• A Phenomenological Approach Exploring Veterinarians' Experience Performing Euthanasia on a Pet

      Shugart, Austin; College of Professional Advancement
      The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore veterinarians’ experience performing euthanasia on a pet. Various mental health effects from veterinarians’ performing euthanasia on pets have been discussed in the literature including risk of suicide, stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout (Bartram et al., 2009; Bartram & Baldwin, 2010; Hill et al., 2019; Miller, 2012). The objective of this phenomenological study was to further understand the experience that veterinarians have when performing the end-of-life procedure, euthanasia, and what themes may emerge as a result. Semi-structured interviews were used to understand veterinarians’ experiences with performing euthanasia. The sample included 8 veterinarians who have performed at least one euthanasia. The findings of this study included four emerging central themes that were identified in the data analysis process, including several subthemes. The first central theme identified was moral reasoning for euthanasia with subthemes including concern for quality of life, ending suffering for pets, and ending suffering for humans. The second central theme was effects on the mental health of the veterinarian with subthemes including suicidal risk, burnout, and compassion fatigue. The third central theme was the experience of performing euthanasia being emotionally difficult for the veterinarian including a subtheme of attending to the emotions and needs of owners. The last central theme was compartmentalization including a subtheme of professionalism. These findings contributed to the existing literature as they showed that performing euthanasia on a pet is an experience that affects the veterinarian in various ways. Continue research is needed to better understand the experience of a veterinarian performing euthanasia on a pet in order to better help veterinarians that may need help for their mental health.
    • A Phenomenological Exploration Of Supports For Undocumented And Under-documented Immigrants In Adult And Continuing Education Programs

      Phillips, Derek Clay
      ABSTRACT DEREK C. PHILLIPS A PHENOMENOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF SUPPORTS FOR UNDOCUMENTED AND UNDER-DOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS Under the direction of EDWARD L. BOUIE, JR, Ed.D Each year, 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high schools in the United States (NASSP, 2018) and are more likely to pursue community-based opportunities in higher education than their native-born peers (Baum and Flores, 2011; Wisell and Champanier, 2010). However, program administrators often lack the tools and knowledge necessary to counsel undocumented learners (Arteh et al., 2018). Institutions that have implemented supports report “varying degrees of success�? (Bjorklund, 2018, p. 656). The purpose of this study, then, was to explore the lived experiences of program administrators who assist undocumented and under-documented students as they navigate paths to higher education. Following steps detailed by Moustakas (1994), a series of semi-structured interviews with eight program administrators from varying backgrounds were subject to phenomenological analysis, isolating the essence of each one and using a combined framework of Postcolonial Thought (Go, 2016) and Latino/a Critical Race Theory (Kiehne, 2016) to assign meaning. Data derived from these sessions lent itself to one of three emerging, overarching themes: awareness, barriers, or supports. From here, information was further distilled into recurring subthemes; namely, sociopolitical context, holistic supports, and cultural disconnect. Ideally, through networking and information-sharing, supports and strategies gleaned may be applicable and replicable across campuses in order to fill gaps, regardless of sector.
    • A PHENOMENOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE IN ADVISING STUDENT-ATHLETES ON THE NCAA COLLEGE TRANSITION PROCESS

      Howard, Leah; College of Professional Advancement
      This phenomenological investigation examined the experiences and knowledge of high school counselors in advising student-athletes on the NCAA college transition process. The study sought to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges, successes, and experiences of school counselors in supporting student-athletes during a critical transition period. School counselors often receive insufficient training in this area, resulting in a lack of adequate support for student-athletes to navigate the college transition process effectively and maximize their opportunities for postsecondary education (Paramo-Garfio, 2017; Vaughn & Smith, 2018). The research was conducted using interviews to capture the lived experiences and perspectives of nine Georgia high school counselors. The research examined school counselors’ roles and their facilitation of advising student-athletes on the NCAA college transition process. The findings of this study may contribute to the existing literature and provide insights for improving support services and training programs for high school counselors working with student-athletes (Stahlke and Cranmore 2021). The study concludes with recommendations for a comprehensive and collaborative approach to facilitating a successful college transition for student-athletes.
    • A Phenomenological Study Of Emotional Intelligence & Millennials In A Multigenerational Workplace

