Education
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Research from the Department of Education. The department website may be found at https://www.ndsu.edu/education/
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Item Academic Success and Retention: Assessing Variables that Make a Difference in a Baccalaureate Nursing Program(North Dakota State University, 2018) Kopp, WendyAttrition rates for both traditional and nontraditional students in nursing programs across the U.S. are of concern in light of the current and projected shortage of nurses. The lack of success advancing through the nursing curriculum affects the nursing student, the nursing program, and the healthcare of the community. As a result, nursing programs have been encouraged to make student success programs a priority; however, there has been a paucity of research that has examined the effect these programs have on student success. Framed by Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a study skills seminar on self-efficacy and academic performance in BSN students, with an emphasis on nontraditional students. A true experimental pre-test post-test control group design determined if there was a statistical relationship between a study skills seminar and students’ perceived academic self-efficacy, and performance on multiple-choice exams in their nursing courses. Data consisted of results from pre- and post-intervention administrations of a researcher designed self-appraisal tool, demographic information, and exam performance. Data was reviewed using descriptive statistics and factorial between subjects analysis of variance’s (ANOVA’s). Significant self-efficacy gain scores (p = .039) were noted for the treatment group compared to the control group. Results also revealed a lower mean gain (non-significant) in total self-efficacy for nontraditional students compared to traditional students. There was no significant relationship between academic performance as measured by mean exam scores for the treatment group compared to the control group, nor was there a significant relationship for the nontraditional student on mean exam scores. An exploratory research section revealed that as class or educational level in the program increased, both self-efficacy gain and mean exam scores decreased. This study was a step in the right direction as it confirmed the positive effect a study skills seminar had on academic self-efficacy as well as its potential to influence academic success. Further research related to the effects a study skills seminar and test taking strategies has on academic self-efficacy and academic performance is warranted.Item Achieving Inclusive Excellence: The Role of Change Agents and Institutional Artifacts in Diversifying Institutions(North Dakota State University, 2014) Gravley-Stack, Kara ElizabethThe research presented within this disquisition is focused on the work of institutional leaders to address historical inequalities in education by creating transformational culture change towards learning environments that support Inclusive Excellence. Organized as a three-article disquisition, the first article offers a comprehensive integrative review of educational research related to problems of access, achievement, and campus climate for diverse students. This article concludes with significant recommendations for practice and further research to guide continued efforts to embrace Inclusive Excellence. The second article utilizes the Q-Method research technique to investigate the subjective perspectives and experiences of Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) who serve as senior-level administrators focused on efforts to create institutional policies and practices that support Inclusive Excellence for students, faculty, and staff in the academy. The article concludes with several recommendations for practice and further research into efforts to support and advance the role of the CDO in postsecondary settings. The third article presents a qualitative content analysis of institutional websites to assess for evidence of Inclusive Excellence presented within the organizational rhetoric and artifacts presented on these websites. The analysis reveals recommendations for further study in this area, as well as recommendations for practice to guide efforts of institutional leaders to better articulate institutional commitment to Inclusive Excellence within the information presented on these websites.Item Administrative Evaluation of Online Faculty in Community Colleges(North Dakota State University, 2012) Darling, Douglas DuanePolicy and procedure haven’t kept up with institutional practices at community colleges. With over 5.5 million college students taking online courses, 29% of college students are taking an online course. As student numbers taking online courses have increased, so have the number of faculty teaching online. The purpose of this study is to determine if and how community college, online, faculty are administratively evaluated. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) of the members of the American Association of Community Colleges were surveyed to determine the factors considered relevant for online, asynchronous, administrative evaluation of faculty that are currently being used by community colleges and to determine the methods by which community college, online faculty are administratively evaluated. The literature review did not identify any research directly related to the administrative evaluation of community college, online faculty. A very limited amount of research on administrative evaluation of faculty was identified, but nearly all were over a decade old. The survey results indicate that a majority of community colleges do not specifically address evaluation of online faculty in policy. The results identify the criteria and methods used to evaluate online faculty and their rated importance. The most common criteria included in the evaluations were identified and their importance ranked by CAO’s. The data was analyzed by institutional size based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) categories