Scholarship & Research
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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 Measuring cognitive engagement and motivation in informal contexts(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2018) Obery, Amanda Christine; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael BrodyMiddle school (G5-8) students' cognitive engagement, motivation, and future aspirations in science were quantified within informal contexts (week-long summer camps) with self-reported measures of cognitive strategies, self-regulation, value, self-efficacy, and future aspirations over the course of two phases (N = 152, N =140). The participating middle school students engaged in one of two informal science summer camp opportunities. Informal science experiences may be places which participants can gain science-related capital in equitable ways. This study set out to test the growth in cognitive engagement, motivation, and future aspirations in science differed from students of varying genders, races, and socioeconomic statuses. Survey results over the course of two phases were analyzed via partial-least squares structural equation modeling to explore whether cognitive engagement and motivation predicted future aspirations in science, such as taking high school courses or pursuing a career in the sciences. As operationalized, cognitive engagement (cognitive strategies and self-regulation) and motivational (value and self-efficacy) constructs significantly predicted future aspirations in science (R 2 = 0.29, p < 0.05). Growth in cognitive engagement and motivation were also investigated to understand if students of different genders, races, and socioeconomic statuses have different experiences, with only small differences being uncovered. Results support the claim about the key role that cognitive engagement, motivation, and informal learning experiences may play to encourage future aspirations in science and show the ability of these experiences to foster the development of these skills in equitable ways. Better understanding cognitive engagement and motivation and how these are influenced by informal science experiences could improve the effectiveness of these interventions to foster students' future aspirations in science, a continuing societal priority, in ways that do not fall into the same patterns of inequality that seem to persist in formal education.Item Fulbright faculty's conceptualization of their international experience(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2014) Welker, Susan Louise; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Arthur W. BangertThis embedded case study describes how four Fulbright recipients at a Carnegie I classified research institution in the western U.S. conceptualized their international experiences, and, the influence that these experiences have had on their faculty work lives. As U.S. institutions work toward internationalizing their campuses, they need to prioritize how best to use limited resources. By studying how four past faculty Fulbright recipients' international experiences have influenced their professional lives, we can gain a better understanding of how faculty engagement in international scholarship can influence their home institutions. Each faculty was individually interviewed and completed the Intercultural Effectiveness Survey. Interviews were then transcribed and coded to find common themes and concepts. Participants were asked to review the themes to verify their accuracy and the description of their case. Themes emerging from this study were a professional growth and intentionality and purpose. Two themes related to challenges faculty face when engaging in international relationships also emerged: 1) lack of institutional funding, and 2) lack of institutional support. In conclusion, these findings can help institutions understand faculty development through international experience, and, more specifically, how faculty's international experiences will alter their work lives on their home campuses.