own with no required courses that earn them baccalaureate credit. This action research qualitative study was conducted to address a systemic problem by understanding the effects of Culturally Responsive Curriculum on instructors and their students in a general education writing class where diverse first-year students participate in career exploration. Through theoretical frameworks within Landscapes of Practice, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and Culturally Responsive Teaching, the study’s findings suggest that an increase in Culturally Responsive assignments in a writing class paired with critical reflection can aid both students and instructors in diffusing and mitigating barriers that keep them from imagining their future career selves.
ContributorsVasquez, Jaclyn Marie (Author) / Henriksen, Danah (Thesis advisor) / Cleaves, Wallace (Committee member) / Lopez, Mara (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
This qualitative dissertation explores the use of an original table-top role-playing game as a framework for community-building among independent community educators who lack a central geographic nexus. The study utilized an action research approach, involving the creation and development of the game in collaboration with participants for a period of many months, using an iterative, emergent design process that emphasized collaboration and feedback. The research sought to answer the following questions: 1) How can a table-top role-playing game establish and build community among independent community educators? 2) By engaging in an emergent design-informed table-top role-playing game, what kinds of community-building frameworks can be produced by independent community educators playing the game? The game, called "New School," was designed to facilitate communication and connection among educators working in a variety of communities, contexts, and geographic locations. Through a series of playtesting sessions and a reflective feedback loop, the researcher and participants identified key features of the game that supported community-building, including opportunities for storytelling, shared problem-solving, and connection with personal and professional experiences. The findings suggest that the game has potential to serve as a framework for community-building, promoting emergent collaboration and knowledge-sharing among participants. Implications for future research and practice in this area are discussed.
ContributorsBennett, Zoe Laurel (Author) / Wolf, Leigh G (Thesis advisor) / Boltz, Liz (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
The problem of practice addressed in this study specifically examined how teachers lack the knowledge and experience of working with Indigenous students, thus creating a lack of connections with these students. Indigenous students have unique life experiences and world views, and the lack of knowledge and experience from teachers makes it difficult to provide adequate connections for the students in Tribal Schools. One of the driving ideas behind this research was that if non-Native teachers do not understand their students, how will they be able to connect with them and teach them effectively? Connections and relationships with teachers are one of the most beneficial factors for students. Generally, teacher preparation programs within the United States do not explicitly address the unique barriers and histories experienced by Indigenous students. The goal of this study was to assist teachers of varying cultural backgrounds in the transition from their teacher education programs to being in the classroom, teaching Indigenous students. This will better prepare future educators to teach Indigenous students in a Tribal School setting.
ContributorsDumarce, Demi (Author) / Gee, Elizabeth (Thesis advisor) / Whalen, Kevin (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
This dissertation explores how a social learning landscape constructed around the concept of Emergent Synchronicity affects the perceptions of connectedness and belonging felt by a group of EdD students enrolled in an online asynchronous program. The mixed methods study collects data from a series of three surveys distributed at the beginning, middle, and end of a semester, as well as data collected from semi-structured participant interviews. The findings from the research illustrate the importance of connectedness and belonging to the student experience while also establishing the social learning qualities and experiences identified by participants as the most beneficial to their learning experience. The results prompt a re-thinking of the importance of connectedness and belonging which has been largely ignored as the online asynchronous learning format has increased in prevalence and establishes an understanding of how the constructs commence and change over time. The findings support the creation of a student-to-student mentor program that uses the insight of the advanced student to guide the novice student. In addition, the findings highlight the role of the institution in establishing a culture of social learning and providing opportunities for the connectedness and belonging constructs to develop.
ContributorsKalyankar, Jill (Author) / Chapman, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Owens Boltz, Liz (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
This action research dissertation explores the role of coaching in fostering people’s development within the administrative services of a small research-intensive public university. The study explores how coaching influences employee attitudes, self-efficacy, personal and professional growth, productivity, and overall organizational effectiveness. The research was conducted within the Business and Ancillary Services unit, which implemented a service excellence strategy that included coaching as a core component. The study seeks to understand the specific impact of coaching in enhancing employee engagement, fostering collaboration, and contributing to the university’s broader organizational goals. A mixed-methods approach was utilized to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. Forty employees, including one director, six managers, and 33 unionized staff members, were invited to participate in an anonymous survey, while five participants were selected for semi-structured interviews to provide deeper insights into individual experiences and perceptions. The survey measured the effectiveness of coaching sessions on various developmental outcomes using Likert scale items, while the interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that coaching had a positive impact on employee attitudes, with participants reporting increased confidence, motivation, and engagement. Coaching was also linked to greater self-efficacy, enabling employees to feel more capable of achieving their goals and contributing to organizational success. Furthermore, coaching promoted stronger interpersonal relationships and teamwork, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support. Participants noted improvements in their personal and professional growth, particularly in skill development and adaptability. Productivity was also enhanced, as coaching helped employees focus on their objectives and optimize their performance. Although the findings are specific to a particular context, they offer valuable insights for varying contexts seeking to leverage coaching for employee development. The study concludes with recommendations for expanding coaching initiatives, exploring their long-term effects, and examining how organizational culture influences the success of coaching programs. This research underscores the potential of coaching as a strategic tool for driving both individual and organizational development.
