Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
Browse
11 results
Search Results
Item Exploring the impact of a values-based reward system on engagement and perceptions of office culture in higher education(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2020) Gresswell, Candice Marie; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Sweeney WindchiefEmployee engagement and satisfaction may be telling indicators of employee health that can have rippling effects on the employee, university, and the student who interacts with the employee every day. Research has demonstrated a positive correlation between administrative styles and retention in the context of engagement, climate and culture (Farrell, 2009). Across industries and disciplines, employees who are engaged are more productive, creative, solve more problems, and more easily adapt to change (Craig & DeSimone, 2011; Flade, 2006; Holbeche & Matthews, 2012). Contrast to this research, in the higher education setting, employee engagement is measuring at an all-time low (Wasilowski, 2016). The purpose of this transformative, sequential, mixed-methods study is to examine how formalizing an engagement incentive program for higher education administrative staff in the Division of Student Success at a regionally accredited, land-grant institution impacts employee-reported engagement as measured by the Gallup Q12. The researcher collected qualitative data to help explain the quantitative Gallup Q12 survey scores to give individuals in leadership roles concrete information on how employees interpret Gallup Q12 and which, if any, actions they can take to improve employee engagement in their offices in the context of climate and culture. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test indicated significant change in the overall engagement score for the Division of Student Success (z = 2.79, p = .002), indicating the formalization of an engagement program does have a statistically significant effect on engagement as measured by the Gallup Q12. Major themes that emerged from the engaged offices in relation to climate were Relatedness and Care for the Student Experience. Major themes that emerged from the disengaged offices included Frustration, Stress, Turnover, Exclusivity, Not Being Able to Demonstrate Expertise or Improve Processes, Customer Service Focus, and Problem-Solving.Item Teacher self-efficacy development in an international school in the Dominican Republic(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2018) Zerbe, Robin Joy; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Tena VerslandAs the teaching profession becomes increasingly challenging and teachers leave the profession at an alarming rate, school leaders need to understand the factors that influence teacher resiliency and longevity. A teacher's self-efficacy beliefs have been found to affect teacher's emotional and physiological well being (Bandura & Locke, 2003), job satisfaction (Caprara, Barbaranelli, Steck, & Malone, 2006, Hoigaard, Giske, & Sundsli, 2012), and stress management (Bandura, 1997). Self-efficacy also impacts effort and performance (Tschannen-Moran & Woolfolk Hoy, 2001), professional commitment (Coladarci, 1992; Ware & Kitsantas, 2007, 2011; Klassen et al., 2013), and longevity in the profession (Wentzel & Wigfield, 2009). In consideration of the value of teacher self-efficacy, there is a lack of qualitative research explaining how self-efficacy develops in teachers. The present study used a qualitative phenomenology methodology to explore beliefs, factors, and experiences that influence the development and strengthening of self-efficacy in teachers. The choice of a phenomenological study reflected my belief that the best way to grasp the very essence of individual teacher beliefs was to dialogue with teachers about their lived experiences in the context of a particular situation (Moustakas, 1994; Creswell, 2013). The present study utilized focus groups and individual conversations with teachers in a K-12 international school in the Dominican Republic. This study also embedded a quantitative teacher self-efficacy survey instrument to select participants and to describe their perceived self-efficacy levels. The results indicated emerging themes of Connection, Support, Knowledge and Growth, Balance, and Gratification as factors shaping self-efficacy beliefs. This study contributes to our understanding of how self-efficacy develops by illuminating a self-efficacy growth cycle with eight stages: The Gold Standard, Teaching Challenges, Dissonance, Perspective, Teacher Behavior Change, Intentional Practice, Equilibrium, and Self-Efficacy Growth. The study also revealed cognitive processes of self-reflection, self-regulation, cognitive flexibility, growth mindset, intentional positivity, reminding oneself of calling/commitment and mental models of prior success and growth as catalysts to develop, change, and strengthen self-efficacy. In conclusion, the results from this study may inform administrators, teachers, mentors, instructional coaches and university programs about intentional, proactive ways to guide teacher self-efficacy growth.Item Job satisfaction of selected student affairs administrators at four units of the Montana University System as assessed by Herzberg's motivator-hygiene theory(Montana State University - Bozeman, 1979) Ralph, Mark AlexanderItem The effect of years of experience and other selected variables on attitudes of teachers toward aspects of the teaching profession(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1988) Hollensteiner, Beverly June RadaItem Faculty