and contrasted and compared with the other institutional size categories. A proposed model/method for developing a comprehensive faculty evaluation system based the survey results and best practices from the literature review is presented along with recommendations for further research.Item Alcohol and Academia: A Study of the Association between Student Housing Type and Alcohol Abuse at North Dakota State University(North Dakota State University, 2013) Lietaert, Charles LouisThe purpose of this study was to determine if student housing gender-type is significantly related to student alcohol consumption at North Dakota State University. The researcher examined whether the residence of students in coeducational residence halls or single-gender residence halls was related to the rate they consumed alcohol in an average week or the frequency they engaged in binge drinking. NDSU researchers allowed the researcher of this study to add an institutional question to the biannual Student CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey that gathered demographic information about what residence hall gender-type participants lived within. For the first time, this provided the opportunity to quantitatively compare alcohol consumption of students living in coeducational residence halls against those living in single-gender residence halls at NDSU. At the time of this study the NDSU on-campus population was particularly hospitable for such research since the multi-thousand person population was evenly distributed between single-gender and coed residency. Using this preexisting data set regarding student alcohol behavior and residence hall demographics, the researcher analyzed the data through descriptive statistics, bivariate correlational analysis, and analysis of covariance while controlling for the effect of age and gender. Results revealed that there was no significant relationship between NDSU student alcohol consumption and their residence hall gender-type. Recommendations for future research included adapting the national CORE Alcohol and Other Drug Survey to include residence hall gender-type to allow for further analysis.Item An Alternative Way for Kosovar Adults to Earn a High School Equivalency Diploma: A Case Study(North Dakota State University, 2017) Llapi, GjylbehareFor many years, at the end of the last century, Kosovo was a country plagued with political, social, and economic strife that forced an entire generation of children and young adults to go virtually uneducated. Kosovo is paying a price for that today, with many of its adults finding themselves unskilled, under-educated and unemployed. The central topic and the purpose of the study was to identify possible programming options available to Kosovo’s authorities to increase the number of adults who possess an upper secondary school diploma. After conducting extensive research of possible alternatives offered in a number of countries, this researcher determined that the General Education Development or General Education Diploma (GED) developed in the United States offers the best solution to this problem. Finally, an action plan outlines a template for an alternative testing solution so that more adults will be able to obtain their high school equivalency diploma.Item Applying Group Perspectives: Student Behavior Change Resulting from a Co-Curricular Leadership Development Program(North Dakota State University, 2011) Almlie, Jessica MarieThis descriptive study explored undergraduate student application of leadership concepts and corresponding change in leadership behavior resulting from participation in a co-curricular leadership development program. Students who completed workshops related to effective group leadership contributed in focus group discussions regarding their application of learned skills. Students discussed applying knowledge of leadership concepts across the scope of their lives, both in and outside the classroom. This indicated a change in leadership behavior. Concepts applied emerged in five major themes: (a) addressing and managing conflict, (b) facilitating small groups, (c) appreciating and valuing diversity, (d) utilizing collaboration, and (e) accepting shared leadership. Two minor themes also emerged related to defining power and privilege and living with congruence. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research were also addressed.Item Applying the Social Ecological Model to Perceptions of Student Learning Assessment among Student Affairs Practitioners: A Q Methodological Study(North Dakota State University, 2017) Beseler Thompson, Erika LynneThe purpose of this study was to explore the range of perceptions of student affairs practitioners regarding student affairs assessment practice. This was accomplished by integrating various individual and environmental factors into a comprehensive framework that encompasses the multiple levels of the social ecological model (McLeroy, Steckler, Bibeau, & Glanz, 1988). Further, the study was intended to investigate whether background characteristics, such as education level, position and area in student affairs, or the assumptions individuals hold about the role of student affairs, are associated with differing viewpoints. This investigation was expected to help bridge the critical disconnection between the espoused value of assessment in student affairs and the actual integration of assessment into practice. This study employed the methods and techniques of Q methodology to illustrate the subjective viewpoints of 44 student affairs practitioners regarding assessment of student learning in student affairs. Participants from various functional areas, position levels, and institution types shared their views regarding assessment in student affairs by rank ordering assessment-related statements into a forced distribution ranging from “most like my beliefs” to “most unlike my beliefs,” according to their beliefs about those statements. Participant sorting data was subjected to factor analysis using a combination of principal components analysis extraction with varimax rotation, resulting in identification of