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Browsing by Author "Enns, Kellie, committee member"

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    A case study: organizational culture of a division I intercollegiate athletic department
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Powers, Shannon, author; Makela, Carole, advisor; Enns, Kellie, committee member; Foley, Jeffrey, committee member; Shue, Carolyn, committee member
    A major barrier to the reform of intercollegiate athletics is its cultural significance in higher education. Major culture change has not occurred and few studies have examined culture within Division I athletic departments (Schroeder, 2010). The specific aim of this study was to understand how the following elements of a collegiate athletic department interact with one another: institutional culture, leadership and power, internal and the external environments. Data collection included 42 interviews; an 8 day on-campus observation period by the researcher of the athletic department; events such as graduation and sporting events; archival data on alumni; the university website for media guides, financial and academic data; news and social media sites such as Twitter. Analysis of data entailed complete transcription of all interviews and notes, entry into the computer, followed by coding procedures outlined by Strauss and Corbin (1990) and LeCompte and Schensul (1999). A strong partnership between institutional and internal athletic department was based upon mutual objective of student academic achievement. An antiquated mentality toward women in head coaching and leadership roles, a deficit mentality, and economic woes were evident in the culture. These findings may be prevalent in many DI universities attempting to keep up with the few independently funded intercollegiate programs. A multiple case study using Schroeder’s (2010) framework across several DI institutions may support similar findings.
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    An inquiry into the influence of stress on new school leaders
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Rommel, Jodie, author; Cooner-Gines, Donna, advisor; Fothergill, Wendy, committee member; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member; Enns, Kellie, committee member
    This study aimed to understand the sources of stress new school leaders identify and how that stress influences them and what coping strategies or stress management techniques school leaders employ to stay healthy within this profession. Semi-structured focus groups were utilized to elicit thick, rich descriptions of participants' experiences. Extensive data sets were collected over several years from 17 focus group interviews. Narrative analysis of participants' responses provided findings on the stress they experienced, including lack of preparation for the role, pressure to perform, isolation, unattainable work-life balance, time constraints, and compassion fatigue. They also indicated that chronic workplace stress was impacting their health and wellbeing. As the participants developed as leaders, they were able to minimize many of the stressors they still encountered by enlisting a wide variety of stress management techniques, including cognitive appraisal, self-reflection, prioritizing goals, setting healthy boundaries, establishing strong support systems, and reconnecting with their purpose.
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    Climate change education in rural Colorado schools
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Scheer, Madison, author; Balgopal, Meena, advisor; Denning, Scott, committee member; Enns, Kellie, committee member
    Earth system science education is becoming more timely as our understanding of climate change (CC) and the effects across our social ecology systems increase. Climate literacy, however, is threatened by hyper-political discourse regarding the anthropogenic causes of climate change, which is especially heightened in rural spaces, where residents' livelihoods are often the target of scrutiny by media and scientists. In this study, rural Colorado teachers' (n=9) explanations and perceptions of their climate change education (CCE) instructional choices were examined using instrumental case study methodology. This study was written with the intention for submission to the Journal of Environmental Education or Research in Science Education. Analysis of multiple data sources (interviews, observations, curricular artifacts, student assessments, school websites) resulted in the identification of three cases defined by the teachers' acceptance of anthropogenic causes of climate change, their use of Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) instructional model, and their sense of belonging. Participants were grouped into one of three cases: (1) Accepts and teaches CC using CER, (2) Accepts CC but does not use CER, and (3) Does not accept nor teach CC. Teachers' competence and confidence with climate science (knowing) as well as their sense of belonging in their rural school and community (belonging) affected how they framed (Scientific uncertainty or Conflict/Strategy) climate change to their students. By learning how rural science teachers communicate CC in their classrooms, science education experts and climate scientists can collaborate to (1) design meaningful and effective professional development workshops and (2) collate curricular resources, including empirical evidence for CC, so rural science teachers feel prepared to teach CC as a socioscientific issue. Moreover, with access to empirical evidence, rural science teachers are better positioned to model scientific argumentation using the CER model in their lessons. Research focused on climate literacy is fundamental to creating an informed generation capable of making conservation, land stewardship, and natural resource management decisions. Rural teachers and students must be included in endeavors to increase climate literacy.
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    Key practices for success: a qualitative analysis of equine rescue and adoption practices
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) McGarity, Kylie, author; Black, Jerry, advisor; Enns, Kellie, committee member; Cadaret, Caitlin, committee member
    Estimates predict there are now 602 rescues and sanctuaries in the United States which can accommodate only 24,000 of the excess 200,000 unwanted horses every year. It is predicted that 138,000-160,000 of the unwanted horses are sold on the international meat market but increasing opposition from the public could end the practice. Equine industry leaders state that rescue and sanctuary organizations could play a key role in accommodating the excess horses, but the number of horses served must drastically increase to close the gap. Research revealing elements which may increase the quality or quantity of equine adoptions is deficient. Further, the human-horse relationship is unique from other companion animals and the factors surrounding successful equine adoptions is largely unreported. Using data extracted from semi-structured interviews with key informants from highly accredited equine rescue and sanctuary organizations, this study aimed to gather a common definition of "successful adoption" while identifying practices in general equine management, adoption procedures, finance, and marketing which may help lead to more successful equine adoptions. The analysis revealed that a successful equine adoption is a partnership between horse and adopter in which the horse meets the adopter's specific and appropriate needs, the abilities and limitations of horse and adopter are appropriately balanced, and the adopter puts the needs of the horse first resulting in the adopter caring for the horse through the duration of the horse's life. The data argues that successful equine rescue organizations have the ability to build relationships, maintain trust and transparency, facilitate supportive community including providing pre-adoption and post-adoption education, promote conversation-based adoption processes, and continually act as a resource for adopters throughout the horse's life. It was found that the most significant hinderance to growth was availability of funding resources which influenced the marketing ability of participating organizations.