job satisfaction as a function of participative decision making in selected four-year colleges in the Northwest United States(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1991) Hergott, Gregory LeeItem The relationships among computer skills, job performance, and job satisfaction of Montana Extension agents(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1994) Flaherty, Carol Ann GibsonItem Elementary principal leadership styles : some factors related to job satisfaction of teachers in randomly selected Montana elementary schools(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1991) Windel, Robert EugeneItem Supervisory behavior and teacher satisfaction(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1979) Fraser, Kenneth PatrickItem Non-tenure-track faculty job satisfaction and organizational sense of belonging(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2013) Hudson, Barbara Krall; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carrie B. MyersNon-tenure-track (NTT) faculty members are playing an increasingly larger role in the instruction of students in higher education. They provide a flexible workforce with specialized expertise, often prefer to work part-time and frequently teach large introductory courses. Concerns about their treatment and the environment in which they work are often investigated because their attitudes about their jobs and the workplace can have an impact on their students and institution as a whole. This study seeks to further investigate the psychological health of this diverse group of faculty and more specifically studies the job satisfaction (JS) and organizational sense of belonging (OSB) of NTT instructional faculty at a public research intensive university. The study used survey methods to determine the distribution of different NTT faculty types at the institution, obtain demographic information about their employment and determine their level of JS and OSB. An electronic survey was sent to 397 identified NTT faculty and 194 responded to a 77 item survey. The respondents self-selected themselves into one of four previously determined NTT faculty categories. A variety of methods were used to analyze the data including descriptive statistics, ANOVAs and multiple linear regression analyses. Results indicate that this institution has three different types of NTT faculty and that their JS and OSB vary. One of the groups has significantly more job satisfaction but lower sense of belonging scores than the other two groups. The other two groups have significantly less job satisfaction but have a greater sense of belonging to their department and university. These results support previous findings that NTT faculty members are a complex group of faculty who have different motivations and expectations for teaching. This diverse group of faculty should not be treated uniformly and distinct group variations should be considered when initiating recommendations for improving their professionalism.Item Faculty job satisfaction : retaining faculty in the new millennium(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2005) Drysdale, Dulce Scott; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Richard D. Howard.It is not known to those in higher education at Montana State University-Bozeman (MSU-Bozeman) why tenured faculty chooses to remain in the field of higher education at MSU-Bozeman. Twenty tenured faculty members from five different disciplines in the liberal arts, humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and education programs at this land grant, Doctoral II University were asked to participate in the study. Professors were selected purposefully from liberal arts, humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and education faculty who were tenured and had at least ten years experience and were available for interview in the spring/summer of 2004. Participants were asked to respond to open ended questions and statements. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews. The purpose of this grounded theory study is to investigate why tenured faculty at MSU-Bozeman choose to remain in their faculty positions and to generate a motivational theory using a construct-oriented approach. An audit of the study's data collection processes, analysis, and conclusions was conducted to confirm the validity of the findings. The results of this study revealed that tenured faculty at MSU-Bozeman were motivated to remain in their positions by, (1) their families, (2) a desire to remain in the geographical area, and, (3) as a result of having achieved tenure. These three facets of employment at MSU-Bozeman were overwhelmingly cited by study participants as motivation to remain in their positions. These three motivational factors evidenced underpinnings of need, emotion, and intellectual evaluation. The participants were motivated by the interaction of emotion, need, and intellect. In this respect, the theory of motivation generated as a result of the data unearthed by this study took a new step in the development of motivational theory, and moved beyond the boundaries set by Maslow (1943), Herzberg (1966), and Goleman (1998) to define a new paradigm of motivational theory, functional within the context of higher education, as well as a new definition of human behavior applicable within the confines of an industrialized society, inclusive of elements of all three theories. The new three-pronged theory defines need, emotion, and intellect as three interactive motivational forces determining human behavior within the context of the university in industrialized society.