a three-factor solution. Additional qualitative data was collected via post-sort questions and follow-up interviews to assist with interpretation of three participant viewpoints: Assessment-as-Significant, Assessment-as-Irrelevant, and Assessment-in-Isolation. Differences were noted regarding the roles that various, interrelated individual and environmental factors played in shaping practitioner viewpoints of assessment in student affairs. An examination of the data also revealed background characteristics associated with differences among the viewpoints. The emergent results of this study inform the literature on the application of the social ecological model to social science phenomena outside of the public health field, as well as provide practical insight into ways to address the gap between the espoused value of assessment in student affairs and the actual integration of assessment into practice. Implications for future research were also discussed.Item Assessing Minority Students' Perceptions and Attrition at a Predominantly White Institution(North Dakota State University, 2012) Tiapo, Bernadette S.N.The enrollment, retention, persistence, and overall college experience of minority students are topical issues in colleges and universities, and even more so in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) where minority students encounter difficulties adjusting to the campus environment (Bennett & Okinaka, 1989; Jay & D'Augelli, 1991). This study employed a mixed method that used institutional data to investigate changes in minority students' attrition patterns, as well as the sensitivity to demographic characteristics, at a PWI that has conducted campus climate (CC) studies and progressively implemented survey recommendations (CCSRs). On-line survey data and information from focus group interviews were also used to analyze students' perception of CC at the PWI, and the sensitivity of perceptions to students' demographic characteristics. There was no significant impact on minority students' overall attrition pattern following the implementation of CCSRs at the PWI; however, male minority students were more likely, than their female peers, not to attrite following CCSRs implementation - in contrast to recent evidence on gender-specific attrition patterns. Although minority students were generally aware and appreciative of efforts to enhance CC at the PWI, their perceptions were strongly unfavorable for three critical CC-related variables - level of diversity, level of inclusion in the decision-making process, and minority students' feeling of obligation to prove self in the classroom. Overall, minority students' gender and class were critical variables in their perception of different CC-related issues, with implications in the design of CC-related efforts at the PWI as well as for further studies. The findings underscore the importance for PWIs to match commitments with actions on CC-related issues.Item Assessment Disposition: Qualities and Strategies for Development in Student Affairs Professionals(North Dakota State University, 2017) Thoennes, KarlaBecause accountability in higher education has increased significantly, the need for effective assessment practice has also increased. Higher-education personnel, including student-affairs professionals, must be prepared to effectively incorporate assessment with their daily work, not only to address the accountability demands, but also to continue improving efforts that facilitate student growth and learning. While the student-affairs profession has placed assessment and assessment practice as a central issue by prioritizing resources towards professional development in this area, student-affairs professionals are falling short in their ability to integrate assessment into practice. This Delphi study explored the student-affairs assessment disposition, its characteristics, and the ways it can be developed. A small panel of student-affairs assessment experts were interviewed to develop a Delphi survey that was facilitated with a larger panel of assessment experts from institutions across the United States. Consensus of agreement was reached after three survey iterations on 41 qualities that define the qualities of a student-affairs professional with an assessment disposition and 40 actions or conditions that could contribute to the development of an assessment disposition.Item The Association between Factors Affecting Enrollment Decisions in Manufacturing Occupational Clusters in Two-Year Colleges(North Dakota State University, 2012) Karl, Ralph J.The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships between factors that affect student enrollment decisions in manufacturing occupational programs in two-year colleges and to describe current enrollment status of these programs. This purpose was pursued by five hypotheses and one research question that addressed the categorical factors that affect student enrollment decisions in a diversity of academic programs in higher education. These factors are: awareness; influence; recruitment; and socioeconomic status. Quantitative data were gathered through an online survey instrument. The target populations were full time instructors, academic advisors, and program directors of manufacturing occupational programs in two-year colleges in the Great Lakes and Plains States. The two-year colleges were mostly community and technical colleges that offer certificate and associate's degree programs in manufacturing-related occupations. A total of 288 full time faculty and academic advisors from 155 two-year colleges participated in the study by responding to the survey instrument and providing the data that were later analyzed to address the research questions. PASW software was used for data processing and three statistical methods: descriptive statistics; path analysis; and discriminant analysis were employed for data analysis. The descriptive analysis corroborated most of what the literature suggest are the most and the least effective awareness, influence, recruitment, and socioeconomic factors that affect student enrollment decisions. While path analysis