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    Leading with resident voices: facilitating resident participation toward inclusive, socially sustainable community
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Silva, Carron Roxanne, author; Gines, Donna Cooner, advisor; Fothergill, Wendy, advisor; Enns, Kellie, committee member; Frederiksen, Heidi, committee member
    The word "sustainable" has become a buzzword in environmental, social, and economic development. However, as it relates to "community", it refers more closely to the way citizens organize themselves and create social connections. Furthermore, social sustainability is more closely linked to agency, self-efficacy, social capital, and engagement, with a view to enacting inclusive and equitable social change. The focus of this study was to examine how participants residing in an affordable housing complex define inclusive community, what challenges to creating an inclusive community they experience in their daily life, and what best practices they believe exist in the community to work toward creating an inclusive, socially sustainable community.
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    Montana cattle ranchers' perceptions of USDA APHIS involvement in brucellosis monitoring in the greater Yellowstone area
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Bonser, Chelsea, author; Abrams, Katie, advisor; Champ, Joseph, committee member; Enns, Kellie, committee member
    Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that that causes abortions in domestic and wild ungulates including cattle, bison and elk. The disease has been almost completely eradicated in the U.S., besides the last remaining reservoir in the greater Yellowstone area (GYA). Brucellosis has spread rapidly through the region by migrating elk herds, making efforts to control and track the disease increasingly difficult. Brucellosis can also be transmitted to humans, making the GYA an area of increased public health concern. The need to increase communication and understand relationships between cattle ranchers and the federal government is important in mitigating the spread of brucellosis between animals and humans. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) regulates brucellosis management on a federal level, while the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) enforces federal regulations on a state level through a brucellosis management program including a Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) program and brucellosis testing, vaccination and identification regulations. DSA boundaries represent areas of the GYA with potential brucellosis-infected animals. Described as a "wicked problem", brucellosis is an issue that demands an increased understanding of rancher perceptions that will gain insight on views of federal and state government involvement in brucellosis monitoring as well as the brucellosis problem itself. This study explored Montana cattle rancher perceptions through ten qualitative, in-depth interviews using a phenomenological approach. This study employed the Situational Theory of Publics (STP) as a dominant theoretical framework, as it allows for a detailed classification of publics which helps explain how and why they seek information to overcome a problem. Complimentary to STP is the Situational Theory of Problem Solving (STOPS), which was used as a secondary framework to further analyze how publics scan and select information that fits within a problem-solving situation. The findings from this study suggest that rancher perceptions surrounding government agencies and brucellosis are shaped by rancher experiences with predators and economic burdens of brucellosis regulations. Data also uncovered that ranchers had varied levels of knowledge in the epidemiology of brucellosis, but all agreed that the disease was a threat to public health. While most of the ranchers found the DSA program and brucellosis management regulations to be of value, perceptions of government agencies were mixed. Ranchers felt they played a role in solving the brucellosis problem, but to different extents. Ranchers also recognized the need for increased communication surrounding brucellosis management in the GYA. Recommendations that developed from this study can help to find common ground between government agencies and Montana ranchers in the GYA, as well as help guide communication and discussion surrounding the control of the disease.
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    Teaching for transfer: exposure, experiences & instructional behavior of instructors in higher education
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Rausch, Thomas Alan, author; Kaiser, LeAnn, advisor; Enns, Kellie, committee member; Folkestad, James, committee member; Zarestky, Jill, committee member
    Learning transfer, the ability to apply learning from one situation to another, is expected of students and underlies the entire structure in higher education. Yet, many instructors in higher education do not know what learning transfer is or how to accomplish it. In an effort to understand how instructors in higher education came to teach for transfer, this study investigated the exposure, experiences, and instructional behavior of university and college instructors who self-identified as those who "teach for transfer." The purpose of this study was to understand the context and circumstances of instructor's experiences surrounding teaching for transfer, and how those experiences ultimately affected their instructional behavior. Using a basic qualitative study, the researcher recruited instructors in higher education who self-identified as those who teach for transfer in a university or college setting to take part in semi-structured interviews. Six major themes emerged from the analysis including leaning transfer experiences as students, role modeling as a teaching assistant, formalized content experiences, improving teaching for transfer, barriers to teaching for transfer, and unfamiliar with learning transfer terminology. The findings highlight how experiences affected instructional behavior of those teach for transfer. The study can help academics understand the link between experiences and instructional behaviors and address the barriers present which affect teaching for transfer.
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    The effects of active learning, class size, and incentives on student performance in lecture and laboratory for an introduction to animal sciences
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Wesolowski, Danielle K., author; Martin, Michael J., advisor; Enns, Kellie, committee member; Clark, Nathan, committee member; Cunningham, Sam, committee member
    In the past few years there has been a notable increase in the use and interest in educational programs centered around using an instructional method known as active learning. The purpose of this study is to determine under what conditions students best perform within laboratory and lecture, while identifying learning gaps that offer potential settings to incorporate active learning. Findings showed that by placing a higher weight on attendance and participation, increases the overall student performance. Class size had little to no effect on student performance, which opens an opportunity to incorporate active learning techniques, leveraging the learning in a classroom, so that educators can spend larger amounts of time interacting with students.