      Tolbert, NyThea Campbell
      The increase in generational diversity in the workforce emphasizes the need for employers to note the co-existence of age and cultural phenomena that may impact work practices. As such, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Millennial four-year college graduates and their acquisition and utilization of emotional intelligence as it relates to their success with soft skill development in a generationally diverse workplace. To address the research questions of this study, a qualitative research method utilizing interviewing was applied to gain insights of the lived experiences of recent graduates of a four-year degree program. Criterion sampling was utilized to find participants who were currently employed for a minimum of one year in a generationally diverse work setting. The lived experiences of the participants related to this phenomenon resulted in the emergence of five themes that offer recommendations in developing students’ professional skills and emotional intelligence to increase their employability and opportunities for sustaining employment.
    • A Phenomenological Study of Middle School Students’ Experiences with Agentic Engagement at School

      Berglund, Kirstin N; Tift College of Education
      Many schools today are striving to provide their students with opportunities to take an active role in their education. This proactive role, referred to as student agency, involves students having and making choices, collaborating with their teachers, and having a voice in their education. In fact, agency has been added as a new aspect of engagement, called agentic engagement. The current body of literature on agentic engagement has shown it can help to increase student achievement, motivation, and engagement in class. Although the idea of fostering student agency and helping students to become agentically engaged in class has been growing in popularity, there are many interpretations of how to best implement the necessary instructional practices to provide students these opportunities, including in the middle school setting. This qualitative phenomenological study examined middle school students’ experiences exercising agentic engagement in class. I interviewed and conducted in-class observations of nine seventh-grade students who were the participants in this study. The data analysis process sought to determine the essence of students’ experiences with agentic engagement during their classes. I examined the data using social cognitive theory to investigate students’ actions in class and self-determination theory to better understand students’ experiences with agentic engagement. The data from this study revealed students’ personal and behavioral characteristics as well as the characteristics of the learning environment influenced their experiences with agency and agentic engagement. Within the context of the learning environment, the data revealed students were more likely to have the opportunity to experience agentic engagement when their teachers had an autonomy-supportive teaching style. I only witnessed one student experiencing agentic engagement. An individual textural description of her experience revealed three themes: Demonstrating Self-Knowledge, Communicating with Autonomy-Supportive Teachers, and Collaborating with Autonomy-Supportive Teachers. Recommendations for future research included collecting more qualitative data, interviewing teachers to gather their insights then comparing and contrasting students’ and teachers’ perspectives of agentic engagement, examining the different aspects of agentic engagement to see which ones may be most impactful to students, conducting a similar study in a setting in which most teachers adopt an autonomy-supportive teaching style, and interviewing students across multiple grade levels to compare and contrast their experiences with agentic engagement.
    • A Phenomenological Study Of The Self-perceptions Of High School Students With Adhd / By Anne M. Meirow.

      Meirow, Anne M.
      ABSTRACT ANNE M. MEIROW A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH ADHD Under the direction of SYBIL A. KEESBURY, Ed.D. This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of five high school students with ADHD, particularly the ways in which the disorder affected them academically. Through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), this study also explored these students’ development of autonomy, relatedness, and competency, which are three essential needs required for intrinsic motivation. No published research was discovered on high school students with ADHD within the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). I was interested in describing the effect ADHD had on students’ development of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, along with students’ academic self-perception. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to gain a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of the research participants. Data were collected via interviews with the students, as well as student and researcher reflective journals. Five participants took part in the study, and although random sampling was used, all five students were relatively academically homogeneous. Data were coded and analyzed by five themes: autonomy, relatedness, competency, academic self-perception, and acceptance of diagnosis. Students in the study felt in control of their lives (autonomous), although the female students preferred for others to make decisions for them. With regard to relatedness, all participants had good relationships with their families, but the female participants reported having a difficult time making and keeping friends, when compared to the male participants. The females attributed their difficulties with peer relationships to ADHD. All participants had diagnoses of ADHD for significant periods of time, and no participant expressed difficulty accepting their ADHD diagnosis. The difference in responses between male and female participants was intriguing and would be a possible future research subject. Since the research participants in this study were rather academically homogeneous, it would also be interesting to examine the responses of a more academically diverse group, as well as with students from different socioeconomic situations, regions, and cultures.
    • A Qualitative Examination Of Postsecondary Education Programs For Students With Intellectual Disabilities And The Perceptions Of Parents And Teachers Towards These Programs / By Emma S. Roundtree