showed that, the path to student enrollment in manufacturing occupational programs in two-year colleges starts from awareness, and goes through influence, and recruitment factors, the discriminant analysis showed that, awareness and recruitment factors are the main independent categorical variables that predict enrollment size in manufacturing occupational programs.Item The Associations Between Student Perceptions of the Classroom Psycho-Social Learning Environment and Motivation to Learn Chinese(North Dakota State University, 2014) Ji, ChongminThe purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between students’ perception of their classroom psychosocial learning environment and motivation to learn Mandarin Chinese, which can support teachers in creating a good classroom environment. The students took two surveys (Likert scale and open-ended questions) that measured their perception of the classroom environment and the learning motivation. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, percentage) and inferential statistics (simple correlation, multiple regression, and two sample t-test) were used to analyze the quantitative data. The open-ended questions were coded and categorized based on the student responses. There were statistically significant associations between student perception and motivation for learning. The three scales of Task Orientation, Involvement, and Equity seemed to influence students the most to learn. The Task Orientation had the strongest relationship with student motivation. Moreover, the results of gender difference showed that only Task Orientation was significantly different between the two subgroups.Item Athletic Director's Perceptions of Evaluation and Supervision Practices in North Dakota(North Dakota State University, 2015) Thielges, Brett AnthonyThe purpose of this study was to better understand the process of supervision and evaluation of coaches in North Dakota schools. This study also examined the current practices of evaluation and supervision used in North Dakota schools, and how that practice compares with school enrollment size. Professional development for coaches and athletic directors was examined within this study. A survey consisting of 13 quantitative questions was used to collect data. The survey contained closed-ended questions to obtain quantitative data vital to the study. One hundred and seventy-one athletic directors were invited to participate through e-mail notification on the North Dakota High School Activities Association website. This analysis consisted of descriptive statistics, primarily frequencies and percentages. Results showed that North Dakota athletic directors are evaluating and supervising coaches at different levels in school. They are using different forms of evaluation and supervising coaches during games and practices.Item An Attempt to Profile Persistent Online Students and Graduates(North Dakota State University, 2017) Stach, Randy VincentThe purpose of this study was to determine whether the characteristics of online graduates, and characteristics of students who persist online with their coursework, could be identified. A mixed methods approach was used incorporating both quantitative and qualitative research methods. First, student demographic information was analyzed to identify any patterns or trends of persistent online students. Second, a survey was utilized to collect data from current students and graduates from online programs. Third, qualitative data was collected through conducting phone interviews of online graduates who have graduated in the last five years. Conclusions were drawn from the research and advice for future research was shared to advance retention and completion initiatives for online learners.Item Awareness for Teacher Well-Being: Exploring Key Factors of Teacher Experience, Mindfulness, and Self-Efficacy(North Dakota State University, 2019) Conner, Vickie KaySelf-reported job satisfaction in K-12 teachers has decreased and it at its lowest in over twenty years. This study explored mindfulness levels—acute attentiveness and awareness of self-judgment and judgment on others—and teacher self-efficacy (TSE) levels-- how well teachers felt they perform teaching tasks—in student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. The construct mindfulness and its subfactors were specifically measured for teachers’ attentiveness, teachers’ attitudes and willingness to forgive their weaknesses, their personal perceptions of how they act with awareness, and their perceptions of their own nonjudgmental attitudes. Three mindfulness scales measured teachers’ perceived acute self-awareness, and one teacher self-efficacy scale measured levels of teacher self-efficacy (TSE). Three models using multiple linear regression analyzed three different types of teacher efficacy: student engagement, instructional strategies, and classroom management. Results indicated a significant difference between TSE for student engagement for male teachers and how observant these teachers were of how their students were engaged in the classroom. Female teachers showed a slight increase but not significantly in TSE for student engagement in relation to how they observed their students’ engagement. A negative correlation was found between determiners age and attitude or how a teacher pays attention to their making of critical judgments or their being non-judgmental. In addition, TSE for instructional strategies and mindfulness factors describing, attention, and attention awareness positively correlated. Interaction of years of experience and acting with awareness also revealed a strong positive relationship but gradually weakened as teachers’ years of experience increased. After ten years of teaching, the relationship between TSE with instructional strategies became non-significant with teachers’ sensitive awareness of their present situations. Both factors years of experience and job satisfaction significantly predicted participants’ TSE with classroom management. Nearly retired teachers had lower efficacy in student engagement and instructional strategies, possibly