ContributorsSomani, Rahim (Author) / Chapman, Amy (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Gilpin-Jackson, Yabome (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
The School of Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (SEBI) student’sengagement with SEBI support services has been a matter of concern since the
establishment of the School in 2017. Of the fifteen hundred (1500) students registered at
the School, approximately 40% of them use the student support services offered to
increase retention, enhance performance, reduce uncertainties, and guide students to
success. The literature showed that student engagement is important for the greater
achievement of student outcomes, maintaining retention, as well as to offset any
ambiguity and challenges within the learning environments. The practitioner used Astin’s
Theory of Student Involvement and Tinto’s Student Integration Theory to discuss the
phenomenon of infrequent engagements of students with student support services SEBI.
The research used a mixed-method approach to investigate the current framework of
student support services at SEBI and student's engagement with these services. The
findings suggest that the students' perception of the support services offered by SEBI is
that the services are inadequate, and that their success is as a result of peer support and
their individual persistence. The practitioner proposes a student support strategy
prototype that will involve a collaboration between students and faculty members for a
more effective and efficient student support service.
ContributorsAlves, Tracy (Author) / Fischman, Gustavo (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Eardley, Trisha (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023
Description
Students in higher education require the skills and knowledge to creatively solve some of the pressing social, economic, and environmental issues confronting humanity. In 2015, the United Nations and its member states developed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address complex global issues and systemic barriers to achieving sustainable development across the world. The SDGs help guide the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative of the UN Global Compact that aligns signatory business schools with a set of values consistent with responsible management principles. This action research study examined bridging the knowledge gap of faculty transitioning from teaching traditional business curriculum to PRME and the SDG implementation in the curriculum in a polytechnic setting. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory was used as the guiding theoretical framework. An intervention in the form of a faculty development micro-credential was created and implemented for study participants. Using a quantitative research design with pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys, participants reported a statistically significant increase in knowledge after the PRME micro-credential.
ContributorsGleiser, Amy (Author) / Ross, Lydia (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Chretien, Michelle (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2024
Description
With increasing costs of higher education, community college pathways to baccalaureate transfer degrees are attractive student alternatives to starting at a traditional four-year institution. However, disparate student outcomes, particularly for underserved student populations, continue to be a concern when considering equitable four-year degree completion rates. Previous literature demonstrates that student satisfaction and student informational capital play key roles in the success of community college transfer students to persist to four-year institutions and attain their educational and career goals. The role of academic advising in the transfer context provides a uniquely collaborative opportunity to address factors of success and student outcomes. Via this mixed methods action research study, I utilized archival student enrollment data, a student survey, and student and advisor interviews to examine an academic advising model that I created in partnership between Cochise Community College and the University of Arizona (i.e., the Colaborativo Advising for Transfer Success Model, or CATS Advising Model), whereby I assigned a singular academic advisor (i.e., a CATS advisor) a student caseload across the two institutions in a deliberate effort to facilitate successful transfer. I used a combined framework of the Model of Student Departure, Transfer Student Capital, and Appreciative Inquiry to inform the advising intervention. I found that students who received the advising intervention were significantly more likely to a) be satisfied with their transfer advising experience, b) perceive increased transfer knowledge (capital), and c) retain through transfer and university enrollment, in comparison to their peers who received advising via a more traditional transfer advising model. Importantly, the students experiencing the advising intervention were also able to articulate their appreciation and recognition of the impact of their relationship with the CATS advisors on their transfer success.
ContributorsWieland, Sarah (Author) / Beardsley, Audrey (Thesis advisor) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Urquídez, Kasandra (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
It is common for graduate programs to be plagued by delays in on-time student completion or to experience student attrition. Students have experienced such delays in a local program at the University where I am employed as a lecturer. Therefore, this dissertation was undertaken with the aim of supporting university students at the graduate level toward successful on-time completion of their programs. This action research study was multi-phased in its approach; with data collection, and reflection driving the process for intervention delivery and subsequent evaluation. A dynamic approach which included some components of greater structure than was previously seen in the program, was designed for implementation. It was envisaged that this approach would serve as a model of support for students. The following chapters written in article format details the cycles of action research undertaken as part of this dissertation. The first article tells a story written for a wider audience. While the second article presents a more direct look at the implementation of the dynamic structured approach, and lessons learned through the experiential stories of the students. The dynamic structured approach is a framework which was created from a synergetic review of studies on the issues of attrition and delayed completion in graduate programs. The approach was therefore discussed in hopes that it can be used as a model in other graduate programs to ensure that students are supported in a holistic manner. Further, recommendations were made to bolster the approach based on the lessons learned from its initial implementation as well as through the reflections of the researcher-practitioner. The approach has built-in flexibility and is open to refinement and modification to suit the needs of varying institutions for future use.
ContributorsLord, Kara Tamara (Author) / Basile, Carole (Thesis advisor) / Buss, Ray (Committee member) / Smith, Stephanie (Committee member) / Bissessar, Charmaine (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022