      Roundtree, Emma S.
      Research has shown there is a gap in access to postsecondary education (PSE) programs for students with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Georgia. There is also a gap in the research literature concerning the perceptions of parents and teachers of students with ID towards these PSE programs. This study sought to examine these problems by using a qualitative case study research design. I found 30 institutions that offered PSE programs in Georgia. These institutions offered two-year and four-year degree and certificate programs. I explored ten of these programs in depth for this study. Six of these institutions offered programs for students with significant ID and allowed these students to participate in academic courses and other campus activities with their non-disabled peers. The other four programs served students with mild ID in an inclusive setting with appropriate accommodations. Next, I investigated the perceptions of parents and teachers of students with ID toward these PSE programs. The survey consisted of demographic information, a Likert-type scale, and an opportunity to participate in a follow up interview. Twenty-four parents and teachers of students with ID were recruited for this study; 22 participated. Six participants also completed follow-up interviews after the survey. These participants possessed limited knowledge of PSE programs but perceived the programs to be beneficial for students with ID. Participants believed their lack of awareness of these programs was due to a lack of collaboration and undeveloped relationships between PSE representatives and K-12 personnel. Participants also expressed concerns about the viability of services, parental/teacher involvement, and the overall outcomes of these programs. Future research concerning PSE programs for students with intellectual disabilities is recommended in order to investigate the ways in which these programs can aid a successful transition for these students from high school to independent adulthood.
    • A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF LATINX ENGLISH LEARNER READING AND MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT IN A DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM IN THE NEW LATINX DIASPORA

      Zaragoza, Gabriel; Tift College of Education
      Research indicates that dual language immersion programs support English learners to achieve high results in core academic areas. Current research related to dual language immersion has been conducted in parts of the United States that are traditional Latinx Diaspora areas. The influx of English learners in schools has changed demographics drastically, which directly impacts student learning and schools’ abilities to meet all students’ instructional needs, especially related to English acquisition. The purpose of this research was to determine if English learners enrolled in dual language immersion programs have significantly different achievement results than their peers in traditional education settings in the New Latinx Diaspora. Student assessment data were collected from end-of-year assessments within a large urban school district in the southeastern part of the United States. This school offered dual language immersion and traditional education programs to English learners. A two-way multivariate of analysis (MANOVA) was used to determine if there was an interaction effect between grade level and program. Then multiple one-way MANOVAs were used to determine if there were differences by grade level of program. The results of this study showed that there was no difference in student achievement for English learners in the dual language immersion (DLI) program or the traditional program. The results also showed that first grade scores were significantly higher than other grade levels in reading and mathematics. Finally, although there was no significant difference, the data show that English learners in the DLI program achieved similar mean scores to English learners in the traditional program. The results of this study do not align with prior research as many students in DLI programs achieve higher than their traditional program peers in the upper grades. The implications of this research include further analysis through case studies for school and district level administrators. There were potential benefits of bilingual education provided to Latinx English Learners in this study that can be explored since both group of students performed similarly. Program goals should be analyzed to further understand the student outcomes. Potential factors that could have impacted student scores include the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic school closures, teacher experience, and student English language proficiency levels. Future research for this study should include an analysis of program implementation to determine factors that impact Latinx English learner student achievement in dual language programs. Schools in the New Latinx Diaspora are very new to dual language immersion. Additional analysis of bilingual proficiency should also be considered when analyzing student data for academic instructional gains. A case study analysis would further the research that can include cross functional action teams with insight from local and district level leaders, teachers, and other school staff. This future research can support district level planning for DLI expansion and reevaluation of DLI program implementation to support Latinx English learners.
    • A Quantitative Study Examining Perceptions of Preparedness Among Entry-Level Student Affairs Professionals for an Active Shooter Event on Campus