indicating that near-retirement teachers are becoming mentally tired from years of hard work and are not actively engaged in professional development. Furthermore, these teachers feel less confident in how they are performing in the classroom.Item Best Practices for Communicating Critical Messages from a Registrar's Office to Traditional-Aged College Students(North Dakota State University, 2015) Kitch, Rhonda KayThe purpose of this study was to determine what strategies are most effective for communicating critical messages to traditional-aged undergraduate college students and best practices in evaluating critical messages. A brief history of the function and organizational structure of a registrar’s office was explored. The characteristics of Millennials, the uses of technology among college students and in higher education settings, student engagement theory and social media, communication concepts, trends and strategies, and legal compliance and accessibility issues are also examined. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with four registrar professionals. The results of the telephone interviews led to the development of constructs and statements for a Delphi survey. Three rounds of Delphi surveys were used to gather feedback and to gain consensus from a panel of registrar experts to answer the research questions. The 26 Delphi experts were from 24 unique institutions; 17 different states were represented. The researcher summarized communication guidelines and best practices for registrar professionals. Suggestions for future research were also presented.Item Beyond heteronormativity and the gender binary: inclusivity in rape myth acceptance scale design and sexual violence bystander intervention programming(North Dakota State University, 2024) Fierstine, MelanieSexual violence perpetuates inequalities based on a range of factors such as gender, race/ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, and ability status. However, the study of sexual violence in these areas has been limited leading to a lack of knowledge about its role in perpetuating social inequality. Understanding bystander intervention and its effects on violence prevention is complex and unclear. Three studies were conducted to investigate the use of language in the Green Dot Violence Prevention programming and the design of a sex and gender-inclusive rape myth acceptance scale. Study 1 employs Critical Discourse Analysis to analyze the language used in the Green Dot curriculum, examining its influence on social structures and meanings. Study 2 involves survey research and cognitive interviews to explore how undergraduate college students comprehend and interpret the Gender-Inclusive Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (GIIRMAS). Study 3 utilizes the Rasch validity framework to assess the psychometric properties of the Sex and Gender-Inclusive Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (SGI-RMA). Key findings in Study 1 suggest that despite the Green Dot Curriculum text’s intention to promote inclusion, empowerment, unity, and change, its use of terms such as “we and “us” (representing cisgender women) and implying the distinction with “they” and “them” (representing cisgender men) does not support the desired objectives. Study 2 revealed that while respondent’s interpretation of the item in the GIIRMAS aligned with the underlying conceptual framework, further examination identified potential issues with 11 of the 19 items that require careful consideration. Study 3 demonstrated that 10 of the 19 SGI-RMA items effectively measure the underlying construct of rape myth acceptance. The findings have implication for enhancing violence prevention programs and ensuring the use of inclusive language to challenge and debunk misconceptions around sexual violence.Item The Boundaries of Social Entrepreneurship in Higher Education: A New Framework(North Dakota State University, 2016) Reid, Michele McFaddenSocial entrepreneurship (SE) incorporates the more ethical dimensions of innovative business practices in the pursuit of financial sustainability in the advancement of societal goals, and is intended to empower all participants while bringing about positive changes in communities and society at large. An increasing number of colleges and universities are now embracing SE to stay competitive in the higher education market, find new sources of income in times of fiscal constraint, and align with their public service missions. However, despite the interest in SE on the part of the academic community, there is no broad or consistent understanding regarding what actually constitutes SE in higher education settings (SEHE), or about how it is being carried out in the institutions that have adopted SEHE. A multi-case study design explores a proposed initial SEHE framework developed from the literature through a qualitative analysis of the experiences of five higher education institutions recognized for their adoption of SE practices. This qualitative approach utilizing the lens of structuration theory enables the development of a complex understanding of SEHE as a multifaceted social phenomenon derived through the examination of its actors in their structural context. The revised SIEHE framework, informed by the experiences of these exemplar institutions, is intended both to advance scholarly understanding of the elements and process of SIEHE, and to serve as a model for those undertaking or considering SE implementations at other colleges and universities. The framework sheds new light on the definitional and operational aspects of SE, and translates concepts that have previously been largely confined to the business literature to other disciplines, enabling their adoption by scholars and practitioners in such diverse areas as education, the social sciences, and the liberal arts. While allowing for a broader scope of the types of socially beneficial projects that could be undertaken by agents, including faculty from a larger range of disciplines, SIEHE’s emphasis on financial sustainability should also be attractive to administrations for enabling access to alternative funding sources.Item Burnout in Athletic Training Students: Utilization of Stress Reducing Strategies(North Dakota State University, 2017) Krug, Rachel JohnsonBurnout has been associated with the helping professions for many years. Athletic training is a profession that has experienced burnout, with a decline in all athletic training professionals after the age of 30 (Kahanov and Eberman, 2011). This dissertation in practice, not only deals with testing the level of stress in athletic training students but also the implementation of stress reducing strategies and techniques to assist with stress and burnout. Therefore, this research will provide answers as to the levels of stress athletic training students experience. In addition, this research will provide insight on the stress reducing strategies and techniques most useful for this group of athletic training students. The instrument developed for this study was a modification of the Athletic Training Burnout Inventory (ATBI) (Clapper and Harris, 2008). The instrument developed for this dissertation in practice was the Athletic Training Student Burnout Inventory (ATSBI). Questions from the ATBI were modified, removed, and created to provide wording that was appropriate for this group of athletic training students. The ATSBI was administered over four time periods: December 2015, April 2016, September 2016, and December 2016. During the course of the first two administration periods, December 2015 and April 2016, the athletic training students received stress reducing information. During the course of the last two administration periods, September 2016 and December 2016, the athletic training students received stress reducing strategies and techniques and were asked to practice them on a weekly basis. There was a total of eight stress reducing strategies and techniques utilized by this group of athletic training students over the course of the semester. On a weekly basis, the students provided feedback on the stress reducing strategy or technique. The quantitative results showed little statistical significance; however, the qualitative information reported as the most beneficial stress reducing strategies and techniques for this group of athletic training students was the following: listening to music, time usage chart and schedule, coloring, the to-do list, and positive thinking.Item "Can We Help?": Students’ Reflections on their Public Speaking Anxiety and Teacher Immediacy(North Dakota State University, 2018) Ramstad, AndreaPublic speaking is one of the most common anxieties for the average person, with many even ranking it as a more significant fear than death. Even though several people suggest that they would rather be the one in the casket than the one giving the eulogy at a funeral, public speaking courses are required at almost all colleges and universities. Public speaking anxiety is particularly real for most college students, meaning that it is important for public speaking teachers to develop andragogical strategies to help students alleviant their public speaking anxiety. Thus, the purpose of the study is to observe if students’ perceptions of their teacher’s verbal and nonverbal immediacy influences students’ public speaking anxiety. Using Emotional Response Theory (ERT) as the conceptual framework, I applied a phenomenological analysis that explored students’ lived experiences and perspectives in their college public speaking course. Twenty-one students enrolled in a Fall 2017 public speaking course at a Midwest University participated in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews about the students’ anxiety of public speaking and their perceptions of their teacher’s verbal and nonverbal immediacy. Students’ responses suggested their teacher’s verbal and nonverbal immediacy helped decrease their public speaking anxiety. In particular, students indicated when a teacher demonstrated positive verbal and nonverbal behaviors, the students’ public speaking anxiety decreased. In addition, new themes emerged on the matter: the teacher self-disclosing about their own public speaking anxiety, mistakes, and current status, classroom activities, peer-to-peer interactions, timely detailed feedback, and class-wide feedback. Some students noted that being graded and the using of timecards did increase their public speaking at times. Even though some students’ public speaking anxiety increased during those specific circumstances, all the students stated their public speaking anxiety decreased during the semester. This study concludes with recommendations for how public speaking teachers can address students’ concerns about public speaking anxiety by applying verbal and nonverbal immediacy strategies in their public speaking courses.Item Capturing the Essence of Canine Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling: A Phenomenological Inquiry of At-Risk Youths' Experiences of a Residential Canine Animal-Assisted Therapy Program(North Dakota State University, 2015) Bach-Gorman, Amber RaePhenomenological inquiry was implemented to capture the experiences of nine at-risk youths’ unique and shared experiences of a canine animal-assisted therapy in counseling (AAT-C) program at a therapeutic working ranch (TWR) in the mid-western United States. Five females, and four males ranging in ages between 14 – 17 years participated in individual interviews and reflective journaling. In addition, field observations of the canine AAT-C group sessions were conducted on six separate occasions over a period of six months. Horizonalization of the research data was conducted, resulting in four themes that describe a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon. Themes include: (a) a rippling effect on relational patterns across intrapersonal, interpersonal, and therapeutic domains, (b) cross-dimensional identification and realization of skill attainment, (c) therapeutic factors unique to the presence of a dog, (d) building and expansion of one’s community. A discussion of the relationship with existing literature about canine AAT-C and implications for counseling is addressed.