      Ingoldsby, Carrie; Tift College of Education
      This quantitative, exploratory study examined perceptions of preparedness among entry-level student affairs professionals for an active shooter event (ASE) on campus. Institutions of higher education (IHE) have experienced an uptick of deadly and destructive ASEs in the last two decades. Colleges and universities vary on whether they provide consistent active shooter training to faculty, staff and/or students at all, as well as what level of training and type of training is provided, despite personal safety concerns. A total of 173 entry-level student affairs professionals completed the Entry-Level Student Affairs Professional Active Shooter Preparedness Survey (ELASPS). Spearman’s rank order correlation, t-tests, and ANOVA were utilized to examine perceptions of preparedness and level of efficacy to respond to an ASE in relation to individual and institutional demographics, as well as frequency, type, and content of active shooter training provided to entry-level student affairs professionals. Participants also provided open-ended data on perceptions of preparedness for an ASE, which was examined in relation to quantitative findings. Results indicated that entry-level student affairs professionals who received any amount or type of active shooter training had significantly higher perceived preparedness for an ASE and significantly higher levels of efficacy to respond to an ASE than did entry-level professionals who had no active shooter training. Thus, IHE should provide active, regular, and in-depth training such as drills, exercises, and simulations to allow ELSAP to feel more prepared and experience higher levels of efficacy to respond to an ASE. This study supports current research on active shooter preparedness and presents a strong case to administrators at IHE for the development and implementation of consistent and interactive active shooter training for entry-level student affairs professionals. Future research should focus on a specific area among entry-level student affairs professionals, such as residence life professionals, who are more often involved in direct student training of safety policies and procedures. Additionally, future studies might consider historically and underrepresented populations to better understand connections of ethnicity and perceived preparedness for an ASE.
    • A School's Activity System Of Supporting Upper-elementary Newcomers' English Language Proficiency Growth

      Cowdrick, Kara Elizabeth
      Using the sociocultural theoretical framework of activity theory, this intrinsic case study sought to investigate how administrators, mainstream teachers, and English to speakers of other languages (ESOL) teachers in one school support newcomers’ English language proficiency growth. Newcomers are English learners (ELs) who moved to the United States within the past year and have no or extremely limited English language proficiency. It is critical to understand how schools support upper-elementary newcomers’ English language proficiency growth because more newcomers are entering United States classrooms now than in the past (Trickett et al., 2012) and recent legislation emphasizes upper-elementary ELs' language proficiency growth for accountability measures. This study seeks to illustrate how newcomers are supported and add to the current void in research related to upper-elementary newcomers' education. This single-bound intrinsic case study used Stake's (2005) case study methodology recommendations. After a three-phase research site selection process, the researcher collected and holistically analyzed three sources of data: observations, interviews, and documents. Participants included three administrators, four mainstream classroom teachers, and two ESOL teachers. The case study's data analysis thoroughly portrayed how each component of the school's activity system connected to supporting upper-elementary newcomers' English language proficiency growth. Findings illustrated the intricacies of each component of the school's activity system: rules, division of labor, community, and tools. They also revealed that multiple primary and secondary contradictions exist within the activity system. Conclusions included the school's activity system is multifaceted and interconnected, explicit assessment rules strongly impact the activity system, and educators are using research-based pedagogy despite challenges. Furthermore, there is a need for transformation due to the contradictions that exist within the activity system. Recommendations for future study include: (a) to include more or different participants at the same school, (b) replicate the study in a middle school or high school environment, (c) conduct other studies using other qualitative methodologies to gain a better understanding of a specific component of the school's activity system, and (d) engage in a multi-case analysis to shed light on third and fourth generation contradictions of the activity system.
    • A Story to Tell: A Study on the Impact of Peaceful Storytelling Within Liturgical Worship

      Wolf, Garrett David; McAfee School of Theology
      The contemporary American Christian setting is often described as a secular age, where the religious is often sequestered to specific places, people, and times. The sacred is regularly thought to be secluded to sanctuaries as opposed to something present and accessible everywhere. To counter the secular liturgies in which people are regularly immersed, the church must discover ways to help move people towards envisioning a different story. Our public worship gatherings are the primary places liturgy can be used to practice, rehearse, and envision our entire lives as being wrapped up into God’s story of reconciliation, redemption, and restoration of all things. By reimagining the liturgical element of passing the peace, this project explores how the story of God conveyed in liturgical public worship connects with the lives of parishioners. The research involves a qualitative method and uses a focus group consisting of eight laity from King of Kings Lutheran Church, who might be moved to seeing the sacred more in their daily lives. This project analyzes how liturgy can be reimagined to act as a tool within our public worship gatherings and church to shape and orient people towards the movement of God in bringing shalom to earth. Over a two-month period, interviews were used to evaluate the impact on the participants before and after each shared their testimony of experiencing the peace of Christ in their life during the passing the peace portion of a weekly public worship gathering. The conclusion of the project is that the focus group members who participated in the project were able to envision the sacred more in their daily lives because of their participation. While this research project did not enable them to define liturgy as the work of the people, their participation did immerse them more discernably into the story that public worship conveys. Finally, for future church development, this research project encourages exploring how liturgy in a variety of forms can help guide people to envision themselves in the rich story and sacredness of God’s presence everywhere.